The Norfolk weekly news., 1899-09-21

further parley l took my bundles back
from Leila and proceeded at once to the
carriage. Why should | show any fail
ure of courage mt an event that was but
n repetition Of tho very ones which
made my visit necessary? Was n like
ly one TO fall victim to mystery to
which my eyes have been opened? Had
i not been sufficiently warned of the
dangers of Lost Mans lane to keep my.
self at respectable distance from the
place of peril? l was going to visit the
children of my once devoted friend. If
there were pcrils of no ordinary nature
to be encountered there, was not all the
more called upon to go if only rs moral
support to these young people, who per
haps themselves were paralyZcd by fear?
! Yes, Mr.. Grycc, and nothing now
should hold me back. even felt an in
creased desire to reach the scene of these
mysteries and chafed some at the length
of the journey, which was of n more to-
dious character than | expected. A poor
beginning for events requiring patience
rs well as great moral courage, but l
little knew what was before me and
only considered that every moment
spent on this hot and dusty train kept
me thus much longer from the embraces
of Althea's children.
| | recovered my equanimity, however,
as we approached. The scenery was
really beautiful and the consciousness
that l should soon alight at the noun
tain station which had played a more
or less serious part in Mr.. Gryce's mar
rative awakened i'll me pleasurable
excitement which should have been a
sufficient warning to me that the spirit
which had led me through that affair
next door had seized me again in way
that meant equal absorption if not equal
| success.
Tho number of small packages l car
ried gave me enough to think of at the
moment of alighting, but as soon as l
was safely again on terra firma threw
hasty glance around to see if any of
Althea's children were there to meet
| me.
felt that l would know them at
once. She had been so characteristically
pretty they could not fail to show some
likeness which would lead to an instant
recognition while they could not fail
to know me. But while there were two
or three country maidens to be seen
standing in and around the little pavil-
ion known here as the mountain station
/ saw no one who by any stretch of i'm
agination could be regarded as of AL
thea Burroughs blood or breeding.
Somewhat disappointed, for / had eX-
pected different results from my tele-
gram, | stepped up to the station mas
ter and asked him whether l would
have any difficulty in procuring car
riage to take me to Miss Knollys' house.
He stared, it seemed to me unnecessari-
ly long, before replying.
"Waal, " said he Simmons is usu-
ally here, butt don't see him round
today. Perhaps one Of these farmer lads
will take it. u"
But they all drew back with sort Of
scared look, and was beginning to tuck
up my skirts preparatory to walking
when little old man of very meek ap-
pearance drove up in a very old fash
ioned coach, and with hesitating air,
springing entirely from bashfulness,
managed to ask if / was Miss Butter
worth. FASTENED to assure him that
was, whereupon he stammered out some
words about Miss Knollys and how sor-
ry she was that she could not come for
me herself. Then he pointed to his
coach and made me understand that l
was to step into it and go with him.
1t was not an altogether encouraging
outlook, especially as / saw the heads
Of the various onlookers draw together
and many curious looks directed at us
both and the conveyance that was to
carry us. But was in no mood to be
daunted now, and accepting the old cod
gers apologies with what grace could
l stepped into the wagon and prepared
myself for ride into town.
But it seems l was not to be allowed
to enter upon this adventure without
another warning. While the old man
was engaged in bringing my trunk, the
station master approached me with
great civility, and with IA touch of his
hat asked if it was my intention to
spend few days with the Misses Knoll
lys. told him that it was, and, thinking
it best to establish my position at once i'll
the eyes of the whole town, added with
politeness equal to his own that was
an old friend of the family and had been
coming to visit them for years but had
never found it convenient till now and
that | hoped they were all we'll and
would be glad to see me.
He made some sort of reply, showing
considerable Embarrassment, then pluck
ing up his courage said with marked
constraint:
perhaps you have not heard that
this village just now is under cloud. "
II have heard" / said innocently,
THAT one or two men have disappeared
from here somewhat mysteriously. Is
that what you mean?"
Yes, he answered, Zone person,
boy, disappeared only two days ago. A"
That's bad. l said, "but what has
that to do with me?" asked smilingly.
for saw ne was not at the end of his
talk.