The Ely miner., 1900-10-19
5 Lady Annals Warning


y
upon such bargain blindfolded. Let
me see," the speaker consulted q
schedule for a moment. "Yes, there's
train to Helmsford at 2:30. If you
are not otherwise engaged, we can
journey by it to Durant Hall. You
can view the park and the few acres
surrounding it, examine the house,
dine and sleep there. Then, if your
are foolish enough, tempt me with
you- offer"
Nonsense, Durant! I am perfectly
satisfied to give you the money / say
for your property" Kirby Ellis an
swered. He was a short, stoutly-built
man, with keen black eyes and a
square, determined jaw. Possibly
there was Hebrew blood in his veins.
At any rate, few men on the stock ex-
change were bolder in their specula-
tions, and fewer still were as success
full.
But 1 am not satisfied to take it,
his companion remarked, quietly. TO
tell you the truth. you offer too much.
Durant Hall is dilapidated old struc-
ture, and 1 won't sell it to you except
you see it."
The SPEAKER leaned back in his
chair as he spoke. For two or three
generations the Durants had been 60
ing steadily to the bad, and Guy
Durant had been but little wiser than
his immediate predecessors. Not that
he was either gambler or spend
thrift, but he possessed an easy-going,
generous disposition, some artistic
and expensive tastes, and no business
instincts. He had married pretty
young English girl, who had died,
leaving him with baby two months
old. The child he had placed under
the care of her maternal aunt, and for
many years he had led an aimless,
pleasurable existence, in continental
cities chiefly.
A few months previously he had
taken up his residence in London, for
the purpose of being near physi-
clan in whom he had much depend
ence. He had been aware for some
time that his heart was affected, and
DIR. Chalmers had told him that his
length of days could not be long, and
for the first time he had begun to
consider his child. No provision had
been made for her, and Durant hall
and its few hundred acres were heav-
ily mortgaged. He had been not lit
tie surprised when Kirby Ellis had Of
fered him fancy price for the rem
nant of his property. He had met
that gentleman once or twice abroad,
and had wondered why ne was so anx-
ious to cultivate him, once he settled
in London.
"Well, what do you say?" Durant
demanded, after short silence.
.Isuppose youmust have your way
Ellis replied, rather shortly.
"All right then. I'll wire to the old
housekeeper to expect us, and meet
you at Paddington in half an hour -
Durant said, rising.
Ellis nodded and the two men sep
arated. Three hours later they were at
Durant Hall, and its owner insisted on
its wouldtbe purchaser seeing the en-
tire property he was so eager to pos
sess. Evening had closed into night
when al length they sat down TO dinner
in the large wainscoted library. 1t was
the most comfortable room in the
lower part of the mansion, and various
portraits of dead and gone Durants
hung upon its dark oaken walls. One
of these seemed TO have a special at
traction for Ellis, and Guy Durant
laughed as he noticed it.
Everyone remarks that portrait" !"
he said. "Shall 1 tell you Lady Annals
story?"
II shall be glad to listen," the guest
promised. '1She is very beautiful - with
another glance toward the picture.
''She was, if that represents her with
any degree of correctness. 1t was
painted long after Lady Anna had
shared the common fate of humanity
from an old miniature of her. Yes, she
was beautiful"
The speaker paused to look at the
delicately nodded features. at the slen-
der neck encircled by the enormous
ruff that was the fashion of the time, at
the fair hair swept high from the Level
brow.
"And the story?" Ellis said.
"Well, it seems that Lady Anna was
a Catnolic, though the Durants were
then, as now, Protestants."
Guy Durant laughed cynically as he
paused tor moment.
.sThey attended to worldly matters.
if the story is true. more than to spir-
itual, and accepted Henry's Six Articles
as readily as his sons THIRTY y-nine. But
Lady Anna was different. Her hus-
band, Piers Durant, was one of Eliza
beth's eourtiers, but this fact did not
save his wife from being denounced as
a Catholic, NOR did his entreaties save
her life when she was convicted of as
sisting a priest to escape. She was ex-
ecuted in the courtyard of the hall, and
died as braveiy as her coreligionists
usually did"
''Is that all?" Ellis asked. The story
had little interest for him.
"All, except the legend. 1t is said
that her spirit is often SEEN"
"Oh!" Ellis laughed, mockingly.
"You don't believe that?"
81 really don't know. 1 have never
l.