The Portland daily press., 1898-10-18
Obapter III.-Continued.

OTIS a strange affair" ne muttered
aloud. .'Strange indeed, that Nelly
st.oud have ridden along that bhd road
IN Mt with the intention Of meeting
someone by appointment. Yet she would
scarcely make an appointments at that
spot knowing that hac arranged to meet
I,iane there. No. poor girl l can't help
feeling convinced that she was awaiting
me to tell me of Liane's inability to be
there. Again, how came she possessed of
the missing miniature? What motive
could any one possibly have In murder
ing her? All what motive l wonder?"
Dean in thought he allowed his mare to
;or onward beneath the beeches which at
that point nearly met overhead rendering
ths rcd almost pitch dark. Once he
thought he detected light movement in
the impenetrsDle gloom, and pulling up
strained his syes into the high bushes at
the roadside For few moments he sat
perfectly still in the saddle listening in
tently. Then hearing nothing, he started
forth again, muttering
81 could have sworn l saw something
white fluttsring over there; but. bah !
Pm unnerved, / suppose tonight, ana
after all 1t was mere fancy."
Once he turned to glance back then res
olutely set his face along the dark avenue
Of chestnuts, homeward.
Little sleep came to his eyes that night.
He was thinking of his own future, OF
Liane's love, and of her bereayement.
Times without number he tried to formu.
late some theory to account for the mini
allure being In Nelly's possession, and the
foul assassination OF the bright happy giri
whose merry laughter had SO often
charmed him. Yet it was mystery, aD'
solute and complete.
The great house was quiet. for its iras-
ciple master was dead. and it's son, held
In esteem by all he servants from butler
to stable lad. was ruined. The very clocks
seamed to tick with unaccustomed
solemnity, and the bell in the turret over
the stables chimed slowly and ominously
as each long hour passed toward the
dawn. At last, however, still in his
clothes George slept, and it was not un-
til the morning sun was streaming fuii
into his room that he awoke. Then, ind +.
ing that the two doctors had returned to
London he went to the library and wrote
a brief note to Liane. asking her to meet
him at the lodge gates at eleven O'Clock.
Sir John was now no more, therefore In
the park they might walk together unob-
served. At first he hesitated to invite her
there SO quickly, but on reflection he saw
that he must see her at once and endeavor
to console her, and that the leafy glades
of his dead fathers domain were prefer
able to the highways, where they would
probably be noticed by the village gos-
sips.
At nine he sent the note down TO tne
village by one of the stable lads, who
brought back two hastily scribbled lines,
and at the hour appointed she came slow.
~ along the dusty road, looking COOL ana
fresh beneath her white suDshade.
Their greeting was formal while with
in sight of the windows of the lodge, but
presently, when they had entered the
park by the winding path which led
through thick copse he halted, took her
in his arms and imprinted upon her soft
cheek long passionate kiss Her own
full lips met his in fierce affectionate
caress, but their hearts were too full for
words. They stood together in silence,
locked in each other arms.
Then he noticed for the first time that
her eyes were swollen, and chat she wore
white tulle veil to conceal their reduess
she hsd no doubt spent the night in
tesrs. The tiny gloved hand trembled in
AIS grasp, and her lips quiyered
At last he spoke softly, first lifting her
hand reverently to his lips.
10th of us have experienced bereave
ment since last we met, two days ago,
Liane. You have my sincerest sympathy,
my darling"
ISIS Sir John deade" she inquired In a
low, husky voice.
II Q nodded.
''Then our losses are both hard to
hear," she said, signing. "Poor Nelly
IL cannot bear to think of 1t. I cannot
yet realize the terrible truth"
Nor I, dearest. he answered, echo-