The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-28

style, very. But she's the sort OF a girl a
know? A bit of a New Woman-a blue
stocking-that kind of thing By JoVe,
never know exactly what to say 10 her, or
or not"
Il don't think that would be viola's role
at all events Miss Adair said iciy, and
she vouchsafed no other comment on his
criticism.
They had come in sight Of the Deanery
gates, when polo-csrt dashed around
who was driving, lifted his cap. with a
very pale, stern face, ere he was whirled
by.
Mabel Adair's heart sank. At that in
slant all her proud spirit deserted her.
She longed to meet Hubert, face to face
to explain matters clearly to him-to inn
plore-yes, if necessary, to implore of him
to be to her as he had once been!
But like so many of our good impulses
in this world, the desire was not to be car
ried out. The will was there, but not the
way. Lord Carruthers was STOPPING over
his horses neck, as, with his whip, he un-
fastened the hasp to the Deanery gate, and
Hubert Brandon was out of sight, his pale,
stern face seeming to gaze on Mabel even
stll as she mad seen 1T for the moment
as he passed her.
ed his sister that he was leaving home for
business"
ITO BristoI?" Viola echoed and, sud
denly, as if from the sheer force of SYM
pathy, her brothers words of few even
ings before flashed upon her memory:
I've been thinking over another
little plan, however, which will, ] think,
be effective enough. 1t will open my eyes
to the girls true doings and TO Carruth-
ers' treachery towards myself
Viola looked earnestly into Huberts
face, as though to read the truth beneath
the mask which covered his features.
Will you be long away?' she asked at
"No-a few days, as I tell you. Pray
don't cross-question me further tonight,
= ;,aI oil oh,
it afterwards. And now forget it-for the
present. I'll sleep here at Brandon to-
night
Hubert left the Court early on the fol-
lowing morning, having told his sister
nothing further of the business" that was
summoning him away
Two days passed and Viola heard moth
ing more of her brother. A strange, rest
less anxiety took possession Of her and her
| heart was full of shapeless, yet terrifying
forebOdings.
She knew well how dreadfully impetuous
Hubert was-how passion blinded his eyes
to reason and swept him along upon its
dangerous current, when once he had
yielded his senses to its sway.
What was the meaning of this mysterious
absence? Where had he gone to? When
would he return7
Viola was standing by her window, all
alone, on the afternoon of the third day
since Hubert's departure, specializing
again over her brothers movements when,
suddenly, the sound of loud. excited voices
fell upon her ear--voces from the front
hall of the court.
Instantly she crossed the floor, opened
the door quickly and fastened out on the
lobby.
She heard her fathers voice below. He
was talking excitedly to Adam Dale, the
gamekeeper. A moment later Viola stood
in the hail Her father turned rapidly, a
shocked look in his handsome face.
Viola, dear, something dreadful has oc-
CURED. Adam Dale has brought the It'd
Her thoughts flew to Hubert. She tot
tered, and leaned against the wall for sup
s.What-what is it?' she gasped with
| livid lips. Notwithstanding about HUI
mo, indeed. thank heavenr' was the re-
assuring answer. But Hubert will be
shocked when he hears it. Lord Car
ruthers has been shot dead in the wood
His body has just been carried home to
x An hour later Viola Brandon was has
tening through the wood, her face pale
her eyes full of nameless terror and dis
tress.
The scant particulars of the mysterious
tragedy of Lord Carruthers' death she had
heard; but that there was something still
worse to learn, a fatal instinct told her
Adam Dale and Stephen Wilmot, a wood
ranger, had come on the dead body of
Lord Carruthers, in a very lonely part of
the Brandon wood-a little dell, known as
the Beech Hollow.
The body was still warm when the two
men had found it: the bullet seemed to
have passed through the left side, just
below the breast, and a deep cash upon
the head from which the blood was we'll
ing showed, as it seemed. that the I'M
fortunate nobleman had fallen violently
to the earth, his head striking upon the
jagged root of a great beech-tree, as he
fell.
Adam Dale had stayed by the body. while
Wilmot FASTENED to the Hall, to report the
CHASTITY news. Quarter OF an hour later
four of the Hall servants had come to the
wood and the body had been conveyed
away on a stretcher.
Such was the gist of Adam Dale's It'd
ings-to every word Of which Viola Bran
don had eagerly listened, hear heart al
most ceasing to beat
"And you-you saw no one in the wood
you heard no Voices-no Quarrel-you
met no one?" she gasped, in a shudder-
No. Adam Dale had no further infor-
nation to give His testimony ended
there.
How shocked Hubert win be, when he
returns and hears of this the squire of
Brandon again said; and Viola, as she
heard the words. felt faint and sick with
horror.
Now, as she moved rapidly along the
woodland path, this same terror pursued
her pitilessly a nameless terror-a ter
rcr she stroVe in vain to suppress.
She never slackened her pace until she
had arrived at the Beech Hollow. The
twilight was closing down rapidly, and
the crimson beech leaves rustled drear-
lily in the breeze. The sound fell upon
Niola's ears like a dirge Of ill-omen; ana
as the autumnal gust rose and fell among
the branches-now dying away to a pro-
longed shudder, now rising, with a lin.
gerlng, elhn moan-the girls heart failed
her for a moment, and she felt that she
had neither courage nor physical strength
to carry out her CHASTITY errand.
Conquering this momentary weakness
however, she fell upon her knees amid
the moss and ferns, and began hur-
ried, GREATNESS, almost frenzied search--
| for what? Eagerly, with shrinking, yet
determined eyes, with trembling yet reso-
lutte fingers she pursued this mysterious
search.
She had almost completed the circuit of
| the Hollow when, suddenly, a hand was
laid upon her shoulder and a familiar
| voice rang in her ears.
"Niola, what are you doing there?
| Thank heaven, / have met you!"
IL was her brother Hubert. She sprang
to her feet. with suppressed shrek. She
| caught both of his hands in hers She
saw that he was pale, haggard wild and
excited; his hands were icy cold.
"Oh, Hubert! Hubert3
Her voice died away to a moan
FLUSH! hushw he said, eagerly 1--WE
may be overheard / can hardly credit
my senses that II is really you, Viola. /
was waiting around here until night
| should fall, 50 that / could steal over 10
the court unobserved and make an at
| tempt to see you"
STEAL over to the court unobserved,"