CHAPTER XXXIX.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 223, 8 October 1887, Page 8

CHAPTER XXXIX.

11UBY FALLS INTO A TRAP. Ruuy hurried her things into her trunk with all possible despatch, finding action her only safeguard, for she was ao excited by her recent interview that she must have broken down entirely if she had allowed herself to give way to her thoughts. In the midst of her packing she glanced fiom the window and saw Edmund Carpunter driving away in the btorm. A sense of safety cheered her as he disappeared from view, and he hoped that she should never meet him again. " Now is my time to get the will," she thought ; and leaving Mary to fold some i clothing, ahe sped downstairs to the library. But the door was still locked, and the i key missing. Buby was bitterly disappointed ; but she stole out upon the verandah, thinking perhaps she might got in at one of the windows. She hated to go away without that will, for the house might burn or a hundred things happen before she could return to ! secure it. But every blind was closed and securely fastened on the inside ; so she was obliged to give up and leturn to her work upstairs. "I will tell Mr Ruggles, the moment I see him, and he will know what to do about it," she said to herself, and after that, knowing she would not have to encounter Edmund Carpenter again, she became more composed, and began to feel quite happy at the prospect of going to Redville, in spite of the distance that would separate her from Walter. By the time, her trunks were ready lunch j was served, and she went down to the dining-room, more to while away the time than because she waa hungry. It was very lonely in that great house, with only the servants for company ; every noi?e startled her, and she began to grow nervous and depressed again, and to wonder how she should spend the time that would intervene before the carriage would come for her. She bittei'ly bemoaned Mrs Coxen's absence, for she had conceived a great liking ! for the good-hearted woman, and she could I not be reoonciled to going away without taking leave of her. She had thought it very strange at fir3t, that she should leave home on such a stormy day ; but she was sure now that it had been Edmund Carpenter's work, in order to prevent any communication to the housekeeper about the finding of tho will. Rhe tried to read after she had finished her lunch, but sho could not get interested in anything, and finally, throwing down her book, sho went to the piano and resolutely practised for an'hour. It was then half-past two, and at three a caniige came dashing up the drive-way and stopped before the door. It seemed as if it had never rained harder than at that moment. Both carriage and horses were dripping ; the driver was enveloped in a huge rubber coat, and his head was covered with a havelock, in which there was only a space for breathing and two holes for his eyes. Ruby ran to put on her wraps and waterproof, and was ready by the time her trunks had been, strapped upon the carriage. "The gentleman said I was to come for you and then take him up on the way back," the coachman said to Ruby, as he held the door open for her to enter the carriage. "All right," sho replied, and sprang quickly in ; the door was shut, and the next moment she was speeding toward the < city. The rain seemed to come down almost in sheets, so that it was almost impossible for Ruby to distinguish the names of the streets through which she passed. But at length the hack stopped before a plain house in a quiet street,' with which she was unfamiliar. The man sprang to the ground, ran up the granite stops, and rang a bell. A neatly dressed servant soon answered his call, and ho stood talking with her a moment), after which h6 entered the house. He was absent several minutes, and Ruby wondered what could detain him so long. Presently be came out again, and opening the carriage door, he said : "It's rather unfortunate, miss, but the gentleman has been suddenly taken sick, and don't care to come out in the rain. Hg'b sorry to disappoint you, but he says would you just stop up and see him for a minute ; then I am to drive you to some nico quiet hotel, or anywhere you choose, to stop for the night." Ruby's faco foil ; she was bitterly disappointed, for she had made up her mind that she would bo cosily settled in the hospitable tarm-houso at Redville before night, and now it was evident that she must wait at least- another day, or until the storm was over, if i\fr Rnggles was ill, Bufc of course she would go up to seeher kind friend ; then she would send her trunk to tho station, and go to spend the night with her friends, Floronco and Annie Partridge. 'oho alighted and passed into the house, the hackman shielding hor from \the rain with an umbrella.

