Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 7, Number 25, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 16 December 1876 — Page 6

THE MAIL

A. PAPER

PEOPLE^

FOR THE

W1DIUM ttRhFt** LAST WOBDHf Roln' 10die!" .» ibe Wldder Green, gu.u* to quit tills sirthly sotne flain't to place for me to stay In Mich a orlil 'U* to-day Such *r©rki«aud w»j

Slv too much for me.

Sbbody cant let nobody bo Hhe tftrlH t» tlounoed irom top to toe. n» ihutfe tti«* hull o" what tfcey Know. i« menU mad on bonds and stocks^—mam •jr.-arln' and shoot In', an* plckln locks. Ira r.-al afraid I'll bo ba»g*d myself 1 aiu'i latil on my final sbelfc i. re ain't a cretur but knows to-day aercr was a Innallc In any way iL MIBCOcrasy lollui All fto i»66, ""idT^rald they'll hang np me. aer-'sano hwr matter that» pesky hard,•ntgO into a neighbor's yard »»ny b* yonT" or borry a pin

It what the paper'll have it Jn. •, to say tt»« g.recn uk dinners Tuesday with Mrs. Keene, •Our

worthy

Cnd as

friend MlwOrwn has gone

Jwn to Barkhamsted to we her son. freat Jfru.^ahnn! can't Is|lr UUout a-ralfttn*mme fellers furT i*re ain't no privao.4 --ao tosay— |o more than ir this WM the Judgment

Dav.'

for

meetln',—I want to swear

CThf

never 1 put

head

Sort's

In there,—

sT« vfn okI Hundred'* splleo and

tike

everything

rmitaandt^eoompiss.met

done,

else

undrr

the

sun.

used to be so solemn and slow,— Krai*- to tue Lord from men below Itnw It eoes like a gatlopln'steer, Blah diddle diddle, there and here! fo r»«Tf»cr l"0 shore tfb more'n ef he was hand and glove

Sill-Mil N 11' '«•.

Bd all thejlgs that ever was pla, ed. •eaehln' too—but hare I'm dumb, at tell you wliatl I'd like It some, good ow r"arson N®thsn Htrong o' MN *rav- woo'il come elong, An' give us a stlrrln' taste o' Ore. UdKinentand Justice la ray desire. TEuut all love nn'sloklph sweet •thai makes this world nor t'other complete But law. I'm old. I'd better be oead. When the world'*a cumin* over my hennf

f» (3

talkln'like tarnal fowl*.

bles klektrd out o'doestrlct schools, Crazy orei inta tnunlerio' round,

Sonestno

folk* better be under ground. fare ye-weUI thisalrtliy t-cene Won't mori- bo pestered by \Vl,a,api vtrton."

The Dead Sccret.

it |BY WIMC1R OOLLtNS.

iThlifnten^ely ini«.*p«"ialvhicom nc»'' In The Mall of kf -inber 2A—\ ol v,, i:i Hack numbers of the papt«r eai procured atthe office, ftt thenew^ stands or. hcv will be sent by mill on 11lie rceelp live cents for ene* ""iv desired^

CFIAPTfcJK XX.

BTANPINO ON THE BIUNK. F-.

Thn first niirht at' Portlmf nna passed without the H!iKhte.«»t nolae or i^ "i Hon of any kind. No phost. or dream «ra«ho8t, disturbed the ROIM Hnes* Itossmond's Hlumbers. She woke in ber •«ui»l -plriw and her tisual liealth, an« out In the west garden before break Sat. '•e akv was cloudy and the win' wered about capriciously to all the

of In tlie nmrse walk. H^samnnd with the Rard •nar a-»ked bim «hat he though «lout thn wither. The maD rejplier «,Ht It tni*ht rain a«ain before hoon, lot that, unless he was very much mis faken.it wi»a g'^lng to turn to beativ urn« of the next four and twenty ttttiim. ivdid vou ever hear of a room on fee north s!do of our old house oalled t.1^ VI tie »om?" Inquired Hathuiui She had resolved, on rialn« tl at morn fcur not to louo a ohanco of making thi

E»rlM»od

HIM port ant discovery fr want OR OHK auctions of every body Jn the neisth }J*»»d she beg^n with the kafd tner accordingly.

I lie v9i* heard tell of It, ma'am said the m*n. But It's a Hk«ly name enoug Cn^dering how the myrtles do grow i* Rieae part*."

