Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28

chairs along one side Of the hall, seemed
to be In the charge of messenger and
some dpstaves, and to be prisoners await
ing examination. Between these last and
the stairs. occupying the floor of the hall,
and both moving and standing still. were
crowd Of persons OF condition. the great
duke. or officers and persons who. having
the entree, had stepped in out of curiosity
to see the sight.
However, I had no eyes for these. for
with q beating heart / recognized among
the detected prisoners seated along theTwail
four whom I knew-King, Reyes, Cassel
and Ferguson himself-and had anything
but mind to stay to be recognized In my
turn. / was in the act of Withdrawing,
therefore, as quickly as could, when I saw
with a kind Of shock that the prisoner at
the end of the row, the one nearest to ne
and farthest from the door, was girl. 1t
scarcely needed a second glance to tell me
that the girl was Mary. The light at that
inner extremity of the hall was waning.
and her face, always pale and now in
shadow, wore an aspect Of gray and weary
depression that. natural as it was under
the circumstances, went to my heart and
impressed me deeply in proportion as had
always found her hard and 5elf-rehant.
But, moved as 1 was, 1 dared not finger,
since to inger might be to be observed.
With light foot, therefore, / carried out
my first intention, and drawing back undis-
covered sneaked up the staircase to my
room.
Wy cue IN the circumstances vas c1e3f.
Plainly it was to lie close and Keep quiet
and shun observation until the crisis was
past, then by every means m my power
saving always the becoming evidence
in court, which was too dangerous-to de-
serve the dukes favor, and, as 20 the pie dge
l had given to Smith, 20 be guided by the
future.
Such line OF conduct was immensely
favored by the illness to which had so
fortunately succumbed. Once back in my
bed, had only to lie there and affect weak
ness, and in day or two might hope that
things would be so far advanced that my
share in them and knowledge of them would
go Tor little. and l, on the ground Ct the
personal favor had done his grace, might
keep his favor, yet run no risk.
In fact, nothing could seem more simple
than such line of conduct, on which, the
western daylight that still fingered in the
room giving my retreat a most cheerful
aspect, l felt that / mad every reason to
hug myself. After the miseries and dam
gers of the past week l was indeed well
on. Here, in the remote top floor of my
lords great house in the square, 1 was as
safe as 1 could be anywhere in the world,
and knew it.
But SO contrary is human nature and so
little subject to the dictates of the sound
est sense that 1 had not lain in my bed
tive minutes, congratula.ing myself on my
safety, before the girl and the wretched-
ness 1 had read in her face began to trou-
pie me- 1t was not to be denied that she
II she had not actually saved it, and had
a kind of feeling for her on that account
true things were greatly altered since we
nao agreed to go to Romfocd together eft
nuptias facere. / had got no patron then,
nor such prospects as now had these trou-
bles once overpaSt. But for all that it trou-
Died me to thing of her as I had seen her,
pale and downcast. and by and by found
my hand on the latch. Thence went back,
shivering and ashamed and calling myself
and doubtless rightly, fool and tried by
watching the crowd in the square, but
timfdly. since even at that height fancied
might be recognized, to divert my
thoughts. With SO little success in the end.
however, that presently I was stealing
down the stairs again
L knew that 1t was impossible 1 could
pass down the main staircase ard through
the servants unobserved. but 1 took it
that IN such house there must be a back
stairs, and coming to the first floor 1 turn
&c craftfly down the main corridor leading
into the heart of the house, and pretty
quickly found that staircase which was
as good as dark, and crept down It, still
meeting no one, thing that surprised
ground floor corresponding with the cor
r1dor above and found that the door, which
from its position should cut it off from
the front hall, was fastened Tantalfzed
by the murmur of voices IN the hail. and
my proxtmitSs- tried the -focietwicn but
the second effort only confirmed the result
7of the first. /; / was letting down the latch
as softly as I could, hoping that Isshould
not be detocteds when the door was Sharp
~ flung open in my face all the; noise
and heatssof the shAlf hurst ron me and
In the opening appeared stout, angry
man, who glared at me as If he would eat
me. -
What are you doing here?" he cried,
when twice have told you There
he stopped. seeing who it =. was,s and.
'HalloT' he continued, in a different and
10 &c
better?"
Afterward I learned that he was Mr..
Martin, my lords house steward, but at
the time 1 knew him only for some one
In authority, and l muttered an excuse
Well, come through. now you are here"
he continued sharply. But the orders
are strict that this door be kept locked.
while this business is going. You can see
as well, or better. from the stairs. There.
those are the men. And a rare set of
Frenchified devils they look. Charnock
is in with my lord now, and 1 hope he
may not blow him up with gunpowder CT
some fiend's trick!''
He had scarcely told me when a stir
In the body OF the hall announcing a new
arrival, cry was raised CT Room for
my Lord Marlborough and my Lord Co
dolphfn" and the press falling to either
side out of respect, 1 had a glimpse of two
gentlemen In the act of entering-one a
stout and very noble-looking man of florid
complexion. the other stout also and per
steward had no sooner heard their names
announced than in a great fluster he babe
me keep the door a minute, and pushing
himself into the throng he went with inn
menSe Importance to receive them.
So by strange piece of luck at the mo-
ment that the check of his presence was
withdrawn found myself standing within
three feet of the girl whose seat was close
to the door. Moreover, the movement by
thrusting those who had before occupied
the floor back upon the line of prisoners
had walled us in, as it were, from obser-
vation. Under these circumstances our
eyes met. and I looked for flush of 10y
and surprise. a cry of recognition at least.
but though Mary started and for an in
slant stared at me wide-eyed, her gaze
fell the next moment, and muttering some
thing inaudfble, she let her chin sink back
on her breast.
Go be continued.)
A Matter of Custom,
From the New York Tribune. .-
like fhe nrophef the Zrl., balla hoe 1;ftla