Evening star., 1909-04-27
(: LADY ATHLYNE
BY BRAN STOKER.
Z At rixh
~ BRAN STOKER.
CHAPTER xvI-Continued.

CHAPTER XVI-Continued.
With glad steps she groped her way to
the door. A flood Of light seemed to
meet her when she opened it, and she
hurried up the steep stairs to where the
signalman held open the upper door.
Coon in. lassie. and hae a soop O. ma
tea. 'Tis fine and warm, : Coon
in and let me offer We some refreshment
an II may max sac bold may A offer
ye all A hae that,u warm ye? COON in
ma'am. COON in ma leddier he said in
crescendo Of welcome and respect as
he saw joys fine motor coat and recog-
nized her air Of distinction.
Glad, indeed. was Joy to drink from the
worthy fellows tin tea-bottle which rest
ed beside the stove: glad to sit down in
front of the fire. Then, indeed, she felt
the magnitude Of her WEAKNESS. and in
minute would have fallen asleep.
But the thought of her father and all
that depended on her action and his
knowledge wakened her to full intel
lectual activity. She stood UP at once
and said quickly:
What place Is this?"
The signal-box of Castle Douglas
Junction"
And where is that?., l think l have
heard the name before"
IT'S a tOon as they ca 1t here The
junction is O. the Glasgie an South West
ern. the Caledonian. the Port Patrich an
Wigtownshire. the London an North
Western. an the Midland lines. But for
short there are but twa. One frae Kirk
| cudbright. an tn ither frae Newton
Stewart
I'm what country are we?" Seeing the
establishment in his face she went on:
II am an American. and not familiar with
the district. We came from England this
morning-from the INSTRUMENTATION
Ambieside-and 1 am confused about the
border. l had to drive myself because my
we got into trouble for fast driving. and
l had to come on alone. And then the
fog overlook me. l went along as well
as could. Are we anywhere near Car
iisle?" Her face fell as she saw the
'Eh. ma leddie. but we're mony a mile
frae Carlisle. 'Tis over fifty miles be the
line. Ye maun hae lost yer way sair. Ye're
in Rrkcudbright-shire the noo." Her
heart sank:
"Oh. 1 must send telegram at once"
"Ye Gamma telegraph the NIGHT, ma led
die! The ofice is closed till eight the
morn's morn'
MY God! What shall 1 do. My father
not know where l am. l came out for a
drive and thought to be back in good time
to meet him. He will be in despair. Is
there no way In which i can send word?
1t Is not a matter of expenses: 1 shall
pay anything If 1t can be done!" She
looked at him in an agony Of apprehen-
sion The man was stirred by the depth
Of emotion and by her youth and beauty.
and his clever Scotch brain began to
work. His mouth set fast in hard line
and his rough heavy brows began to
wrinkle. After pause he said:
'A'll do what can. ma leddie; though
telegraphs are closed. Even il we could
find an operator 1t wouldn't be possible
to get the wires. Our own lines are
closed, for we'll hae no traffic till morn"
I'll lnra OF ynlr Invy nvHd che S,1kA
rupted him:
Gould I not get a special train? am
willing to pay anything?"
Lord love We. ma Teddy. they don't
have specials on bit lines like this. Ye
| couldn't get one higher than Glasgie. an
not there at this time o. day. Let alone
| they'd. no send in such fog anyhow.
But I'm thinkin' that A can telephone to
is freend O. mine. an if he's on dooty
he'll telephone on to Carlisle. wheer
there's sure to be some one at the place.
An mayhap the latter'll telephone on till
Ambeside. So, If there be any awake
there, they'll send to the hotel. 1t is
hotel yer father'll be in?'
"Oh thank you, thank you." said Joy,
| seizing his hand in burst Of gratitude.
.I'll be forever grateful TO you il youth
be 50 good!''
Am thinkin'." he went on. ''that per-
haps twill cost yer ladyship a mickle-
perhaps a mickle; but A dar say yen no
nina tndt
"Oh. no. no, 1t will be pleasure to pay
anything. See. have plenty of money!
She pulled out her purse.
Ma! ma! Not yet, ma leddie. 'Tis no
for masel-unless yer ladyship insists on
it. later on. 'Tis for the laddies that will
do what they can. Ye see there may be
some trouble Ger this. We signalmen
and officials generally are not supposed
| to attend to aught outside o. the routine
But IL it should be that there is trouble
n 1rc iY A m Var a in
an some o. yer graan' freens'll no see us
Wranged''
'Oh, no. indeed. My father and Mr.
- and all our friends will see to 1t that
you shall never suffer. no matter what
happens"
well. now, ma leddy-if ye'll joost
write down your message All do what A
can. But twill be wiser if We gang ava
the message better when Am quit o. ye.
Forbye, We see. tbs no quite respectable
to hae bonny lassie here over lang. Ma
wife is apt lobe a wee bit jalous; an it's
no wise to gle cause where name there is.'
But l do not know where to 60"
she began. He interrupted her hastily.
There's a graan hotel l. the toon-
verra fine 1t is: but Am thinkin' that yer
rather care to go to a quieter house. An
as AID recommend We to seek the Walter
Scott Hotel. IT'S KEEP by vera decent
folk. an though small is vera respect
dDle an VeTra cloan. say tnaI yer Kent
by Tammas Macpherson. an that will
vouch for We. seein' that ye're a bit lassie
by yer lanes. 'Ts a most decent place
entirely, an Am tellin We that the
sheriff o. Galloway himsei aye rests
there when he come to toon.''
Joy wrote her message on the piece of
paper which he had provided while speak
ing:
ITO Col. Ogilvie, Inn Of Greeting, Am
bleside.
Dearest Daddy: / have been caught
in very heavy fog and lost but happily
found my way here. / shall return by
the first train in the morning. Love to
mother. 1 am well and safe. JOY"
Then the signalman gave her explicit
directions as to finding the house. AS
she was going away he said, with diff
dent anxiety:
ITO what figure will yer ladyship gang
in this-this meenistration? A'd joost
like to ken in case O. necessity" She
answered quickly:
"Oh. anything you like-twenty-five dol
lars-I mean five pounds-ten pounds
twenty-a hundred. anything. anything so
that my father gets the message sOon."
He looked amazed for a moment Then.
as he held open the door deferentially. he J
said. In a voice In which awe blended
with respect:
"Dinna fash yerself more, ma leddie.
Yer message will gang for sure; an gang
quick. Ye may sleep easy the NIGHT. an
wi'out a thocht O. doubt. AMI leave wi
ma kinsman. jamie Macpherson O. the
Walter Scott ma neem an address In |
case yer ladyship wishes me to send to |