A servant-girl met her in the hall with a, pleasant smile, flawing : ,j ," 'This way, it you please, miss," and led' her upstairs. The house was large, the halls and stairs - richly carpeted, and there was an air of quiet elegance 1 about everything that impressed Ruby. The girl led her up three flights, and she was nearly exhausted when she got to the top of the last one. " It's a long climb, miss," the maid said, in a tone of apology ; " but the gentleman wanted- a room at the top of the house , where he could get good air. " She opened a door as she spoke and ushered Ruby into a pretty parlour, with a bedroom opening out of it." But no sooner had she stepped over the threshold than tho door was quickly closed again, there was a eround as of the click of a key turning in tho look, and — Ruby Gordon was a prisoner. She realised this in an instant, and her heart gave one startled bound, and then sank like lead in her bosom, while a deadly whiteness spread over her face. She darted into the bedroom, with a faint hope that Bhe might iind her good friend there. But no ; it was empty ! There was another door, however, in the room. She sprang to it, bub of course that was looked also. She went to a window and looked out. But she only saw, far beneath, a small court, inclosed with high brick walls. Back into the parlour she ran, and looked out of a window there. Four stories beneath her lay the street — a very quiet street — and she did not recognise the locality, while tho houses on the opposite side looked gloomy and forbidding in the extreme, with their windows halfshuttered and their curtains drawn low. She tried to raise the window, but could not, for it had been securely nailed down. She knew, without being told, that Edmuml Carpenter had sprung this trap upon her. He had sont a carriage early, in order to , be before Mr Ruggles, and had brought her to this place to try to break her spirit aud muko her give up the will. She wondered now that «ho had not sus« pected something of the kind. She might have known, she thought, that, desperate, as he was, he would not havo left nor so peaceably at Forest vale except to adopt stronger measures for the accomplishment of his purpose. Doubtless he believed that she had the will concealed uponher person, and intended to keep her there, a prisoner, \mtil she would give it up, or pledge herself to secrecy regarding it. She could but acknowledge that the whole thing had been verycleverly planned, and she felt a good deal relieved, and at tho same timo a little triumphant, that she had not tho will with her after all. She believed it would be safe where Jt was, and she could thus defy Edmund Carpenter to the end. He would not find her a. very submissive prisoner, and she would at least havo the satisfaction of trying his patience to the utmost. Still her position was anything bufe, agreeable, and she sat down and ti ied to think calmly what she could do to ameliorate it. She knew that Mr Ruggles would be very much troubled by her mysterious disappearance. Still she reasoned that he would be likely to suspect Edmund Carpenter, and would leave no sfcono unturned to discover her whereabouts. Yet everything had been conducted ro skilfully she doubted if he would know where to look for her; she believed it would be difficult for even a detective to find her. Mr Ruggles had promised to send a carriage for her ; ono had come according to his word, and she had entei'ed and been driven away, while it was doubtful if, in the rain and confusion, any of the servants had noticed the number of it • she had not thought to look herself, while the driver could never be identified, for he had been so disguised by his waterproof and havelock. Perhaps, after all, it had not been a public carriage, but a private vehicle hired for the special purpose of decoying her. A feeling of dismay took possession of her as she realised that she might be kept there for weeks, perhaps months. Meantime Walter's trial would come off, and she alone knew of the plot that had been laid to ruin him ; she alone could save him from shame and imprisonment, for he would surely be convicted if JSstelle's diamonds were found upon his person, as his enemy had planned. Oh, if she had only told all to Mr Ruggles that morning ! She saw now that she ought to have done so — that her shrinking on account of Edmund Carpenter's presence had resulted in a (delay that might prove fatal to him whom she so dearly loved. Ife wis a very pale and distressed face that Ruby wore as she thought of all these things, chut away in that room on the fourth story of an unknown house. But she was a brave little body, notwithstanding, and would not allow herself to give way to useless weeping and repining. She, on the other hand, determined to put a bold face on the matter, and show her captor that she would not yield an iota to him, while ifc would go hard with her if she could nob set her woman's wit to devise some way out of her trouble. " I can sit at the window, day in and day out, and watch for some one whom I know ; then I will break a pane of glass and cry out for help. There must be some way to get out of this dreadful place," she , said, resolutely. Just at this moment she heard steps outside her door, then something heavysetdown in tho hall. The next instant the key was turned, the door opened, and Edmund Carpenter walked jnto the room. (To he Continued.)