Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-26
CHAPTER xxi.
NIL

The Tower Chamber.
No sooner had the Laird of Castle Cover
and his satellite betaken themselves out
than Kate sprang to her feet with swift,
| tiserish energy.
Come, sister," she said, in a low, hushed
whisper "Quick-let US get away. They
nave come to take baby from me. l saw 1t
In their eyes all the time. Why else did
Ruperts father bring the doctor to help
MIN! They want to steal my boy away!
Perhaps to kill him-at least to take him
away where 1 shall never see him again."
And she proceeded to roll up her work
and make a bundle Of several things which
| the baby might require, as IL she would
nave left the house Immediately.
mad therefore to get her away into her
own room, where impressed upon her how
| impossible 1t would be for to leave the
| island In broad daylight with three men
| all on the lookout, carrying baby and the
available boats all locked in the boat house.
Kate listened without speaking She
seemed to be taking in what l said but /
perceived strange lack-luster deafness in
her eyes
II must go to him." heard her whisper
more than once He will surely protect his
own. 1t is his father who has set him on
to this He is good-he is kind-he loves
mel
l did not hear all this at one time, but in
snatches as l went to and fro, contriying
work to keep me near my sister,
But al! her excitement of the afternoon
paIed before what was to come, when about
4 o CLOCK IN the afternoon Hamish entered
py the great door in evident haste He
went into the back parts to see old Jonet.
ana there, unseen and, of course, unheard
by us, conversed in signs with his dumb
Wlte. 1t was not long before the two of
them came up to our room-the little bed
room with the window upon the sea- which
L had chosen for myself when first we
came. Then Hamish, without any pre-
cd hot
would not be crossin in the boat that
mornin'." VAN
! Accordingly he desired Kate and mvse,,
10 change into the pair of communicating
rooms which gave upon the court ward
WINE as ne said, him and Jonet would
max up shake -doons for ia gentlemen" In
my little chamber.
1t seemed thing natural enough, for IT
was late, the wind was rising, and there
WAS every prospect Of a storm.
But VINO was to convince our frightened
Kate Of that? She leaped up at the word,
No-no,' she cried. II will not leave this
room will not go into the other cham
bers. l will not be parted from INV bow.
LET LET mem Mn go into the front rooms If they
IKE. we Will all three stay here to-
sether See, there is a lock upon the door
fairlie, you and 1 will lock ourselves in,
VIII sit up all night. They want to take
no, they shall not.''
1 mad to quiet her best could. at the
same time explaining to Hamish that The
gentlemen could have the other two rooms
we were. "eie
AS ye like, men," said Hamish. There's
nae objections that 1 ken O. WHY We
snouidna sleep in the meat safe gin We
to weeman's vagaries"
Hamsh went out, and the moment he
was gone Kate threw herself upon the
ooor locked and barred it, and began to
nf 1~p1
across 1t. pAee
1 assured her that there was no danger
and succeeded for the time being in ner,
suadlng her to restore the chest Of drawers
10 It's place. But l could see that SO far as
her suspicious were concerned the mischief
was done.
However, for the time being I seemed To
convince her and to have made good my
point. She even took little Rupert in her
arms and went with me down to the SIT
ting room. where bright fire was lighted.
we mad the room to ourselves till supper
time. when Mr.. Glendonwyn came in. and
with the greatest politeness proposed that
We should all sup together
AS soon as she heard his foot come to-
ward the door 1 could see Kate clutch her
child SO tightly that the youthful Runert
promptly objected and sent far and wide a
lusty protestation. But when Mr. Glendon-
Wyn came In, Kate met him smiling There
was indeed (as remember now, a strange
hxfty in her smile, and she said hut little
Indeed I do not remember much Of What
passed at table, save that there was a
great deal Of talk.
1 heard the words come out and 90.
noted the expression Of interest or indif-
ference on the face of the Laird of Castle
Cover. But somehow before the meal was
over curious warm tingling drowsiness
stole over mel knew not whence or WHY
l had only time - warn Kate that I must
go at once to our room. I dared not even
wait for her to gather the various prom
cries; infantile and invalid, which she had
brought with her. I could only seize the
baby, say Good night in some fashion
and stumble upstairs. But ere closed the
door l seemed to see an expression Of in
tell1gence pass from one to the other of our
guests in the house Of Inch Jonet AS to
this however own myself uncertain.
l remember locking the door, .
Then. after an interval which seemed in
terminable. there came a knocking, again
and again repeated. Kate went trembling
and. after some parley. opened the door.
1t was Hamish who stood without with a
folded paper, which Kate took into her
hands. Then she locked, as 1t seemed to
my dizzy brain, very many doors, and
brought me the little sheet Of white with
frown upon her brow.
Tell me what 1t means" she said as If
she were not able to understand.
was lying on the bed as had flung my
self down without undressing. took the
paper out of her hands. 1 saw the writing
Mr.. Gregory Glendonwyn's beautiful
round hand, but, curiously enough though
the individual words and letters stood out
like type. the meaning of the whole wa
vered to and fro before me, dim as a shadow
on the wall. Mine eyes saw, indeed, but
between them and my brain there swept
that blurring. hurrying mist. 1 knew no
more.
CTo be continued)
nooL N,v,bar