The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1902-04-04
CHAPTER Nv.

not but his journey would be one
OF great hazard and peril. We had got
In our land from time to time account
or the doings there which showed us
plainly that evil was brewing and that
the government would likely be sorely
put to In maintaining it's authority.
Since the French king. Louis XVI, had
convened the assembly and brought to-
gether the three estates there had been
such stirring up Of all matters polit-
lcal that no man might prophesy what
the end would he, but when we had
got news Of the fall Of the Bastille, with
all The terrible commotion I'm which
Paris found itself the day after, indeed
1T needed no prophet to foretel far
worse to follow. Rumors were brought
to US every day Of the woeful things
that We're coming to pass. and every
emigrant was telling story of an
archy and violence. It was q time
when no man was safe in Paris. the
mob being masters of the city, the as
sembly being ut it's wits end and Door
Louis, the king, Just biting his finger
nails In dilemma, sorely disturbed be-
cause his subjects would not behave
themselves and leave him to mend
locks In peace and quiet.
With all this in view and my mas
ter demented with his troubles starting
OIL on an unknown errand, there was
no wonder that l was in worry of
mind like to bring Inc down with fit
of sickness, and all this following upon
the evil days we had come through
since my lady's disappearance. Foreby
the great weight Of responsibility
fallen upon me, now my master was
away, was like to turn my brain and
make ME rue the day 1 had ever set
foot in Glenhaugh.
AS l rode home from Abbeyfont
that morning after I had seen the lug
ger lost In the mist had time to think
Of all these matters. and what with
these on my mind and a termagant
mare, with a gall on her withers be-
meath me. not to speak Of an empty
stomach, 1 was sour and wretched
man when l got back to Glenhaugh.
Now that my master was gone and
was left alone, you may be sure that
q. trust was mine that would claim oil
my best efforts, and so I set-s fifsyeAex
to maintain with. dignity and shrewd.
ness my office Of stewardship aIid be-
ready to give good account of,1t on
my masters return. i IN ,c
! Before my masters troubles began--n.
that is to say, before the day when .het
!. left us to travel to Stirling on the matA
ter OF business I have related-he had
counselcd with me about certain raf;
pairs to Glenhaugh House that called:
Tor prompt attention, and we had sef-.
tied 1t that on his return the work =.
should be gone at without delay. In 1.
the confusion of our life that followed
that time no thought had been given
again to the matter. it being dwarfed
so completely by the harassing circum::
stances that had arisen about us. Tho
work in question was % other 1r:::..
the repair of the west tower Of sic
haugh, that part Of the house havi:i
fallen seriously into Ill condition. TIL.
tower was one Of four. there being at
each corner of the house a tower aris.
Ing from the ground and standing out
from the main building.
The west tower was, think, Of
greater age than any part Of the house,
being built, / believe, in or about the
reign Of James Nv. 1t was adjacent to
the iafrd's apartments indeed, the in.
ner wall formed the east side of the
very apartment once occupied by my
lady. We had observed that a long
seam or crack in the masonry had be.
come visible In my lady's room, threat
ening to do serious damage If not at |
tended to, and indeed the sag Of the |
wall was 80 great that large oak cabi-
net set In my lady's room had suffered
such a strain from It that perceptible |
erevice was beginning to yawn between
the wall and the cabinet, and had |
heard my lady make complaint that |
not few Of her trinkets and papers |
had slipped into the aperture and de. |
fled recovery.
My master had been away a month |
when took it into my head to 20 for
ward with the repairing Of the tower.
the need being urgent and all things at |
mana prepared FOR 1t, and so IL was that |
we were soon in the midst Of 1t all and |
tearing away the stones to make room |
Tor the repairing Of the building. In
the course Of the work we came upon
an old recess or opening back of the |
oaken cabinet, that have said was
built Into the wall Of my lady's room. a |
recess that had long ago been occupied,
doubt not, by wide chimney fiue,
which In course Of time had fallen into
disuse and become entirely obliterated
by the addition Of the west tower, built
by some laird Of later day who had
closed up the recess. leaving an entire
waste Of space.
When we had cut into this open
space, we found 1t more like the shaft
Of n mine or n well than any other