CHAPTER XXXV. THE GOLDEN-HAIRED WOMAN.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 131, 5 December 1885, Page 3

CHAPTER XXXV. THE GOLDEN-HAIRED WOMAN.

Mormkring ahoarse utterance of his Maker 1 name, Robert Hood ga?pod inarticulately 11 What infernal power is this ?'' As the words left his lips the woman ii the same solemn, musical accents, ropeatec her warning. " Base villain, forbear. Tho end mus come !" she ciiod. With the ceas-ing of tho melodious: voice Robert Hood leaped in one second from foa: to fury. 11 By Heaven !" he shoutod, " we'll come to the end of this." He bounded to the door. It shut in his face. He toro it open and dashed into the corridor. As he disappeared in tho darkness a black-cloaked figure slipped from tho wall, against which it hud preyed, and into tht room. " For Heaven.-; sake, hush ! For Heaven's sake, sivo me !" cried tho intruder in wild, piteous tones. " I catne to save t/ou /" It was the same ravishing voice, and as the shroud ms: cloak and hood were flung a little buck, they exposed the same beautiful face and white robed form. Lilli*. who had followed Hoid to the door with a despairing shriek for the fate of the being she imagined about to fall into hi* hands, now uttered a cry of joy. Without another word she seized the woman's hand and ran with all speed to the next room. As they neared it the glittering hilt of the poniard caught the stranger's notice. She paused long enough to snatch it up. "Take it !" she panted, hurriedly " Heaven knows you may yet need it !" Lillis obeyed, thrusting it into her belt as she shut and fastened the door. The door secure, she breathed rapidly. " Watch till I come back Should he return before I, seek me there " She pointed to the dressing room, and the next moment disappeared. She ran to the secret egress " Should he," she thought, " seem likely to force an entrance, 1 must, loth as I am to do so, share thi3 knowledge with her." With silent, rapid movements, she made certain preparations for a possible retreat to the closet, and then flew back to her companion. The latter met her at the door. Pale and trembling, she faltered, hurriedly : " He is coming ! Hood's thunderous hand and threatening voice, calling upon Lillis, too truly verified her words. As the girl stood in a momentary hesitation, there was a sudden heavy fall close to the sill without. Lillis clasped her hands under a new horror. . "I stabbed him !" she gasped, looking at her companion with startling eyes. " Can I have killed him ?" She flew to the door. But before she could do more than touch the key, the stranger caught her away and hurried her to the dressing-room, breathing, in frightened tones : " For Heaven's sake, beware ! Ho is feigning ! I know him better than you !" Lillis gazed at the beautiful young face an instant, and then cried, abruptly : "You know him better than I ! Who are you ? Why are you so mysteriously at Langdon Abbey ?" Even by the faint firelight the flush of shame that reddened the strang r's brow was plainly visible. She covered her face with both hands. She groaned, in stifled accents barely audible: "lam the most unhappy woman on earth. I am— his wife .'" "His wife!" Lillis could scarcely utter those amazed, echoing words. The poor young creature forgot present dangers in a flood of anguished recollections. , . . "His wife!" she pursued moaningly, raising her head, and fastening the large black eyes, that contrasted so strangely vet so fascinatingly with her fair skin and hair, upon Lillis's face. "He married me secretly in Montreal, two year 3 ago, as Robert Exton, an Englishman, without rank or riches, and in search of lucrative employment. "I am a Canadian, and, at the time ot my hapless marriago, was companion to an aged lady, who died three days later. My husband immediately took me to Toronto. For two months I lived with him there in supremest blis3. At the end of three he had tired of me. He then took me to an insignificant village in the heart of the United States. The very evening of our arrival at the mean tavern it boasted he told me boldly that he had destrpyed all proofs of our marriage, and would never recognise me as his wife. "To insure the perfect secrecy of the interview, he had taken me out upon the river on which the village stood. In my frantic appeal 1 capsized the boat. He saved himself by swimming. I was hurled over the falls, and, in the late summer twilight,escaped notice. It was supDOsed that I lay dead in the deep pools afc the foot of the falls. Really, I buoyed myself by means of an oar, and some miles distant was rescued by a fisherman " Of the romantic story of my subsequent life I need not tell you, save that I came to England, and, by a strangly providential chance, discovered my husbands rank and the fact that he meditated some evil act at Langdon Abbey. I gained access to the Abbey. With skeleton keys in my pocket I could enter your room. I warned you by vO'Ce and hand. Day and night I watched over you, protecting you as far as possible, and only praying that my own life may end peacefully with the end of my B elf -imposed duty." Her rising voice startled Lulls to a recollec fcion of Hood's presence in the boudoir. She breathed hurriedly, laying a gentle, restraining finger upon the pale, quivering IP " Hush, hush ! He does not suspect you are here He must not " Those tender, cautioning words spoken, jßhe crept to the door and listened. Not a breath not a sound was heard. But as she stood thus, something white, showing under the edge of the door, led her to stoop down. . „ Ifc proved to be the corner of a handkerCb She drew it gently toward her. The next instant she shrank away and ran to the fire. Her fingers bad touched something wet and sticky.

They were red with blood ' " He is dyiug-maybe dead," she ejaculated, terrified, and with the words tore open the door. Her fears were, in a measure, confirmed. Hood lay insensible at her feet The ensanguined handkerchief, knotted roughly about his wounded shoulder, pressed cloee upon the sill, and hid face bore the impress of death. Lillis bent over him in mute horror, and then turned to where her trembling companion shrank out of sight behind the door. "il must call Rebecca Hough," she murmured, in awed tones. " Not till I go - till 1 am safe," whispered the other. "Wait a little, if possible, for your own sake " She came forward, and, with shuddering, loathing haste, stepped across Hood's body, and vanished in the dark corridor. For a moment Lillis's gaze followed her in a troubled curiosity. The next the horrors of her lonely vigil rusbed over her again. She looked down at the white face at her feet, and counted the minutes. Five went by. Then she suddenly paused in her task— suddenly raised her head, and looked off toward the door with clasped hands and flashing eyes. "Call Rebecca Hough !" she whispered. " Call her when I can escape !"