The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-03-05
A GROWN OF FAITH
CHAPTER vUII-(Continued.)

ed; the guests thronged in. Stately Colo
mel Wycherly pulled his iron-gray mus
tache, and smiled his supercilious smile,
Neutrality-suspicious.. misunderstanding;
and Mrs. Wycherly sat superb in black
velvet and oriental pearls. watching the
dancers, her black eyes flashing fire, her
thin lips smiling. her proud nostrils di-
lating. Arthur Calthorpe hung over Ella.
Mamma will not let me waltz said
the heiress.
Then will you excuse me il l run
away?" rejoined the heir. "See-there IS
Miss Pritchard. the lady principal of St
Martha's College, with thirteen of her pu-
pills and teachers, and some of them are
deplorably shy"
Go, go ~ cried Ella zone of them
has nothing deplorable at all about her
I mean that stately creature who has
chosen to wear q dress of black lace over
q pale-primrose slirt. She is covered up
close to the thrc It; she wears no orna-
ment but a gold necklace and cross; she
is like a Spanish princess; she is very
handsome"
Five minutes a~fterward, Arthur Cal
thorpe. heir to the earldom of Beryl. was
whirling round in the waltz with Leila
Leigh. under-teacher at st. Martha's Col
lege for Ladies'. The blond, blue-eyed
young man, the stately, dark-eyed girl,
looked into one another's faces and read
volumes; but it might be hat those vol
u-nes were In an unknown tongue They
paused. painting, in a little anteroom-a
costly gem Of a chamber, where light re-
freshments were laid out daintily on an
inIaid table.
Arthur was handing Leila a jelly, when
there entered a woman. She was young.
not more than twenty. She wore black
a plain dress. made high to the throat.
with linen collar and cuffs Her light
brown hair was disordered and rough.
Her face was neither pretty nor plain,
and her blue eyes were sinister and cruel
Her complexion was fair naturally, but
its pallor at that moment was surely I'M
natural. Arthur Calthorpe droprsd the
jelly he was handing to Leila; he glass
was shivered.
Il must speak to you" she said impe-
riously-''at once-out there in the Lau-
rel Walk
And without a word Of apology, Arthur
Calthorpe drew the curtains from before
q Al N4A4CN LII P1-cNN
garden. Leila Leigh sat there, indignant.
silent. wondering, and waiting. Arthur
did not return. After a while she re-en-
tered the ball room. The night wore on
heavily for her. Her interest in the ball
was suspended while Arthur was absent.
Presently she saw him standing in a
DOORWAY. She started, looked again. Ar
thur, and not Arthur; like and unlike.
The same height, figure, build, complexion,
but different eyes. different mouth, differ
ent expression. This young man was talk
ing TO her own brother. lionel Leigh,
who soon crossed the room and spoke to
Leila.
Leila, that gentleman is Mr.. Cal
thorpe's twin brother. He has been away
for two or three years. n now he wishes
TO speak to his brother. Were is he!
lie was seen with you last"
Leila rose up and led the way toward
the little ante-room. Her brother went
with her. He whom we have known as
Dick harrington followed, ani there was
a buzz of recognition among some of the
guests
"He went through that window" said
Leila.
Lionel opened the window, and Ar
thurs twin brother passed out into the
garden. 1t was a frosty night, with
bright, blinking stars, keen, piercing air.
Leila wrapped her head and neck in her
opera cloak, walked swiftly along the
gravel path, slipped, and fell. Then she
returned hastily to the anterocm. passed
into the blaze of light and uttered a shrek
which brought the guests thronging into
the little chamber.
Her satin skirt, satin shoes. and fair
hands were stained with that deep-red
stain which tells Of the ebbing of a hu-
man life. Then it was remembered that
Arthur had been missed for some hours.
The little anteroom filed so full that the
guests surged out into the frosty laurel
path.
Leila lay back, fa%inting; but there was
one face amid the throng which burned
Itself terribly, mysteriously, and-so il
seemed-without reason, into the con-
sciousness of Leila Leigh-tne naughty,
white. fearful face Of Mrs. Wycherly.
Lionel Leigh, towering above the heads
of the crowd. came on toward where bis
sister lay on the little couch. He sat
down near her and took her hands into
his.
What has happened, Lionel?'
Mr.. Calthorpe is hurt"
How? BY whom? Where is he?"
They have carried him round TO the
other side of tie house. He is in one
of the drawing rooms, and there are three
doctors ut the ball. / am going TO send
DIR. Dundas; the other two are with
him"
Els he much hurt?"
"FrightfulIy. l should say he must
die"
and wondered in a dreary way what use
her youth and her beauty would be to
her now. No word Of love had passed
the lips of the earl's heir. He had writ
ten her two little notes, and begged her
acceptance of two splendid bouquets; he
had taken OFF his hat when he met her
in the lanes; and nov tonight he had
waltzed with her. and looked at her with
eyes which spoke volumes.
Tell me how it happened?' she said.
Il went out through that French win
dow with Dick harrington. I thought
he had gone TO the Laurel Walk. perhaps
You said he had gone out that way. We
walked to the end and harrington shout
ed, ca led him Filter (which was his
nickname when they were boys-and
there was no answer. Then harrington
ran down the ~shrubbery walk. L know
every inch Of the place, he said. | came
back toward the house, stumbled against
something in the path. found it was a
man, dragged it toward a lighted window.
and saw hat IL was Mr.. Calthorpe. quite
senseless. and with the blood streaming
from a wound at the back of his head"
THAT B~arrington?' scried Leila, ''or
the women in black"
What woman"
"A young woman who came into the
room, and beckoled him out-a horrible
looking creature. sly and cruel, rather
pretty, so far as fair skin and blonde
tresses GO"
Il carried him round to the drawing