CHAPTER XXXVI. A RESOLVE AND ITS RESULTS

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 131, 5 December 1885, Page 3

CHAPTER XXXVI. A RESOLVE AND ITS RESULTS

Repeating her words with increasing ex citement, Lillis ran to her dressing room, locked the door, and was making a fow hurried preparations for her escape, when she all at onco stopped. " Can I let him lie thoro and die V she thought, shudderingly. " Would not his blood be upon my hand ? Heaven help me, it would ! I must call the woman." She found Rebecca Hough's doer fastened securely with a chain-bolt, but, by dint of rattling and calling, succeeded in her purpose. " Your master has been woundod," said Lillis, coldly, as the woman sat up in bed and looked blinkingly toward her. " Come and attend to him. Be quick !" Spaaking the words, she set the candlestick close to the open crack of the door, and moving away a littlo, left Rebecca to dress by its light. The woman soon came out. '* ithout exchange of worde, they pro ceoded to Lillis's boudoir. If Rebecca felt any surprise, she manifested none. With stolid coldness she followed, and with stolid coldness faced her master. During the interval of Lillis's absence Hood had recovered consciousness, and, at the moment of their entrance, was sitting, ghastly pale, in the girl's easy-chair. The instant Lillis caught sight of him she realised her position. He was in front of her ; Rebecca Hough behind Do what she might, she was certain to fall into the hands of one or the other, flight was now impossible. "I have sacrificed myself for naught !" she thought, miserably, as Hood started to his feet, with a sudden boding gleam in hia jet-black eyea. Hood's voice broke upon the f hought. He cried feebly, but harshly : "Seize her! Hold her fast !" With his first words RebeccaS arm 3 were about the girl in a pinioning clasp so close and tight that Lillis could feel the quick, wild throbs of the heart pressed against her own. But there was no time for more than a passing emotion of wonder on the girl's part. Hood was striding toward them. Liilis's terror was boundless. But she turned her gave upon him in proud silence. She would not condescend to useless struggles and phreiks. Holding her breath, she watched his ap proach. Even Rebecca Hough displayed a shade of feeling in her sharpened respiration and trembling arms. But, instead of stopping, Hood passed on to the door. His purpose soon became evident. By the light of the candle Rebecca had set down in the doorway, he proceeded to skilfully withdraw the fragment of wire introduced into the lock at an earlier hour. His task ended, he put the key outside, and spoke, commanding Rebecca, in the same weak but ferocious accents, to release the girl and leave he»* to herself. As the woman joined him in the corridor, he glanced back at Lillis. ''To-morrow morning," he smiled, exultingly, evilly, "I shall be mastt-r. I can wait till morning. I can wait, because— l love you ! And so, too, I can thank Heaven that I have been vanquished. Forgive my violence, and know that your life is forever safe. Wisdom and Jove alike protect you. Rage made me insane, remember, Lillis, sweet " The door being closed and locked upon the shrinking but proud-eyed girl, he motioned the woman to follow him. He had taken but a few steps when he turned abruptly, and said, abruptly : "That yellow-haired woman ! Have you anyth'ng new to report concerning her ?" " Nothing, my lord. She went as she came — a good or evil spirit." Kebecca shuddered as she answered. Hood went on abruptly as before : "You have not seen her tonight, then?" "To-night?" grasped Rebecca, looking at him wildly. " Heaven save us ! When Miss Melross came a thumpin' and calling at my door to bring me to your lordship, she said naught of—" " Puoh ! Why should she ?" interjected Hood, starting on, well satisfied with the result of his inquiries. "I was asking a question, not stating a fact. But remember that you are to let me know if this woman appears about the Abbey again. And have no fears of her. If she's here at all, she,s Here livinrj. Capture her secretly, should she show herself, and you'll get a rich reward. And remember, too, that the events of this night have never occurred — that Miss Melross is out of her mind." 11 You may depend on me, my lord," returned the woman briefly, as Hood again stopped and looked at her. Hood nodded and gave her the key to Lillis's boudoir. " Unlock it early," he commanded. "As goon as the other servants are on the alert, and before Lady Melroas is up." W ith that dismissal he entered his room, and Rebecca slowly returned to her own. Having made a light, he proceeded to recruit his strength by a copious draught of brandy, after which he examined his wound. Though it had bled freely, and felt stiff and sore, it proved comparatively slight. The exhaustion that had oyerpowered him had been more due to thejeffects of continuous excitement and loss of rest than anything else. A thorough cleansing of the wound, with the application of an emollient plaster, left him at leisure to considor other matters. The first that presented itself hurried him down to the library. There he read and destroyed the telegram that had so startled the unfortunate detective.

"Thank Heaven!" he muttered, aa he retraced bis Bteps to his room. " Thank Heaven, I was saved the folly of killing her - that I shall in a few hours win the sweetest bride the sun ever shone upon. But —the other !— Elise ! la this Satan's work fated to overthrow me? Ah ! -if —l— could — find her !" The last words were hissed out with a look around that might have befitted Satan himself. But the murderous rage and hope in his eyes died out in utter disappointment. Ho had already made an exhaustive search for the hapless Elsie, and, remembering its futility, he went on to his room, determined to snatch a little sleep from the few hours that remained to him. Lillis slept nono. Left by herself, she first poured out a tearful thanksgiving to Him who bad saved, her from a terrible death. She then repaired the fire, lighted frefch candles, and sat dow n in watchful waiting for the morning. It was a dreary vigil that showed no ray of hope. A night escape that might have proved possible by way of the secret crypt and chapel, was rendered impossiblo by her lamentable failure to discover the secret of egress. While the crypt clo3ets would servo for a temporary refuge, they, unfortunately, afforded no moans of flight. In the review of her alarming position, and the dangers threatening the hapless young wife hidden somewhere about the Abbey, a new day broke. She had just let the first welcome beams of sunshine into the boudoir, when Rebecca Hough unlocked the door and entered. As the woman came in with her usual silont and respectful courtesy, Lillis passed out in haughty disregard of her presence, and hastened to Lady Melross's apartments She ran through tho gallery in a nervous dread of encountering Hood, but sustained by a sudden, keen, rising anxiety for the welfare of her mother. The thought that Hood's drugging might have proved harmful, if not dangerous, to her lad} ship had all at once presented itself with a shock that stirrod her deep filial lovo to its inmost sources She soon discovered her fears well founded.