Year: 1879




losing party will be satisfied with the
decision of that tribual," Robert said,
" but will wish TO carry il to higher
court"


" oh, l perceive" Barbara returned.
The then she added with "a smile, 81
know but little about law"


The conversation on the subject con-
tinued for some time, Victoria and
Robert doing most of the talking, how
ever, Barbara saying but little.


After dinner Barbara went to her
room. Directly, however, she came
downstairs, equipped for a walk. AS
was her custom, frequently, she was go
ing to take solitary ramble. She started
in the direction of The Cedars but she
did not keep in the road, taking instead
path that led through grassy field.


She was thinking about the Cashel es-
tate. She wonde ed what the de Veres
would say could they know she was the
new claimant of The Cedars. Should
she tell them?


She concluded, finally, that as she had





far, she would continue to do scat
least until the case was decided. If the
suit should go against her, she need new
er be known to the world by any other
than Barbara Lindsey.


If it should go against her? Mr.. Wy
lie had told her that unless there was
some deep rascality, that could not be
exposed, practised against her, it could
not terminate so |


And If she won, she would he Bar.
bara Cashel, mistress of vast estate


Barbara walked on, passed through a
gate now and then, scarcely realizing
how far she was going. Ere she was
aware of it, she was near to The Cedars.
A great gray stone mansion rose up be-
fore her.


Barbara's sensations were somewhat
strange ones. Able lawyers had told her
that this grand old place was Justly
hers. Her ancestors had lived and died
here. But for fate, the apartments of
this great building had been as familiar
to her as the little house by the sea, that
for so many years she had called her
her home. AS it was, stranger held
her inheritance. She, the daughter of
Herbert Cashel, had been cut off from
it.


Is it strange that Barbara's heart
swelled and the tears came to her eyes
at that last thought? The cold cruel
sea had stolen her forever from the clasp
of her fathers arms and kept her these
twenty years from ever looking upon
that place that should have been her
home from babyhood upl


1t was great house, that was before
her, with long wings extending from
the main building. The builder must
have had in his brain the baronial cas-
ties of the Old World, and have tried to
pattern after them. Barbara half fam
cied' that all it needed was moat and
wall, and then she might expect to see
issuing from it knights with shields
and spears.


Then, with musical laugh, the girl
brought herself back to the reality.


"How dream 4" she murmured.


The grounds about The Cedars were
beautiful. Barbara did not feel in the
least tired, and thought that she would
ramble over the place little. She turn
ed and walked along grass green path,
and came soon to high stone wall. "A
gate already open was before her, and
she passed through.


She was in an enchanted place. Great
trees lowered toward the sky. The
earth was carpeted in green. A little dis
tance away a silvery little stream wound
along.


Unobserved by Barbara, huge dog
came along the wall. He was fierce and
vicious looking. Seemingly prompted
by curiosity, for he gave forth no evil
dence of anger, he followed along af-
ter the girl, scenting the earth. His
tread was as noiseless as a tigers.


Barbara reached the banks of the
stream. She paused enraptured by the
scene that surrounded her. The ami
NAL on her track paused too, and snuff
fed the air.


Barbara beheld light boat, floating
in the steam, and fastened to post on
the shore with lock and long chain.
She stepped in the boat, and with an oar
she found lying in it pushed it away
from shore. The chain was lust
stretched, and the boat could go no fur
ther, when her eyes chanced to wander
to the top of the bank.


Barbara's blood chilled with fear, for
standing there watching her was great
monster with red tongue and white, cruel
fangs. He looked at her for a moment.
and laid down with his eyes fixed upon
M no continued