BSS3SIJSKFLSlfcJ L 1 D tgav a wjrv V5v H fVii - x V rFnkVir Frt TrF c11 O IN TIIE LIFE OF AMELIA BUHEPvbH fcDVANNA KATHAPINE GREEN 1 Atmiorc ofe uavcmuorth cate ULIIINU lltlU AfJKJ Ivm v -- COPYRIGHT 1897 t5T ANMA K ROHUV ETC tIC cnouuh for mo without this uliow on OIIAPTKIl XV A 1AKTINa It wns not till Mr Trolun had tlrivou away Unit I noticed in tho Hhndow of tho trocs on tho onnosito nirio of thu road n horso tioil up whoso empty sad dlo siKko of u visitor within At any othor Kiito and on any other road thin would not havo struck mo as worthy of uotico muuh less comment But horo nnd after all that I had heard during this eventful morning tho circumstaneu was so unospootcd I could not help feel ing astonishment and showing it A visitor I asked Somo ono to soo Lucotta William had no sooner said this than I saw ho was in u stato of high excite ment Ho had probably boon in this condition when wo drovo up but not having my attention directed to him I had not noticed it Now however it was perfectly plain to mo and it did not seem quito tho oxcitemeilt of dis pleasure though hardly that of joy Sho doesnt expect you ycf he wont on to remark as I turned sharply toward tho house and if you interrupt her D n it it I thought you would interrupt her I thought it timo to teach him a los 6on in manners Mr Knollys I interposed somo what severely I am a lady Why should I interrupt your sister or givo her or you a moment of pain I dont know ho muttered You arosovory quick I -was afraid you might think it necessary to join her in tho par lor Sho is perfectly ablo to take care of herself Mies Butterworth and will do it Im afraid Tho rest was lost in indistinct guttural sounds I made no otlort to answer this tirade I took my usual courso in quito my usual way to tho front steps and went up them without so much as looking behind mo to seo whether or not this uncouth repre sentative of tho Knollys namo had kept at my heels or not Entering tho door which was open I camo without any effort on my part upon Lucetta and a young gentleman They were standing together in tho middle of tho hall and wero so absorbed in what thoy wero saying that thoy neither saw nor heard me I was there fore enabled to catch ono or two sen tences which struck me as of somo mo ment Tho first ono was uttered by her and was very pleadingly said A week I only ask a week Then I can givo you an answer which perhaps will satisfy you His roply in mauuor if not in mat ter proclaimed him tho lover of whom I had so lately heard I cannot dear girl indeed I can not My whole future depends upon my making today that movo in which I havo asked you to join mo If I wait a week my opportunity will bo gone Lu cetta You know mo and you know how I love you Then como A rude hand on my shoulder distract ed my attention William stood lower ing behind mo and as I turned whis pered in my car You must como round tho other way Lucetta is so touchy the sight of you will drive overy sensible idea out of her head His blundering whisper did what my presence mid by no means light foot stops had failed to do With u start Lu cetta turned and meeting my oyo turn ed scarlet aud drow back a step Tho young man followed her nastily Is it goodby Lucotta ho asked With a lino manly ignoring of our pres ence that roused my admiration Sho did not answer Her look was enough William seeing it turned fu rious at onco and bounding by mo facod tho young man with an oath Youre a fool said ho to tako no from a silly chit liko that If I loved a girl as you say you lovo Lucotta Id havo hor if I had to carry her away by forco Shod stop screaming boforo youd got woll out of tho lane I know wom en While- you listen to them theyll talk but once tako matters into your own hands and A snap of his lin gers finished the sentence I thought tho fellow brutal but scarcely so stu pid as I had heretofore considered him His words howover might just as woll havo been uttered into imply air Tho young man ho had addressed ap peared hardly to havo heard him and as for Lucetta sho was so nearly from misery that sho had suflleiont ado to keep herself from falling at her lovers feet Lucetta Lucetta it is then goodby You will not go with mo I cannot William hero knows I cannot I must wait till But hero her brother seized hor so violently by tho wrist that she stopped from sheer pain I fear Howover that was sho turned palo as death under his clutch and when ho tried to utter some hot passionato words into hor ear shook her head but did not speak though hor lovor was gazing with a last final appeal into her eyes Tho dolicato girl was bearing out my esumato of her Seeing her thus unresponsive Wil liam flung her hand from him and turn ed upon mo Its your fault ho cried You would como in But ut this Lucetta recovering hor poiso in a moment cried out shrilly For shame William What has Mies Butterworth to do with this You aro not helping mo with your rough ness God knows this hour is hard THE NORFOLK NEWS THURSDAY NOVKMHRU 1899 your part 01 your uosiro to goo mi oi mo Theros womans gratitude for you was his growling reply 1 offer to take all her responsibilities on my own shoulders and make it right with with her sister aud all that and sho calls it desiro to got rid of her Well havo your own way ho cried out storming down tho hall Im donowith it for ono Tho young man whoso attitude of servo mixed with a strango and linger ing tenderness for this girl whom ha ovidontly loved without fully under standing her was evory minute- win ning