CHAPTER XVI.

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

CHAPTER XVI.

THE HAND AND VOICE -IN THE DAJtK. Never dreaming that Bebecca Hough's curiouß, breathless gaze was upon her, Lillis let herself into the boudoir, leaving the key outside. Rebecca kept her place in the deeper darkness of the corridor to which she had stolen at the girl's rapid approach. After a few minutes' patient watching she saw the door reopen and Lillis appear and carefully lock it again. Gliding along the wall, she presently saw further, as the girl passed under the gallery light, that the trailing black dress had beeD exchanged for a short one, and that a pair of black stockings covered the dainty boots, while a warm black shawl, drawn over both head and shoulders, was secured at the waist by a knot behind. The partially-muffled figure was erect, the step light and rapid, and the whole air that of one moved by some changeless purpose. Rebecca Hough formed hers on the instant. But she suffered the girl to proceed. Wholly unsuspicious of the eye upon her, LilliB went swiftly down stairs, and thence to the passage traversed so fatefully by the old earl and Robert Hood the night of the I eighteenth of November. She was impelled by no mean desire'ttf spy upon Hood's actions. A nobler purpose inspired her. The fierce musings to which she had been an involuntary listener in the library each moment assumed a more sinister meaning. Strive as she would, it was impossible to shake off the fear that some great wrong, or crime, which the old earl intended to prevent, had been successfully compassed by his son. Strive' as ehe would, the ctoubt of Hood's innocence of the earl's death again began to preeß upon her with sickening persistence. Of herself — the danger against which she had been mysteriously warned, and the danger breathed in Hood'B exulting toneß —she had ceased to think. j It waß, to her excited mind, as if the old earl's beckoning hand urged her on. His voice seemed to call to her from the moaning swash of the eea,and appeal in each sob of the rising wind, That her errand was one of personal danger she did not doubt. She knew, instinctively, that should Hood be found nefariously engaged; and she discovered in turn, the chance for her, life would be his imagined chance of exculpating himself. But strung to a high state of exaltation, she feared nothing. She went on, firm in the determination to defeat; bis further vrickedness, even at the cost of her own young life.

. Still glowing under* that-noble ' Incentive, she reached tKe chapel. ; A narrow tnread; df^ light gleaming from the depths of the- ancie'at , orytot,' to< which 1 the old Earl of Langdon had that day been oonsigned, guided her stejpa. The door 1 wad slightly, ajar. She opened^ta<UttlQ' further, and looked | in. . .. v . •„ ,i- . . The immense vault, with its long rows of marble tablets, sculptured effigies, and carved tombs, lay under her eye ; but she saw only one- thing— the form of Robert Hood. He Btdod in the direot rays of a large lantern on the floor. The fine broadcloth and linen, worn at supper, bung upon the upraised arm of one of the effigies, while their place upon his person baa been supplied by a dark flannel shirt, coarse trousers, and common boots. A chisel was in his hand, and the light upon his face showed a countenanceso utterly malignant in its baffled purpose, question* ing doubt, and stormy hate that Lillis involuntarily sfiranlc back. But the next instant she pressed forward again. His anxious roving eye had all at once fastened itself upon the late earl's restingplace. \ • He exclaimed- excitedly : 11 By Heaven ! he'd want to keep guard over it ! 'Tis there ! Yea •" With that -monpsyllable he j snatched up the lantern., and strode headlong to the spot. Lillis failed to T oatoh the words ; but she saw and understood his movement. Hi 3 ultimate, purpose, however, was not clear. ' , ' » " In her doubt and excitement), she pushed the door a little further open, /and stepped upon the broad marble flag at the head of the stairs. , < She could see nothing plainly, for Hood's back was toward' her, but she believed he was about to enter the superb mausoleum the old earl had caused to be erected for his own reception upon the remaining epac© in the crypt. " 4 ' ' Whatever his purpose, however, he was either met by some baffling obstacle, or sud denly enraged beyond measure Nt>y the labour it cost him to master the secret of the crypt. . _ , The girl had watched him some minutes, when he all at once ran backward, flung the chisel violently at the mausoleum, and burst out in fierce, loud, resounding I tones. I " You dead cur ! • Rise up and say where you hid it !" , A fearful and abusive oath concluded the impious aspiration; ' i Filled with utter horror, Lillii forgot all \ else ; she screamed. t r . The cry reached Wood's ears, faintly, but surely. In a twinkling he had eeited the lantern, and flashed its rays upon the steps. The muffled form standing there was visible, but the distaice was too great and the light too feeble to admit of recognition. He saw enough, however. With the countenance of a demon, he rushed for the spot. At the same instant an arm was thrust around the door, and the petrified' girl drawn violently into the chapel. " Rashgirl ! To your room ! Flee ! flee !" breathed a voice at her ear. It was the silvery sweet voice heard so mysteriously in the early evening.