The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-10-16
CHAPTER Mi,

I
| our easy journey to Lord Rothwells
| Our guns and heavy baggage we dis
! patched to await our arrival, ana CON
| tented ourselves with a knapsack apiece,
Valentine only adding a color box ana
! sketching book. Valentine was RADIANT,
both in apparel and spirits, and l was
| as happy as I could be without olauulhe.
The days passed rapidly and pleasantly.
We had walked some hours one Guy
and were beginning to think or nai,'
when we came to Il park wall which
! bounded one side of the road ana nlu an
prospects in that direction from US. we
walked on for the best part of a mlie' ana
still that wall was on our right hand. AS
a wall, it was well enough, but as com
panion. monstrous. We grew tlreo Oh It,
| BY the time we reached Il lodge, which
broke the dreary uniformity of the stone
obstacle, We were curious as to the pi,ce
1t had hidden SO long from our eyes. All
old man in his shirt sleeves was IAN
guidly digging in the garden that sur
rounded it. Valentine hailed HIM.
$50 sorry to trouble you" he sald, pu'
! tell me who lives here
Nobody amt lived here for many Il
year." answered the laborer.
| Worse and worse" said Valentine
turning to me. IAN absentee. | shall turn
communist. Can we go over the place:
! he asked Of the old man.
| The old fellow held out his hand. ne
gate ain't locked he said, land III hard
Of hearing. Il sha'n't stop you II you
like to come in" He pocketed the coin
given, went back to his spade, and, turn
ing his back to us, dug away as before,
1t was lovely pace-a place to make
| the best regulated mind feel envlous-
acres and acres of undulating sward,
spotted here and there with clumpS OF
! fine old elms. But sheep We're grazing
! al over, the windows Of the large house
were sightless with closed shutters.
! Just then Il figure emerged from the
back of the house. 1t looked like that
of Il middle-aged woman attired IN som
! Der garments. She came toward us. Val
entine apologiZed most gracefully for our
| intrusion. We had passed that way, the
gate Was open. so we had taken adyant-
age. The house being shut, as it seemed,
had given us the idea that the family
were from home. The lady in black
| was nlolified. "These are private
grounds she said, but you are at lib
erty to walk round if you please, although
there is not much to see"
But the house must be more interest
ing. May we not go over it,
Impossible, gentlemen. 1t has been
shut up for years. No one is allowed
I inside"
That makes us all the more ANXIOUS
said Valentine, with smile. Could
you not strain a point in our favor? We
IRE friends of Lord Rothwell. whose
rame | dare say you know about these
parts
The housckeepcr curtesied at the name
Yes, | know his loriship well. ! have
known him for years. Has be returned
from his travels"
Yes we are due at Mirfeld tomorrow
Now will you show us over the house,"
Il would obige you if | could, but my
orders are SO strict, Gentl"men. Please
walk through the grounds and gardens.
They used to be very fine when they were
properly kept, but now there is little to
see"
Valentine tried further persuasion, but
the guardian Of the deserted castle was
incxoralie Finding his efforts unaval-
ing. lie laughed pleasantly.
Then, madame, we must content our
selves with the outdoor beauties. Who
did you say owned the place.
1T is the property of Sir Laurence
Estmere," answered the housekeeper with
dignity.
| glanced at Valentine. He had turned
white - q sheet, and betrayed such emo
ton that | FASTENED to ask question after
question in order to distract the attention
Of the lady in black.
Does not Sir Laurence live here" |
asked.
He has not lived here for many years y
How strange, Such beautiful place
too He prefers travelling about, | sup
pose.
Il suppose he does, sir.
is he young man.:
"A middle-agcd man. He must be
about fifty by now"
| Valentine had recovered his self posses
sion and rcaSsumed somewhat of his airy
manner He took my arm. but said moth
ing until we had strollcd to some little dis
lance from the house. Then he turned tc
me. and with bitter accent in his yoic,
| said:
NO wonder was drawn to look owe,
this place: | must have been bOrr
here, Philip. Thir is Estmerc Court
where some twenty-five years ago ny
mother came, fair young girl with every
prospect of Il happy life before her. Thi.
is the house my father left for the SAX
of some wicked doubt that grew in hi.
brain. lie has never been here since
PhiIip. it is hard, very hard. to come tc
ones lightful home an entire stranger
| oh if ! could find ont the truth of nj
and set NY mother right in my father.
eyes. If could find out why he eve
doubted her. How strange it is to thnl
that if Sir Laurence Estmere were t
meet me nowhere in this very place
we should not know we We're father an,
son any more than | knew that this wa
his home. and by rights mine. He mus
be mad. Philip
Have YOU ever tried to find him. t,
see, him aud convince him of his error"
"Nevpr-two years ago | sworc | would
| went TO Rothwell. the only man VII,
could tell me anything about his where
abouts. Rothwcll knew why | wanted t
know il. and refused to give me an,
information about him. l pressed hin
for the rca sons for his refusal. and whel
he told me at last. felt | hated m.
father. and cared little whether | eve
met him.
What were his reas"ns:'
You are the only man | could tel
| Philip: and only you. because yon beliov
iii my mothers innocence. Rothwell toll
| me that assuredly Sir Laurence Estmer
would rcvilc mo, chase me from hi
presence would curse mo and bid me be
gone would say in fact what that villai
| Gresham limited at in your rooms tina
night"
Does YOU mother ever hear of him
even Indirectly: Are there no none
| affairs between them
Money from him. No; my mothe
would have starved rather than take
penny frum the man, the husband. VIII
thought that she could wrong him.
will ali Ice my brothers one day. Tha
| cur Of 4 brother whom | have never seen
who has never seen or written to hi
mother At least he can have no doub
as To his JarentaCe." he added bitterly