A SHORT STORY.

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1913, Page 8

A SHORT STORY.

:.hjer isar^^rx|db^s, /'^Thjy^ll^ed^e^ tween'rtnef: scrolled ! ■'gateposts of r a for- ■ rnai.; garden, and came .in sight: of the windows 'of- the- great bid hbtise. At tfie . safne .moment' Diar..^ gave -a sharp cry- of. horror ' and boutded recklessly from the ' saddle. , •-,..': .t'See;!^; she iaid, agitatedly. "See tHe 'window' above the porcb^fhe. windp\y > of..' my father's chamber ! There is someone' there— someone who "has no rigKt ! ';. Oh >; ;Heaven. if .anything ; evil ' has v happened I shall "never;pardon myself for" coming to you to-night!"-|Then /she ran along the terrace;, .turning round the, east =wing- to a small sfde door by "which she" had left: This ■was unbolted ; it swung open to : ; her touch. ■■':'': Lord Marden followed-; he> lizard the 'sobbing of someone hidden"; in ! the : shadows." Diana stopped, and gripped with both hands a frightened': young waiting-woman who crou'eh^d/in; a 'small recess.' ' has happened, Ursula?' 5 she said. "Who is rnovin'g in my father's chamber"?''' '■ ; - v For a long while it seemed as if no ..reply would be elicited; the ?bb'bihg iniereased/ Lord. Marden stcoped andcaught hold of the. woman's shoulders.> Then, the plump young abigair rose, in' the I ' darkness, and,* drawing 1 ' ; f rom . her' pocket a tinder-box, struck' a light. On a table near by" was a' candle; she lighted the wick. i~ -"Indeed, ( and indeed,, my Lord,. . I . scarce know liow ■ to ■tell you," -she gasped, "'tis like a nightmare from , beginning to end. .If only I hadn'tbeen afear'do' Miss Diana returning; arid falling into their power, I'd'- ha' left the house !" • "" ■ -". .V' ;"But what are you talking of— and vy.li.o.is in my father's chamber?" said' Diana, hastily. "For pity's sake lose. n6 V ;time^!" ■ . . / *. .■ ■ ; ' ;" 'Tis a party of men with black masks !" , rep'.ied the terrified maid. "They came anhouragone) Thsy've^ gagged and bound every other servant in[. the house!" ; ""' ■''„ '■" .-.■ " . : . : ; ; : C V :"■; And, my father's "in their power !"- cried" Diana, moving- hurriedly towards a -small staircase that rose to the upj par corridor._. "How dare they enter ■ his room ?" ' '" ' . Xord . Marden caught her arm. "S/i&V, my dearest," he whispered. "It is not fit for you to go. I myself 'must do-'l'.Hvhaf's to Ipe done.- But I have no weapon— -surely there are some in the house?" r "Gome to the armoury," saidADi-; ana. 'My father's duelling pistols are tlv6re ; but I dare not let you face' them, alone " must be lost!" said the; young, man. "Lead the way— > harm mus^t. not touch you.," . : She. caught up the candle, opened. a db'br that gave entry to a long passage, at : whose • end was the great hall. Crossing this,; they entered, a' "small room, whose walls were covered' with -ancient swords and pikes; : " There, she .opened a cupboard, and. brought' tbf light" a leather-covered case. Lord Marden raised the lid, and saw two heavy pistols with silver and I ivoVy handles. In another minute both I were \prime*d, and he rh oved towards : [ the staircase, turning once to kiss the ! girl, who stood waiting on\he thresh hold!." ! . 'I shall' follow," she whispered. "There are other weapons— you must not be taken unawares!" " ' shook his head, bidding Ker remain wherfe she was; then he bound? ed- up the. staircase, and ran towards an open-Hoor. A dolorous cry reached his eai's — the cry of an aged man stiicken with mortal teiror. Then he saw the strangest thing he had ever seen in his life. The vast bedchamber was lighted only with lushlight, that burnt in a tall $ilver cylinder. Struggling- in the midst of the floor was old Mr. Somercotes, gripped by th;'ee-> masked fellow's, one of whom held a gleaming knite close to the old man's throat. "Come," 1 said the fellow, with a hateful laugh. "Dawn will be here soon, and \ve must be far away; choose for yourself — either have your weasand slit, qr tell us where the moneys hidden. • Aye, and the jewels — everything that's worth carrying away." Mr." Somercotes, who was maddened with fear; pointed to a casket that lay' cJi a table beside the canopied bed. "The keys are there," he stammered. "I— l can hold out no longer.; You'll, find my gold in the cabinet." The rascal with the knife still remained beside the old man, his fellows hastened towards the table. At the same moment Lord Marden raised his arms and fired, and two horrible yells arose, then the heavy figures reeled and sank on the bed. Mr. Som,ercotes tore himself away from his astounded tormentor and* can unsteadily towards the door. ' Lord Marden' s elbow was touched by Diana. "Here's another pistol," she said. "Fire; there's murder in his eyes !" Once more a sharp report rang, in that disordered chamber. The knife clattered to the floor, the man lurched forward, and tumbled on his face. Mr. Somercotes fell into his daughters arm. Lord Marden had occasion to pride himself on a very good aim. Not one of the marauders was killed^ though to be Sure, _all suffered the extreme penalty of the law before another month had' passed. As for Mr. Soraercotes, in his passion of gratitude, he even went'so far as to beg the* young man to accept Diana's han^l and fortune. It is needless to relate how his Lordship cut him short, declaring with ' fervour that he would be not only the happiest husband, but also the t most dutiful, most affectionate- &on-in-la.w on earth. ■ '.The End.)