Are there any myrtles growing 0e north aide ol the house?" aske Umamond, struok with the M»a of traftitc the mysterious room by searchim f»r It outride the billdlng Instead ol ih«lde. "I moatl close to the wal'V' addel, seeing the man look puzzled, under the windows, you know?" I' »I never see any thing nnder the win down, my time* but weeds and rub-

W*h," replied the gardener. Just th the break fast bell rang, -rt K'««mnttd rrturned to U»e housft. neter-

{lining

to explore the north garden, and she lotmd any r«Uo of a t»ed or myrtlef to mark the window above it, and to I fc»v4 the room which that window lightoputted Immediately. She oonfided

Ciis n»nt scnema to her husband. He

emp'.lm,nt*d

heron her ingenuity, but

einfe***d that tie had n- great hopeot Wiy illacoveriwi being «naue«ut of doors ffif atter what tbe gardener bad said about tte and rubbish.

A soon as breakfi»*t WHS over R»s»

•Ml CNoiidranfr the bail toovder the tfanien mi tube in aU*nd*noe, aod to say t^' fiie keys of the myrih rooms would in want«d. The atmrtttona was an«\%« rcd kv Mr Fyanklaod'awrvant.whQ brought «p with bi»n the wbming^ n«pplie»».t {•tu*r-» which the postman hadju»td«* fynn* tvoHii. Ibiaainonii irtied tficm over i»i»icHi on oqa wilh.an e* T^ «(niiaHotiof delight, and said to herhtM li fr»ad—4The l/»ng IV»ekley pnntmark I |T,»WH from the vloar, at htft L"

Sw Apeu«d Ux\ leUt-r and ran her eye then atidtiMily Oropp^d it in her mh*t hp With her faoeaM In aglow "Iiannyr* #*e •laimwl, "Iherels news bero that "3T~~^ po^tUelyemnmh to turn one'* bead. decU the vi«r'a l«U«r has quite tak away my t»re*th lH r» it/'eald Mr. Frankland,

Mprmy

«. nnl it at tmP® wonrn^ndaomplied with the request Hi a v« ry f(»l»Hng, tm*te«dv voice. D^c« £»r Cltooticry gau his iettor bv an•otincing thAt hi* app»n«tion to Androw

Trevert*n h«4 remained unanswered kiit be ».1«HI that it had, neverthe mm, produced reauiia which no one could ZtxMlbly have anticipated. For inftirnSon on the sobjeot of those result*, bo «Vi 1 wfrrred Mr. and Mr* Frankland U» a ^«ipy of a communication worked private, which be ban received #o«t bis man of huainm* in London.

I, eomwunkwrtian aonUined a detdl*1 report of an interview which bad "token place between Mr. Treverton'a «rvant and the RMMenger who had 2)1,4 ft»r an answer to Wtnr •erv's iett«*r. It describe 1 thf circum

Jm. (a* roolly related by Siurowl

rai Qntjer wnioh the oupy of tb« .} aian of the nort^rowm had^be^made.

IHOI uiC mf tw iw— id It t^oopyUfa readinesa with the fhr thepmrfdefatfw of a flve-pound not# In |«ost«ortpt tt w« h*d iMn tbe transen wl ^»^-»«^laa« ami tesd a»ewat—* »ally

{partann*Hinoeddocument

l^^wSewrbtin* Wrtjr mphi from "9 «e*»ol«* original. tin,..! niog his own tottofi Doctof vb*a^^TprocJded to mf

t^^.m"^JKVr

iuvei I entity to Frank fcT.d to d^KM what oourae tbey ougtrt SoS. lis had already ompmmlml tiJkSallwU in W^ownertmattoa. by

assuming a character which really did not belong to him, wbenhe

m,lde.

application to Andrew Twf™" "J he felt tbat he could personalty venture no further in the altair,, .ebher by ex pressing ail opinion or giving any auVjreTnow that it bad assumed such a totally new aspect. He felt quite sure ibat bis y«ung Iriends woOld *rri^® the wise and the right decision, after tbey bad maturely considered Stb® matter in all its bearings. In that con vie tien, ha bad Instructed bis

int.l,M0^""1"

ness not to stir in the affair until be had hoard from Mr. Frankland, and to he «uided entirely by any directions which tbat gentleman might give.

Directions I" exclaimed Rosamond, crumpling up the letter in a high state ofex5teuientassoon as she read to the end of it.

MAll

the directions we may

have to give may be written in a minute and read in a seoond! What in the world does tho vicar mean by talking about mature ©on*iderat!on? Ofcour«6# cried Rosamond, looking, womanlike, straight on to the purpose she had in view, without wastimc a thought on the means by whi hit was to bo achieved"Of course we give the man his five pound bote and get the plan by return of post!"

