THE BEAUTIFUL PROXY

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143768, 17 April 1912, Page 5

THE BEAUTIFUL PROXY

% R- MURRAY GILCHRIST, Author of “Tho Gentle Thespians,” “Lords and Ladies,” “The YVonderfgl Adventures!” “Beggar’s Manor,” “The Secret Tontin©, etc., etc. [COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER XVl.—Continued. In spite of Anne’s detestation of tho creature, she was glad to obey. Garnett preceded her to tho first floor, then along a passage to a large, lowceiled room with grated windows. “Your ladyship hasn’t brought any luggage, it seems,” he observed, “hut there’s plenty of things in tho presses. There’s a parlour there—a drawingroom there, ’ he pointed to two doors “and at the top of the stairs your ladyship can get out on to the, leads for a breath of salt air. I’ll leave your ladyship now. Good-night to you. 11l bring up a dainty broaKfast whenever it pleases you to ring.” .She waited until tho clattering of his feet had faded into the distance; then, with trembling hands she turned the heavy key, and removing the furlined cloak, threw herself on the bed. Very soon her fatigue, combined with tho effects of the drug, overcame her, and she fell into a heavy sleep. Prom this slumber she was aroused by the tapping of knuckles on the door. She sat up, and stared confusedly at the long and narrow barred windows. The rain had ceased, and the morning was fine. ,

“I’ve brought your ladyship's breakfast,” said Garnett, in a voice so creaky as to be almost’ inaudible.

Then ho padded away, and Anne rose and unlocked the door. In spite of all her trouble she fould herself quite able to do justice to the fare Garnett had brought. Detestable as the man was, she could not deny that he was an excellent cook. After the, meal she found herself greatly strengthened, both in body and in mind. . Then she devoted herself to her toilet,’ grimly determining to make the best ot her circumstances. She opened one after another of the presses, finding nothing there but garments of mid-V'ictorian days, and at last determined to wear a gown of blade silk. An hour afterwards she rang the hell, and Garpett appeared. “1 will seo Mr. Bretby now,” she said. “Be good enough to take me to him.”

“I’d have, a job to take your ladyship,” replied tho man with an oily chuckle. “The master and the Frenchmen sot off at low tide, and belike are a hundred miles away by this time.”

“Did Mr. Bretby say when be would return?'' she inquired.. ‘■Lord bless me, no. The master’s not o' that kind. He’ll come when he’s least expected—’tis his way. I was to offer you his compliments, and to say as you're welcome to the run of the house. There’s books downstairs, and your ladyship needn’t feel dull, that is if you’ve a taste for rending. 'Tis so w'ith me; 1 love novelettes and such—if ’tweren’t for them I should find timo hang heavy.” Seeing that Anne was paying no attention, he stopped suddenly, and retired. Soon afterwards she went along the straight passage, and finding a door at the end, opened it, and climbed a rough staircase to tho lends. There the horror of her position canto upon her with ton-fold strength, and for the first time she realised the utter impossibility of escape. Tho beauty of the scene was beyond question—Anne had never soon aught fairer. Tho sky was of perfect blue, flecked with gauzy clouds. Soft music of the soa rang in her oars; now and then it was broken by tho cries of gulls that floated far below the parapet. A castle on a rocky island—an island not more than a mile in circumference; such was her prison. To the west, in the far distance, she saw other islets—centring round a tall white lighthouse; tho smoko of a steamboat spread like a grey plume. Eastward, separated by a strait, lay the mainland—its coastline low and' broken; further inland rose the sharp undulating edge of a range of mountains. Leaning over the stone coping she looked down upon the island itself, in tho vain' hope of discovering some sign of human life. The ground was rough, broken everywhere with outcropping boulders. At the northern end the cliffs fell precipitously to the sen. As for the qastle itself, it was more like a giant’s playhouse than a real building raised in ancient days as a place ot defence. It stood on a conical {nil raised at least a hundred feet above the rocks. The stonework was worn with a thousand tempests, and yet the walls suggested eternal endurance

Anno sat on a rude oakon bench trying to command her thoughts. What must she dofwhat could she dof She was trapped; in that first hour it seemed as though the future promised no hope—as 'though she must remain there, untij the end of .her days.

The tide was falling, little by little sandbanks rose between the island and tho mainland. A fishing-boat passed—it. seemed within hailing distance. She ran out to the open and cried; “Help I Help!" until her voice cracked in her throat. But although tho simple rowers heard no sound and paid no licod, Garnett himself did, for he came hastily to the Joads.

“Bless us all!” he said. “1 thought lady ladyship had fallen into >a fit! Whatever is wrong?’' The thought of winning this man to her interests came to her, and she moved between him and the staircase. “Help me from here,” she said, “and 1 will take care that you aye the gainer. You must realise that: you are all breaking the law.” “A man’s a man, and his wife’s, a wife,” cackled Garnett. “Your ladyship and Mr. Bretby are joined together by law, and no man must put yon asunder, as the prayer-book says. Not for anything as your ladyship could offer would 1 cross Mr. Brotby He’s not fo the kind that lets offenders go unpunished.”

CHAPTER XVII. The comfortable hostess conducted Lady Caroline to her own parlour, a bright, pretty room, on whoso walls hung quaint samplers and glass pictures. Lady Caroline would have interrogated her at once, but Lord Frederick insisted on her partaking of sonic refreshment. She sighed heavily. “I believe that I should lose my reason if I were alone. It is more than good of yon to help us in this way—to give your time—" “My heart is in the affair,” he replied. Then he added hastily; “But, of course, any man would do his best for one in such a predicament. You do not think that he will offer her any violence?” “I don’t know what to think,” said Lady Caroline. “I only know that Anne is extremely courageous. Ah, here comes the landlady. I wish that you would ask her what we want to know.” Tho-woman entered with a traj of

homely bnt dainty food, and asked Lord Frederick what wine he was pleased to order. She knew “quality folk” when she saw them, and these must have her best. “There’s one or two rare vintages down in the cellar as 1 don’t bring out for ordinary visitors,” she explained. “My late husband bought in a good stock when there was the great sale at Somercalc Manor—Mr. Bretby’s home—belike you’ve heard speak of it.” Lord Frederick selected a bottle of Amontillado. “Ah! I have a question to ask you. Have you seen or heard anything of this Mr. Bretby lately?” She started and looked into his face, “Not for a twelvemonth or more,” she said. “Has Mr. Bretby another house in the north country?” asked Lord Frederick. “He can’t live at Somercale—it’s in such a condition.” “There’s Bcerton Castle, off tho coast of Northumberland,” she replied. “I’ve never seen the spot, but I’ve always understood it to be an island. I've a photograph of it in the bar; — I’ll show it to yon.’’ “Then he lives at Beerton Castle? Do you think he is there now?” “1 don’t know—and that's truth,” she made answer. “Last I heard of him was more than a year ago, when he brought a young lady to Somercale. Whether his wife or not is more than 1 can say. Anyhow, I did hear as she was so wretched that one of her own folk came and took her away. I didn’t pay much heed to the tale; there's always been so much talk about him.” She placed the bottle, on the parlour table, then went to the. bar to bring the photograph and a corkscrew, “Bretby has another house,” said Lord Frederick. “It is prohilhlo, Lady Caroline, that he has taken ter there. Our good friend describes it as a castle on an island.” (To be oontinued.t