CHAPTER XV. AN ERRAND THAT ENDS IN A SHOCK.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 126, 31 October 1885, Page 3

CHAPTER XV. AN ERRAND THAT ENDS IN A SHOCK.

"Be silent to all. Be watchful of all. Be secretly distrustful of Rebecca Houpth ! Live with your eyes wide open ! Let nothing e&cape you. I warn you I Take heed I" Such was the illiterately-penned scrawl that struck new alarm to Lillia's heart. It was an alarm quite different from the vague, half superstitious panic of the earlier evening. Then she had been more overwhelmed by the mystery of the warning than aught else. Now she was suddenly aroused to a grave sense of danger. But her first thought was of Rebecca Hough's strange glance at the door. 11 So," she breathed, "so the look meant evil! What evil? Against what am I to guard ?" These last questioning words burst from her lips with unconscious force. Startled at the sound of her voice so suddenly breaking the dead silence of the room, she lifted her head and then stood in involuntary expectation of hearing the questions answered. No answer came. " Perhaps," she thought, "I acted as unwisely as hastily in leaving the other rooms. Oh"— all at once breaking into speech—" if I could only leave the Abbey ! I must ! I will this moment go to mamma and beg her to spare me at least a little while I" She tore the note, and flinging the shreds across the fender, knotted up her hair again and ran from the room. But half way down the corridor she turned back and locked the door, saying under her breath : "It is useless, of course ; but I shall feel safer. Strange, that with not a duplicate ke> at the Abbey, my apartments can be entered at will !" That perplexing thought in her mind, she retraced her steps slowly, She was nearing the gallery on which her mother's rooms were situated, when a resounding tread there arrested her own. She recognised the quick, elastic footfall on the instant It was Tony Folger's. He had said goodnight to his ungracious host, and was on his way to bed. That trifling incident changed Lillls's •whole purpose. She would appeal to "the earl." She would entreat him to remove from the gloomy Abbey to one of the cheerful seats. Professing as he did a brother's regard for her, it was certain he would not refuse ; while it was quite as certain Lady Melross would turn a deaf ear to all she might say. She looked at her watch. The hour was yet early enough to admit of her speaking with his lordship at once, So, instead of going on to Lady Melross's rooms, she descended to the library. She entered with the full expectation of finding Hood lounging in the old earl's easiest chair. But the room was empty. Not willing, however, to be disappointed, she resolved to wait awhile. For a little she stood with claßped hands dropped before her, ■ looking at the fire. Then, attracted by the .beating storm, she went to one of the windows— a deep oriel, with a sweeping draperies and luxuriously cushioned seat.

• She pushed the curtains aside, and, going in, sat down with her forehead pressed close against the glass. Sitting thus, she direoHy forgot her perplexities and errand. ■ . Cyril Chesney's pale lace,- as it had last bent over her, rose before her tight, calling up a mingled anguish and jey Tears began to cour«e -her cheeks : Bobs struggled to her lips. , t . • Both were suddenly checked by an opening door. Robert Hood oame in from the hall. , The girl waited a little to recover her composure. Before she could tffase the traces of tears, his voice burst fiercely upon the silence of the room in an ejaculation that f made her blood run oold, and held her a [paralysed auditor to the words that folI lowed, "Ten thousand curses r he aspirated, hissingly, "Instead of going to my bed like a Christian nobleman, I must spend the night prowling among the bones of the Langdons 1 Fool that I was ! Why did I incur this peril ? Why did I not think in time, and doit htrtt Why did I madly trust^to my power to watch him successfuly, make* myself master of the cursed thing, and replace it with a harmless blank ? Oh, I could shiver my own right arm for the folly that stayed it so long. But for that thesecret would be dead, not simply buried. And now, who is to unearth it? I or another ? Ah, that is it 1 By some strange chance, another may. The thought haunts me day and eight, in my waking thoughts and midnight dreams. Is it prophetio of a fated end ?" He paused. He resumed : . • * J lsatt r 'I'll notnVirse such fancies. I'll think of my peerless darling ! My beautiful Lillis'! Ab, LiMp/ She little suspects !" He checked hia words, and the nervous stride with which he had spoken them, and waited, listening for some expected sound. " Why in the name of all the fiends don't he come?" he ejaculated, after alittle. As if in answev, a quick tread came along the hall, and Bilsy appeared. 1 "Well?" eaid Hood. • . ' " The last bolt's been fastened, my lord, and the last one " — meaning the servants — " has gone to bed." "Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Hood, with irritable fervour. "I can now go to mine without fears of disturbing sounds." " Then your lordship wants nothing more to-night T" "Nothing. You are at liberty to follow the example of the other servants." i Bilay bowed respectfully, and went off \ well pleased. '' ' Hood resumed his walk, moving silently ito and f *o for some twenty minutes. At the end of that time he glanced at the clock and left the room. 7he clock ticked off ten minutes more. Then the damask draperies gently parted, and Lillis Btepped forth, her ashy face wearing a mingled expression of horror, doubt, and fear. She stood shrinking close to the crimson folds, her dilated eyes on the hall door, and her white lips whispering, slowly, painfully : " That same frightful oath ! And what secret ? What peril ? What deed delayed too long? And— and— what have /to do with it all ? What meant the proud passion of his voice in speaking my name ?" A cold chill ran through her from head to foot ; a chill of deadly fear. " Ah," she presently went on again, her white face even whiter, and her voice hushed to a still lower tone, " the mysterious unknown said I was in danger ! -bade me be watchful ! — bade me live with wide-open eyes I And I was charged to take heed !-I must take heed ! I feel it ! Something draws me in spite of myself !" And like one indeed drawn, she moved slowly toward the door. A gentle blast of onld air met her as sh* went out. It swept, she knew, from the stone passage leading to the chapel. ahe paused for a moment, looking in that direction, and then all at once started and ran with deer like speed up stairs. She found the gallery almost dark, and the corridor totally so, Bilsy having extinguished and lowered the lightß under the delusion that all, save "the earl," were safe in their rooms for the night. Thus it happened that flying along with winged feet and unsuspecting eye, she failed to see the stealthly- gliding form of the woman she had so lately and mysteriously been warned to distrust,