CHAPTER V. A VILLAINOUS WORK STRANGELY INTERRUPTED.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 335, 19 January 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER Y. A VILLAINOUS WORK STRANGELY INTERRUPTED.

Reynard Bevkrn sbeppedinfco the chamber, and noi&olossly closed the door behind him * then he turned to the watcher and spoke. It was in a whisper, but ib sounded more like the rumbling of far-off thunder than like an effort of a human voice- It was difficult for him to soften or lower his cone. ' Dufl % , where is the doctor ?' 'He was called to the White Stag. Donald's boy came up for him. There was a broken head, I believe, or something of that sort.' ' Yes, ye.«. By the road ! but the young chap fought .stoutly. Did you learn who he was ?' ' No. Was he one of your people's—' ' Hush ! I wasn't Lhere, but I heard of it. Ib was one of Rujpeit's \enfcures. But let that go for now. Old Kirklands been here ?' • IV-h-e-v) ! I should say he had !' ' I saw Lockhart, but had no opportunity for sneaking with him privately. The pair of them — he and his master — were going down the hill as I came up from the lake/ Bub you stuck to them"' You were hero ?' ' 1 saw and heard everything, master.' c Good !' A quick, earnest glance towards the bed, and he wont on : k You were here When the baron was brought in ?' 'Yes. 1 ' What did ho say ? ' Did he say who &bi uck him V It was not my hand, Duff. I swear it before Heaven, it was nob my hand. But I was not fur away. Did he &ay anything from which you could gather that he recognised ma V ' ]S~o, not a word. But this I avill say — theie seemed to be something on hit mind that he kept to himself. At all events, when you have heard what he has done, you can judge' Reynaid was upon the point of speaking in reply when the baron appeared to be eras ping and struggling for breath. The newcomer stooped quickly behind a tall, broad-backed chair, while the watcher hastened to the bed. Duff found the baron with both his hands pressed over the legion of the heart, his eyes storing wildly, while the last taint gasp seemed to be dying away on his bloodless lips. A few moments so, and then the light faded from bho stating eyes, the hands fell limp and powerless upon the clothing of tho bed, the lower jaw dropped with a faint sighing expiration, and on the next moment tho head sank forward until the chin rested upon the quiet bosom. Tho watcher stood for a few seconds, but there was no further movement Then, having removed a few of the pillows, he placed his hand under the cold, bent brow and gently raised the head, and laid ie back in place. A thoughtful man, and methodical, was Duff Mui'bagh. Before speaking to his sole living companion he found a napkin, with which ho bound the lower jaw up to close upon its mate, and then he spoke because ho was obliged to call for assistance. ' Sir Reynard, can you let me have two half-crowns ?' The man addressed, with an exclamation of astonishment, sprang up and hastened to tho bedside, Duff had brought, the lamp, and placed it so that its light fell upon the face of the dead. ' Duff ! is it true V Is lie really gone ?' ' You can sco for yourself, master.' 'I can scarcely believe ib. And only a few short hours ago he was so full of life ! Why would he put his hand to what did not concern him ? The Free Companions of Bon Alpine never troubled him,. Why could he not have let them be in peace — at least from his meddling ? But, if I mistake not, we have othor business to do.' Reynard, at this point, turned from the bedside, and from the dead face upon the pillows, and laid a hand on his companion's shoulder. He was all eagerness and excitement. 1 Duff ! what was the lawyer here for ? Was it to make a new will ?' 'Yes.'. • And it was mado ?' 'Yes.' 'Ha ! Is it in the old place — in the cabinet ?' • • Yes.' ' By the heavens above us ! we shall see. ' Look to the doors ! Be sure- wo are scpure. If anybody comes — no matter who— they cannot entor. Bub ivaib.. Let, them come first, and then we. can consider. Tho doors ! tho doors ! Quick I.And then tell to me tho story of the new will.' > Daff Mmtagh, through all his seeming attachment to the , kind-hearted, trusting

