The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-17

spreading indiscreet reports in the
county already. There had not been
time.
"It ISM a fortnight since his grace,
YOU, uncle, and your cousin We're killed
on IT the railway, replied the keeper; :
Beaumanoir, nor if it had would it have
troubled him; but he was relieved to
find that Mayne's solemnity was due to
he traditional superstition of game
keeper. To have his terrible secret, or
so much as a hint Of it, suspected by
this cherry old associate of the happiest
day. of his boyhood would have been
a blow, indeed.
eyes, he admitted, tho in differ
ent sense; ~ have certainly had
narrow escape, and it has shaken me q
little, Mayne. On second thoughts, it
you would let me lie down for few
hours on that very comfortable settle,
I would defer my departure for Prior,s
tarrant till the morning. I really don IT
feel quite equal to trudging so far to-
night
This was true enough, for tho he was
physically fit he dreaded leaving this
haven of rest and apparent security for
the darkling wood, in. which his re-
morseless foes were probably searching
for him. The promised escort of the
unsuspecting keeper would be OF little
value, for, unwarned of any peril, the
man would be simply an encumbrancee,,
equally liable with himself to swift
death at any moment at the hands OF
the enormous odds against them. Apart
from other considerations, he could not
subject the good fellow to such risk,
tho he would have preferred, had it been
nossible to proceed alone, to have
cot to Prior's Tarrant that night and
So have ended the suspense under I
which Forsyth and the general must be
| laboring. :,s
with delight, Mayne only insisting that
he should wake his wife. and get her
to prepare the spare bedroom; "
this, however, Beaumanoir would not 9.
hear, and he was trying to persuade his
host to retire for the night .when a
dog barked furiously at the back OF the
house: ~ -
someone moving,'' said Mayne, going
out into the passage and listening in
tently.
i Beaumanoir remained in the kitchen,
| but for all that it was he, with his
| highly strung nerves, who was the first
| to catch the sound Of footstep with
| out-a stealthy footstep, not approach
ing the cottage door boldly, but creep
ing, close to the , window: The me next nes,
l
municate with Mayne, another and a
brisker step, without any attempt at
secrecy, crunched on the pebble path,
and there came tap at the cottage
door. Mayne Immediately opened it.
4 Sorry to disturb you, but there has
! been railway accident, = man, said
in tones th haf struck Bsaum tpsd al
waiting about at the side Of the line
4 Can you give me shelter for the
i 7If you III please to walk in, sir, 4
see what can be done,' came the reply
of the hospitable keeper. we go1
one Of the passengers in here already
The next moment there appeared il
man who had hectored the guard at 81
stree station and who had afterward
Radlett. s Whatever ' ihg his purpose, h
was plainly not disposed to lay aside hi
: of self-importance as yet. He glancet
superciiously at Beaumanoir, AM
promptly appropriated. the chair which
the latter had risen from at the frs
was more than Mayne could stand; h,
FASTENED to effect a one-sided introduc
| 4 ton.
! A"Beg pardon, sir, but you We takel
! the dukes chair he said. This ger
tleman is his grace the duke of Beau
> MANOR
) The new conner rose with alacrit3
. uSorry, I'm sure,'' he said, taking an
other seat. We are companions il
4 misfortune, duke, if, as I understand
: you were travelling in that wretche
8:45 from st. Pancras.
s Beaumanoir' sense Of humor, eve
: present, but of late repressed by stres
l of circumstances, broke out at the e1
i e.. Ii r. x.< IL I.
r pronounced American accent, and VIII,
9 he was persuaded, was there with n1ul
d derous intent, to sustain the role Of a
English gentleman. He had not fol
!. gotten that other and more furtiv
d footstep under the window, but he coul