The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-01
lContInued.)

no one appeared. For all that I could see
and hear. the only human creature i'm the
neighborhood OF the lake and the planta-
ton was myself.
My heart began TO beat violently. but
kept my resolution. and searched, first
the boat-house. and then the ground In
front Of IL. for any signs which might
show me whether Laura had really
reached the place or not. NO mark of her
presence appeared inside the building but
I found traces OF her outside II. In foot
steps on the sand. detected the foot
steps OF two persons-large footsteps.
like mans. and small footsteps. which.
by putting my own feet into them and
testing their size In that manner, felt
certain were Laura's. The ground was
confusedly marked In this way, just be-
fore the boat-house. Close against one
side o. II. under shelter of the projecting
roof Z discovered a little hole in the
sand-a hole artihcially made. beyond
doubt l just noticed it, and then turned
away Immediately TO trace the footsteps
as far as I could. and 10 follow the d.
rection in which they might lead me.
They led me, starting from the lett
hand side OF the boathouse. along the
edge OF the trees. a distance, I should
think oe between two and three hundreu
yards-and then the sandy ground hs,wr show
that the persons whose course | was
tracking must necessarily have entered
the plantation at this point. ! entered y
discovered one afterward, Just Ialnty
traced among the trees, and followed II.
Iecen II Gon of me the 0r ySgs an
point where another foot.track crossed II.
The brambles grew thickly on either side
OF this second path. ] stood iookins
next. and while l looked ! saw on one
thorny bush some fragments OF fringe
from womsns shaw eoser s enam snai Il
had been torn from a shawl OF Lauras.
aud 7 instantly followed the second path.
It brought me out at las last ion TO my frea
10 my great relief. because l inferred
that Laura must. for some unknown rea-
hays n by the s courts
yard and the offices:
The first person whom I met In crossing
the servants hall was Mrs. Nicholson,
'Do you know" asked. whether
Lady CLYDE has come In from her walk
my lady came in little while ago.
with Sir Percival." answered the house
keeper. II am afraid, Miss Halcombe.
something very distressing has hap
My heart sunk within me. You don't
mean an accident?" said, family.
mo no--thank God. no accident. But
s ssr. aay snd an s IPRss Sa. ss orde1ea
TO give Fanny warning to leave In an
Fanny was Laura's maid; a good. af-
fectionate girl, who had been with her
for years--the only person In the house
whose. fidelity and devotion We could both
.'Where is Fanny7'' INQUIRED.
'In my room. Miss Halcombe. The
young woman is quite overcome. and
to, told her to sit down. and try to recover
/ went to Mrs. MicheIson's room. and
found Fanny I'm corner. with her box by
her side. crying bitterly.
She could give me no explanation what
ever OF her sudden dismissal Sir Per-
cfval had ordered that she should have
warning. and go. No reason had been as
signed: no objection had been made to
her conduct. She had been forbidden to
see her for a moment to say goodbye.
She was TO go without explanations or
farewells-and to 20 at once.
friendly words. asked where She pro-
posed to sleep that night She replied
thatssbe thought OF going TO the little inn
Woman ns Known to aSe Ss
wants at Blackwater Park. The next
morning. by leaving early. che might get
out stopping in London. where she was
a total stranger.
4 felt directly that Fanny's departure
%ith London snd %ish Lmmsrdse house
OF which II might be very important to
avail ourselves.
Accordingly. I told her that she might
expect to hear from her mistress or from
me In the course Of the evening. and that
she might depend on our both doing all
that lay in our power to help her. under
the trial OF leaving us for the present.
Those words said. I shook hands with
her and went upstairs.
The door which led TO Laura's room
was the door Of an ante-chamber open
Ing on to the passage. When I tried it.
II was bolted on the inside.
knocked. and the door was opened
by The same heavy. overgrown house
ma whose lnmpish sensibility had tried
my patience so severely on the day when
i found the wounded dog had since
that time discovered that her name was
Margaret Porcher. and that she was the
most awkward. slatternly and obstinate
servant in the house.
on opening the door she instantly
stepped out TO the threshold. and stood
grinning at me in stolid silence.
why do you stand there?" ] said.
Don't you see that want TO come in?"
IAN. but you mustn't come In was
the answer. with another and broader
grin still.
How dare you talk to me in that way?
Stand back instantly!
She stretched out q great red hand and
arm on each side OF her. so as 10 bar
the doorway. and slowly nodded her
added head to me-
Masters orders" she said and nodded
again.
had need Of all my self-control TO
warn me against contesting the mat
ter with her. and to remind me that the
next words I had 10 say must he ad-
dressed To- her master. I turned my back
on her. and instantly went down stairs
to find him. NV resolution 10 keep my
temper under all the irritstions that Sir
Percval could offer. was. by this time.
as completely forgotten-i say To my
ishame-as n I had never made ". IL did
me good-after all had suffered and
suppressed In that house--it actually did
me good TO feel how angry | was
The drawing room and the breakfast
4 I'M tn