A SCARLET SIN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 175, 22 July 1909, Page 4

A SCARLET SIN.

(all !;■■;:■ , :/ :;'y/:::> )

A roWKRITL STMIJY.

By ALirt: rt.nl ri,\t Pt: ASKF.W. Authors of "Tb«* Shulomitr." *"Ao Da of the I'lalns," &c . &C. ♦

SKVKNTKKXTH INSTALMENT. CHAPTER XXII. A DESPERATE QIEST. U * won Lrddy. the old nurse, who waited »|»on Pamela that evening, oml l.tddy wns in no communicative mood She shook her head in answer to the girl*!* query ax to why Klspeth or Klspeth's niece di«l not apls-ar. l,iddy maintained Hint she did not know, and it wan not till the meal ««s nearly over that she gave am hint as to what was in her mi ml. "AMid Klspeth is na tt. be misled" she whis|>ered thru, "an ye maun ha>a rare o" her. lassie. An" as for .less, it wasna weel for hrr lha' --he came to Orgadale." With this *om what cryptic utterance I.iddy took herself from the room. Pomelo wmild have liked to detain her longrr hut she knew that Liddy's wr-vi«-e» were required at her father's I*-«lside.. so for a while she hod to Ihj content with her own company. **he fell very lonely and very mt'irni"!!' as the long minutes dragged on their rourse Iter lather h«»l lallen. asleep again, and I.iddy h»|»'<l that he would pass the night Mndisturlwsl. so Pamela, made her way w|«tairw to her own room, determined to seek rest herself —rest j that "h.- needed l»aillv. liut had lit tin ! hoj>»* ,4 finding. Sh>- w«.<» standing l»y the window. (•Az-mg down half listlessly into the t rrt.- (>ave«l court at the hock of the j h<m«.\ nnd then across the fields and the intervening swe**p of moorland in the direction of the Metherly fields. when her door was o|*-ned furtively •in.l without preliminary- knock to t»ive entrnnce to old Klspeth. There was something malignant and threatening in the woman's wrinkled face. "The ohKoshion.nl white cap that i *he habitually wore was set awry i up«>n her head, and the loose strands M grey hoir hung over her ears. Her eyes were very close together, and they glimmered angrily as they j n»ee those oH the girl. "tthnt di» >ou wont. Klspeth?'' •ried Pomelo, with some n*sentment In her tone. "I did not ring, and there is nothing that I wont."" "Hut I hoe need o' speokin' wi' vc." returned the old Woman In her high, crarked voice. "for ye've hrocht trouble enow upon l his hoose. Ye mnun answer me a question. " the old woman advnnc.il aggressively t«« the window. Her shrivelled hands r«-.*ted upon her hi|>s nnd she j <it>»il defiantly by Pamela's side. , 'Who's *twi\t ye an" th' mnister?" J Pomelo flushed and then point.il to the iloor. "I refuse to answer any questions that yon may put to me. Klspeth. "* ■•he answered, with some asperity : f "»rvd you are excelling the bound- of j vuur posit inn by intruding yourself uncalled for in my room. Pray go. irtd go nt i>n f i'." I Hut l'tls|*"th did not stir. 