Year: 1869

nov .nuc0 your P1tcncu PoACeiMu VIII
often stand in the way Of wear and tear,
ifonly common care y used in the hand
ling Of it. Three or four years, her
Ladyship thought, spent not unpleas-
sntly among the German spas, and
the galleries Of Florence and Rome,
and then she might come back with
safety, bringing with her renovated
reputation, which would never be too
rudely questioned BY the denizens Of
Vanity Fair, where 90 much base alloy
Is quietly winked at, and allowed to
pass current as sterling coin.


Lady Spencelaugh, deriving what scraps
Of comfort were possible to her from
these considerations, and from the
cheering words of her humble friend,
Martha Winch. allowed herself, after .
time, to be put to bed. She lay quietly
enough, so long A. the landlady Was
with her; but no sooner had that inde-
fatigable person taken her leave for the
night, than her Ladyship arose. Utter
ly tired out as she was. both in body
and mind, by the events Of the day.
her brain was vet far too excited for
sleep; besides, the quietude of bed
frightened her. Her restless fancy
peoplcd the dusky chamber with all
sorts Of unwelcome visitors, till, unable
any longer to bear their company. she
crept, shawled and slippered, TO the
cosy companionship Of the dressing
room fire; and there, crouched ON the
rug. between sleeping and waking,
she allowed her mind to play at hide
and seek with the distorted and ever
changing crowd Of doubts. and hopes,
and fears. which now claimed her as
their own and enacted over aud over
again, in fancy, the whole painful drama
ofthe day just closed.


Midnight came and went, but Lady
Spencelaugh never stirred. She still
lay eoiled on the rug. with white fingers
intertwined. her head resting on a
bunch of rosebuds. cunningly worked
with coloured silks on the cushion Of
fd,aeud. The silvery voice Of the
Sevres clock on the mantelpiece had
Just told the hour Of two. when she
was reused from her state ofsemi-stupor
by the noise Of the opening door She
turned her head uneasily on its pillow.
and said: is that you. Clotilde? You
may 60 TO bed. shall not want
The rest of the sentence died away in
her throat a, sight Of two strange me n.
their faces covered with black Grape
coming rapidly towards her. they
we're on her before she could scream or
give any alarm.


Speak, and you are dead woman
exclaimed one Of the men. seizing her
roughly by the shoulder. and present.
ing a pistol at her head.


% spare my life she contrived to
gasp out.


Obey my orders implicitly. and no
harm shall happen 10 you said the
man. But dare TO give the least alarm.
and that moment you die.


He then bade her rise and seat her
self IN an easy-chair and with that. the
second man whipped coil Of thin rope
ont Of his pocket. and proceeded. dex-
terously and neatly. to tie her Ladyship
in the chair. so that she could move
neither hand nor foot: after which he
proceeded TO gag her with her own
pocket-handkerchief. and small strip
ofwood. which he had evidently brough,
for the purpose. When he had done
had her life depended on il, Lad,
Spencelaugh could not have uttered
anything beyond faint moan.


Await my return here said the first
man. as the other one stepped back q
pace or two. to admire the neatness o
his handiw rk. But frs, bolt boti
the doors, SO that there NAV be nc
fear OF intruders.


There was something in the tone
OF thi. mans voice which, even through
the midst of her terror, seemed te
strike iamiliarly on Lady Spence
laughs ear. Certainly she knew tn.
voice, she said to herself again ant
again but where and when she hat
heard il before, was . question which
in the present perturbed state Ofhel
mind, she found herself utterly unabl,
10 answer. As before stated, the face
Of the men were hidden by Grape wells
their dress Was homely and common
place enough and their boots wer'
covered with some soft material, which
deadened the sound of their footsteps


The second man now seated himsel
on chair close to Lady Spencelaugh
and proceeded to light cigarette


Him her Ladyship regarded with in
difference, now that she found hcr lifi
was not in danger ;but her gaze restet
uneasily on the frat mau. Why had ht
come hither. and what was he about t,
do: He Approached the chimneypiece
and she held her breath. His finger!
seemed to be wandering, as il in ques
ofsomething, among the intricate scroll
work. and quaint old-world conceits
which the hand of some dead .and-gon'
sculptor. making the hard marble plastic
TO his fancy, had carved with loving
care and minuteness all over the snowy
surface and her eyes dilated - h<
watched him. Could it be possible
that to this veilsd midnight plnnderel
was known the precious secret guarded
by her with such jealous watchfulness-
the secret which, she had fondly hoped
was known to no one among the living
except herself and Marthe Winch: Had
the dead found a tongue to whisper it,
or by what other occult means had her
strange visitors become possessed OF
the knowledge: Her breath came in
thick sitting gasps as she watched him
but when she saw his fingers press
gently the fifth marble button from the
top on the left-hand side Of the mantel-
shelf. and at the same moment turn