more and moro of my admiration had meanwhile- raised her trembling hand to his lips in what was as wo all could seo a last farewell In another moment ho was walking by us giving mo as ho passed a low bow that for all its grace did not suc ceed in hiding from 1110 tho deep and heartfelt disappointment with which ho quitted this house As his figure passed through tho door hiding for ono mo ment tho sunshine I felt an oppression such as has not often visited my healthy nature and when it passed and disap peared soniothing liko tho good spirit of tho place seemed to go with it leaving behind doubt gloom aud a morbid ap prehension of that something which had in Lucettas eyes rendered his dismissal a necessity Wheres Saracen I deolaro Im nothing but a fool without that dog shouted William If ho has to bo tied up another day But oven ho has some sense of shamo in his breast for at Lucettas reproachful William I ho dropped his head sheepishly on his breast and strode out muttering somo words I was fain to accept as an apology I had expected to encounter a wreck in Lucetta As this episode in hor life closed sho turned toward mo But I did not yet know this girl whoso frailty seemed to lie mostly in her physique Though sho was suffering far moro than her defenso of mo to her brother would seem to denote therowas a spirit in her approach and a steady look in her dark oyo which assured mo that I could not calculato upon any loss in Lucettas keenness in caso wo camo to an issuo over tho mystery that was eating into the happiness as woll as tho honor of this household And this in a measure was gratifying to mo I should hato to tako advantage of her despair to discover a secret sho would havo been ablo to keop in her better moments I am glad to seo you wero her un expected words Tho gentleman who has just gone out wiih a lovor of mine at least ho once professed to caro for mo very much aud I should havo beeu glad to havo married him but thoro wero reasons which I onco thought wero very good why this seemed anything but ex pedient and so I sent him away Today ho camo without warning to ask mo to go away with him now after tho hasti est of ceremonies to South America whero a splendid prospect has suddenly opened for him You seo dont you that I could not do that that it would bo tho height of selfishness in mo to leave Loreen to leavo William Who seems only too anxious to bo loft I put in as her voico trailed off in tho first evidence of embarrassment sho had shown sinco sho first faced mo William is a difficult man to under stand was her firm but quiet retort From his talk you would judgo him to bo moroso if not positively unkind but in action Sho did not toll mo how ho was in action Porhaps her truthful ness got tho hotter of her or perhaps sho saw it would bo hard work to prejudico mo now in his favor CHAPTER XVI In a week Lucetta had said sho might havo been able had ho been willing or in a position to wait to givo him a moro satisfactory answer Why in a week That sho shrank from leav ing her sister so suddenly or that sho had sacrificed her lifes happiness to any childish idea of decorum I did not think probablo even Tho spirit sho had shown her immovable attitude under a temptation which had not only romance to recommend it but everything elso which could affect a young and sensi tive woman argued in my mind tho ex istence of some uncompleted duty of 60 exacting and imperative a nature that he could not oven consider tho greatest interests of her own life until this ono thing was out of her way Williams rudo question of tho morning What thall wo do with tho old girl till it is all over recurred to me in support of this theory making me feel that 1 need ed no more confirmation to be quite cer tain that a crisis was approaching in this hoin o which would tax my powers to tho utmost and call perhaps for tho uso of tho whist lo which I had received from Mr Ciryce and which following his instructions 1 had tied carefully about my neck Yet how could 1 asso ciate Lucetta with criino or dream of tho polico in connection with tho serene Loroon whoso overy look was a rebuke to all that was false vile or oven com mon Easily my readers easily with that great hulking William in my ro membranco To shield him to hide per haps his deformity of soul from tho world oven such gentle and gracious wonion as theso havo been known to enter into acts which to any unpreju diced oyo aud an unbiased conscience would seem little short of fiendish Lovo for nn unworthy relallvo or rather tho seiiBO of duty toward olios own has driven many a olear minded woman to her ruin as tho police annals embodied ns thoy aro for mo in Mr Oryco would show That I havonotasyotputintodoflnito words tho suspicion upon which 1 was now prepared to work is quito apparent to inc Up to this timo it had 1kcu too vague or rather of so monstrous a char acter that I had felt ready to consider other possibilities as for instance tho possible connection of old Mother lano with tho unaccountable disappearances which had taken place in this lane But now tho very definite assurances I had been constantly receiving from tho mo ment 1 had set foot in this house that soniothing extraordinary and out of keeping with tho ordinary appearances of tho household was going on in secret in some ono of tho innumerable cham bers of that long corridor corresponding to my own and which for very obvious reasons I had as yet failed to find any oxcuso for penetrating was taking shape in my mind