'Ah. ye ennnn gie me on answer." d»i' returntd : , "»n" I'll no gong frne the room till I've had mo soy. Ye ken vera weel who" ye ho' done to the lass .less when you cam" 'twist ;».-r on" th" mnister who wo" guid to her till he cast his e'en on >e i"nn.'e Th" mnister would ha' tokken .less to kirk I'm tellin" ye. but n.i(. he hj«" I-It h--r toe gong bock to h r nin home. He wtdl hne nn more •>' h'-r. An" it's >om. n stronger los--ie. tha" hoe ta'en the heart o' him to v.- oinstl*. lb ck. "twos o snir do* wlr-n ye com* to Orgodole." shwent on in lower tones. "I heard n l»>gle greet in" the tiicht afore >-;■• am" on" I was nfenrl for th" morn. H»e bogle monnin" an' greet in"—ye ken what that wan* '" I waurnnt 'tis for a death in th" hoose." Here ♦he raised her voice once more to a -•brill cry. "An" It's ye who's brocht &h" desolation ii|*>n us." "Il.» silent ' " said Pomelo, afraid in spite of herself, for there was something weirdly grotesque in the iltl woman's attitude and in the menacing expression of her shrivelled face. She knew- the superstition of the bnnshee well enough, and now that it was mentioned to her she *. •.-hi"d to n-coll a strange sound that she hod heord the night In-fore—- * low. melancholy wail thnt had dis»vrf>ed her sle»-p. but which she had irrributeil to one of the animals on Mi' form. Sh«* wns not »ii|i«'rs!itMOU.« Ik* nature, but h.-r surroundings, nn.' h.T knowlerlge of what was passing imoos the inhabitants of the lon ly moorland house acted as irritants to h»r nerves. "I cannot listen to you. Klspeth."" she cried, "for you have no righ! to s|ieak to me like thijt." •*I hac the richt." shrilled I hi- «dd woman, "for ye mnun ken who's I' ma mind. There's danger threatrniit' a" o" ms I'm tellin" ye. if ye dinno gang awa" ofore 'tls-t«M» late, for l"l! na let evil come to ma •I«'ss. Sh,-":-inn sister's bairn, an* I love her as mn ain Ciang nwa " she- n*|Mtited the wor.ls slowly and lmpr.«ssjv.-ly—-or else ye'll lie for nwakenin' the .fed in me. I'll In? for hurt in* ye an' the mafr!rr »f >'«* <Hnna gang nwa. An' I can du It. look ye, an' I hae rnuse. for there be mony nlKiol th" place who dlnno love Kob Perrinl. on" who'd be overjoyed to do him 111. They'll no be letlln' hurl befall mo J«*s.*" Hbc paus«sl a moment, and then, seizing the girl by the arm, |iointcti her lean finger in the direction of Metherly. "Was hidden in th" fields, eh ? " she murmured, and then broke into a cracked laugh. "Lossie. I hac ears, an" I ken m*q'n yo think nltoot yerm?P an* ye faUher. 'Twill be an evil day for ye when I ken a* but 1 warn ye that I'll hae e'en an" ears ojwn " Pamela could stand no more. Her ■ ■-.■:.. flashed indignation, and she *hreu- the old woman's arm from tu . .shoulder pointing Imperiously to •h .loor. "TH not listen to your •hv.-tt.t." she cried, "nnd I have lis- ■ t-.-iI »o f» fr *»>'" have to say. To-,-.-.,..i { ■-■■>t»[>lftin of your *>»''• •:.x:: •<:'■ '■' M?" I':r::.t No dnUbt

