The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1909-05-03
LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1905, by BRAN STOKER
Entered at Stationer's Hall-An rights reserved
X
(Continued.l

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81 think so'' said Athlyne smiling
| Il suppose a Deputy Lieutenant of
| Ross Shire is good enough: where
| upon he introduced himself to the
| Sheriff. They chetted together a few
minutes and then. as he went to his
| horse which a policeman was holding
| at the door. he said to the sergeant:
! Il mast not, as Sheriff, be bail my
self. But if any bail is required L I'M
| dertake to get it: SO 1 think you
needn't detain his lordship any longer.
| You'd letter serve the summons on
him for the next Session and then
everything will be in ORDER
Athlyne walked down the village
with him. he leading his horse. When
he knew that Athlyne was going to
| walk to Castle Douglas as to be
ready 10 catch his train to the south
| he said:
! Tomorrow is a busy day there and
! you may find it hard to get rooms at
| the Douglas. especially the fog will
| detain many travellers. Now 1 had
my rooms reserved at the Walter
Scott, kept by an old servant of mine,
where I always stay. An hour gone
I wired countermanding them as 1 am
| going to stay the night with Mulgrave
of Ennisfour where I am dining; SO
| perhaps you had better wire over and
secure them. L shall be there myself
in the morning as 1 have work in
Castle Douglas. but that need not in
terfere with you. If you go early you
may be off before I get there"
II do not want to go South very
early; so I hope you will breakfast
with me if 1 am still there The gen.
fa1 old Sheriff shook his head:
mo. no. You must breakfast with
me. am in my own baliwick and you
must let me be your host"
All right" said Athlyne heartily.
The old man who had been looking at
him kindly all the time now said:
Tell me now-and you won't think
me rude or inquisitiye: but you're
young man and I'm an old one, and
moreover sherif-can I do anything for
you? The Sergeant told me you were
in a state Of desperate anxiety to get
away-or at any rate to let the lady
get off; and I couldn't help noticing
myself that you are still anxious. The
policeman said she was young, and
much upset about it all. Can 1 serve
you in any way? If 1 can, it will /
assure you be a pleasure to me-" He
was so frank and kind and hearty that
Athlyne's heart warmed to him. More
over he was upset himself. poor fellow;
and though he was man and a strong
one. was more than glad to unburden
his heart to some one who would be
a sympathetic listener:
The fact is, sir that the young lady
who was with me came for a drive
from Ambleside and we came on here
on the spur Of the moment. Her father
had gone to London and returns this
that she had gone out motoring he
will be anxious about her. Naturally
neither she nor wish to make him
angry. You will understand when I
tell you that she and are engaged to
be married. He does not know this
though here he remembered the let
ter he had posted at Ambleside he
will doubtless know soon. Unhappily
he had some mistaken idea about me.
A small matter which no one here
would give second thought to: but
he is a Kentuckian and they take
some things very much to heart. This
was nothing wrong-not in any way;
but all the same his taking further
offence at me, as he would do If he
heard from someone else that she had
been motoring with me without his
happinesS-and mine. So you can
imagine MIR. Sheriff. how grateful 1
am to you for your kindness" The
sheriff paused before replying. He had
been thinking-putting two and two
together: They are engaged-but her
father doesn't know it. Then the en-
gagement was made only to-day. No
wonder they were upset and anxious.
No wonder he drove fast. All
Youth YOUTH
81 understand. my lord. Well. you
did quite right to get the lady away;
though it was a hazardous thing for
her to start off alone in the mist
''It hadn't come on then. sir. Had it
been so should never have let her go
aione.no matter what What the he. co a,a:.
out of it and close to home by this
time
AYE that's so. Still she was wise to
go. 1t avoids all possibility of scandal.
Poor BARN! I'm hoping she got off
South before the fog came on too thick.
It's drifting up from the Firth so that
when once she would have crossed
the border most like it would have
been clear now. Anyhow under the
circumstances you are right to stay
here. Then there can be no talk what
ever. And her father will have had
time to cool down by the time We
meet"
Were parting here. my Lord. Good
bye and let me wish We both every
form of human happiness Perhaps by
morn you will have had some news;
and I'm hoping yen be able to tell me
of her safe arrival
At the cross roads the men parted.
The Sheriff rode on his way to Ennis
He ordered his dinner, and then went
out to send a telegram at the little
post Office. His telegram ran:
To Water Scott Hotel Castle Douglas
Keep rooms given up by Sheriff for
tonight
He had written the telegram through
without a pause. The signature was
added unhesitatingly, though not mere |
ly instinctively. He had done with |
falsity: henceforth he would use his |
own name. and that only. He felt |
freer than he had done for many |
day.
He ate his dinner quietly; he was
astonished at himself that he could |
take matters so calmly. 1t was really |
that he now realized that he had done |
all he could. There was nothing left |
but to wait. In the earlier part of
that waiting he was disturbed and
all possible matters of concern obtrud- |
ed themselves upon his thought in end
less succession. But time wore on |
the natural optimism of his character
began TO govern his thinking. Reason |
still worked freely enough, but she |
took her orders from the optimistic |
side and brought I'D arrays of COM |
forting facts and deductions.
IT was with renewed heart and with |
a hopeful spirit that he set out on his
road TO Castle Douglas. He had DELHI l.