The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-13

horse was at the steps waiting, and
Mr.. Thorning was in such hurry
on his way to the door, and as he
passed he threw the letter addressed
to his wife upon the hall table. Rad
way snatched that letter and shut the
door right smartly. The groom
touched his head to his master and
stood aside, and Mr.. Thorning touch
ed up his horse Immediately
Railway followed on Alec's bicycle.
Sea serpents and clamshells! 1t looked
as if he were on the high road to for
tune at last! Mr.. Thorning was a
tough gentleman to tackle-he real
lied that-but he knew the kind (there
were plenty on the other side of the
Atlantic), and, though he might swear
and threaten terrible things, he could
be relied on to keep any promise he
made, whether under coercion or of
his own free will.
They exchanged no words during
that short journey. Their relative, po-
sitions did not encourage CONVERSE
ton, though, if Mr.. Thorning had
wished, he might have talked.
Just at the finish, Railway caught
IliIIl anu was READY 10 TAKE the tlOt sc
when its master dismounted.
"I'll lead him inside, sir" he said.
He quivered briefly as he wondered
if the gentleman would notice the
strangeness of his going off with the
Abbey key in his pocket. But he ma
nipulated the key cunningly, and Mr.
Thorning did not, in fact, observe how
the door. was opened. though when he
went Inside. he seemed to expect to see
Mrs. Railway there and then.
Where are they?" he inquired.
He glanced at his daughters cycle
and then at Railway who was fastening
the bride to a ring in the courtyard
wall.
This way, SIR" said Railway.
1t was another touch-andgo situa-
ton. Evidently Mr.. Thorning was pre-
pared to enter the Abbey custodian
own quarters just to the left of the
gateway. He had faced in that direc-
ton. But at Railways invitation he
turned and raised his eyebrows. The
earlier look of anxiety reappeared or
him.
Good" thought the rascal; and he
was sharp enough to see what Mr.
Thorning inferred. The young lady
was, in all probability, lying where the
seizure had taken her. In that case, i
nau a serious aspect.
Halfway across the courtyard, to
ward the one we'll preserved block O.
the old Abbey buildings, whittier Rad
way marched rapidly, they both heard
a cry.
"Er-whats that?" exclaimed Mr.
Thorning. He stopped and raised &
hand to his ear.
Railways fright diminished when he
saw the gentleman's attitude of un'
certainty. He, on his part, had nc
doubt what it meant.
"Only one of them owls, sir" he
said They're always hooting, night
and day. After America, sir, this
place is pretty lonesome, and I've had
about enough of it to last me"
He had kept his tongue going loudly
to the very door. Now he stealthily
chose the right key on the bunch. The
crowning move was at hand, and so
dangerous did 1t seem to him that he
trembled right, down to his boots.
well, mother he exclaimed cheer
fully. on the threshold of q room in
a corridor, having stepped into 1t
ahead OF his companion. Then he stood
aside for Mr.. Thorning to enter. And
Mr.. Thorning did enter. There was a
stone screen by the doro, half hiding
the interior of the chamber, which was.
in fact known as 1.-THE Penitents'
Cell" Mr.. Thorning pushed past the
screen, with plain eagerness and
alarm on his large, impressive face.
Before he could turn on his heel and
what the rogue meant by tri-
fling with him like that. the door was
shut The key creaked in the lock,
declined at first to do its duty, and
then shot the bolt.
Railway moved out into the court
yard and wiped his face under the
blue, frosty sky. His relief was ex-
IRENE. He reckoned he could afford to
smile from sheer comfort of soul, just
for about 10 seconds.
"Radway!" cried Mr.. Thorning, do
you know what you are doing, sir ?
This is an indignity for which you
shall pay dearly, sir"
But Railway let him cry and shout
just for about half a minute. Almost
he cooked his ear to try
and catch the. sound of other shouting.
There seemed, however, to be mo more
of that. They were getting resigned
settling down to their fate, no doubt
those other two.
And how the rascal pulled himself to-
gether smoothed his collar and put on
airs. He reentered the Abbey and slid
away small panel. about Is inches by
9, which overlapped the.plaster of the
wall. An orifice of that size was dis
closed in 1.-THE Penitents' Celf' beyond.
1t had served the pendants, or rather
the penance sufferers, of old as a sort
of mouthpiece for their daily meals,
which were thus pushed to them in
silence. It now served Railway and Mr..
as a hole for conversation.
what Is the meaning of this?" de-
manded Mr.. Thorning, with flaming
face on his side of the aperture.
"Iu tell you, sir" said Railway, hum
bly,.
You'll tell me. desire you to open
this door immediately-imme
me-" cried Mr.. Thorning.
Hear me first, sir. that's ALL" said
Railway. my mother won't be back
till Tuesday or so. and I reckon there
nobody knows you and Miss Thorning
knows you're here, that is.
Here's the letter you wrote for Mrs.
Fact is. sir, you may as well
have itsstraight. I'm in tight corner
for money, and you and Miss Thorning
are just held up'-if you know what
maan."
face. This was worth viewing. 1t YVES
lively with feeling.
"Do you see. STRIP he ventured.
Go on" said Mr.. Thorning. hoarsely.
Have you anything more to say?
is my daughter"
I'm another part of the building, sir;
where it would take a good man to
find her. I expect. sir, she has had
enough of II already"
Mr.. Thorning stepped away, and
paced about a little. with clenched
fists.
you das:ardly. infamous scoundrell"