\ ; . : --,-.*. p. si. ;n r.'.y i ■'.' . ::■> a" rvs;.<.th's lunmr-r chatsg ••'!. but the j'-.Vion of h.-r ey-s hecant". if ; o.<iS.|e. more threatening nnd maltpr.nnt. "Vera weel. vera weel," she cnt-errd: "I'll be ganging. Hut (was for ye aln good I came to ye. Pinna forget that, lassie, when th' evil comes." She moved slowly toward* the door, keeping her eyes fixeel on Pamela &a she went. She stood a moment, her hands resting upon the handle as though about to s|>cak again, but changed her mind, and burst into a harsh cackling laugh, making horrible display of her toothless gums. Then she stole jtoflly oul. closing the door behind her ;" but the sound of her laughter still echoed In Pamela's ears as tho girl, with feverish lingers, turned the kev in the lock. She fancied that Kls|H"th must l»e walking up ami flown the passage muttering to herself n:wl chuckling at the malice of hi-r thoughts.

Though she had spoken defiantly, nnd ordered the old woman from the room. Pamela, agitated already, was sorely troubled by the knowledge that this malignant old woman, whose ill will she had suspected from the first, had now lieeomo an active enemy. How much or how little did Kls|>eth know of the secret of the field of blood ? Probably she had crept upstairs and listened otitside the door of the room to CJeorge Martintlalc's ravings : perhaps, even, she hatl played the eavesdropper at the conversation between her master and his guest, for she had a way of creeping silently about a house even in the dend of night, and of appearing from dark corners when least expected. With n si '. -ning fear in her minrt. Pamela foresaw- fresh danger for hervlf nnd her father. Klspeth would certainly keep watch upon Rob Perrint "s actions, ond if she learned whnt he was about to do thnt night a w«-n|Hi?t would be placed in her hands which she would not l»e slowto use. Pamela wished .that she could speak sonic word of warning, but she did not dare leave her rooms She could only ho|»e that the old woman would be 100 occupied with her niece's troubles to spy. upon Rob Perrint that night. She tried lo occupy herself with a hook, turning the pages listlessly, ensconced ns comfortably as possible in an armchair before lite lire. Hut the book was not interesting—it was a po|»er covered novel that she had purchased ni on- of the stations on her was lo Scotland—and presently she laid if down nn.l gave herself up to her own sail thoughts. Look which way she might the prospect was black and threatening. She could find no joy even in lhe c-rlainty of seeing Basil on ihe morrow, for was he not "the very ln-t in whom she could confide, and to whom she could turn for comfort ? Was she not in duty bound to send him away from her. not for n little while only, but for ever ? A sound in the courtyard lieneath her window caused h«-r to start to her feet, to drop her book to the floor, anil to hasten across the room to ascertain what was hapfM'ning. Rob Perrint wns there, and alone. lie had just dosed the door of a small tool-house from which he had emerg-%1. n heavy spade and a sack in his hands. She knew at once what h- was going lo do. whither he was bound. II" was going fo dig in the field of blood —to put into execution Ihe promise he hnd made to her ond lo h.-r father. He seemed very intend upon his business, and did not even glance up ni her window. His movements were stealthy, nnd it was as though he feared interruption. Presently he let himself on I of the yard by a little got«- ond disappeared for a few moments among the gr.at trees that bounded the garden. Soon, however. Pamela again caught sight of his figure as he made his way along a rough pnth thai I--.I to the boundary of his own pro|»crty. She saw him leap over a low wall, afier which ho wns lost to her sight. She returned to Ihe fire, nnd to her book, but as Ijefore she found it impossible to fix h--r attention. She wondered why Liddy had not come to her. but concluded that the old nurse must be with her father whom Pamela had been asked not to disturb. After n while she di-cided that ft would Ik- best to go to lied though she felt certain that sleep would not come to her. Another sound, this time of low, muftled voices, brought her once more to the window. She had a vague premonition of what she would see. Klspeth was in the yard, engaged in earnest conversation with two rough-looking men. one of whom Pamela recognized through having already seen abojit the farm. Naturally Pamela could hear nothing of what was said, but Elspeth's gestures were significant. She 4>ointed in the direction which had been taken by Rob Perrint. and then, standing on a loose stone, she indicated with a sweep of her arm the Metherly fields. The moon was high, and its white glamour lent a weird colouring to the scene. The old woman's hair fell lopse about her shoulders, and she had all the appearance of an evil, vindictive witch. Pamela drew hack with a shudder. It was only too evident that Klspeth was bidding the men follow Rob Perrint. and ascertain the reason of his midnight work What was she to do ? She blamed herself bitterly now. that she had mode no attempt to warn Mr. Perrint. It would be ratal to them all if he were discovered digging in the field —if the smallest hint of his ole ject in doing so were to get about. She wrung her hands dispairingly. conscious of her weakness and of her inability to prevent the threatened calamity. Was there nothing that she could do—nothing ? She stole back lo ihe window, and realized that the men had returned into the house. Old Elspeth was still wilhput, parading the court with impatient feet, as It waiting. Hut was there nothing lo be done? Was it impossible to warn the man. probably by now at work in the field of the plot afoot against him ? There was yet time if she could gather up her courage—if she could face the terrors of a midnight run across the fields, across n country that w»s «»trange !«> her >o » spot which ii''(>ve all o'h-Ts. h<- dreaded. U she ouid d., th:-. :• w a- no - yet

