CHAPTER VII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 337, 26 January 1889, Page 4

CHAPTER VII.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Reynard Bkverx was clad in full High aud costume ; but the plaid was of finest quality, aud new. He wore on his bead hi? broad-topped tartan bonnet, with the eagle's feather over the lefb ear, appearing to feel that, as master of the castle, and ord of the manor, he uncovered to no one. 'Blanche," he said, speaking with a perceptible effort, ' this is bad. When did it happen ? They told me, at the gate, as I camec amc in, that my uncle was dead ; but they o-a\e me no particulars. Sweet cousin, tell me about it. How was it ? What was the matter with him? He was never better than he was on the day when last I saw him. 1 For the life of her the gentle, truehearted daughter— orphaned now— could not resist the impulse to shrink away from the man who had come to her side, the man who had wickedly and cruelly traduced her dearest friend ; and y ho, she believed, had been concerned in the death of her father. He s<w ib. and his brow grew black as night ; but he did not speak of it. , •Come, come. BlancheJ iou can tell me something of this ! How ll id it happen ?" She looked up into his dark, lowering face, audtelther heart sink. 0 ! what a fate for her to be consigned to this man's care and keeping for life ! At that moment she was fully' persuaded that he had been guilty of hei father's assassination. Hi" own hand had not, perhaps, struck the blow— of that crime the baron himself had exonerated him. But he had been with him who did it, and had probably been the guiding spirit of the whole w ork. ' Reynard,' she said, when she could command her speech, ' I can only tell you that my father was ' brought in last evening wounded unto death ; and during the night he died.' The man had started to ask a further question, evidently in the same direction : but he restrained himself, and his mood changed. Assuming a look of profound regret, he said : ,' I wish I had been here. It is cmious it should have happened v.hilel was absent. But regrets cannot now avail. Of course, all was~don© that could be done. I know that you, sweet cousin, would not fail in attention to that.' Then he turned, and took a step nearer to the bier on Avhich the body la}', and looked down upon the still, white face. His lips moved ; but no words were spoken. Once he made a motion as though he would have laid his hand on the cold brow ; but. with a, perceptible shudder, he drew it away, and stepped back. At- that juncture the old lawyer and his clerk entered the apartment. The body had not yeb been removed fiom the chamber wherein the spirit had left it. Kirkland hid been on the watch, and knew when Bevern arrived. ' Ah,' he said, advancing with easy grace, and putting forth his hand, ' I tun glad to see you back, Reynard. In yom presence I will place my teal on the receptacles where the late baron's valuables were deposited. Ar, his tiu^ted attorney, that becomes my dut} 7 , I believe." * Reynard took the extended hand£but for the life of him he could not keep back the, expression o? rnali^r ant hate that rankled in his bosom. His voice was very clear, however, as he replied to the other s suggestion : ' Certainly, >ir, it is your place to seal un the things of which you .speak, and the sooner it is done the better. It is a wonder you had not done it before.' ' I have been waiting for you, sir. We will delay no longer.' Since eaily morning the old law} er had had one or two trusty servants on the watch to see that the cabinet was not disturbed. He had come armed and equipped for the woi'k, and with a lighted taper and wax and bioad bands ot tape he very soon had seals affixed, using his own stamp for the impression ; and when it was done he breathed more freely. He considered the new will now safe. No human skill could break through the three seals that covered it without leaving a betraying tiace behind. The baron had been stricken on Friday evening, and haa died at some time before the dawn ot Satuiday. Blanche had felt that the funeral ought not to take place before Monday, and Reynard, when consulted, agreed with her. ' Reynard,' she said to him on that Saturday evening, after the question of the iuneral had been settled— they stood in what might be called a drawing-room, on the lower floor of the main keep — ' Reynaid, on his death-bed, when he knew he was dying, papa expressed a wish to see Malcolm MacGregor, his sister's son, and he bade me, if I could find him before he died, to bring him to his bedside.' She paused Heie to gam breath and strength, for the heart was beating haid and last, and she thought perhaps her companion would ofter some remark ; but he did nothing of the kind. He had listened in grim silence, aud in grim silence he waited jor her to go on. ' Reynard,' at the end of half a minute, ' following what I know was the wish of my father, I have despatched a messenger to bring my cousin to the funeial, if it can be done. I tell you of this, so that you may know, should you see him, that he comes by invitation.' A sneer was upon the chieftain's lips, and he evidently started to give it utterance, but he held it back. 'Well,' he said, with a strong effort at self-control, 'if the baron forgave him, I don't know why I should hold out against him. Let him come. He can feurely do no harm. Do you know,' he went on, hib mood changing widely, * I once really liked the lad. I should like to see what he has grown to be like. Quite a gay and gallant beau, I'll warrant. Let him come, sweet cousin ; let him come. There i& no danger of his running away with — yourself, eh ?' He' looked sharply into her eyes a? he thus spoke ; but, for a wonder, her disgust and abhorrence were so deep arid powerful, that no other emotion could manifest itself above them. In fact, her very effort to keep back from her face the feeling that moved her, prevented the fling from startling her. Bufc be was noo deceived. He knew very well that Blanche loved her young cousin ; and since he had seen the new will he had no doubt that the baron's last plan had*, been that Malcolm should take' hi«! place as the girl's .husband. ' It will be remembered that

ha had not read the new instrument, it being in a measure boyond his ability, but he I could nob fail to guess its ,intenb and purport. As soon as he had left the lady he sought Duff Murtagh, and having found him, he drew him aside beyond bho hearing of other?. 1 Duft ! Where is that new will? I have been into that chamber again ; it is not there. What could have become of it? If j you know — if you can guess — if you have thought about it in any way — in Heaven's name, speak !' Duff saw how he suffered, how the thing bore and wore upon him, and he gave him what consolation he could. ' Ab I live, master, I don't believe you or anybody else will ever see it again. Whatever it was that we saw carried it away. That we know. Let it rest, but keep your eyes optn. If it don't appear before Monday evening, old Kirkland will be forced to read the other one ; and it will bo, really and truly, the Last Will and Testament of the ok! lord that is dead and gone. Then you'll be master, and can lay your plans to suit yourself.' Reynard Bevern bent his head and thought. And he prayed — he prayed that Monday might come, and pass away, leaving the new will buried from mortal sight.