Lady Trebor's Secret, OR THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 268, 7 November 1877, Page 4

Lady Trebor's Secret, OR THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

fßv Mas. Hakiuet Lewis.] CHAPTER XL. a highland hamlet. Miss Rosso and her old servant had gone to sleep in the shepherds’ hut almost in the very minute their weary beads bad touched the rude pillows, , Their slumbers had beoft profound both being tired to exhaustion. Cecil, tired as she was, was awakened by the first utterance of Jarvis’s coarse voice, but lay silent and breathless, listening to the conversation that followed. She comprehended that Jarvis had successfully imposed upon the two simple tenders of flocks—that the men believed him the proprietor of a mad-house, and herself and Gretcheu escaped patients. “ All that we can say or do will not convince them to the contrary,” she thought. “ Ourigunrancc of our whereabouts made our host think us mad before Jarvis came. The shepherds will deliver ns up to Jarvis, and he will kill us. Is there no escape ?” She kept quite silent until she was quite sure that the two shepherds, used to very early hours, had fallen asleep. Presently, she crept out of her bunk like a shadow, and flitted to the aperture in the wall that served as a window. One corner of the oiled paper was loosened. Bhe lifted it up and cautiously looked out. The night was bright with starlight. The two shepherds had wrapped themselves in their plaids and were lying on the ground fast asleep. Jarvis was sitting up, alert and watchful. Ho had determined not to sleep, but to seize upon his prizes at daybreak and retreat towards the seacoast and Black Rock, and he had decided in his own mind that he would not be burdened by the two women throughout the journey. “ The Devil’s Gap is the very place at which to get rid on ’em !” he was saying to himself, while Cecil regarded him. “ I’ll scare their ponies in the most dangerous spot and send ’em over the precipice into kingdom come. Best to wait till morning to give the horses a rest 1” He looked at his ponies, which had strayed to a little distance, glanced at the sleeping men, and at the hut, yawned once or twice with sleepiness and weariness, and drew oflt his bottle of Scotch whiskey, raising it to his lips. He took a copious draught, and followed that by a second yet more liberal. His liberal potations, added to bis fatigue, were not conducive to wakefulness. He presently began to nod, starling up every few seconds to glare about him suspiciously. Then his head sunk forward upon his breast, and a little later he appeared to have fallen asleep. Cecil watched him for a little while, her active brain busy . with plans. Neither she nor Gretcheu had undressed. Having made up her mind to a course of action, the young girl crept across the floor again as noiselessly as possible and woke Gretcheu. “Hush !” whispered the girl,* in her very ear. “ Not a word, Gretchen. Jarvis is here !” Cecil explained her plans. ‘‘ You understand, Grctchen ? We may possibly escape, but if so, we must go now .” The old woman nodded assent. “ Shall we start now ?” she asked, u This minute ?” Cecil glided to the window. The shepherds were still fast asleep. And, in spite of his resolves and incentives to keep awake, Jarvis had yielded to the combined effects of the whiskey and fatigue and was sound

asleep also. The girl returned to her companion, “ Come !” she said. “ This is our opportunity !” Gretchon picked up the bag, in ■which still remained a supply of food, and slung it over her ,shoulder. Cecil undid the rude and simple fastening, and softly opened the door. It creaked upon its hinges. Grotchen gave up all for lost. Cecil listened, then drew her companion forward, and they stopped across the threshold. Their movements had been so cautious and the ponies had been so quiet that the three men remained undisturbed. The fugitives, however, did not breathe freely until half a mile of distance had been placed between them and their enemies. Miss Ilosso then quickened her pony’s pace to a jog, and they pressed onward, still in silence. It was not till a backward glance over her shoulder assured old Grotchen that ■the hut was completely lost to view that she dared to trust her voice in.speech. Then she exclaimed : “ Thank the Lord for this second escape I We’re clear of ’em ! They’ve only tiie lame pony to follow us with—they can never overtake us !” “ Especially as they are not likely to wakep before daybreak," said Cecil, cheerfully, “ and by that time wc shall be several miles away. Mile after mile was traversed. They went out of the - valley through a wild, dark mountainpass, where the footing was precarious and the pathway scarcely six feet wide, Grotchen was heavy,' and her tired boast showed signs of excessive fatigue. Making a misstep, or slipping upon a round stone, they scarcely knew which^

this pony went suddenly sprawling towards the edge of the abyss. Grctchen, with a scream, sprang off just in time to save herself. The pony went crashing down into darkness and space. Cecil, with her led pony, was fortunately in advance. She stopped in amazement at the first indication of trouble, and slipped to the ground and ran to Gretchen’s side as the latter fell upon the ground, and the unfortunate steed disappeared. Grctchen, though seriously hurt, managed to ride on Cecil’s pony, and they kept on accordingly, hour after hour. Before morning they entered a long and beautiful valley, through’ which a broad stream of water x*an. The ponies, quite worn out, stumbled at nearly every step. Cecil deemed it best, in mercy to the boasts, to come to a halt, and the two women dismounted near the bank of the and turned the animals loose.

Grctchen sank down upon the cold, damp grass, groaning heavily, and soon fell asleep. The shadows that precede the morning were lying thickly over the landscape, and Cecil kept watch over her companion. After a while, Cecil, overcome with weariness, lay down upon the grass also and slept. It was high noon when she and Grctchen awakened and continued their journey. There were no more mountainpasses to thread, but the path was often steep and stony, and now and then they were obliged to ford a stream, no bridge presenting itself in their way. Late in. the evening they encamped for the night. They made beds of pine branches and slept upon them tranquilly under the cold light of the stars. They mounted again at daybieak and rode wearily onward, wondering if their journey would ever end. Late that afternoon they came upon a little Highland hamlet, a collection of shepherds’ huts, in a beautiful valley by a flowing river. There were several farms scattered about, all under more or less cultivation, and the houses with their thatched roofs, and with outlying stables, barns, and ricks, presented an appearance to the eyes of the fugitives at once wonderful and beautiful beyond description. “ Safe at last!” cried Cecil. “ Omen emics will not dare attack us here, even if they overtake us.” “ Wo have readied a'refuge just in time,” exclaimed Grctchen. “ I couldn’t travel five miles further to save my life. And you are tired out, Miss Cecil, although you don’t complain. You look ready to drop with fatigue.” Cecil did not reply. In truth, she had been sustained during this last day’s journey only by her high courage and her resolute will. Her stock of strength, not too great at the beginning of her flight, owing to the long captivity that had preceded, had been drawn upon until not a vestige of it remained. The near prospect of safety and shelter nearly overwhelmed her. She trembled in her saddle. Her heart beat feebly and irregularly. Her hands could scarcely cling to her steed. They stopped at the nearest farmhouse. The entire family, father, mother, two stalwart sons and two buxom daughters, with several dependents, hurried out, full of curiosity at the strange intrusion. Cecil slipped to the ground, advanced a step, tried to speak—and fell forward, fainting dead away. [to bb continued.J