: tno laic to lwj::tr a li::; -I.v word of warnir.g. Pamela mad'- up '".<•«• mind wit.i. quick derision. I' *\as Un-ky tha. she wns fully dressed, that she hatl discovered what was taking placr l>cforc making ready for bed. Sh<; had nothing to do but to put on her hat. and to throw a cloak over her should-t-s, as some protection against the cold of the autumn night She did this half mechanically, her mind intent only on one object. She must find her way to Met nelly before Klspeth and her accomplices should succeed in reaching the field. Ilob Perrint must desist from his work for that night at least or the guilty secret would l>c made known to others—others who would not hesitate to make it known to others And these others would not hesitate to make use of it to their own advantage, and to the destruction of herself and of her father. When she was ready she cast a last hasly glance through the window. The two men had reappeared in the yard, and they were both armed with heavy sticks. Elspeth was haranguing them, and though she could not hear the Sharp, bitter words. Pamela had little doubt of what the old woman was saying. She trembled as she gazed, for surely the object of these men was more lhan to spy on their master? They would meet him in the lonely field—the field of blood—and who could say what might happen there ? Perhaps they were relations of the girl .Jess, ! -nger to avenge a supposed wrong. | Perhaps Hut what was the use of ! supposition? The one thing evident | was that there was no time to los««. I Pamela opened the door noiselessly ! and made her way downstairs. All 1 was very still in the house, and not ! ,'Vcn JLiddy put in an apjH-aranee, when she passed her father's door, treading on tiptoe for fear of disr lurbing the sleeping man. The • front door was barred, and she had | some difficulty in opening it. but she I succeeded at last, and soon found i herself standing on the grass-grown J terrace that bounded that side of tho I house. Then, almost without thought, she I hurried to the road and turned her J steps in the direction of the Metherly ficldSt

CHAPTER XXIII. ROB PERRINT IS GRATEFUL. "D'ye ken what ye've done, Pamela ? " Rob Perrint put the question abruptly as soon as be had closed and barred the front door of the house and had pushed Pamela down Into one of the big easy-chairs drawn up to the fire that still smouldered on the hearth. "iJ'ye ken what ye've done ? " he repeat<*tl. gazing down upon her face, a curious light in his eyes. The hall was In semi-darkness, but he reached out his hand and turned up the wick of the lamp, which had been burning low. "Whatever do you mean ?'"■ asked Pamela. She was tired out, and her breath came in short gasps for the man had hurried her back to the house by a path that was rough, if short. More than once he had lifted her over low stone walls, and there had been a time when he had taken her in his arms and carried her across a shallow burn. She had but a vague recollection of what ha«l happened, for she was out of breath and weary, and it was hard to think. She had run very hard along the road—so much she could remember —in her anxiety to be the first U> reach the spot where Kob Perrint was at work. She had found him there, in the Metherly field, digging, as she had expected. He had already turned up a considerable portion of the earth—soil that was thick and black, soil that in ihe tnoonlight glimmered with streaks of red. She had run to him ami he hail dropped his spade, gazing at her with surprise-filled eyes. She had told him as quickly and intelligent];. as she could what she feared. Shehad described the two men whom she had seen from her window setting out with evident intention of spying upon Rob Perrint, or perhaps with some more sinister object in view. "I can't make out," she had panted, "how it is that .1 have reached you first, but they were still talking with old Elspeth in the courtyard when I came away, and perhaps she was not as certain as I to which particular field you were bound. They must be somewhere near us. even now, Mr. Perrint, looking for you. They may be spying upon us from behind the wall even at this very moment.Rob Perrint had gripped his spade firmly, and. stalking to the wall. made a quick survey of either side of him. Hut there was no one thenHe had returned to her side muttering to himself, and had then l> gun to shovel back the earth which he had displaced. This work was quickly done, and Pamela had not attempted to intei/erc nor to delay him by talking. i'They maunna find us here," so the man had muttered as he worked; but though the words were not audible to h,er, she knew that he was swearing and blaspheming to himself and there was a vigour in his strokes which betokened ill for any adversary who might interfere with him at that moment. "Come," he had said, when the work was done. "We maun go back Pamela, you and I. But dinna be (cart, |assie ; I'll no leave the work undone. There's time yet, and tomorrow nicht the moon will be as bonny as now, an' to-morrow nkht," he added, viciously, "there'll no !>e a pair o' blackguards to dog ma steps I'll be seein' ta that, ye may trust me." The earth levelled once more, he had taken spade and bag in one hand ami had reached out the other to Pamela. •"I'll be .showin' ye a quick way hame," he had said. "It's no an easy way, but ye're sma' an' licht, an' it'll be a joy to carry ye when needs must.'-i To be continued.