CHAPTER XXII.

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

CHAPTER XXII.

[ THE, SECRET OF THE SPIRAL STAIRWAY. Hope, phoenix- like, rose from its own-ashes, j No sooner had Lillis recovered cons'ciousl ness, and lighted a fresh taper, than she refused to despair. [ Almost her first intelligent thought waB I of the footprint in the dust. In her fears and haste to ascend the stair- . way, it had, till this moment, been com3 pletely forgotten. It now occurred to her to examine the j dust on the stairs. She instantly set about the task, j But she soon discovered that, if any re- [ cent tread had preceded hers, she had obliterated every sign by her own reckless following. Not till she had gained the point at which ; she had turned was the question in her mind ; answered. 'i he answer lay on the next step above, in the form of the welcome imprint : —the man had not penetrated some unknown crypt below. He ascended the stairway and — never descended. Eagerly, but with attentive eye, she went 1 on. Tho stairs ended at last before a small oaken door. It was closed, and, to her great joy, the key was in the lock. On examination the apartment proved to be asmall closet, oak-lined from floor to ceil ing. No other outlet than that by which Bhe had entered was visible, and here the footprints were lost in a confused, meaningless blur. As she stood appalled, transfixed, as it were, her failing spirit was again suddenly buoyed. Just at her feet lay a pile of half- burnt matches She thought of that found in the crypt below. She stopped in the glad hope of finding similar directions, and tlvra all at once startled up with eager haste. The desired words were before her on the paneled wall. Obedient to the pressure of her hand, two panels slipped aside and gave admission to another and still smaller closet. Like the outer one it was oak-lined, and from the right-hand corner projected a little cupboard. This closet instantly riveted Lillis's attention. The double doors stood open, disclosing two shelves. On the lower shelf lay a white bundle She took it out in startled surprise. To her still greater surprise, the white fabric proved to be a fine Bilk handkerchief, which she instantly recognised as the old earl's by its embroidered monogram. It was wrapped roughly about something else. She loosened the folds', and found, as she expected, a paper package. The sealed side of the envelope was the first disclosed, and showed the earl's crest. She looked breathlessly for the super scription. " Solicitor Gibbs !" she cried aloud. The next instant she was struck dumb by a few pencilled words at the top of the envelope. They ran thus:' "Robert will be on your track. Look out ! Guard your life, and, as you would see a monstrous wrong righted, guard this ! He has discovered the truth revealed within, and will never suffer it to be made known if he can help it. •' Do not go back to the chapel. Pull out the cupboard, and you will find a safer way of egress. " November 18th, 18— Langdon." Tn the tumult of her mind Lillis forgot to rejoice over those last explicit directions. Every thought of self was lost in the stupendous thought of the discovery she had made. A veil had, as it were, fallen from her mental vision, The meaning of the supposed earl's labours in the ciypt, and his words there and in the library, was clear. " And it is for this he is searching !" she breathed. " And it is for this I have been so strangely led hither ! And, oh, Heaven! it was for thie— for the eternal security of the secret it contains— he murdered his poor old father I Yes, he murdered him ! These words, my own instincts and the proofs of that terrible hour, all witness against him The Good Father have mercy upon him ! He is guilty ! I can no longer doubt it." She leaned weakly against the wall. But, sick as her soul was, her mind was actively engaged. A solemn duty had devolved upon her. She must see it clearly and perform it unwaveringly. She had just reached a decision, when the candle, flaring low in the socket, warned her to hasten her departure. It was the last of the two she had brought, and only a few matohes remained. She went hurriedly to the door of the outer closet, locked it, and then as bur* riedly, yet carefully, erased the pencilling on the panels. That done, she tried to slip the latter back to their place. After a few anxious minutes, she succeeded. But meanwhile the candle had burned dangerously low. She realised the danger. Her escape from the closet must be speedy, or .there would be no escape at all ; she would certainly suffocate in its confined limits.

The. precious document safe in the belt: ing folds of her shawl, And the flaring candles out of the way on the floor, she seized the cupboard. To her great joy, it moved. To her greater horror, the candle wick turned over, and left her in darkness. With a headlong exertion of her whole strength, she gave the cupboard another jerk. The effort was successful. The result was astounding.