CHAPTER XVI.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XVI.

A FORSAKEN DORMITORY. Dinner had been brought to Morna and 3ier companion shortly after two o'clock, 011o 11 which occasion Nancy Downer had been accompanied as far as the ante-room by an Assistant ; but that assistant had not been •allowed to onter the principal chamber. The meal had been good -of the very finest quality, in fact ; and both girls had eaten heartily. Left to herself, poor Kclen would have fainted and failed, though more on her mistress's account than on her own ; •but when she saw how calm and self-eon-T tained her dear lady was, and how confident she felt in the ability of her friends to help her, she took heai t, and was able to make a comfortable meal. The afternoon passed, and the evening came ; and they iiad not been again disturbed. The night hid fallen, and for almost an hour they were left in the weird 'darkness of their prison chamber. As they sat, silently meditating, the sound or coach weels upon the pavement of the inner <t>ourt broke the air. It was a heavy vehicle, they knew by the rumble ; and they "were sure it had stopped at the main vestibule. Who could it be? They were sure no carriage of any kind had loft the Abbey since they had been brought to it. Of course, there were visitors from outside. The heart of our heroine bounded hopefully •with the thought that friends of her own anight have come. But where was Nancy ? Did s>hc mean to keep them in the dark, and without tea, all night ? The minutes went on ; half an hour bad passed since the sound of the wheels on the pavement had aroused them, when the rattling of the key was heaul ; it rattled, and thumped, and slipped about, strangely, the giik thought; but, at length, the door was thrown smartly open, as though by the kick of a heavy foot, and Nancy 'Came in, with tea-tray, and on u. a lighted lamp. Hoy, she lvul got along without an accident it was difficult to understand for Morna saw at a glance that she •was under the influence of liquor. However, she was not so badly off but "that she could navigate successfully ; and as for her perceptive faculties, they weie Iceener than ever. She ottered no excuse for her lateness, but set the tray dow n on the small table, then went out into the .ante-room and brought thence another lamp, and a salver on which were fiuil and cake ; and then, roughly and eouiscly, she informed their " leddyships "' that thc\ might " eat as soon as they pleased."' "Nancy," said our hcioine, as pleasantly •and kindly as possibly, " who came in the icoach that arrived half an hour ago ':" The woman winked horribly, and broke into a maudlin laugh. •* c Eh ! D'ye think it was some o' ye.x friends? Well p'.Vapb 'twas. But don't you fret yerself, my pretty leddy. They won't harm you — not while Cap'n Tom's at t "the helm. You can stake ycr life on that, ' Miss." Morna turned away in disgust, and shortly afterwards Nancy left the room. The persecuted girl did not enjoy this, aneal. She was too anxious about the coach, and those who must have come in it. j At length, how ever, her suspense ended in bitter, painful disappointment. She heard the coach 1 oil away — heard the last dull echo of its rumbling on the distant pavement, and no friend had made a sign. When Nancy came in to cany away the 4ray, the lady had no question to ask, and theonly words spoken were by the smugglerwife, who had the grace to ask if anything jnore was wanted. She was answered in the negative ; and then, before departing, she took a critical survey of the apartment. She went to the bed, pulled down the clothing, and ran her hand around inside : then got down on her knees and looked "under it. From this position she had a slight difficulty in arising ; but she gol up at length, and then went into the smaller bedroom, where she peered around as sho had done in the first chamber. She also went into the bath-room ; and as she came out from there, she looked up, with a stupid, drunken leer, winking and blinking furiously as she thickly muttered £ " Oho ! I'll see ye tight 'n' comf'r'ble ; an' I'll mind' at ye don't gi' us the slip. Yell find Nance ain't nobody's fool— [hie !) eh 1 D'ye mind that, leddy ?" And with that she started to stagger »way. Helen reminded her that she was forgetting her tray ; and with an oath that might have done credit to a smuggler's boatswain, she turned back and picked it up, and was ere long out of sight, iJhe mfght have forgotten the tea-things ; bufc she did not forget to lock