The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-02-17
CHAPTER XIX.

LADY FLOhENCE MOSliN OiAnA'
When the door closed behind her
oaptors and shut out Of sight Lady Flor
ence Mostyn's stepbrother, Mabel
tainted. When che recovered conscious
ness, it was only to lie, numbly won
dering where she was, too weak and
sick at heart to realize the horror Of the
situation-too dazed to suffer much.
She passed a restless night, and it was
in the early hours Of the morning be-
fore nature asserted herself and she fell
into deep sleep.
She awoke clearly and acutely living
in the present, with sharp conscious
ness that was agony. There was no
gradual piecing together Of events, but
there came the sudden, vivid recollec-
ton of all that had happened on the
previous day.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the
entrance of Sally with a meal. The old
bag vouohsafed no remark as she placed
It on the table, but at once departed,
and the door was instantly locked be-
hind her. Mabel forced herself to eat.
Then she Investigated the resources OF
her prison.
The window was boarded up over the
lower hall, and the upper portion show
ed that it was barred behind. There
was small fireplace with narrow
mantelpiece adorned with gaudy orna-
ments There were two chairs with
tumbled antimacassars, the very sight
of which made her shudder, recalling
as they did the struggle Of the previous
day. The only other furniture in the
room were the horsehair sofa on which
she had spent the night and table Gov
cred with q dirty red cloth. A pile OF
boxes and an empty hamper were push
ed into one corner Of this cheerless
apartment. Mabel observed all this mi
nutely. Finally she pulled uph chair
to the window and peered over the top
Of the shutter into the narrow back
street beyond.
A drizzling rain was falling, and
there were few passersby. She won.
dered what her fate would be II she
aroused their attention. Would they
come to her rescue? She had almost de-
cided to take this desperate step when
the door opened and Fitzgerald entered.
Come down from there" he said
harshly, land don't try that trick on
again, please. or III board the lot up. /"
Then he added In his usual manner:
LADY very beautiful-must not excite
envy and admiration Of neighbors. I'm
derstand?"
He stood gloating over her discom-
future for few seconds and then left
tho room.
For a moment Mabel lost heart.
Gould sho ever escape II she were so
closely watched? With weary sigh
she left the window, and her eye fell
on the boxes and hamper. The latter
was empty So che lifted 1t down and
tried to open the box underneath, but il
proved unyielding. The lower one
seemed to be fastened by paddock, but
she soon found that, though the key had
been turned, the loop had not been
forced far enough down to catch the
bolt. She opened it easily and turned
over the contents-old newspapers,
curious. roughly drawn plans. bunch
of skeleton keys buried under odds and
ends Of all descriptions, and few
books. She glanced over the latter, hop
ing they might help her through the
dreary hours, but they were not attract
i've. They were chiefly racing culen.
lars and guidebooka A prettiiy bound
volume at length caught her eye. II
had a lock to It, which bad been
wrsnched loose. She opened II with
curiosity, and an exclamation Of sur
prise burst from her.