and I no longer affected to dony to myself that everything 1 had thus far seen and heard went toward es tablishing tho fact that these young wo men hold in charge a prisoner of somo kind of whoso presonco there and per sonality they dreaded tho discovery Now who could this prisoner be Common sonso supplied mo with but ono answer Silly Kufus tho boy who within u few days had vanished from among tho good people of this seeming ly guileless community Onco sottled in this Idea I applied myself to a consideration of the means at m j disposal for determining its truth Tho simplest and porhaps tho most sure as woll as tho least satisfactory to ono of nij nature would bo to summon tho polico and havo tho houso thoroughly searched but this involved in caso 1 had been deceived by appearances aH was possible oven to a woman of niv ox- Impossible0 sho was golfig o say but caught herself back in time and changed tho imperative word to ono more conciliatory if equally unjlehling I am sorry Miss Butterworlh to dony you this gratification but the con dition of the rooms and tho unhappy ex citement into which wo havo been thrown by tho unfortunate visit paid to Lucotta by a gentleman she Is only too much attached to 1 hope you will not expect me to talk on the subject make It quite impossible for me to consider any such undertaking today Tomorrow I may find it easier but if not bo as sured you shall see every nook and cor ner in it If you so desiro before you leave the house Thank you I retorted dryly I will remember that To ono of my tastes an ancient room in a time honored mansion like this atfords a delight not to bo understood by one who knows less of a century agos life Tho legends only connected with your great drawing room below we wero sitting in my room 1 having refused to bo cooped up in their dreary side parlor and sho not having offered mo any other spot more cheerful are attractions sufficient to hold mo en tranced for an hour I heard one of them todav Which She spoke moro quickly than usual and for her quite sharply Mrs Carter I went on endeav ored to amuse mo by relating the story of Lucottus namesake sho who rode through the night after a daughter who had won her lovers heart away from hor Ah it is a well known tale but I think Mrs Jailer might havo left us to tell it to you Did sho relate anything else No other tradition of this place said I I am glad she was so considerate But why if you will pardon me did sho happen to light upon that Wo havo I WILL RE HERE OK YOUR RETURN SHE MURMURED perienco and discrimination a scandal and an opprobrium which I would bo tho last to inflict upon Altheas children unless justico to tho rest of tho world demanded it It was in consideration of this very fact perhaps that I had been placed horo instead of somo regular polico spy Mr Gryco is a man who has mado it his rulo of lifo never to risk tho reputa tion of any man or woman without rea sons so oxcellcnt as to bear thoir own exoneration with them and should I a woman with full as much heart if not quito so much brain at least in tho es timation of peoplo in goncral by any prcmaturo exposuro of my suspicions cast a mantlo of shamo over this family thoy aro far too weak and too poor to ovor riso nbovo again No rather would I trust a Utti longer to my own perspicacity and mako Euro by tho uso of my own eyes or ears that tho situation called for tho interference I had as you may say at tho end of tho cord I was oven now fin gering Lucotta hud not asked mo how I camo to bo back so much sooner than sho had reason to expect mo Tho unexpected arrival of her lover had probably put all idea of her former plans out of her head 1 therefore attempted no explana tion witli her and a very short one with Loreen when I met her at the dinner table Nothing further seemed to bo necessary for tho girls wero oven moro abstracted than over before and Wil liam positively boorish till a warning glanco from Loreen recalled him some what to his better self which meant si lence Tho nf ternoon was spent in very much tho saino way as tho evening before Neither sister remained an instant with mo after tho other entered my company and though tho alternations wero less frequent than thoy had been at that timo thoir peculiarities wero more marked and less naturally accounted for It was while Loreen was with mo that I made tho suggestion which had heen hovering on my lips over sinco tho noon I think this said I in ono of tho pauses of our moro than fitful conversa tion ono of tho most interesting houses it has over been my good fortune to en ter Would you mind my roaming about it a bit just to enjoy tho old timo flavor of its great empty rooms I know they aro mostly closed and possibly unfur nished but to a connoisseur liko myself in colonial architecture this would rather add to their interest than detract from it not heard thorn incidents spoken of for years Not since tho phantom carriage flow through this road tho last timo I ven tured with a sinilo that should havo disarmed her from suspecting any ulte rior motivo on my part in thus intro ducing a subject which could not be al together grateful to her Tho phantom carriago Havo you heard of that I wish it bad been Lucetta who had said thiB and to whom my roply was duo Tho opportunities would havo been so much greater for an injudicious dis play of feeling on her part and of a suit ablo conclusion on mine But it was Loreen who never forgot herself aud I had to content myself with tho persuasion that