the door after her. Helen, who had followed the woman as fiasr as the door, and had stood there while the key was being turned in the lock, was startled by the voice of Mr Crandal, who had met Nancy in the ante-room or at the outer entrance. Without noise she bent her ear to the keyhole, and heard the man ask if Miss Dale had eaten supper. She heard the woman answer yes. Something more was said, but the maid could not vaake it out, and presently afterwards the outer door was closed and locked, and the pair of them went away. ** He probably came to make sure that we were safe," said Morna, when Helen had Teported to her what she had heard. " But he not downhearted, dear girl," the mistress went on, with more of hope in her tone than she had manifested for a considerable lime. " I feel it in my heart that we shall be helped. It cannot be otherwise. Think of it, Helen. Think how many friends we have. Where our enemy has one friend whom we can ' trust, we can surely count a hundred. 0 ! among them all there must be help. I will not give up. " ■ She threw her arms around the neck of "her faithful attendant and drew her to her J bosom, and there held her while she of- ' fered a fervent prayer to Heaven. 'The minutes passed away, until at length Helen asked her mistress if she would not feel better to lie down and rest. Morna consulted (her watch, and found it ten o'clock. "Not yet, dear. Wait a little while. Bon't laugh j but I have slept since I have been sitting here, and I dreamed- 0 ! I dreamed that a bright angel, with garments white like light, came and bade me be of j good cheer, for my prison doors should be opened.— Ah ! Hark ! What is that? Somebody at the outer door. That isnot Nancy's step } . It is not the step of a man. Ah ! — A key had been placed in the lock of their ■own door, and it was turning in its socket. -A few seconds more, and the door was

slowly, carefully opened* -and— O ! blessed relief ! the form of a young girt glided noiselessly in, and Morna recognised the face of Estelle Dexter — one of her dearest, friends —a girl whoso mother she had, within the yearlast past, nursed and nourished from death into life. The girl cam's in with her finger on her lips, and not until she had closed the door behind her and turned' the key on the inside did she speak, and not even then until she had come to Morna's' side 4ind laid a hand upon her arm. ■ • ' • Dear lady ! — Morna ! — don't speak above- a brcat'h. Be strong ;bo bravo. 0 ! I know you can." " Yes, dear JKstelle, I can. be as brave a& the bravest. Tell me what lam to do, and you shall see how quickly I will do it. Darling, have you come to save us- Helen and mo ?" "1 have come to try, dear Morna. I* have plied that old woman with drink until she is in a dead stupor. So I got her keys, and hero I am. My brother Philip is outside Ho— Phil—promised George Latham that he would help if he could. He came to me, and we put our heads together. He got the ruin for me, and I gave it to Nancy Downer. She caught at it greedily But there is no itimc to waste. Captain Tom lias ridden off to Walling Cove to have the smugglers get their vessel ready, and you a iv to be carried off to France just as soon a.s he conies back, and he - Captain Tom— is to go with you." Morna caught the girl by the arm and looked into her face. She had hoard, but the words had become strangely confusod. She could not wholly understand. " Estcllo !— Carry me— to Franco ?—tonight ? What is it ? Why would they do this ? Are you bure ?" " Dear lady," said the girl. speaking very distinctly, "Philip overheard the whole plan. Ho onm'e into the great hall while your fricrfis were in tho draAving-room, wifh the master — " " Stop ! stop !" broke in Morna, a bright gleam of intelligence lighting up her face. " You said my friends ; who were they ?" " Doctor Lnybrook and Mr Morloy and the lawyer— Mr Blackmore ; and George L'ltham was with them. Ho came in tho conch with them, Philip said." "0 ! George ! George ! Bless his truo heart ! He had been to Wallingham, and brought them to help me ! And — 0 ! Estelle, do you know what they did ?" " Only this, lady: Philip heard the old doctor, just as they were going away, tell Mr Crandal that he would sot you free if he could. Of course Phil couldn't hear much. He made out that the master showed them | something that .surprised them, and caused them to go away without seeing you. Bub they -would have seen you, dear. Leastwise, Doctor Laybrook would, but the master wouldn't let 'him." " And