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

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 273, 24 November 1877, Page 4

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

[By Mrs. Harriet Lewis.] CHAPTER XLl Y.—contd. “ Hoot, wife,” said MacDougal, more cautious than Lis spouse. “ We’ll liearkeu to baith sides, like the righteous joodge. Are ye the mon Jairvis ?” he asked abruptly, turning to his visitor. “ I never heard the name before,” replied Jarvis. “ I am Doctor Graham. I sec you have seen them iTinaways. I knows their stories and tricks. The girl especially would deceive a saint. P’raps your good lady, Mr MacDougal, means to take up for them poor lunatics. I hopes you will weigh well what you do. If you detain a crazy jicrson—let alone two on ’em—from their lawful guardians and keepers, the law will punish you severely.” “ We hae nay intention of detaining loonatics fine their lawfu’ keepers and guardeens,” responded MacDougal, bcwildercd, and not knowing what to believe, yet desirous of being upon the side of the law. “ The lassie and the anlcl woman are in this hoosc at this vera minute—” “ Here ?” interrupted Jarvis, his eyes flashing. “ Hero,” repeated MacDougal. “ They tell ane story, yo tell anither. Who can decide between yo ?” “Yon can call a jury of your neighbors,” said Jarvis, eagerly. “ Let them decide.” “ Wo dinna doot ye mon !” he said, prudently. “If I hadna gi’ed my word I’d give the women up to ye, But surely yc can pravo what ye say. The vera friends of these wameu maun confairm your statements. Sae, when the friends coom —” Jarvis had been completely overcome by the possibilities thus hinted at. “ Do you mean,” he gasped, growing pale, “ that the girl Las written to London ?” “ Ay,” was the farmers response. “ It’s a’ the same. The auld woman wrote, and the letter went in the mail to-day. If their friends coom for them, Dochther, ye can settle ’t wi’ ■ them.” Jarvis looked blank at this suggestion. If Cecil or Gretcheu had written to London rnin certainly stared him in the face. The police were looking for him in the metropolis on account of some crime he had committed. If the prisoners escaped him, Pulford would refuse to pay him, the police would pursue and capture him, and instead of realising his airy dreams ho had lately cherished, he would bo sent to prison. Notwithstanding his dismay and terror, he maintained a calm exterior. He had some days before him. It would go hard with him if he did not outwit this obstinate Scot and his spirited wife, and carry out his nefarious project to its awful conclusion. “ I’ll kill the girl and the old woman, and so shut their months,” ho thought, rapidly.' “ And then I’ll go back to the coast, get the old woman and Maria, and take another; route to Lnnnon. Once there, I’ll get my reward, hush up that charge against me, and begin life again 1” He called all his cunning to his aid. “ Your proposition seems fair enough, Mr MacDougal,” he exclaimed. “It will be a week before any one can arrive hers from London, lam willing to wait to meet the friends of this young lady, Miss Eosse. They will swear to what I’ve said. They’ll tell you I’m an honest man, a doctor, and the keeper of a madhouse. They’d toll you that this young lady went mad for love, and that, while she seems all right in her mind, she’s as *" *. dangerous as a mad dog. The old H woman is more dangerous yet. I hope neither of ’em ’ll harm your kind fam’ly, Mr MacDougal. Yes, if Miss Rosse hadn’t sent for her friends, I should have ' on doing so !” * The farmer looked surprised. He leaned still more in his own mind toward the side of the pretended doctor. “ And now,” said Jarvis, cheerfully, “ while I wait here, what am I to do ? 1 left my asylum in such a hurry, being the two women had run away, that I f didn’t bring no great sum of money with m.. me. But I can pay for accommodations. VWill you keep me until Miss Eosse’s friends come and we can settle this here question ?” “ Ye can stay, mon,” said MacDougal. “If yo are honest and true, ye’ll find friends here. But if ye are fans. I warn ye to leave now. We Hielan’s men are rough toward scoundrels !” Jarvis protested his good faith and good character. “ Ye can stay,” said the Highlander. “Elspeth, lassie, lay anither dish. Sit down, mon, to the table !” Jarvis obeyed the injunction and took his place at the table. The family resumed their seats, and the meal progressed. It was nearly concluded when Greteheu entered the kitchen on some trivial errand. Her amazement and terror at sight of Jarvis caused her to heat a precipitate' retreat. Mrs MacDougal followed her up the stair and reiterated her promises of protection, and enjoined her to say nothing to Miss Eosse of Jarvis’s presence in the

house, since an alarm would retard her recovery. Gretclien promised but to attempt to maintain her secresy cost her a severe effort. That night Gretchcn barricaded the door of her room. Somewhere about midnight, she heard stealthy movements outside, and knew that her enemy was seeking admittance. Her sharp outcry, while it aroused no one else in the house, sent him skulking to his room, baffled and infuriated. The week passed slo ivly. Cecil grew better with every day, and sat up for hours together in her own room. Her recovery was very rapid, thanks to the elasticity of youth and a sound physical constitution. In a day or two more, she expected to be able to resume her journey. During these days Jarvis had watched for an opportunity to creep in upon the two women and silence their tongues for ever. But Gretchen contrived to keep ElspclhMacDougal nearly always in Cecil’s room, and he watched in vain. The time was drawing near when the appearance of Miss Rosse’s friend might be confidently expected at any moment. “ Ye’ll not hae to wait much longer, Dochther,” said MacDongal, one evening, just before the light dusk closed in upon the valley. “ Miss Rosso’s Lunnon friend should be here the morrow.” Jarvis arose and sauntered out of doors, “ To-morrow !” he repeated, darkly. “ Then I have only to-night. I must do my work to-night !” He walked along the country road, meditating, and revolving } lans in his own mind. Presently he paused. A horseman was coming at a swinging pace through the hamlet without stopping, apparently making for the hills beyond. Jarvis stepped aside. The horseman was about to pass on, but changed his mind and drew rein abruptly. “ Can you tell me, my man, if the roads through the mountain passes are in good condition, and safe for night travel!” he asked, in a high, imperative voice, Jarvis started in amaze, and came nearer, peering through the pale shadows at the horseman. “ By Heavens !” ho exclaimed, jubilantly. ,f It is Mr Pulford! Don’t you know mo, sir Jarvis—Jarvis, as you suppose is at Black Rock ? You’ve come in the very nick of time! The devil himself must have scut you !” f"TO EE CONTINUED.J