The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-03
HAPTER III.

story
Miss Catherine Powers was the most
popular lady in the whole of the county
of Mayo. She possessed three stepl ing
stones to popularity: she was beautiful,
wealthy and unmarried.
When it was rumored that she WAS
coming to Newport to take possession of
the property which had been most I'M
expectedly left to her, it was generally
predicted that the local gentry would re-
ceiye her with open arms. 1t was some
thing, indeed, in that wild district, to be
the lucky possessor of Castle Craig, with
rent roll of several thousands u year.
But when the young lady appeared per-
sonally upon the scene the money became
secondary consideration altogether. 1t
had been expected, yet not one could tell
exactly why, that the unknown heiress
would be mature lady of goodly proper
ions, with a keen eye, an aggressive nose
and purse proud, naughty air. Miss
Power, however, was but three and TWEEN
tY years of age, had tall, slim figure, a
finely formed head and face, and the
grace of q lady to the manner born. Her
hair was jet black, her skin fair as lily,
her eyebrows dark, and her eyes of deep
violet blue.
Whether she smiled or frowned, or
gazed with dreamy look VIII CHI her face
SO often wore, Catherine Power never for
a moment lost the fatal power of fascina-
tion which was destined to prove her
bane.
By one and all this power of hers was
felt. The men might shrug their shout
ders at the thought of meeting the popu-
lar heiress of Castle Craig, the angry
mammas might sneer, the jealous maid
ems rail, but once they were introduced
into the lady's presence they succumbed
as all before had done, and laid their
allegiance at her feet.
In word, she came like queen to
her own, and reigned absolute.
In addition to her wealth, her beauty,
and her single 'blessedness, she had two
other supreme gifts to win the hearts of
the Irish gentry-she danced like sylph
and she sat her horse like an angel.
Little or nothing was known of her
antecedents. except that she had been
brought up in England, where her pa
rents had died. leaving her small for
tune, quite enough for a single young
lady to subsist upon. Then came the an
nouncement of her accession to the Mayo
estates which was closely followed by her
appearance at Castle Craig, where for
many days she kept o~en house, reoeiv
ing the calls and congratulations of the
tenantry.
Before long the whole of the county
was ringing with the echoes of her name,
and the local newspapers thought it their
duty to chronicle her comings and goings,
AS If she were an offshoot of royalty.
Suitors swarmed about her like bees
about sugar bowl, but the dreamy
young lady conscious of her worth,
merely smiled to herself and dismissed
them one and all with polite but de-
cided "no.''
Whether OR no society was distasteful
to her no one could tell; but the fact re-
mains that she showed curious love OF
solitude, and was in the habit of taking
lonely walks, rides and drives in the most
dreary parts in the district.
Her groom WAS by no means astonished,
therefore, when one dark autumn day,
Miss Power ordered her favorite horse to
be saddled and eantered away from the
Castle without escort of any kind. She
felt in the mood for good long ride that
day; so she galloped to Wessport, dis.
lance of fifteen miles, and having exc
cuted some commissions, started again
for home.
1t was fresh, though cloudy afternoon,
the wind was blowing briskIy from the
sea, and as the horses hoofs clattereu on
the road the eyes of the fair rider
sparkled, her cheeks flushed and her lips
parted to drink in the breath of the salt,
bracing air. When she had covered some
twelve miles of the homeward way, and
had reached the outskirts of the Castle
Wood, she refined in her steamipg horse
and trotted along bride path which
sklrted the woods, and cut off two miles
Of the road.
She had been trotting thus for abo ut
ten minutes when she heard rustling
among the trees, and man dressed as
peasant, but wearing a Grape mask,
rushed from the shelter of the woods and
seized her bride rein.
The horse reared furiously, but the
lady kept her seat, aud raising her riding
whip brought it down sharply right
across the ruffians face. At this unex-
pected attack he fell back, while Miss
Power, applying both spur and whip TO
her frightened horse, made him bound
forward and galiop furiously in the direc
ton of the Castle.
When Miss Power dismounted at her
own door her face was pale, and her fair
form was still trembling from the fright
of her recent adventure, but alighting
from her horse she handed the reins to
the groom and said quietly:
Leave the stabling of Wildf1re to some
one else tonight. Cormick; want you to
ride over to Mulrany. Make haste, and
when you are ready send in for note
from me-
Then she entered the house, and going
direct to her boudoir sat down and wrote
as follows:
''To Sergeant Flynn.-Kindly send me
at once an armed patrol. I want the
Castle to be guarded night and day
at least for while. AS l was riding to-
day was moiested by a peasant in
Grape mask who seized my horses bride.
1t will be as we'll for me, therefore, to
have police protection. I dine this even
ing at Cladich Castle, and should like to
be attended
CATHERINE POWER"
Having sent this letter down to her
groom the lady entered her drawing room
and played absently on the piano. An
hour later she went to her dressing room
to place herself under the hands OF her
maid. AS she sat before the great cheval
glass, apparently gazing at her own i'm
age and smiling at what she saw, she was
In reality gazing at the mysterious
figure which had stopped her on the road,
and smiling at the fright which 1t had
given her.
"Heigho," she thought. lit seems to
me that money does not bring much
happiness. The life Of an heiress is de-