CHAPTER XIX. A FRUITLESS WATCH.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 127, 7 November 1885, Page 3

CHAPTER XIX. A FRUITLESS WATCH.

Thb figure on which Robert Hood's eye ha< fallen in the corridor wascrouching close t< Lillis's door, and apparently engaged ii seeking the keyhole. At his noisy bound and fierce address, i hastily rose, and hastily turned, Rebecca Hough confronted him. For a moment, in his utter surprise, h< gazed at her, speechless. Then, recovering his voice, and losing his temper again, he said, harshly, in quiringly : 11 l.aent you to bed. How is this ?" Rebecca raised her hand in swift warning, Her black eyes, eo mysterious in theii brilliant, sombre depths, "gleamed malignly. In hushed but discordant accents she answered : "I beg your pardon, my lord. I dis *6b.eyed to serve. My place is here till "morning — till the breakfast hour. ' If a foot ■crosses that sill," pointing to Lillis's bdurdoir, "I shall know it." ' l - H.qod's countenance changed, "You are right, 'as well as keen and faithful !" he exclaimed, softly, in pleased tones, •' The quiet way is the better way. I leave you. Watch well, for you will be paid well." He turned on his heel and went off with Tony. The latter had been silent, but by no means unobservant. ' As they reached the gallery, he said, quietly : " That woman seems a strange sort of a person, and, also, it appears to me, strangely in your confidence about Lillis Melross. One might imagino, indeed, from certain words that have passed between you, that Miss Melross is under watch and ward. What does it mean, Bob? What new devilry are you up to ?" He stopped and raised his candle so as to throw the full light of the flame upon Hood's face. It was a face livid with rage. He looked at it, and seeing the answer would be a burst of abuse, shrugged his shoulders and wheeled off to his room. As he shut himself in, he saw Hood vindictively shaking the keys at him. That act changed the current of his thoughts a little. "It is now clearly impossible to aid her," he muttered, as he locked the door and disposed of the candle. " I shall have to leave you to your fate, Miss Lillis. Even if I could possess myself of the keys, the woman is a dragon not to be overcome. Hang it all ! why did I speak so rashly ? Why didn't I keep my knowledge to myself ? Well, she's plucky — as plucky as charming, by Jove !" Robert Hood went to bed with the keys safe between the bolsterand pillow, but only to have the secret terrors of his waking thoughts renewed in his dreams. ' The voice threatened him, and the yellowhaired, woman rose before him ominously, accusing in aspect. She put out her hand. . The horror of its approaching touch woke him. Great beads thick upon his forehead, he opened his eyes. He wildly stretched them to their fullest extent. Was it a phantasm of hia brain, or did the faint light of the breaking day stealing through the drawn window -curtains show him a woman's form ? An icy finger touching his brow answered the question. The flute-like voice that had spoken in the crypt answered it also. It uttered one warning word. It said, sternly, meaningly : " Robert !" " With that word the faintly-outlined form disappeared. " Uut in vain Hood strove to call or move. His tongue was like lead ; his limbs were nerveless. For the time a great horror mastered him. It was only a short time. Presently he crawled from the bed, and, with shaking hands, wrapped himself in his dressing-gown and went out to the gallery. The clearer light and sweeter air revived him. Between the looped curtains a pale glow showed cheerily along the eastern horizon, and within natural objects were fast taking their natural shapes. He breathed more freely, looked around more boldly. "But for the voice and touch," he muttered, " I'd swear it a chimera of my own harassed brain. As it is - " A gentle sound caught his earand checked his words. It came from the direction of Lillis's corridor. With a shuddering start, he looked, and then all at once forgot his fears in a sudden recollection of the girl and Rebecca Hough's vigil. How had the vigil ended 1 JBe ran swiftly to the corridor. As he entered, Rebecca glanced over her shoulder, and recognising him, hastily closed the great mullioned window, which she had just opened, and went to meet him. The night watch had told upon her. It was apparent even in the grey gloom. Her cheeks were hollow, and her eyes shone larger, brighter, and more mysterious than ever. Answering Hood's eager, stifled question, she said, quickly : "Nothing's happened, my lord." "Nothing?" Rebecca shook her head. "Your lordship," Bhe went on, '* found me here last night peeping through the keyhole. The night long I've been either peeping or listening. I've seen nothing, I've heard nothing. Ail's been as silent as death- not a sound of her. She must be in the chapel, my lord. I didn't really believe it. I thought if she'd been there, as the gentleman was sure—" " And I wasn't sure," muttered Hood to himself."She must a slipped past him," concluded Rebeeca. *' Slipped past him! Only by a miracle. That is impossible. It is my belief that she's in her bed, and has been all night. But I'll go the chapel. Stay here till I come back. By this way," turning about again, "I suppoee it wouldn't do to knock ?" "It wouldn't indeed, my lord. Miss Melroes won't be disturbed, even for the fires. The dressing-room one's left so she cam throw on cones. Knocking'd be all right if she ain't here ; but if she is—" 11 1 eeo 1 And— ehe is here !"

Bracing himself with those emphatic and seli-assuring words, he hurried off. , Rebecca limped back to the boudoir door. For a minute she stood looking at it with keen, steady, eyes. Preeently she whispered in slow, intense tones : " She's here, eh ? And the key—where's that ? Wouldn't she have put it in tbelock ? She would. That settles it. She ain't here my lord. But — where is she 1" It was broad day when Hood returned to the corridor. He had dressed very hastily before going to the chapel, and, between his disordered attire and disordered mind, looked haggard and old beyond his years. " Of course she wasn't there," he said, announcing his failure to Rebecca with forced cheerfulness. " And, of course, she isn't up yet?" " Not a sound to be heard, my lord. But begging your lordship's pardon, Ioughter be seeing after Lady Melross's fires." "True. Go. I will watch till you return. Not," he muttered to himself, as the woman disappeared, " that it is really necessary—for she is certainly in her room—but I must know beyond possible doubt that she is not lurking among the corridors ; that she has not played the spy upon me. By Heaven ! what a maddening mystery it all is ! And how am 1 to solve it? How is it I hear her voice, and feel her touch, and see her shadowy fonn ? Am I going mad ? But Rebecca Heueh saw and heard. hor, too ! No, it is not madness; What, then ? What) then ?" Ho shuddered, but found noanswer to the hushed, faltering question. Lady Melross was never known to be behind time in the breakfast room. On this particular morning she chose to be five minutes ahead. As she entered Robert and Tony Folger were seen standing on the hearth rug. Tonv was exclaiming, sharply : "I, tell you it was Miss Melross ! I tell you she s not in her room !" "Eh?" cried Lady Melross, too much startled by the tone to offer a more ceremonious greeting'. " Are you speaking of Lillis, Mr Folger?" The young men turned round, equally startled. With his customary quickness, Tony replied. He smiled easily, triumphantly. " Ah ! good morning, Lady Melross. You are here just at the right moment. Yes, I was speaking of Miss Melro3a. And I leave it to you to annihilate the earl. Is not Miss Melross an early riser, and did I not see her taking au early walk through the grounds this morning ?" "Indeed ! No ! I hope not. And it is raining again, I aee. And Lillis so poorly !" ejaculated Lady Melross, not very lucidly. She ended the reply with a quick movement and a vigorous pull at the bell. " Are you going to send to her room ?" asked Hood, turning a shade paler. "lam; though—" The sudden opening of the door cut the sentence short. All eyes turned upon the figure that had appeared. For an instant there was a dead, expectant pause. The next a high voice broko upon it quickly, startlingly.