Widnes Examiner. — 1893-09-09 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

REVENGE.  By the time Mr. Barsby returned, and was shown up to Miss Norreys's bboudoir, the lady of Beechmont had completely won over the lawyer to her .opinion, and they had fully settled upon a plan of action even to its smallest details. The bailiff was required to repeat „his story. Mr. 'Sutton cross-examined him upon every point, and a conviction that Lord Darkwood was entombed, either living or.dead, in the .dungeons beneath the castle ruins, took fall and firm possession of the lawyer. Yet, for the reasons already given, Mr. Sutton adhered to his desire that the investigation should be conducted secretly. Miss Norreys disliked the publicity of legal proceedings, and it was thought that the search could be conducted without exciting sensation or even notice. 'I will undertake to secure the co-operation of Lord Chilton," said Miss Norreys. " And you, Mr. Sutton, must secure the aid of the butler. I, With my friends will be at tho park entrance of the ruins as the clock strikes the hour of midnight. That is all, _I _ _  It was all. Mr. Sutton took his leave, and slowly .retterned to Dunhohn Castle, his face stern yet calm, his mind fixed in the resolve to probe this matter to some conclusion. His heart thrilled with a longing to behold again the master he had believed dead. He was full of agitation and unrest under that outward calmness, full of eagerness and_excitement. It seemed to him that he could never wait until midnight to know the truth, and yet a heavy gloom bung over his spirit. . "If Captain Tallish met him and did him any wrong, he surely killed him !" he thought. " Captain Tollish —I cannot call him Lord Darkwood in my own mind now—is not a man to do anything in a half-way manner. If he desired to rid himself of his cousin, he would have done so decisively and effectually—by murder I If we find any trace ot our dear lord down there, it will be his grave I" He was very silent and very gloomy throughout the dinner. Lord Darkwood was still elated, however, and did not notice his moodiness. His lordship drank more wine than usual, told more Stories, and, when the butler had departed, talked. confidentially over the walnuts and the wine of -Miss Norreys, her family, her fortune, and her wonderful beauty, declaring his love for her, and asserted that the day that made him her husband would see him the happiest man in England. Alter dinner Mr. Sutton withdrew to the library, and meditated . some plan by which he could approach the pompous old butler upon the subject in hand.  Fortune favoured his design. Lord Darkwood chanced to have.an engagement at Shrewsbury with one of the agents whom he had secretly employed to search for Gwen, and whom he did not wish seen .at the eastie, and he ordered a carriage and went upon his errand. • During his Absence Mr. Sutton went to the butler's pantry, found that functionary, and obtained a private interview. with him. We need not record its details, nor describe the horror and amazement 'of the old servant. ft is enough to say that he entered into the scheme with heart and soul, and undertook to obtain the keys of the ruins from their repository in the library. Meanwhile, Miss Norreys was the life of her own pleasant circle. She had never been gayer than to-night. She uttered brilliant witticisms and bon mots, she was thoughtful of. otLers, so that her lightest words could not wound: She had never seemed more radiant, yet all the while she was racked with anxieties and tortured with a profound and horrible despair. After dinner the party adjourned to the drawing room. .Miss Kenright took up her woollen embroidery, and Colonel 'Warburton proffered his services in holding her skeins. Sir William Ensor and Miss Mifly Kenright retreated to the grand piano. Mrs. Kenright lolled in a great chair, and began the rehearsal to Miss Ensor of some episode of her youth, in which the baronet's sister seemed greatly interested. Lord Chilton seemed left by common consent to the care of his hostess, and she took his arm and walked slowly the length of the great room several titnes. _ _  to speak with Lord Chilton. The person named Craft had been shown into the morning-room.  This was the detective officer whom Lord Chilton had commissioned .to search out the history and mystery of Gwen's parentage. He had finished his task and come with his report to his.employer. The Niscount hastened to the morning room.