Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-11-03
CHATTER XIV.


and Crosmont, the sickly light of flick
ering gas lamp high above falling on his
figure on what could be seen of his face.
~he words froze on their guilty lips: the
blood ieaped up and then seemed to stag
nate in their veins as the cold eyes pierced
them. Crosmont stopped. and stared up.
as still as a dead man. shattered, con-
founded, without a word, without cry
Lady kildonan. with a hoarse and broken
shrek that rang in hideous echoes
through the huge bare station. staggered
back. back. with starting eyes and strug-
Cling breath. until before they could stop
her. before they had even time to realize,
the danger she was in. she reached the
edge of the platform. and with a last fatal
backward step. fell with moan on the
metals Lord l<ildonrn sprang down axe
a young man. lifted her in his arms, and
stared INTO her face. When Armathwaite
Joined him, the old Scotcbman's face was
all broken up with passionate anxiety, MS
voice broken and weak as child.
81 have not killed her, Frank, have L!
Speak. boy. speakr' he said in a husky
whisper. as he lifted the head that hung
linn and powerless on his shoulder.
Armathwaite, whose professional in
stinct had given him back all his calm at
trfe moment OF Inc dCcihth'' i"' -
her, touched her.
"No." he said. briefly: "she is not dead.
We must get her on to the platform!
Crosm Jnt!'
= This call to the young man. VINO was
still standing like a statue with duii eyes
and leaden limbs. woke him to life ana
action. He would have helped TO raise
the PROSTATE woman, but Lord kildonan,
81
Z, touch her. The latter. with the assist
ance of Armathwaite. lifted her on TO the
platform just as the Branksome train
steamed slowly up towards them Frank
suggested that she ought TO remain IN
Liverpool that night-that it would be
dangerous for her to travel Her head
had fallen on the metals: no one could tell
vet what injury she had sustained. LOr0
kildonau was immovable.
..She must go homer he said. briefly
"And if it should Kill her. my lord
I'VE can still perhaps save her reputa-
tion," said Lord Ki;dOnan in his coldesi
tone.
But he was deeply moved. He never
took his eyes off his wife's white face as
they carried her into compartment ana
laid her on the seat. Crosmont still stood
on the platform. and Armathwaite went
back 10 hun, and lG.d his hand on his
arm.
The agent was shivering like man
with asue.
Come" said Armath waite. you must
come back with u.s.
mo, no." said CrosmOnt, hoarsely.
After some few moments appeal. warn
ang him that Lady Ki!donan was per
haps dying the doctor induced him to take
his place in the next compartment to that
in which the husbend and wife, weirdly
reunited, were travelling. Then. after eX-
acting a promise from the agent that he
would not try TO escape, he reJolned LORD
Kildouan and the unconscious woman.
1t was terrible return journey. Dur
ing all the four cold. mouotonous bours
Lady Ki.donan lay almost without move
ment. from time to time muttering few
words TO herself incoherent!y. or opening
her eyes with the blank stare of doll,
only TO close them again automatically
without having taken in any impression.
At seven O'Clock on the raw February
morning the train steamed into Brank-
some station. The stOppage reused Lady
Kildonan: she struggled up and looked
yacantly about her muttering incOherent-
Iy that it was getting light-that she
should be late-but without noticing her
companions. Frank put her veil over her
face and fastened it for her. TO which
she made no opposition. And she accept
ed his suggestion to take his arm. and al
lowed him to lead her through the station,
opparently unconscious that it was her
husband who was supporting her -,tter-
ing footsteps on the other side. Sne turn
ed ipstinctively in the direction of the
house where Anne Matthews lived. and
at the opening of the little street they
fou1 4 a small covered cart waiting with
the woman who had been her treacherous
accomplice inside it. Arna thwaite recog
niZed her at once, and saw first that she
looked little ashamed of herself, and sec
ondly that she was seriously alarmed and
re.norseful when she saw how i'll the lady
hooked. They lifted her into the cart:
Lod l<ildonan took his place beside her.
and insisted on Armathwaite's coming
with them. that ne might prescribe for her
in his medical capacity on reaching The
Crags.
Anne Matthews. who drove herself,
ste ped at the bottom of the private path
to The Crags. as was her custom: and
the two gentlemen led Lady Kidonan
who was now growing excited and fever
ish up the hill, through the private gate
" which was open. and into the house by
hIluOnln
had fancied that he alone had a key. II
opened upon narrow private staircase
with another locked door at The top. by
whica ttty were able to reach Lady Xii
..ionan's apartments unobserved by any.
body except her ladyship's maid.
With he assistance of this woman,
LAZY klliOnan was put to bed. much
Against her will. Armathwaite tod Lord
Kildouan that she was suffering from CON
cussion of the / ain. and after remaining
with her shout an hour, at the end of
= Nhici. time she had sunk into a Word.ess
sfupor. he left her TO the care of her hus-
arG and the maid, and promising to re
turI in couple of hours. walked back
nllcStp towards Mereside. He was anx-
ioux about CrOsmOnt. anxious also to find
out how this terrible event would affect
.he agents wife
BY the time he reached the agents
house it was half-past nine; the rain of
tie night had ceased and it was a sunny
morning. On ringing the bell Nanny ap-
pearnd, and in answer 10 his question
lid him that Mr.. Crosmont had gone tG
liverpool and would not be back untfl
the afternoon.
Alma, hearing the doctors voice. cana
sut into the hall. He told her that some
thing very serious for Ned had happened.
He knew her husband had returned from
Liverpool but the servants had not seen
him.
"IIe let's himself in with his own key"
said she. "He may be in his study. Come
with me-"
They wen. out together, going by som2e
Instinct SO silently. 20 softly. that u ia