The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-17

at and realized that it was on Mr.
Trohm's grounds we stood and that il
was toward Mr.. Trohm himself Loreen's
looks of unmistakable fear and dread
were turned.
"Loreen." I whispered, at is not
here you look for a solution of that
awful mystery"
Miss Butterworth.' she answered.
sit is here you should look for it,
Here? II" Never have 1 felt such
emotion and never have 1 so nearly
succumbed to 1t. What do you mean?"
what you meanw
1 mean. she gasped, that that is
the man who has pursued US with his
hatred, driving my father and nv
mother into their graves. Obadiah
Trohm Is the rich man Of whom we
spoke to you; not Deacon Spear or any
one else in this unhappy lane" And
breaking from me she slid away nearer
the III assorted couple, in one of whom
from that moment saw no longer the
courteous, kindly country gentleman,
but monster of vengeful propensities,
II not something worse and still more
diabolical.
Gomez she beckoned, happily too
absorbed in her own emotions to notice
mine Let us get nearer. If Mr.. Trohm
is the wicked man we fear, there is no
telling what the means are which he
uses to get rid of his victims There
was nothing to be found in his house,
but who knows but that the danger
may be around her now. 1t was eviden-
~ to dare it she came, to offer herself
as martyr that we might know
"Hush!" 1 whispered, controlling my
own fears reused against my will by
this display Of terror in this usually
calmest of natures. mo danger can
menace her there, not where they two
stand, unless he is common assassin
and carries pistoI''-
mo pistol" murmured the man who
had crept again near us. Pistols make
noise. He will not use a pistol
Good Godi' l whispered. You are
not anticipating also that 1t is in the
heart of this man to kill Lucetta?"
SIX strong men have disappeared
hereabout," said the fellow, never NOV
Ing his eye from the couple before US.
why not one weak grip
With a cry Loreen starter forward
"Runr' she whispered Run"
But as this word left her lips a slight
movement took place in the belt OF
trees where We had been told Mr..
Gryce lay in hiding, and we could see
him issue for moment into sight with
his finger like that of his man laid
warningly on his lips. Loreen trembled
and drew back, seeing which the man
whispered softly:
There is just room between that and
the fence for a person to pass sideways.
If you and this lady want to get near
er to Miss Knollys, you might take
that road. But Mr.. Gryce will expect
you to be very quiet. The young lady
expressly said before she came into
this place that she could do nothing if
for any reason Mr.. Trohm should sus-
pect that they We're not alone"
I'VE will be quiet" 1 assured him,
anxious to hide my face, which / felt
twitch at every mention of Mr..
Trohm's name, behind the screen he
thus offered for our use Loreen was
already behind the hedge.
The evening was one Of those which
are made for peace. The sun, which
had set in crimson, had left a glow on
the branches of the forest which had
not yet faded into the gray of twilight.
The lawn, around which we were skirt
ing, had not lost the mellow brilliancy
which made it sparkle, nor had the
cluster Of varied hued hollyhocks,
which set their gorgeousness against
the neat yellow of the peaceful door
posts, shown anv dimness in their
glory, which was on par with the set
ting sun. But though I saw all this
it no longer appeared to me desirable
Lucetta and Lucetta's fate, the mys-
terry and the impossibility of its being
explained out here in the midst of turf
and blossoms, filed all my thoughts
and made me forget even my own cause
for shame and humiliation, if not sor-
row.
Loreen, who had wormed her way
alcng till she crouched nearly opposite
to them, plucked me by the gown as l
approached to where she was and,
pointing to the hedge which pressed up
nd foo
seemed to bid me to look through.
Searching for a spot where there was
small opening, put my eye to this anda
Immediately drew back.
'They are moving nearer the gate"
1 signalled to Loreen, at which she
crept along a few PAGES, but with a
stealth so great that, listening as /
was, 1 could not hear a twig snap.
endeavored to initiate her, but not with
as much success as 1 could wish. The
sense of horror which had all at once
settled upon me. the supernatures dread
OF something which l could not see, but
which I felt, had seized me for the first
time and made that rudy sky and the
broad stretch of velvet turf with the
shadows playing over 1t, of swaying
tree trops and clustered oleanders, more
trilling and awesome to me than the
dim halls of the haunted house of the
Knollys in that midnight hour when
saw a body carried out for burial amid
trouble and hush and a mystery so
great it would have daunted most
spirits for all their lives.
The very sweetness of the scene made
its horror Never have had such SEN
sations never have felt so the power
of the unseen, yet that anything would
happen here, anything which would ex-
plain the total disappearance of several
persons at different times without a.
trace of their fate being left to the eve
on this spot or in the house beyond.
seemed so impossible that / could but
liken my state to that of nightmare,
where visions take the place of realities
and often overwhelm them.
I had pressed too close against the
hedge as l struggled with these feel
ings and the sound I made struck me
as distinct, If not alarming, but the tree
tops were rustling, too, and, while Luz
cetta might have heard, her companion
gave no evidence of doing so. We could
hear what they were saying now, and
realizing this we stopped moving and
gave our whole attention up to listen
ing. Mr.. Trohm was speaking. l could
hardly believe 1t was his voice, 1t had
so changed in tone, nor could / see in
his features, distorted as they now
were by every evil passion, the once
quiet and dignified countenance which
had so lately imposed upon me.
(To be continued).