when they weic gone— my friends, | I mean -Philip o\ei heard Mr Ciandal— say — what wafi it you said ?" " Captain Tom was to saddle a horse and ride su iftly to Walling Cove, and have the lugger made ready for going across the ( "aannel. Pfe said you must be got over to France before the light of another day. Captain Tom i« to go Avith you. 0, now, dear Morna, if you Avill make haste, and make no mistake, you shall give them the slip. Once you are with your friends, you will be safe. Don't stop at the Grange— not a moment, but aAvay tor the town, as swiftly as you can." The true-hearted, devoted girl stopped, literally out of breath. She had spoken rapidly, in a constrained voice, and under a condition of intense feeling ; but Morna understood. She kneAV could see- it all. Her friends had come, thinking to take her a\ ith them Avithout trouble ; and tho villain had shoAvn them the deed of, guardianship which he had shoAvn her. Of course, that would be sufficient to prevent their using force. She kneAV the 'temper and the spirit of the dear old doctor, She could Avell imagine lioav he had threatened the Avicked man with the power uf the Liav. And then, after that, fearing that something might be done to oblige him to give her up, he would spirit her away into Franco. "Once in France,, Avith Tom Crandal for a companion !—O,! — 0, I Avould rather die!" This last she spoke aloud ; and on the next instant she Avas making preparation for leaving the Abbey. Philip Dexter Avas at the little lear porch, the servants Avere all asleep, and the Avay Avas clear. Phil had the key of the postern, and George Latham Avas in Avaiting outside. All this Estelle told while the tAvo prisoners were donning their outer garments—all but their boots. Those they Avoro to carry in their hands until they should have reached the porch. All Avas ready, and Estelle had stepped to the door to unlock it, Avhen she Avas startled by a heavy footfall in the passage beyond the ante-room. She thought of the master instantly. What should be done? Evidently he was coming to see that all Avas safe. He had duplicate keys. Estelle might have failed in such a moment, but the supreme need gave to M»rna strength and courage. Bidding Helon to throAV off her hat, and run and get into bed, she sent Estelle under her OAVn bed ; then she extinguished one of the lamps, and pushed the other behind a box on the bureau Avhere it stood ; and in a moment more her hat was off and she was in bed, her head pressing her pillowAnd not one poor second to spare. Morna's head had not been on the pillow during that infinitesimal tick of time when the door of her room Avas opened, and she knew that some one looked in, and that a stronger light Avas present. She ventured to lift her lids— just a hair's breadth — and she saAV the dark faoeof Jonaß Crandal, and saAv that he held a lighted lantern into the apartment. She saw a smile of triumph curling about his cruel lips, and in a moment he was gone. He closed the door and locked it ; then the outer door was closed, and likeAvise locked ; and the heavy steps were heard until their dull echoes had died aAvay in the distance. And then Morna leaped from the bed, and sank into a chair and took breath. 0 ! what an escapo ! Suppose they had hurried, and had been met on their way out, or that the bold, bad man had missed them and folloAved ! "Don't let us think of it," Avhispered Estelle, Avho had crawled out from her hiding-place, with the door-key in her hand. "0, Avhat a blessing that I happened to take the keys out after mo. Dear Morna, dosen't it seem as though Heaven and the good angels were on our side ? We shall be safe noAv. " Poor Helen came forth from her place, weak and shivering ; but Avhen she found her dear mistress alive and Avell, she took heart,- and soon found her strength. Once more the adventurers Avere ready, and once more Estelle went forward to open the way, and to reconnoitre. Going carefully to the outer door, she listened for a time, and then looked forth. The way Avas clear. She had come provided with a small, dark lantern, which her brother had brought to her from the stable, and with the slide of this open jusfc sufficiently to enable them to pick their way without stumbling they set forth, taking care to lock the two doors after them. Their course Avas toAvards the rear wall of that old wing, and down a narrow flight of stone stepB, into a small rear hall below. A few yards* from, this landing was the head of another flight, leading down into