The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-03
tALL RIGHTS BEsERvED.l

voted to warding off robbery in one shape
or another. They are all thieves. ly
they carry on their trade in q different
fashion. Most of them would marry me
first and rob me afterwards, but this poor
fool was evidently under the impression
that carried my fortune in my pocket,
and was determined to dispossess me, of
it at one fell blow. I did we'll, ! think,
to send for the police. The ruflian, who
ever he is, will be frightened at any
rate
Whlle she was musing thus, her maid s
hands were busy. There was to be big
dance that night at Lord Portaclare' 5
place, a fine old mansion situated mid
way between Newport and Westport, and
MISS Power was to be the belle of the
evening. And belle indeed she seemed
when her toilette was completed. She
wore bah dress Of white satin, with
diamonds in her hair, red roses on her
bosom, and bracelets of gold hlagree on
her shapely arms.
There was a knock at the door, and a
voice said:
Captain Kennedy is below, miss,
waiting to see you.
She gave one glance at herself in the
glass, spriDkled some scent upon her
lace handkerchief, and descended to the
drawing room, where she found the polite
captain.
II was at the barracks when your note
arrived, Miss Power, so I thought I'd
come over myself. I've brought two of
the constabulary along with me-
"Ihank you, Captain Kennedy"
This Is a strange affair entirely" con-
tinued the officer. ''Have you any idea
who it was that attacked your
Not the slightest" answered the lady,
with smile.
''Do you think he was common rob-
ber?'
at certainly looked like it.''
1T was lucky you kept your presence
of mind, miss" said Kennedy, with an
scot freeP'
''Well, the whole affair was so sudden
that hardly know what happened The
moment the man seized my bride. Wild
fire reared, and then, instinctive1y, l laid
my whip across the man cheek, and be-
fore he could recover himself l was off
and away"
The inspector looked puzzled and very
serious.
''I'd like to ask you one question, Miss
Power" he said after a pause. "Have
you ever been threatened?'
She looked uneasy, but answered with
out hesitation: Eyes, once
''Do you know who tbrc"tened you?''
Perfectly, but / W III rather not
IH0nUlO0 HIS nd1n6 ttU present.
AS you please, MISS" said Kennedy,
a little surpr ised, "only if you gave us
some clue we shouldn t be working quite
SO much in the dark. +"
81 have particular reasons for saying
nothing at present." remarked Miss
Power "only think it prudent to protect
myself from any attacks in the future.
When Catherine descended the stairs
she found her carriage. with a mounted
or, off hn7s ciF a of
her at the door. Thus escorted she started
for Cladich Castle.
When the lady arrived at her destina-
ton escorted in so unusual a manner
everybody was on tenter. hooks to know
what it all meant. Not a whisper of the
adventure had as yet got abroad but the
groom had dropped a word to the foot
that individual made himself during the
evening an object of very considerable in
terest in the kitchen of the castle.
Miss Power herself carried the news to
the ballroom, where a large and gallant
company was assem- led. During the
evening the adventure was literally dis
cussed, but the heroine made light of it
and seemed in the highest of spirits. At
ter one of the waltzes in which he had
been her happy partner, Mr.. Philip Lang
ford, friend and neighhor. found him
self alone with Miss P, Wer.
My dear Miss Power, said he, as the
two paced up and down among the exot-
les, '!you really want some one to protect
you from this sort of thing
"Of COURSE returned Catherine, arch
ly, land | have appointed some one. Did
l not arrive here attended by an escort of
police?'
The gentleman colored and bit his lip.
In point of fact he had long been dancing
on the lady of the castle, and
to all outward appearance no was most
eligible match. He was fairly young and
passably handsome, could sit horse well
in the hunting field, and though some-
what moody and taclturn In general,
was sweetness itself to those he liked.
Unfortunately he was poor, all his pos
sessions being tumbledown mansion
and about three OF four hundred year.
But what he lacked in money he made
up for in descent. His ancestors counted
much further back than he could trace at
all, but he knew for certain, and he very
often boasted, that one OF them was on
the ship which brought over Grana
O. Maley to the English court. Despite
all this, and although she had often
found herself looking at his handsome
face and manly figure with some degree
of admiration, Catherine could never
bring herself to look with any favor
upon his suit.
- L ne 1aCU Is, hne SalQ TO nerSelf over
and over again. II like them all so
much that 1 cannot choose one. Now il
they would only leave marrying alone,
and be content to be my friends. how
much nicer it would be-
Having made that sly remark about the
police, Catherine peeped into her compan-
ion s face and saw how darby it was
clouded.
whats the matter?" she said, softly.
9 Are you angry?"
Angry What right have to be an
gryp l am only anxious on your ac-
count.
"Once warned, twice armed p cried
Catherine, smiling. Captain Kennedy
is awfully nice, and would give me o
whole regiment of constabulary if l asked
him."
Then seeing that his face was still
Swallowed, she added swsetly:
''Please forgive me, Mr.. Langford, and
let US be friends. I did not mean any
offence, I assure you!''
In moment the young mans face
turned smilingly to hers, he gazed upon
her with look which made her blush
and turn her head away
Catherine" he said passionately, "if
you want to please me you know the
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