baron, had~been faithful only to tbe-chief of the Free Companions of Ben Alpine, Whose interests he served, and whose income,' to a certain extent, he shared. We may now judge, without danger of mistake, how ' the robbers had contrived to gain timely -notice of every attempt planned for ith'eir- overthrow — a thing that had pu'zzlefl. 'the'fLord of Ravendale exceedingly. Therjaithful henchman looked to the doors,' saw that all were locked, even the two communicating with the baron's dressing-room and his small library and work-room. Those were not the days of many books among the people; and the literary tomes in tho family's possession could have been stored in small compass. Then, when al l had been made secure, and Duff, at the other's request, had thrown a sheet over the dead face, he sat down and told the story of the 1 will — told' ifc from beginning to, end, omitting nothing. Fortunately the spy had Heard nob a word of Col. 'MacGregov's having been sent, or commissioned, to hunt down the robbers that infested that region. ' Are you sure,' asked Bevern, when the story had been fcold, * that the baron did not give his reason for thus setting me aside ? Think.' • , /'. c Ay,' replied Du/F, quickly. ''He did give a reason ;, and you may believe ifc surprised me. Ho had discovered that his nephew, Malcolm, was never guilfcy of a crime against him. ' . 'la! Is that it ? Was he sure ? . Did he knoio ?' ' Most certainly he did. And you, should have heard the lawyer and old Sawbones. Ho ! they wore as pleased as a hen over a new-laid egg. And I fancied Lady* Blanche — ' Reynard broke in upon him with a fierce oabh, adding : ' She will be my wife ; and Raven - dale will bo mine ! Let them not count their chickens before they are hatched ! Now, Duff, pub on your thinking cap, and answer me a question : Was there a woid from the baron's lips thai could lead those two old grey-beards to know, or suspect, that he had seen me where I ought not to have been ?' ' Not a single word, nor a syllable, nor a sign,' answered Duff, positively. 'He expected to see you again. It was for that, you remember, he, kept ,the old will.' 'Ay !' with intense bitterness, *to show me of what I had been robbed ! We'll see how the finely-spun ,plot succeeds ! Now my man for the old cabinet ! Thank fortune and my own good sense, I procured duplicate keys in season. Did the old laird fancy I could exist all these years without the ability to open that ancient ark ? Come ! Bring Ihe lamp. ' Duff went first and listened a few seconds at the door communicating with tho passage without, and while he was there the great clock in the hall below struck the half-hour — half-past two. It caused him to start, and his heart to throb ; but he quickly overcame the fright, and returned - to the assistance of his master. The single lamp cast but a weird light upon the scene, — a light which, while it revealed the outlines of the grim old cabinet, simply rendered the darkness visible in other parts of the groat chamber. Reynard bethought him, if anything should happen by which the ilarae of the iamp should be extinguished, they would, be left at the meicy of utter darkness ; arid that, too, without flint and steel for striking another light. He had brought with him, to light him on his way through the daivk and devious passes by which he had c/jme, a small dark lantern, the light of which "lie had put out before entering the chamber. This he produced, and re-lighted ; and set it away for use in case of need. - ' Now ! Now ! Light me to my work. The will that would make Malcolm Mae(Tregor Lord of RaA-endale shall never ccc the light of day ! It was conceived in darkness, and in darkness let it rest !' So spake the disinherited heir as he pioduced the keys from his scrip, and selected that which fitted tho lock of "the outer door of the cabinet. The keys had been made by a competent workman, who had had the originals for his guide ; so there was no difficulty in gaining entrance to the rest-ing-place of the instrument he sought. The outer door was opened ; then the inner ; and then the key was placed in the lock of the drawer, and that was opened. There was no danger —no possible risk, — yet the strong man trembled from head to loot. It was a bold, bad thing he was doing. All his life, since old enough to roam at will, he had been at heart, and in deed, the enemy of tho good old man who now lay dead in that same room ; and now. when death had stricken powerless the hand that had fed, and clothed, and cheii&hed. him, he was committing the most dastardly crime of all ! He did not regard it in exactly that light. He told himself that he was doing a brave, grand thing. NeA ertheless, there was a still, small voice within that whispered to him differently. It must have been so, else why that quivering, and those convulsive starts ? And even the helper— the traitor-spy, — he trembled so that more than once he was forced to set the lamp down on the ledge of the cabinet for fear of dropping it. It may have been the piesence ot the dead in that same room that weakened him ; but, be it what it might, he was craven at heart. *Ha ! 