The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-05
The House of IIl-Luck
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.

for the long hand OF the little watch or
| her wrist was already twenty minutes
| past ., Should she keep IL and leave Sir
/ Douglas alone, or should she ignore what
| might probably be only the impertinence
or stranger? II took a second 10 de-
eide IN favor of SL- Douglas. and she
turned 10 him with a smile.
You have won the battle in my mind. %
she said, seating herself again.
He watched her white fingers as they
swept the keys. Was il a very difficult
one?' he Queried.
She shook her head. mo: but | ought
really 70 be somewhere else
He gate her a surprised glance. Some
where else? Why. il is too late 10 be
anywhere, and you are 'of 'uty' now.
and your time IS your own; unless you
are writing a book and feel inspired"
Rosemary laughed Il am afraid 7 am
not clever she said, and then she played
IN silence for some time. conscious that
she was being watched by the grave blue
eyes OF her host. and once or twice the
color swept her face as her eyes met his.
When she had been playing for some
time she stopped, and Sir Douglas Of
Tered to show her the picture gallery.
We are rather proud Of our gallery %
ne said with a sigh, but seldom go into
1t; II pecalls memories OF what Luck
House once was"
The gallery was cold. and Rosemary
shivered in her thin dress
You are cold" he said quickly. LET
me go and bring you a wrap
Before she could object he had left her.
and she strOlled up the gallery looking
at the pictures on the walls that the dim
light made almost ghostly IN appearance.
suddenly she uttered a cry OF Surprise
On one side OF the wall was the life-size
picture OF young man in the uniform of
a naval lieutenant OF the time Of Eliza
oeth, and he was the image OF the man
In the miniature she had picked M Ia
that awful house on the night of the
mysterious wedding The more she sazed
the more she knew that il was the same
man-only how could she have come
across the life-size painting OF the pic
ture IN the miniature al Luck House,
How long she stood gazing at Il she
could not tell. but Sir Douglas voice
brought her back 20 earth
Here is shawl OF my mothers 7
think il viii keep You warm" he said.
and as he wrapped II round her shoulders
their hands met for an instant, and Rose
mary felt sudden shyness, making her
tongue-tied
Thank you" she said in low voice
then added hurriedy: who is this man
in naval uniform, Sir Douglass"
An ancestor who did big things in the
Armada he replied. Handsome. wasn't
he?
Rosemary nodded Yes: you are very
IKE him. she said naively. Have you
many paintings of him?''
Yes" he replied: Several. But the
most pTpcfO1g has haaFa rou+ -
How do you mean?" Rosemary said
quickly
1T was miniature. painted by big
man IN his day, and am afraid its most
precious qualities In recent years have
lain in the back OF the case"
How could that be-" Rosemary asked
wonderingly
Sir Douglas smiled bitterly. "At the
back OF the miniature was a tiny sprIng
that, / believe. opened and contained a
hollow cavity that secreted plan of the
grounds where it was supposed the buried
treasure of Luck House was hidden.
From time to time there have been at
tempts to find this mythical treasure
he smiled-"but up to now they have all
failed, and I don't think it will ever be
done now, as there Is no money to spend
on It,"
HXrlLR-
ment as she listened to him. 1t had been
her first impulse to tell him that she had
the miniature of his ancestor, only she
remembered in time that an EXPLANATION
would have to follow as TO the reason of
her possession of it, and she dared not
let him know where she had found II
Perhaps later on she might be able 10
return it in a way that would never be-
tray her as its last owner
How was ii stolen?'' she asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. "A couple
of years ago my mother went awav for
brief holiday, and I was not at home
then. According to Jason, man called
one day. saying he had received instruc-
lions from my mother TO come down TO
Luck House and clean the pictures and
miniatures, and he must have taken tina.
particular one for its setting Of dia-
monds."
And you never discovered the theft"
Rosemary said.
mo. and never will. expect. He
can't sell II, though. because It is too
well known to be disposed CT" he an
swered.
but" Rosemary persisted. could you
not trace the treasure In the grounds
without the aid of the chart in the minia-
ture?''
He smiled. 81 am afraid there is very
little prospect OF that ever being discov-
cred now, in spite OF the legend that has
been handed down as family fetch"
What Is that?" she asked. please
tell me, Sir Douglas. I am so interested"
II can't quite remember it," he an