The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-23
CHAPTER XIV.
IN PERIL BY DAY.

BRENTWOOD. Vnere l aSCorCalneQ
by inquiry at the station that Chip
ping Wyvern was q mere hamlet
three miles away in the heart of
the country. AS 1t was lovely
summer day. l obtained directions
and set off to walk the distance.
For mile beyond the outskirts
of the town l followed high road,
but then crossed stile to avail
myself of a short cut that had been
described to me. Thence onward
the path led through waving corn
fields and green meadows till
found myself looking down into a
valley through which wound tree
grit stream.
Immediately below me lay clus-
ter of cottages, which l recognizer
from the description as Chipping
Wyvern, but they were some little
way from the stream, nor was
there any house among them where
gentleman would be likely to
lodge. To the left, however, l dis
cerned the peaked gables Of roof
rising over the poplars half mile
fro mthe hamlet. A CLINT Of silver
among the trees showed that the
building stood on the bank, and
was probably the Mill House.
Descending the hillside, l struck
a lane which brought me to the
cottages, and an inquiry at the first
one l came to proved the truth of
my conjecture.
81 do hope you're going to take
the Mill House, MISS" said the hon.
est countrywoman who gave me
the information. 1--WE want some
gentlefolks in it again to buy our
eggs and poultry. There's been no
one living In 1t since four years
come Christmas"
-Four years." exclaimed in as
constituent. That put the clock
back two years before Clara Riv-
ington had been posting letters to
Mrs. Webley's to be forwarded to
Danvers Crane. It was inconceiv-
able that they should have been
sent to an empty house.
Eyes, there's been no tenant in
the Mill House all that while" the
woman proceeded. "The last was
Sir Charles Darlington, who took 1t
while he had the Abbey farm shoot
ing one season."
"Then 1t isn't furnished?" /
asked.
No, there was nothing in the
house, my informant said, and had
not been since the few things Sir
Charles had hired in Brentwood hid
been removed at the end of his ten.
ancy. She did not believe that it
was SO much as locked up. If l
wanted to look over 1t l should
probably be able to walk right in"
Thanking the woman, I continued
my way along the lane, determined,
having gone so far, to explore the
address given me by Mrs. Webley.
could not believe that that emf
nently businesslike female used as
she was to the forwarding of let
ters, could have made a mistake.
though why she should have pur-
posely sent me on a wild goose
chase was another shaft from the
CULVER Of mystery tipped arrows
fate seemed to be aiming at me.
And how, l asked myself, supposing
that Mrs. Webley desired to mis-
lead me, came she to have the
name Of long unoccupied house
SO pat to her requirements?
When reached the palings sep
arating the premises from the road
saw that they consisted of two
portions--an ancient mill with
granaries and storerooms attached,
and a dwelling house that had for
merly been the residence of the
miller. The latter part of the ram
bling pile was externally in fair
state Of repair. but the mill had
been allowed to fall into the last
stages of decay.
Making my way along the neg
lected path through the wilderness
OF garden, tried the front door
and found 1t unfastened. closed
the door behind me and walked at
haphazard into room on the left,
There was nothing to be seen but
the bare walls.
Returning to the passage, went
on to the room behind on the same
side, and had no sooner opened
the door and stepped in than l ex-
perienced two surprises In quick
succession. The window In this
apartment was not only uncovered
by a blind, but It was wide open,
and, leading to 1t in a straight track
across the dusty floor, there were
the prints of a mans boots. I had
hardly begun to ask myself what
this meant when the room door was
\ shut on me and the key was turned
I'm the lock.
Rusing to the window, i only
needed to glance to tell me that
was a prisoner Swift and silent
flowing with the strength of great
depth towards the race, the mill