The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-16

odious creature, Donald Fraser, who
follows him about like shadow, is, II
possible, a more infamous wretch than
himself
1.-The house is in lonely situation,
and 1 am convinced that these scoun-
drels are connecting some plot to betray
the prince, and are making use of Miss
Gordon's grace and beauty and we'll
known devotion to the Jacobite cause,
to entice him into a trap. l tried to
give the prince a hint of this, but he
listened to me ccldly, and, indeed, of
late he has become VIGOROUSLY impa-
tient of advice from his best and tru-
est friends.
THAT Miss Gordon should be made
an accomplice in this villainCus scheme
will l know, be hateful to you, and
doubt NOT you will do what lies in your
power to prevent it. Yours most faith
fully, MATTHEW FIELDING"
My blood boiled as 1 read this letter.
was no friend to the Stuarts, and, in
deed, cared little whether the pretender
was taken or not; but that Kate should
be involved in this infamous plot, was
indescribably painful to me, and 1 reso-
iutely determined that she never should
be, If word or act of mine could pre-
vent it.
Yetsit was no very pleasant taosk for
me to interfere in the matter for there
tween Kate and myself with regard to
this Macintyre and her passionate de-
votion to the cause of the unhappy
StuartS. She was an orphan, and Mac
intyre, being her cousin, had under
taken to act as her guardian, piece
of presumption which 1 bitterly re-
scented, for had good reason to believe
that he hated me, and meant, by fair
means or foul, to suppiant me in Kate
lTTacfinnC wi hrr nd nar.
fortune for herself. But ne had been
out with the Highlanders in 49, and
the courage he had then displayed, and
his hypocritical professions of attach
ment to the prince, cast a glamour
about him in the eyes of youngrand
romantic girl, Nothing l could say
would induce her TO put an end TO their
friendship, and we had finally parted
with bitter words on both sides.
But Fielding's letter drove my anger
to the winds. Come of it what would.
/ was resolved to go boldly to Macin-
tyres house, and insist upon her leav-
ing it at once. l would escort her to
the lodgings of my aunt, Lady Chester,
who would, l knew, receive her gladly.
Se7l-buekled on my sword, procured
coach and drove quickly to Macin-
tyres house, which lay some distance
from the city. Within 200 or 800 yords
OF the gate l alighted and, leaving the
coach hidden in a lane near the road.
walked forward by myself.
In spite of my antipathy to Macin-
tyre, confess there had been moments
when / could scarcely believe him ca
pable of the infamy of which Fielding
had accused him; but, when in the
gathering dusk 1 reached the gate in
a high stone wall which encircled the
garden, all my doubts vanished at the
sight, of the isolated house, the lighted
windows of which We're barely visible
through the black foliage of the trees
that SURROUNDED it on all sides. No
ry.for help would be heard beyond the
walls. The victim once inside that
lonesome building, then sword or bullet
might do its work. and none be the
WISER. 4--t
My heart beat quickly as 1 passed
through the gate. Such a man as Mac
intyre- WAS not likely to clutch at any
means of getting rid of a dangerous
rival, and l knew. we'll that / carried
my life in my hands. I thought might
be. refused admittanee, but the gate
stood wide open ard no. one appeared
to challenge me. But that brought me
little comfort. 1t is ever an easy mat
ter to. enter a trap. 1t is when you
seek to leave it that the difficulties be-
gin.
Still l went doggedly on, though as
I approached the house was confident
that could hear g. faint rustiing in the
bushes to right and left, as though in
visible spies. were stealthily logging my
footsteps. Then a thing happened that
confirmed my worst suspicious. The
door suddenly opened. and was swiftly
shut again. but not before I caught
glimpse of two or three figures slipping
hurriedly inside. What could these
things mean If they did not indicate
treachery and foul play?
l am not ashamed to saw that my
limbs trembled and the cold sweat
stood on my forehead. as. after mo-
ment's hesitation. 1 set my teeth and,