1 have it ! This is the thing itself. Hold the lamp while I open it. .Be careful, steady ! There ! That will do.' i . Then Roynard opened the parchment sheet and glanced over its written face. He could lead but little. As for writing-, he could write his name tvud .that was ail. Before he could be positive, however, he was obliged to compare the two instruj ments, which he did. By that he quickly saw that in the new will the name of Malcolm MacGregor appeared where his own appeared in the old. That was enough. He ro-folded the old will first, and considered what he should do with it. He was thinking hard;, when his companion, who was becoming exceedingly nervous, spoke : ' Put it back in^o the drawer, where it belongs. If you keep the other, that will be tli e only will. Don't you see? Finding no other, no man will dare to harm it. And you will be on hand to look to it. You will be master of the castle, and master of the situation. Ho ! It is as plain as daylight.' ' You are right, Duff. So here goes the old will — the true will — the last will and testament of Bertrand, Baron Ravendale — into its proper place, and there let them find it whon the time shall come for its reading.' Ho had dropped the will into the drawer and shut it in, 'and was in the act of turning the koy, when he felt a puff of cool air strike his face, and at the samo time the flame of the lamp flared and came near to going out. He turned to see whence tho current came, and at the same moment Duff, who had set his lamp down on the ledge again, also, turned. They looked in ,the direction of the hall 'door/ There was 'nothing there; but not far awaj% as though coming, in from a distant embrasure, they, saw a sight that froze fcho blood in thoir veins— a sifrht that filled them with a horror, like ( unto" death. It was a tall, whilo-rohed' figure— taller, ih appeared, than tho tallest "of nieh— white, and spectral, the face of one dead i

Duff remembered the story of fche baron, and he also remembered, the face of Lady Barbara. He had simply strength to gasp forth : * Ifc is fche spectre of Edgrr's Tower ! — the Baroness Barbara !' and he collapsed — sank down upon his knees, with hands clasped and uplifted. Reynard Bevern gazed like one fascinated. He stood, his knees knocking together and his teeth chattering, unable to remove his eyes frorii the awful presence. It advanced with slow and solemn step, seeming rather to glide forward without motion of the feet — advanced until the spectral eyes, like balls of living fire, glared into his own ; and then his pent-up emotion found vent in a deep, rending cry, or wail, of terror, and he staggered back— staggered like a drunken nmii^— until he brought up against the bed j and at that moment, when he realised thafc ifc was fche bed of death against which his quaking form was leaning, the lierht which had been left on the ledge of the* cabinet was extinguished, and the chamber was enveloped in a darkness like the darkness of the tomb. How long Bevern remained half standing 1 and half reclining against that ghostly bed he could nob tell. The first effort of returning sense was called forth by a wail from his companion in calamity. * Master! Master! For the love of Heaven, speak to me ! Are you here ?' Reynard started as the agonised cry fell upon his ear, and his first thought was of his own position. Where was he ? Ho put forth a hand to feel his way, and — 0 ! horror !— it rested upon the cold, clammy face of the dead. In falling against the tail he had dragged fche sheet from its place. With a muttered curse at the luck that had bi ought him in contact with the horrible thing, he took a shivering step away from ifc, and as soon as he could command his speech he asked : ' Duff ! where are you ?' ' Hero ! here !' came back in faint, quivering accents. *Oh ! master, has it gone ?' For the time, in the shock of the lesser horror, Reynmcl had almost forgotten the spectre. As ifc was thus called to his attention he gave a quick, shuddering sfcatfc and sought to peer into the surrounding darkness. ' Pshaw !' he exclaimed when his reason had come to his aid, ' of course ifc has gone. Can't you see for yourself? Where are you?' Instead of answering the question and attempting to give an idea of his locality , Duff wailed forth in terror tones : ' Master ! good master ! let us get. away from here ! I don't svant to stay