CHAPTER II.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 273, 24 April 1873, Page 7

CHAPTER 11.

In the dead of night a carriage rattled up to the door of the Red Lion, that gaunt old hostelry at Sittingbourne, which dates from the day of Agincourt. Though the hour was late the carriage was evidently expected, for a servant instantly appeared and placed himself at the carriage-door. On his opening it two persons descended. One was a lady, wrapped from head to foot in a loose velvet wrapper lined with leopard-skin throughout, so ample that it covered her head, and concealed her face. Her companion was a youth, in a travelling cloak, a mere youth, with a per-

fectly smooth oval face, and with clustering locks about his head. Not a word was spoken. As the lady passed in, the youth bowed to her in a manner that was deferential almost to servility. As she crossed the hall and began to ascend the great oak. staircase, he walked by her side, not as a companion, but an attendant. The staircase terminated in a broad corridor, also of oak ; the walls pannelled and black with age ; the floor polished, except where a narrow slip of carpet extended from end to end. Into this corridor all the doors of the apartments on that floor opened. The place was long and full of draughts ; and though wrapped in furs the lady shivered, and extending her hand so that it rested on the arm of the youth, she clutched at it spasmodically. In silence the servant led the way with candelabra that showed a glimmering light. In equal silence the guests followed half-way down the corridor. They passed the doors of many rooms, each furtively scanned by the hooded lady, with eyes scarcely less bright, furtive or ravenous than those of the beast in whose furs she was muffled. They seemed to have no end, these doors. Suddenly the sharp click of a latch sounded. A door they were nearing opened slowly and noiselessly a few inches. Then the face of a man peered forth cautiously. Black eyes glimmered in the dim light. The lady shuddered, uttered a suppressed cry, and drew the leopard. skin over her face. The next moment the apparition vanished, the face was withdrawn, and the door closed. Moving onward with difficulty, the terrified woman at length reached, with assistance, a suite of rooms which had been engaged for her at the end of the corridor. The moment lights had been placed on the table, and the servants had withdrawn, the attendant double-locked tho door. " That was he ; I knew his face. We are tracked here also!" cried the lady, starting to her feet. " Surely not, my lady," replied the youth ; " think how often you have been deceived ?" "True; but not to-night, Roland, not to-night." " And why not ? Pardon me if I am bold and presume to differ from your ladyship ; but surely, surely this cannot be."

Without answering, tho woman glanced at the table on which the lights were burning, and, startled at the sight of what there met her gazo, darted towards it. On a salver there had been placed a small packet, wrapped in white paper, tied with a scarlet cord. It was addressed — addressed to her who now snatched it from the salver, in the name in which the rooms in the hotel had been ordered for her ! What did this mean ? With .set teeth, quick, panting breath, she tore open the wrapper. Then a small enamelled box was disclosed : an oval box, azure in color, enriched with cupids aud flowers. It was easily opened. With a pressure of the thumb against the spring-snap, the lid flew open. As the woman gave one glance at the contents of the bonbonierre, for this it was, an involuntary cry escaped her lips. "Lost! lost!" she with difficulty ejaculated.

" You have proof of what you feared, my lady ?" the youth inquired. " Yes," she gasped, clutching the box and its contents to her bosom as if to hide it even from the eyes of her attendant. " Quick ! Let me go ! let me go !" " Not yet, my lady," Roland interposed ; " you cannot mean this " "And why not?" "You have come a hundred miles without any food." " Well ?" " The night is bitter cold, the snow falling—"

"What then? What is the night tome?"

As she spoke, the wrapper which had enveloped her slid to the ground. Then there stood revealed a figure of majestic bearing, tall and gradually imposing. The face also, hitherto partially hidden, was disclosed in all its strange. and wondrous beauty — a face on which it was impossible to gaze without admiration, and, equally so, without a shudder. It was the face of a statue, white and cold ; but lit up with great eyes like those of a beast of prey, cavernous, flaming, and inexpressibly restless.

Without further word, the strange being strode over the fallen leopardskin towards an inner room, dimly lit and partially visible through a halfopened door. Roland paused a moment ; then followed her.

• " What is her sin ? what is her misery ?" he half-muttered. " Why is her life a burden to her through this terrible dread ? — dread of what ? Never still, never safe ; frightened at a look, scared at a whisper ; for ever flying, hiding, suffering torture on torture. What has she done ? Great heavens what lias she done,"

Thinking rather than speaking to this effect, Roland entered the diningroom. There the lady was already busy in making a hasty toilet of a strange nature. At this Roland assisted, and without impropriety, for, in spite of name and masculine ' attire, the attendant was a woman — a purchased slave, bought by the fugitive and retained by her as a companion chiefly because of a similarity in height, frame and general expression, it was possible by the aid of dress for the one to pass for the other, so that in case of danger

a ready deception might be practised on watchful enemies, and a means of escape secured. The perfection of this arrangement was displayed on this occasion ; for when the lady presently emerged from the inner room, enveloped in the travelling cloak, it was impossible to recognize her. The arts of the toilet had enabled her to stimulate the slave's dead-olive complexion and crisped hair of sable blackness. Even the cringing, servile mariner was effectually assumed. "My pistol !" she said as she came forth." " Yes, my lady ; but—" "The pistol, the pistol!" was the impatient demand.

With a sigh the slave went to the inner room, and returning presented her mistress with a weapon of oriental manufacture, the handle enriched with gold and gems. Thrusting this beneath her cloak the woman approached the door. Her slave anticipated her wishes and unlocked it. There was a moment of weakness, indecision, terror it might be ; and then, with a groan of agony she went forth. Assuming what air of unconcern was possible to her, the fugitiye stole along the corridor, descended the staircase, and passed out into the bleak, desolate night.

The snow was falling, and freezing as it fell. Not a sound broke the stillness of the night, and even the woman's footsteps did not betray her. They fell noiselessly, and the fresh snow obliterated them as she went — flying, flying in terror from her invisible foes.