The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-10-23
CHAPTER XIII-tContinued. J


hair was streaming down her back, and
she wore the dress she wore that evening
at dinner. She always dressed in style
OF her own, in peculiar colors, and l
heard the captain ask her that day to
wear that particular dress in the evening;
he said he admired it so. l thought moth
and old friends"
What did Sir Laurence do"
HE seemed to come to life at last.
Then he gave hopeless sort OF sigh. but
| saw his eyes blazing. He started for
ward, aud | thought that murder would
be the end of that nights work"
And them
Then the front door opened, and the
captain came out. and stood in the porch
with a lighted cigar in his mouth. l
thought! almost hoped Sir Laurence
would kill him. but he strobe up to him,
and looked him in the facet suppose
gentlemen don't rush at encb other 5
threats like common people"
Why, Estmere, back again already!
said the captain
You villain. you utter villain" said
Sir Laurence.
''Then hoped he would have killed him
i would-but he did not. Gentlemen
can restraln themselves, | suppose. It's
III the blood, perhaps. He knew at once
what Sir Laurence meant. L can give
you the satisfaction due from one gentle
man to another he said
Yes said Laurence. 4 can shoot you
through the heart, BY and by; but that is
a pitiful satisfaction
on will hear of me at my club said
the captain; but remember, Estmere, she
was mine long before you came and stole
her from me-
Go. at once said Sir Laurence, or |
shall Kill you now l have never seen
him since. After he had disappeared Sir
Laurence clinched his fists and went Il
few steps after him: then he returned,
and after walking to and fro some time
longer. he threw himself down on a grassy
bank, and | heard him sob as | never
heard human being sob before. Then
ran into the house and went to bed
rs that all you have to tellt'
IAN, except that | don't think he en-
tered the house at all that night He
was there in the morning. and the other
servants told me aftcrward that her lady
ship. who WAS the first TO greet him, went
TO her own room looking as they never
saw her lo"k before, and shortly after
ward Sir Laurence ordered the head nurse
10 get the eldest boys things ready for Il
journey. Then he drove away with him
The next morning her ladyship and the
baby went away by themselves, to Lon
don. she said. From that day to this
have never seen either of them. The
servants were all paid off. the house shut
up, and my Johns father put in charge of
the Court. Then | married John, and
ten years ago the old man died, and we
We're told to go on as before. living here
and seeing il was kept from harm.
heard that Sir Laurence did shoot
Captain Gresham afterward, but did not
quite kill him"
He laned him for life. at least
Yes, heard that, and was glad of it,
for Of all villains that ever lived that
Gresham was the worst
What other servants were in the
house ut the time:' l asked.
There We're three maid servants be-
sides the lead nurse and myself, and her
ladyship's maid. 1t is only Il small house,
So only few servants were needed"
What vas her ladyship's maids name
Can She throw any light on it,
Mary Williams was her name. have
not heard anything Of her for years-she
went to the bad. | think. But she knew
nothing about it. No one knew, except
me. | l-ept my own counsel, AMI should
never have told you, sir, if YOU had not
pressed 50 and said, as Master Nalentine's
friend, you would know. | have never
been n scandal monger"
ayr
But can you believe Lady Estmcre for
feited her husbands love and the posi-
ton she held his wife for such a
wretch as Chesham!"
Il have told You what | saw"
Il have reason to believe that Lady
Estmcre has never spoken to Chesham
since then. That does not look like a mad
infatuation.'
No, sir, it doesn't. But the captain
was Il wicked, wicked man. Whatever
he persuaded her ladyship to was for the
sake OF revenge, not for love of her"
"RevcnEe*'
Yes, because he was engaged to he
married to her once. 1t was all broken
off before she met Sir Laurence. vet he
tevenged himself for it by running her
| believe lie stood at that window with
her. knowing that Sir Laurence might re-
turn any moment"
How could he know that? Was Sir
Laurence suspicious:'
suspicious. No, sir. He trusted bcr
lady>hip entirely until that moment This
- what makes me say it was revenge A
few DAYS aftcrWard Johnny husband
now told me strange thing which
have often thought of since. In the morn.
luE, when sir Laurence started. he mot
Iohns father about three miles from
home. He stopped and asked him some.
thing about the farm, then, as he rode
of, he called out. II you 20 up To III,
house. tell them | have changed my mind
and shall ride back tonight | shall be
home about 10::So or IL The old man
was going up to give the message. When
he met the captain. 70 save his old legs
the walk, he told him what Sir Laurcnc,
bad said about returning, and Cheshan
promised to make it known at the house
Now, sir he never said word of this &c
any one"
WAS greatly relieved 10y the las, piece
IF Information. Wild as the thought was
i pointed to some diaholic plot on the
part " Gresham. It was hard To imarin.
a motive
strong - Ia have successfully worked
ont such scheme. All speculation failel
aH 10 SUrmi>ing how any ingenuity coul,
have made Lady Estmere an unwilling
iart1clndtcr in it, hut To my mind nothing
Was 81 impossible or improbable as the
ltea Of her STOPPING from her height fol
IN" love. N" momcntary love. of Captain
I. 'heSham. There was something Vet Il
he tISc"N cred. and. as rose and followed
Mrs. Payne downstairs. | vowed would
for Nalchtinc's sake. and for his mother:
sakv- devote myself to the calculation o
the mystery, and how delighted Claudin,
would lac if. eventually. l discovered tn,
truth,
CHAPTER XIV.
W reached cur destination the mex
morning. Strange IL it seemed that tw,
II the hest houses in the country sid,
should tor the sake Of one woman be lie
serted. For | knew that his early attach
I nj. -