The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-15
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
1.-THE SMUGGLER"
BY Ella Middleton Tybous.

/
Lucy Lake cleared her throat
"As / was walking up the path to
the castle, he was walking behind
and he stopped me and asked IL
belonged to the castle. I said I
did. Then he took a card from his
pocket and felt in another pocket
for pencil. But he couldn't find
one. Then he climbed the wall
and got this rose for you.
"He said, Come back here and
tell me just what she says and
does, and how she looks, and
everything that happens He is
walking up and down, most i'm
patient and anxious like"
At the far end of the castle,
the two doctors still consulted at
the head of the great staircase.
The verdict was unfavorable. At
last, fully prepared, they descend
ed to the waiting family.
The old earl, Lady Georgiana
and Lord Aylesden were seated in
the library. near one of the win
dows. In front of this anxious
group the two physicians placed
themselves, the eminent specialist.
recently called by the family, In a
chair. DR.. Wherry standing near.
After brief but painful silence,
the eminent specialist began.
In a firm, steady, yet sympa-
thetic voice, he informed his list
eners that with Lady Octavia the
absence of guiding symptoms of
any physical disease, combined
with excessive waste of tissue and
exhaustion of vitality from no ex-
plainable mental or emotional
| shock, constituted the uncertain
| ty OF the present disorder.
Auntie George, with a sudden
exclamation, had risen to her
feet. And after the sudden ex-
clamation her mouth remained
| open.
In the doorway stood Octavia.
Not pale and leaning upon a
nurses arm, but erect, firm ON
her feet, with color in her cheeks
and smile on her lips. In
voice equally gay she exclaimed:
Il am feeling better! 1t came
all of sudden!"
81 am sincerely glad that you
have received such welcome
news said the specialist.
But | have received no news"
The specialist smiled. "Ah, my
lady, that is your own secret"
The next afternoon an equip
age stood glistening before a door
Of Drumworth Castle. The Lady
Georgiana came forth. About to
enter the carriage, a voice came
from the hall.
"Oh. Auntie George! 1t is such
a lovely afternoon. l think | will
go, too, Just for the drive"
DO come, Octavia. The air will
do you good"
] About two miles from home
Auntie George suddenly straight
ened up.
"Basset! Stop" 4
And 10! Beside the carriage
stood Baseborn, looking joyfully
up, breathing hard, his tongue
out. his tail wagging.
A sharp word from Basset and
a yet sharper cut from the whip,
aimed at random, across the up
turned head. brought cry of pro-
test from. Octavia.
After depositing Auntie George
for her bridge party-Octavia
started homeward. At the turning
of the road, where the tall trees
of Drumworth forest lined tbs
highway on either side. she stor.,
ped the carriage and alighted. = 2
Il think 1 will walk home,S :
Basset, through the woods" \
AS she started forward, stilk
looking up, she tripped against a
root, and nearly fell. Being still
a convalescent, and weaker than
she realized, this trifling accident,
with its mild shock, created
vague upeasiness, intensified per-,
haps by the silence and the solil
tude. Her uneasiness was inl
creased by the sight of a hug
boulder around which the patt
made a sudden turn. or this
boulder, she remembered, was
only halfway through the wood.
Suddenly, before her, and almost
touching her, stood a profession
al tramp of the most offensive
type.
you needn't be afraid of me,
miss. I'm a great friend of the
ladies'" said he.
On the verge Of collapse, shei
tried to cry for help, but even he<
voice had forsaken her. Her CT
was hardly more than a whispe
AS he came closer yet, and la
hold on both her shoulders, sf}
made desperate effort to wrench
herself from the polluting touch.
Close to her face came the
loose-lipped, unc1ean mouth, and
the gloating eyes. Faint and
dizzy, her head was beginning to
swim in hideous, unutterable
despair, when he suddenly re-
leased his hold and wheeled
about. She saw him aiming
blows at some object behind him.
That object was dog. And his
teeth were locked with an iron
grip in one of the ankles of the
man. Octavia rallied with a sud-
den strength Of Joy and hope
when she recognized Baseborn.
Toward the castle she ran.
To her 1t seemed an hour, this
Highland measureless dis
lance. In reality 1t was less than
half mile. AS she neared the
edge of the wood. catching
glimpses between the trees of the
distant, sunlit castle, she saw a
man In gray clothes--not a tramp
leaning against an ancient oak.
His back was toward her. In ter
ror of things behind-perhaps,
close behind--she called. involrn-
tarily, for help. Quickly he wheel
ed about, then with a cry of joy
came forward to the running
figure. And the running fiyura