The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-07-08
CHAPTER XVI.

the moon passed ftfnlly in and out
from great banks OF clouds. The
wind tore round them in violent
gusts; but still the slight, dark fg-.
,ure fitted on before them, and they
followed wherever she went. There
WAS no hesitation, not an instant's
pause or turn. On straight she went,
like a sleuth-hound on the scent,
through the rough forest paths.
The trees parted to right and left,
they emerged into the open country.
Before them lay the straight high
road, cleaning like a ribbon in the
MOONLIGHT: then to the right. high
walls, on IN 'front.' the lights ana
shadows of the trees. The three fol-
lowing her breathed hard, but not
sound came from their lips. She
went with a straight, swift motion,
so tranquil that lat times they almost
thought that 1t was vision thus glid-
ing before them. There were great
iron gates In the wall. Arthur recog-
(nized them at once, and knew, with
a shudder, whittier they were bound.
The gates were partially closed, and
Welded to- her touch SO swiftly that
It almost seemed as II they few open,
at her approach of their own accord,
and they followed her into the ceme-
terry.
Antoinette glided swiftly on. The
moon went behind cloud, all was
shrouded in dark night; but her fig
ure was still perceptible, darker
shadow in the darkness.
In the Chapelle des Morris two
lamps were burning in red shades.
They seemed like living eyes; they
shed a lurid light around them, on
the cleaning altar. on the black vel
vet pail which covered the bier lying
before it, and to that bier Antoinette
went EDWARDS.
Arthur would have interposed. 1t
seemed to him that it would kill her,
that now he must prevent her go
ing on; Tasset put his hand heavily
on his shoulder and almost held him
back.
Antoinette, cold and phantom-like,
was standing over the corpse of her
father, and the two pale hands which
had been joined before her, holding
the willow wand, dropped and fell.
A strange baff1ed look came over her,
that yet had none OF the reality of
the real Antoinette in its momentary
weakness. Suddenly she stopped.
She drew aside the pail that covered
the dead mans head and breast. Ar
thur bent forward, shudderfng, to
hold out his arms, lest the daughter
should fall back horror-stricken and
tnsensible; but he was mistaken.
A sound burst from her lips-an
awful sound-that had a ring of
exultation in it, and she seized upon
something that lay on her dead ia
theirs breast. That something gilt
tered and shone in the red altar
lights, and they recognized it stimuli
taneously. 1t was a diamond.
How 1t came there they knew not.
It must have dropped from the MUIR
derer's hand. Chance, or some of
the Divine laws which govern chance,
must have shaken it on to his grave
clothes. There was no time for con-
lecture, for at the very touch of it
the strange stiff tension came back
into Antoinette's fingers, they closed
around the stone. Her eyes looked
once more straight before her, fixed
as in trance, and she turned and
went on her way.
Arthur had scarcely time to replace
the pail with a reverent hand, she
nacSod hv co ouy;ftlv. ard L. 1~no,~
that she was once more en- rapport
with the man who had done the deed.
They shivered as they came out
again into the wild night.
She led the way straight into the
forest again. The trees grew thick
er and closer; the boughs swayed
and seemed to clang harshly over
head. When they reached the path
which led to Won Repos. Antoinette
turned OF it to the left, and now
they had left all beaten tracks be-
hind them; but she was never at a
loss and never paused, and where she
passed they followed close behind.
There was always space enough to
pass, though the way was tortuous
6OAAS AAOu4 lIcc " tT0c. All ABOUT
them the underwood was thick and
tangled and must utterly have imped-
ed their progress, but here it was
evident that human foot must have
trod this way before, and human
hand forced passage wide enough
to pass, but unmarked to careless
eye.
The trees divided at last. grew few
er and more far between, then swept
back right and left, leaving before
them kind of glade or open space.
1t was all bathed in floods of silver
moonlight. across which the shadows
OF the trees lay black and strong like
prison bars.
Antoinette glided swiftly over the
moonlit glade.
They. following. were terrified lest
they should lose sight of her as she
once more entered the thickness of