Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-03-01
THE STOWMARKETI
MYSTERY;
OR,
A LEGACY
OF HATE
BY LOUIS TRACY
Copyrighted. 1904 r. F. Femme 4 Co.
CHAPTER III.
THE DREAM.

You niuted at some supernatural
influence in relation to this crime.
What did you mean
"Ah, that is the unpublished part
OF the affair. We are Scots family,
rs our name implies. The first Sir
Alan Frazer became baronet owing
TO his services TO King George dur
ing the AS Rebellion. There was
some sequestered estate--now our
place in Scotland---which belonged
10 his wife's brother, Hume and a
rebel. Anyhow. in 1863. he fought a
duel with Hume's son. his own
nephew by marriage, and was
killed"
Really" broke In Brett, this an
Client history"
rs quite to the point. Sir Alan
khe first fought and died In front OF
The library at Beechcroft.
The barrtster commenced to study
the moulding in the center Of the
ceiling
He was succeeded by his grand
son, a little lad OF eight. In 1907. af-
ter heavy drinking bout. the sec
ond Sir Alan HumeFrazer cut his
throat, and chose the scene of his an
cestor's duel for the operation.
"A remarkable coincidence,
I'm 1912, during q bread riot, the
third baronet was stabbed with
pitchfork whilst facing a mob in the
same place. Then long interval
occurred. Again small child be-
came the heir Three years ago the
fourth baronet expired whilst the
library windows were being opened
to admit the litter on which he was
carried from the hunting field The
fate OF the fifth YOU know
Brett's chair emitted a series OF
wall. At tho proper distance he
stretched out his leg and pressed an
electric bell with his toe
"Decanters and syphons. Smith"
he cried. when the door opened.
Which do you take. whisky or
brandy. Mr.. Hume" he inquired.
Whisky. But I assure you ! am
quite serious. These things"
Serious, II my name were Hume
Frazer. nothing less than runaway
steam-engine would take me 10
Beechcroft. I have never previously
heard such a marvellous recital"
I'VE are stiffnecked race. My
uncle and cousin knew how strange
~ Fate had pursued every heir 10
the title, yet each hoped that in his
person the tragic sequence would he
broken. Oddly enough. my father
holds that the family curse. or what
1t Is, has now exhausted itself"
What grounds has he for the be-
iief?"
None, save Highlander's readi-
ness to accept signs and portents.
Look at this seal"
He unfastened from his waistcoat
his watch and chain. with small
bunch of pendants attached, and
handed them to Brett. The latter
examined the seal with deep interest
1t was cut into a bloodstone, and
showed a stag's head. surmounted by
ave pointed rays, like a crown of
da&gers.
Il cannot decipher the motto" he
said what is III"
Forts ct audax"
Hum, Strong and bold A stiff
nscked legend. too"
He reached to his bookcase for
Burke's General Armory." After q
brief search, he asked:
DO you know anything about her
aldry?'
Nothing whatever"
''Thcn listen to this. The crest o.
your house Ia: A stag's head, erased
argent. charged with star OF fv'
rays gules' It Is peculiar"
yes, so my father says; but VIII!
does II appeal to you in that way?"
Because erased means. in thl
instarrr. a stag's head torn forcibl.
fro" ne body. the severed part be
iug Jagged like the teeth of a saw
And 'gules' means red Now, sucl
heraldic rays are usually azure o
blue"
by Jove. you have hit upon thu
old mans idea He contends tina
those Ave blood-colored points sig
nifty the founder of the baronetcy ant
his four linsal descendants. More
over, the rare Is now extinct In tn
direct succession. The title goes L
a collateral hr9n"h."
Brett Str chin thought
fully.
TT Is CoI cry strange" h
murmured. the dry-as-dus
knowledge of .2mc member OF tn
College OF Ecralds should evolv
these armorial bearings with thei
weird Significance Does this accoun
for your allusion to the supernat
urai2"
Partly. Do not forget my dream
Tell II to me"
During the trials, my counsel,
very able man. by the way--yo
know him, OF course, MI Dobbie
E.C.--only referred to the fact tina
dreamed my cousin was In som
mortal danger. and that my exclams
ton He Ia murdered, was reall
q startled comment on my part In
duced by the buffers words. Tha
~ not correct. | never told MI
Dobbie the details Of my dream. O
vision"
"Oh, didn't you? Men have bee
hanged before to-day because the
thought they could construct a BET
ter line Of defence than their couI
sell