New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-13

and pistol with him 10 Laughton Park. on his
immediate return the servants ana nousenviu
would have to be avoided but once alone III MS
own bedroom he could place them In leather
vaise. in which he kept locked certain papers.
and to which he had never given MS servant
access ,...
Mr. George Hawley arrived at Laughton about
{ o'clock in the evening. The household was IN
a state of great excitement. preparing ,or WY
ball at which II vas expected the Duke anu
Duchess and their party would ne prestn'.
Hawley entered the house unobserved' passing
from the stables through the servants quaI'ei
on the great staircase. az ill-luck WOULD nave H.
whom should be meet but little Horace Stayne
He was n curly headed child Of seven. ana win
him Mr. Hawley was, as always with chiiuren
vast favorite. -, 49,,
where have YOU been. Mr.. Hawley? the
child questioned 1T has been oh ever so oCi
without YOU No one tells me stories oil hEh-
waymen or London. and papa and the geh'ie-
men would not let me go shooting with them TO-
day Only two days. he went on, ana theh IL
will he my birthday. and though Aunt Lauder
Will be sure to send me stupid book, mamma
is going TO give me a real pony OF my own. Whal
have YOU got in there" he asked suddenly
running his hand over the outside OF the DuiSi's
pocket of Hawleys coat. <,
readiness, that's a birthday present for YOU
but YOU shall not see it, Master curious UNI"
the day" IT, ,,..,
friend. and dismisslng his valet on some pre-,
text or other. carefully slowed the coat anu
both his pistols in the valise. Whcn ne IooHe ud
notwithstanding a heavy fall OF snow -d u
Stavnevards New-Years ball was very pilli-
liant affair and the following morning When
the party reassembled formed the sup ;I',t ~
many pleasant recoections and much critciSIl
Rut the appearance of the DuchesS-Wnelhei
Lady Dora Setons diamonds were real OF pas
and the outrageous behavior OF MISS bS.tS
Sutton and Young Droicey Flottott. VINO mao
taken the floor together somewhat oftener IMAM
was thought Observation-Disclosures as topics %
conversation. paled to insigni:cance when t tte
news arrived of the latest daring feat on the
highway Of that scoundrel Captain ScarIe'
The Bishop made the matter the excuse for
learned and very eloquent discourse upon the
iniouitv of poverty My Lord laughed cons.i-
erahlv contradicted the Bishop with great m
genuity and vowed that he admired me rel
lows dash and lmpudence. MISS 'Ioou Snu" q
daughter of the most distinguished hanging
Judge on circuit had ii from a friend that zap
tain Scarlet the handsomest. ponteest
gentleman in the world, a statement Whlcn
Mr. George Hawley, In his graNeiy courteous
manner begged leave to doubt ,.....,
The whole treatment of the AFFAIR lntereS'Tu
Hawley beyond measure. lie smiled 10 ni''''V't
at the gradual establishment of the story. ~
noon the daring villain had shot wheeler "hu
a postboy and taken near f4oD by o clo,h
the booty was assessed at t6DW ana guinea,
and quantity Of diamonds with the near leader
thrown in. An hour later-and Mi HaWle!
own invention was responsible for TINS piC'dI-
esoue addition-the gallant of the ROAD nau re-
fused to accept the shillings OF roSy-chreN'u
milkmaid and had taken kiss in eXcnanSe.
Horace you may be sure, was not ne leas'
enthusiastic listener to these rumorS. Ihose Ge.
lightful hours spent with Mr.. Hawley IN me
library had stimulated his interest III .''ppel'e
on the highway. and he recounted ne 'oil,ss
the mysterious captain the great Scd'le'
with vast admiration and ENJOYMENT
II wanted but a short time Of the dinner hour.
Lady Stayneyard and Hawley were alone III enc enc
Of the withdrawing rooms. she had Deen iuuu
in her censure of crime on the ROAD. IL was
so cowardly she held. This man they c"iIeu
Scarlet" had he ever been really face TO race
with danger? She dared venture to maintain
that at heart captain Scarlet" was a BULLY ana
a coward Men talked randomly OF his courage
but had he not always held the cards? so,,
Would not Captain Scarlet lace o'd'h
bravely?' he asked. . =.
1T is only the good who dare die she an
swered. ,.,.s
and said gravely. You speak as though 1t would
be noble of a bad man to meet death 'eaiIe9sIE'
Do Won believe that? blame none ,or noNn boyo
grown. | sit preaching here for all the "orld rs
if knew something Of these great SUBJ ITS ne
and honor. and even death. Play :He s'methins
and forgive me-.
LADY Stayneyard turned to the harosirnord
an instrument which she boasted an au
mirabe proficiency. gavo'te OF "iucK set
Mr. Hawley in mind Of volume ~ :ouns
and little known cOmpOser-a Mr. Mozart. lie
had brought the book with him as pr.sen, TO
his hostess; if she would excuse him 'or 4 mo
uent ne would bring tn, gift 10 her
The music he recollectcd. was in his ped-
chamber in the locked valise. While ne was was
searching for It, he caught the unmlslaka .tl
sound of a snowfall striking the window OF tne
dressing-room adjoining. He found the DOCK,
and without pausing to lock the Valse VEN
to the dressing-room window. This he flung
OPEN Outside in the snow-covered courtyard
he saw little blue-eyed Celia Stayne IN her
hand was a second SNOWFALL which, with mar.
VellOus accuracy for child OF eight she aiiI','
at Hawley In a moment Mr.. Hawley replied,
collecting the snow from the wndow-siil and a
brief battle ensued In no time. however MS
ammunition ran out and he withdrew
"Ah, YOU coward Mr. Hawley" he heard her
calling: come down and fight 1t out
As he passed through his bedroom. he caught
sight of the valise lying shut. apparently ex-
actly he had left t, with the Keys in the
lock and he turned the key without opening it:
Little did he think that in so short space or
time Master Horace had been there. curiously
searching for the birthday present he had 50
foolishly mentioned to him. This the child had
not found, but pistol and a wonderful scarlet
coat had instantly struck his fancy, and calmly
extracting these from their hiding place he had
slipped out of the room with them.
Mr.. Hawley returned to the drawing-room
Lady Stayneyard not there. The room was
quite empty. on her ladyshps escritoire lay
| the programme of the concert for that evening.
1t was written in fine clear hand. and inscribed
with many curs and furnishes. He read twice,
"Song-Mr George Hawley," and he tried to
make up his mind which Of his favorites ne would
sing.
He was softly humming 10 himself the opening
bars Of a ballad to a setting by Purcell. when
through the open doorway he heard Lady
| Stayneyards voice.
MIR Hawley. Mr.. Hawley.' she cried. Help.
| | am attacked"
There was no distress whatever in the tone,
| hut for all that in a moment Hawley was at the
! foot Of the staircase from whence he fancied the
cry came.
! Here a curious sight met him. Four steps
| from the top of the flight. leaning against the
wall Just under the famous LaughtOn XucchcrO.
stood Lady Stayneyard. with look Of the great
est amusement in her eyes. But on the land
| ing at the top the winter sunlight through the
| great west window, showed Hawley a figure
| which, FOR a moment, made him feel almost faint.
There stood little far-halred Horace. dressed
| in a faded scarlet coat which trailed the
| ground. and over his face he wore the Grape
] mask he had found in the pocket OF II.
Hawley recognized the coat in flash. though
Il was many months since he had seen II by
daylight and ne set himself down for lost
'In the Kings name YOU will deliver to Cap
tain Scarlet cried Horace to his mother. not