The Washington herald., 1910-11-14
The House of Ill-Luck
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.


girl is in the way OF all of u.s."
Philip Craven gave cold laugh. DO
you know who Dacre is2
She nodded. yes; at first was puz-
zled, then I remembered. don't think
he recognizes US. though. talked about
everything, and he never once betrayed
the slightest signs of recognition OF
either OF u.s.
1T happened twelve years ago. Craven
! said thoughtfully. "and no may not be
able to locate us. But / should not be
surprised If he has done so, and is keep
ing his knowledge up his sleeve
DO you think he suspects anything?"
she asked. Il mean anything about
Stephen"
He shook his head decidedly How
could he? If he had, he would have done
so from the beginning. But / don't like
the Nea Of his having come down now.
In the telegram Stephen opened 1t said
/ he was coming on business connected
with Ralph Savage's will; and I can't
think what II IS, unless" He paused
| significantly.
Unless what?" Laura asked quickly.
Unless some one, whose name we
won't mention. has been working against
l us" he said in a low voice. stephen has
said nothing about It. but 1 know he
wonders the same thing"
IF he goes down, We go with him."
Laura said under her breath. II repeat
what 1 said before-that it was mad of
stephen 10 come down here into the
very mouth OF the enemy. Have you
! spoken 10 him about getting away?"
Yes. but it's no good. You forget he
| is in love, my dear girl"
ously. Like all men. he will come 10
| grief through a woman. That doll-faced
chit OF a girl is going 20 spoil all our
games. unless we stop her in time Why
not let Sir Douglas know who she is?
| That would put her out OF court"
and ourselves, too." Craven answered.
eff we give her away, II will reooil on
our heads, for inquiries viii follow, nat
urally. She win tell her tale. and NAL
laby might turn on us instead. l have
better plan than that We must get
her away-let her appear 10 go naturally,
OF course"
Laura bit her lip thoughtfully. I'VE
shall never get her TO go unless she is
kidnapped she laughed; 'and she Is
too closely guarded by Sir Douglas and
his solicitor friend Dacre. Besides, there
may be a better plan OF putting her out
OF the way / went into the village this
morning, and found one or two interest
| ing scraps OF information concerning the
House OF Luck
Surely. there can be nothing fresh
to be found OUT" Craven said, In a sur
prised tone.
Laura smiled dryly. You might have
thought so: but there lis something that
no one has taken the trouble 10 puzzle
out. Even that little fool. the old
woman's companion. does not smell
rat But we had not been twelve hours
in the house before ] knew there was
mystery-and a pretty dangerous one,
too"
do YOU mean about the supposed
treasurer" Craven said languidly. That's
the only mystery stephen and I are in
terested In: and over that We seem likely
TO be defeated by the loss OF the mini
ture.
A queer light fliekered in his sisters
eyes ''YOu are not so clever as
thought. my dear boy. II you think that
the only mystery In Luck House.
have found the key 10 many riddles, and
among others l have found out the secret
OF Lady Mallaby's strange absence from
the rest OF the household"
What IS it," Craven asked, curiously.
You will remember how cautious
these servants seemed. and how worried
and unstrung Sir Douglas was some
times? I noticed also that he used to
have mysterious messages that took him
away In the middle Of dinner and he
used 10 return with his shoes covered
with mud and once l saw a mark on his
hand that might have been bite"
Probably from a dog" her brother
l. fa ~ ST ~ al
this, my dear girl"
Wait and you will." she said impa-
tiently. Last night I watched him go
out and followed him. He went through
a sort Of maze where we have never
been. and followed him to a little wood
en- gate. which he did not lock on passing
through, because he thought that no one
would come after him at that time, l sup
pose Well, as soon as he had gone on I
pushed the gate open, and was following
him TO a quaint-looking tower place,
where a man met him at a door. / was
awfully afraid Of being seen, so l hid
carefully behind a bush and heard our
friend, Sir Douglas. say TO a man: How
is she now? and the man replied: Much
better, the nurse says There is no more
fear OF violence. but II she is not taken
back TO tue house the result OF opposing
her may be dangerous.
Craven sat forward. listening intentiy.
He had dropped his chafing manner and
was giving the utmost attention TO her
story
after a while" Laura went on. 81
heard Sir Douglas say to the man: Then
we must take her back and risk II. and
the safest course will be to use the secret
way into Luck House -
THE secret way" Craven murmured
THAT must be an underground passage
it's interesting 10 know But what does
all this mean?'
Laura gave him G contemptuous glance
ut means that the woman they have
been keeping in that tower was Lady
Mallaby, and that her Illness is another
word for insanity" she raped out. Sir
Douglas has kept the secret well. since
no one knew except the two old servants
She is back in this house now" she went
on, 'an insane woman whom the Slight
est excitement will make raving mad,
and the one subject that can do this is to
tell her about Stephen Usher's victory
over her son. / know where her room is
and think OF paying her a visit soon"
'Why7' her brother said quickly
Because" she laughed cruelty, st want
her TO know that her companion is the
wife OF the man she hates most, and
them" significantly. 1T think we may
leave the fate of Rosemary in Lady Nal
labys hands"
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW,
Copyright 1903. By The North American Company