here any longer. You cannot tell what may happen !' The henchman's cowardice made the master strong. ' Bah !' he sneered, uuder his breath, but savagely, ' what are you afraid of? Don't you see that we are alone ? Bless you ! ghosts carry their own light with them, in their bodies, no matter how dark it may be.' * But, master, we didn't see this one — the Spirit of the Tower — after the lamp went out. ' ' Because she went out, too, you fool ! Pshaw ! put away your fear. Let us find my lantern. I set ib down close against the end of the cabinet;. See if you cannot feel it.' Duff had sunk upon his knees very near to the old reliquary, and as luck would have ifc he had made bufc one or two false movements before he laid his hand upon the lantern, and after a time he managed to push back the slide, when the utter darkness was broken and fche twain could look upon one another. Duff sat by the cabinet, while his master stood about midway between the cabinet and fche bed. For the space of perhaps ten seconds they gazed each upon fche other. Then, moved by fche same impulse, they turned their gaze infco fche surrounding gloom, Duff sweeping the apartment with fche feeble light of fche lantern. Presently Reynard shook himself, as a man does who seeks to throw off a cumbersome burden, and then advanced and took the lantern from his companion's hand. His first movements thereafter were not like those of a bold, determined man. He stepped slowly and cautiously, peering into every nook and corner as he went, as a man does who would guard against a lurking foe. Afc length, however, when he had found everything qu,iet, and nobbing had appeared to disturb him, he moved on more freely. He had tried the doors and found them fast. He had looked infco every place where a body could possibly hide, saving only the space behind and under the bed', and he had turned in that direction ; had gained half the distance between the hall door and fche%couch, when lie stopped with a gasp and a catching of the breath, as though something had startled him. A single instant he stood, and then, with a quick cry of alarm, he sprang towards fche cabinet. 'Heavens and earth! the will! Duff, wheie is ifc?' The servant, who had been standing in the self-same spot where he had knelt, and afterwards safe, exhibited something of leturning sense and spirit upon being thus hailed. He started to the front ledge of fche old case and looked it over Reynard had come to his side, and they both looked. They looked over the sloping ledge — fche leaf covering thafc part of the bottom of the cabinet that extended out in front beyond the upper part — looked at every part of ib, bufc there was nothing there, save the lamp, the flame of which had been extinguished, by the current of air thafc had come in with j the spectre. Reynard's next movement was to relight the lamp ; and by fche extra light thus afforded, they extended the search ; fchey searched high and low, near and far, bufc without avail. As a last resort, the cabineb ■was opened, the inner door thrown back, and the drawer puller" out. There lay the old •will, but not the new. Ifc was gone ! Reynard Bevern looked infco fche face of his slave, as though to search for the trace of ifc there. 'Duff! Where is it?' ' Gone ! The ghost carried ib away !' Reynard could not dispute ifc. He gave one more look around upon the floor, on the matting and under it, and finally gave ifc up. They talked fche matter over between them, and in the end ib was agreed thafc they must wait. Perhaps the will would never be seen again. The spectre might, after all, be merciful enough to destroy ifc, or, what would answer the same end, for ever conceal it. The clock in the hall below Btruck fche half -hour after three. ' Duff ! I must away ; and no living soul, save yourself, must know that I have been here. Only my own people caw me enter, and none others will see me depart. 1 Enusfc make mv appearance on~ the morrow as though I had just arrived. Will you be true ?' Ay, Duff would be true, and he strongly objected to his master's going, and leaving him in that ghostly place alone. ' Fool !' returned the chief, contemptuously. * You need not remain here two minutes after lam gone. As soon aa you know I am safely beyond fche eastern tower, you will arouse the casfcle. Tell what story of fche dying you please. With regard to that cabinet, and what is in it,

or ouo of ib, you know nobbing ! Do you understand ?' The man undorsbood, nnd promised obedience ; and shortly thereafter Reynard Bevern took up his lantern and lei'l the chamber.