Middletown transcript., 1905-02-25


and everything as free and plentiful as
could be. I've seen as many as twenty
horses waiting at the great door in those
fdays to take some of the ladies and gen.
tlemen for rides but it didn't last"
had never encouraged him to talk
about the. yerrikers before but now my
curiosity, excited by the mornings events
got the better of my discretion, and I
let Roberts talk on about the gay doings
that had marked the beginning OF Lady
Verriker's reign at the Court.
"You see, miss, Sir Jasper was ever so
much older than her ladyship. She
were just slip of girl straight from
school I've heard, and he-well, he were
wild Verriker' That's what they used
to call him. And there were doings here
my word! There were one Sunday
afternoon that lot of 'em, and some
| ladies' too-more shame to 'em were
in the stableyard, and Sir Jasper got one
of her ladyship's dogs-a little Yorkshire
4
terrier. it were-and he set it to fight
/ with his own butt dog, atfd iii the middle
Of it, while they were all lauglin' and
shoutin', her ladyship came down. /
think she hated Sir Jasper from that
minute. She tried to separate the dogs,
and the little terriers blood got over her
white frock, It died in her arms, and
she cried, and Sir Jasper-he laughed at
her lie were bad mana man who
loved cruelty and wickedness. And yet
he were wonderfully poplar amongst
the ladies. He seemed as if he could do
anything with them"
Roberts paused and gazed reaectively
over the water Then he continued
"Her ladyship never came back'ere
after that visit until now. But Sir Jas
per did, and it were then People
had thought e ID settle down steady-like
when he were married; but he didn't.
He were as bad as ever few months
after; and the place was mortgaged, and
he begun cutting down the timber. And
then he came again, and he and another
gentleman had violent quarrel, and
him and Sir Jasper fought jewel in the
long gallery, and he-the other gentle
man-were all but killed; and the lady
that people said as it were all about she
drowned 'erself, ere in this very lake
jumped off these steps into the sedges. l
we're one O. them as 'elped to get her
out"
Istepped back involuntarily and looked
down at the still unruffied surface almost
in terror.
"What an awful story, Roberts !! No
wonder that the place was deserted!'
cay! There's curse on it, folk say,
ard think it's true. Maybe it III be
better when Sir Reginald comes home;
but there's no money, SO we ear. The
lawyers want i'm to sell it, or somt thing
like that. l don't know about it ; but
lor, lisa changed place to what it were y
"Who is Reginald ?" l asked. do
you know him ~
Roberts shook his head.
mo, miss. He's never been ere, and
Pve 'eard tell he's very poor, and has
been on a cattle farm somewhere in
America. But don't know the rights
O. the story. only know I'd be glad to
see change for the better. Why, the
'ouse will be falling about our ears soon
if it amt repaired y
But | did not want to hear any more.
I got away from that horrible water and
went for walk in the opposite direction
What a dreadful place the Court was
with it's gruesome stories | began to
count the days to my return to town, and
yet all the time was conscious that |
should hate to leave Lady Verriker alone
in the gloom-haunted house. 1 felt
angry against her that she should have
returned to live in such place. What
could have been her reason? Why did
she not leave it and forget its dreadful as
socations?
l reached the end of the avenue, and
leaned for some time with my arms
folded on top of the small gate that sep
arated the avenue from the road. 1t was
not the principal avenue, nor was the
road one which was generally used. 1t
was cross road that ran from the village
to small group Of houses which was
some three or four miles distant, and was
called Roby Hollow.
was very much surprised therefore
when I saw cyclist coming slowly tc-
wards me and riding in the direction Of
Roby Hollow. He did not see me nntil
he was quite close to the gate, and had
leisure to observe that he was man of
about forty five. and had a dark clean
shaven face. He was dressed in ordinary
cycling garb, and carried a small hand
camera on his handle-bars. When he
saw me he jumped off his machine and
| raised Ills cap.
II beg your pardon, but 1 am afraid
that have missed my way. Am | going
in the right direction for MuddIeham ?"
Il am afraid can't tell you" I ans
wered. 81 only know that this road
leads to Roby Hollow"
Then l am quite wrong. l was
warned not to 60 near Roby Hollow but
through Pick"
''Oh, Plex is in that direction % l ex-
claimed, and pointed across the park.
"You ought not to have come down this
road at ALL"
He uttered an exclamation of impati-
ence.
"How provoking And am already
late for an appointment Is there-I
wonder if l might venture to ask if there
is any short cut that could take ?"