The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-04
The House of Ill-Luck
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.

ears Win her hands While il continued
she could not. dared not, come out of her
hiding place.
Suddenly the door of the tower opened
ana Sir Douglas stood for a moment on
the steps. His face was pale. and. though
u was a raw. cold day. Rosemary saw
MN wipe his brow, as though IL were
damp. lie stood there for some moments
and to the watching. sympathetic ewes of
the secret witness il seemed that he was
nghtlhg a silent battle with some invis-
lDle zoe that threatened TO crush him.
AFTER a while he went III and closed the
door, and as the cry had dWindled down
10 a low, intermittent moan, Rosemary
took her courage in both hands and
stepping from her hiding place, she
hurried quickly away, afraid lest she
snouIa betray her presence in the for
oidden premises. TO her CONSERVATION,
however, when she reached the little gate
she FOUND that Sir Douglas had locked Il
and unless she could escape some other
way she would be forced 70 stay there
TIL Sir Douglas came 10 release her. Des-
peration gave her courage, however. and
as she mad learned 10 climb over fences
IN her school days. she had very little
oiHculty IN getting over the gate: but as
she was putting her foot down on the
other side she slipped and fell Heavily
10 the ground. twisting her foot beneath
her. In spite of the pain, however she
managed TO get up and limp back to the
house
II serves me right" she murmured
nave mad A lesson for going where /
had no business to; but on. how wish
l dared ask some one about the tower
and what the mystery is they guard so
/ carefully"
a sound at the door made her turn
sharply. Keziah was standing In the
doorway with a letter IN her hand. "A
boy !eft this for you, miss" she said
abruptly
Rosemary took the letter wonderinely.
she had no idea who could write 10 her
since she had no friends. but she saw
that the envelope was addressed 10 Miss
ffrench. Luck House"
What kind Of boy left it. Keziah?" she
said slowly.
"A village LAD; an nice and saucy e
was too! keziah replied. said e 'ad
instructions TO put il into your own 'ands
! 'ad a good mind 10 box is ears-the lit-
+ tle wretch"
Rosemary open the letter and drew. out
sheet Of paper. She was curious and
/ puzzled to know who IN that little Cor
nish village could possibly send her a
/ note. The contents We're brief and still
more obscure:
/ Please meet NE this evening outside the walls
/ % the r0s3ry 81 luck House Any time between g
and 10 vil SUIT, only he there without fail.
s. r.
! who could 6. F. be-" she wondered
/ and why such an ambiguous message 90
since she had been az Luck House she
I had spoken 20 no one and had been into
/ the village but rarely She glanced M 10
/ md that Keziah was studying her face
/ with frankly inquisitive eyes. She col
I cred little and slipped the note into her
pocket
BY tie way, Keziah. she said quietly.
= didn't know YOU had a niece staying
+ here She seems bright girl"
keziah's face changed from a healthy
/ red 20 "A sickly pallor Where did YOU
/ see 'er?' she snapped. Did she stay
gosSipin' 20 vou?'
NO, Rosemary replied Il asked her
/ where Lady Mallsbys bedroom was. and
she could not tell me. Where is IL, Ke-
ziah? 7 want 20 so and see her ] IN
derstand nursing and could be useful
/ The pallor or Keziah's face intensified
and she darted a frightened. venomous
, glance into Rosemary's face
| Thieves no need for YOU to 20 ferret
/ ing about after her ladvshipr she said
sharply. she won't allow strangers 10
T go near 'er when she's H. and its more
/ than nay place Is worth TO let YOU go TO
'er. Then she went on hurriedly. your
! frocks all over mud; wherever ave you
+ been. miss?"
! Rosemary smiled, I'm afraid 7 have
been trespassing, keziah. ! went into
+ that private part Of the grounds by the
+ tower and She paused abruptly Ke-
( ziah was staring AZ her with wide eyes
OF horror.
.'The tower" she gasped You'd no
/ business there. miss. II Sir Douglas
/ knew" Then. afraid lest she had said
+ too much. she went on more quietly.
Sir Douglas keeps 4 very valuable col
/ lection of animals there They are dan
/ gerous and no one IS allowed TO enter
/ that part Of the grounds. II Sir Douglas
/ or 'er ladyship knew they'd be very
/ aEgry."
I've no intention Of going there any
/ more. Rosemary said hut ] am glad 7
/ know what Sir Douglas keeps there; II
| explains those awful cries I heard. and I
/ SuIugse he must have had one of the ami
MAJ n the house. KeZiah, for it was the
/ same noise heard. Sir Douglas has
! keepers, I SUPPOSE
The woman flashed a strange glance al
/ her "Ay." she muttered, there's keep
+ ers enough"
THAT explains il then" Rosemary ex-
/ claimed quickly Il could not understand.
when ! went into Frampton a few days
! ago 20 order some books, why two girls
should stare when ] gave my address as
/ Miss French, Luck House They said
| that 7 must be a new keeper and
blamed Sir Douglas for having let me
come TO the house Why, Keziah,T she
broke OFF suddenly, whatever IS the mat
/ ter?"
/ For Keziah had given a curious little
moaning cry. and then, making a hur-
/ ried excuse, she left the room, biting her
/ lips and muttering beneath her breath.
/ TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
! Copyright leo9 by The North American Company