her voico was just a whit less clear than usual und her serenity enough impaired for her to look out of my ono high and dismal window instead of into my face My doar I hud not called her this boforo though tho term had fro qucntly risen to my lips in answer to Lucotta you should havo gono with mo into tho village today Then you would not need to ask if I had heard of tho phantom carriage Tho probo had reached her at last Sho looked quito startled You amazo me sho said What do you mean Miss Butterworth Why should I not havo needed to ask Bicauso you would havo heard it whispi red about in every lano and cor ner It is common talk in town today You must know why Miss Knollys Klie wasuot looking out of the win dow now Sho was looking at mo I assure you she murmured I do not know at all Nothing could bo moie incomprehensible to mo Explain yourself I entreat you Tho phantom carriago is but n myth to me interest ing only as involving certain long van ished ancestors of mine Of course I assented No ono of real sense could regard it in any other light But tho villagers they talk and in short you will soon know if I do nut tell you myself more than ono of them declare it pas Fed through tho lano on Tuesday night Tuesday night Her composure had been regained but not so entirely but that hor voico slightly trembled That was boforo you camo I hopo it was not an omen 1 was in no mood for pleasantry They say it denotes misfortune to thoso who si o it 1 am therefore obvi ously exempt But you did you seo it I am just curious to know if it - 1 Iblo to thoso who live in the lane It ought to havo turned In horo Wero you fortunate enough to havo been awake at that moment aud to havo seen this spectral appearance Sho shuddered 1 wan not mistaken in believing I saw this sign of emotion for 1 was looking at her very closely and tho movement waH uumistaltahle 1 havo never seen anything ghostly in my life said she I am not at all superstitious If I had been ill natured or if I had thought it wise to press her too closely 1 might havo said Then why do you look so pale Why tremble so visibly you whom I have never befoie seen disturbed But my natural kindness together with an instinct of caution restrained me and 1 only rcmarltod There you are sensible Miss Knollys doubly so as a deulen of this houso which Mrs Carter was obliging enough to suggest to me was considered by many as haunted Tho straightening of Miss Knollys lips augured no good to Mrs Carter Now l only wish It was I laughed dryly I should really like to meet a ghost say in your great drawing room which I am forbidden to enter You aro not forbidden she uttered hastily You may explore it now if you will excuse mo from accompanying you but yon will meet no ghosts Tho hour is not propitious- Taken aback by hor sudden amenity I hesitated for a moment Would It bo worth while for mo to search a room she was willing to havo me enter No and yet any knowledge which could be obtained in regard to this houso might bo of uso to mo or to Mr Iryco I de cided to clubmen her olVer but first 1 must test her with ono other question Would you prefer said I that I should steal down these corridors at night and dare its dusky recesses at a time when specters aro supposed to walk the halls they onco llitted through in happy consciousness Hardly Sho made the greatest effort to sustain the jest but her con cern and dread wore manifest 1 think 1 had better give you the keys now than subject you to tho drafts and chilling discomforts of this old place at mid night I rose with a semblance of eager an ticipation I will take you at your word said I Tho keys my dear lain going to visit n haunted room for tho first timo in my lifo 1 do not think she was deceived by this feigned ebullition Perhaps it was too much out of keeping with my ordi nary manner but she gave no sign of surprise and ioso in her turn with an air suggestive of relief Excuse me said she if I precede you 1 will meet you at the head of tho corridor with the keys I was in hopes she would be long enough in obtaining them to allow mo to stroll along the front hall to tho open ing into tho farther corridor in which I felt a speeial interest But the spryness I showed scorned to have a correspond ing oficct upon her for sho almost flew down tho passageway before mo and was back at my side before I could tako a step in the coveted direction Those will take you into any room on the first floor said sho You will meet with dust and Lucettas abhor rence spiders but for these I shall make no apologies Girls who cannot provide comforts for tho few rooms thoy utilize cannot bo expected to keop in order tho largo and disused apart ments of a former generation I hato dirt anil despise spiders but I am willing to brave both I assured her for the pleasure of satisfying my lovo for the antique At which she handed mo the keys with a calm smile which was not without its element of sadness I will bo hero on your return shu murmured leaning over tho banisters to speak to me as I took my first steps down I shall want to hear whether you aro repaid for your trouble I thanked her and proceeded on my way somowhat doubtful whother by so doing I was making or not tho best uso possiblo of my opportunities 0 TobuContiiiliud Nixt Wi oW A general lino of mens ladies miss es and childrens shoes cheap ut tho Norfolk Cash storo SWAMP- s 10t recommended for everything but if you nnfT KvJU 1 Jiavo kidney liver or bladder 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