Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-07
CHAPTER XVII.-Continued.

Zette, and crossed themselves quite openly
as she was handed down into it from the
gangway. Slyne followed and held out
his arms to Sallie, but she needed no such
assistance. And the men in the boat
seemed better content after a glance or
two at her as she sat down and slipped a
warm arm around Ambrizette. who was
shivering in the winter afternoon.
The two remaining travellers jumped In,
the baggage was trans-shipped and the
steamer swung about on her way to the
farther north. The captain sounded his
steam whistle and waved his cap In part
ing salute as the ferry made its slow way
ashore to the further accompaniment or a
dirgelike chorus from the crew at It's
heavy sweeps: at which music Capt Dove
snorted his disgust very audiby. He had
awoke with a headache and had peen III
a bad temper all day.
BY the way Slyne held a low-toned con-
versation with Mr.. Jobling. And when
the big boat was at length beached be-
side a rude pier he paid the ferryman
literally distributed some small change
among the oarsmen. and bade them bring
the baggage along to the little Inn on the
roadside at a short distance.
Better send AmbriZette with me-, he
said to Sallie, and the black dwarf trot-
ted after him in obedience to d rev
words from her mistress. while Mr. Job-
ling turned the other way, toward the
castle
We'll just have time to see over the
old place before it's dark, Lady Josce-
line the lawyer explained. and Sallie
followed him with Capt. Dove.
Slyne rejoined them before they were
half way up the long hill on the road
which leads from the shore level to the
plateau. Sallie was still staring with
troubled eyes at the huge. picturesque
rambling pile, which seemed to grow al
to it. 1t dwarfed into proportions almost
intinitesimal the cluster of white cottages
nesting cozily at the base of the great
rock which formed it's foundation IT
world, to challenge even the mighty
mountains which shut it in with the sea
That's the water gate" MIR. Jobling
mentioned and pointed out black, op-
long opening i'm the cliff face at some
height above even high-water mark, and
protected against possible intrusion by a
heavy iron grating, whose bars must nave
been as thick as a grown mans wrist.
II suppose the sea would be right up 10
it's sill when the place was built.
There's an underground passage con-
Meeting it with the interior of the castle:
and they'd, no doubt, used that good
deal in the old days.
And this is the north keep. as It's
called; newer, you'll. maybe, notice. than
the west frontage, although it looks just
as ancient. Well soon have the Jura
house flag afloat again from the warders
tower. Lady Josceline, and the beacon fire
alight after dark. 1t always burns at
night you know, when the head Of the
family's in residences custom dating
back to the days when there were no
other lights on the coast
You'll see the moat now. Long ago it
was always full, even at low tide. But
now it's as dry AS
LAS l ami" grumbled Capt Dove, spit
ting down into the deep fosse. which had
formerly cut the castle off from the main
land, but is now no more than an empty
ravine SPAWNED by an ornate draWbrldSe
of modern date.
They crossed that. their footsteps pro-
ducing an eerie clank on the planking,
and came to halt before the main en-
trance, over whose heavy, reconstructed
oak doors still hung, mute reminder of
more stormy times a massive portcullis,
armed with chevaux-de-frise of long,
pointed spikes.
Slyne rang the electric doorbell.
1t was some time before that summons
was answered, but no one of the waiting
group seemed to have anything to say to
the others during the interval. The mys-
terry Of time itself was in the atmosphere.
Some brOoding spirit of the past might
have been peering out at them from the
watchmans wicket in the bartizan above.
They stood still and silent until at last,
the postern in the big double doorway
was unattached from within and gray
haired, elderly woman with a hard-fea-
tured face. much lined and scanned. In the
stiffly rustling garb of a superior servant,
appeared in the narrow opening and drop
ped them an old-fashioned curtsy, after
a quick, shrewd glance at them
IF it isn't too late, we'd like to be al
lowed to look over the CASTLE Slyne said,
politely raising his cap.
The woman was gazing 1ntently at
Sallie. She started as Mr.. Jobling cough
ed, with intention. after they had waited
q second or two for an answer.
You will be very welcome. sirs,' she
said, hastily. 81 have authority to admit
visitors. Will you be pleased to step in"
She looked long and very closely at
Sallie again the girl crossed the
threshold; and then at the others, in turn,
as they entered. one at time, by the
narrow postern. She closed it behind
them and led the way through a low,
arched passage into a dimly lighted but
spacious hall
We've just passed through the walls"
Mr.. JObling informed them patronizingly.
of his superior knowledge. They're
twelve feet thick on this front. LOqu-
hariot would still be a hard nut to crack,
eh?"
I'D sooner crack bottle than nut"
commented Capt. Dove. aside to Slyne,
who frowned reprOvingly at him.
The great hall they entered next could
almost have housed a regiment. But 1t,
like the guardroom through which they
had come, was peopled only In dusky
corners by fearsomely lifelike suits of
armor. Its empty fireplaces made it seem
still more desolate and deserted. War
worn flags hung from the gallery over
head, to which a wide stairway with
many shallow steps gave access. Dead
and gone Justices and St Justs and Juras
looked coldly down from out of dark,
furnished frames at the whispering in
truders.
You're Mrs M'Kissock, aren't your
Mr.. Jobling remarked. with affable con-
descension, as they followed that hard
featured parsonage into seemingly end
less passage lined and hung with heads
and horns and other trophies of the chase
from all parts of the world.
She glanced sharply round at him again
and bowed in silent assent
I've been here before, you Know, ne
mentioned as she ushered the little party
into the first of an extensive suite OF
rooms at the far end of the corridor they
had traversed. Sallie could scarcely re-
press the exclamation of pleasure that
rose to her lips, for the rooms, all open
ing into each other and with the doors
wide. stretched across the entire breadth
of the building, so that their farthest
windows looked straight out to sea. There
was nothing between them and the wide
Atlantic but cluster Of miniature islets,
emerald green, at the distant mouth of
the loch
This was her ladyships favorite suite"
said Mrs. M'kiSSock, precisely. The
Outermost room was her boudOir once.
But his lordship had that altered-after-
ward.
Sallie listened like one in a dream. She
could scarcely believe that these had once
been her own mothers rooms; that this
gaunt, austere serving woman was stat
tore of N HfaIaSS