Mr. Frankland shook liis head, gravely. -Quite impossible," he said. "Ii you think for a moment, my dfcar, you will surely see that it is out of the ques lion to traffic with ascrvant for in forma' lion tbat has been surreptitiously ob tained from his master's library. "Oh, dear! dear! don't say that! pleaded Roramond, lookingquite aghast at the view her husband took ot the matter. "What harm are we doing, give the man hla five pounds? I has only made a copy of th© plan. 1 has not stolen any thing."

He has stolen information, according to mv idea of it," said Leonard. Well, but if lie has," persist* Rosn mond, "wbat harm does it do to hi: master? In my opinion his master fbserves to have tha information stolen /or not having had tho common polite uesd to send it to the vicar. We nuw nave the plan—Oh, Lenny, don'i sbak vour head, plesse!—we must have it you know we must! What is the use ol being scrupulous with an old wretch (1 must call him so, though bo is my unci.-) who won't conform to the commonest usages of society You can't denl with him—and I am sure the vicar would say so, if he was here—as you would with civilized people, or people in.their -enses, which everybody says be is not What use is the plan of the north rooms to him And, besides, if it is of an\ use, he has got the original so bis information is not stolen, after all, because he has mt it the whole time—has he not, dear V*

Rosamond! Rosamond I" said Leon ard, smiling at his wife's transparent sophistries, "you ara trying to reason like a Jesuit." don'i care who I reason like, love, aslfttig «8l get the plan."

Mr. Frankland still shook his head Finding her arguments of no avail. Rosatnon 1 wisely resorted to the immemorial weapon of her sex—Persuasion usinu it at such .-losequarters HHCI to such good purpose, that she finally won her husband'* reluctant consent to a species of compromise which granted her leave to give directions for purcbas mgthe copied plan, on one* condition. ThU-condition was, that they should tend back tbe plan to Mr. TrevCrton soot, as it had served their purpose making a full acknowledgment to hi--of tho manner in which it had been obtained, and pleading in jusaidoatwin ol tbe proceeding his own want of courtesy in wiibholding information of no cnnse quence in itself, which any one else ii, his place wortld have commuhicatml Hmatter of courso. Rosamond triel iard to obtain tbo withdrawal, or m»di lea1ion, of this condition but her bus an-l's sensi'ive prido was not to b» niched, on tbat point, with impunity. ven by her light litmd. "I have don4o much vlo'cnce already to myowi invictions," he said, "and I will non lo no more. Tf we are to degrade our •elves by dealing with this servant, lei ns at least prevent him from claiming in us his accomplices. Write in name, Rosamond, to Doctor Chennery's man of business, and say that we are villing to purchase the transcribed n'an, on the c»iiditlon that I have stated -which condition he will of course place fore tbe servant in the plainest possi b'e torma." •*'And suppose the servant reluvwto risk losing bis place which he must if he accepts your condition T' said Rosa mond, going rather reluctantly to th« writing table. '•I^t ns not worry ourselves, dear, by supposing any toing. Let wait and hear what b»PP?n8.

un«'

i«*cordluglv. When von sr« ready writ©, tefi'm®, and I will dictate your lottoron this occasion. I with to niak' tho *iear man of busings nndcrstaw that we act as wn do. knowin in th(lnt pisce, that Mr. Andrnvr Trevcrtoi: •an not lw» dealt with according to th. published usages of society an I know ing. In the s^HUid place, that the infor mation which his Mtrvantoflors to ns If ••ontafned in an extra** rmm a printed b.«ok. an is in no WHV, dirtdly or lndl rectlv, (Humectod with Mr. TrovertonV private affAirs. Now that you have 'nadft iTto c.m«w»nt to this compromise, Hossmond.t moat justify it as*inpl«t*Iv oosdbls to others as woll as to mysolf."

S»*elng that his resolution was firmly settle*I, Rosamond had 'act enough to abstain from saying any thing more. Tbo 1.itter was writum ex« ly as L-wn atx\ dictated it. Wh«untbad been placed in tlw prist bag. tnd wben tbe other l«tts» 91 tlie morning had b"«n read and ansWcir^d, Mr. Frankland reminded hia wife of the intention she had expressed at t»re*Wa»t Ume of visiting the north ffurdcn, and requested twt she would lake him there with her. Ho candidly acknowledged that sine* he had boon mads acquainted with Doctor Cbenncry's letfr, hs would give flve_ times the sum demanded by Sorowl for the oopv of the plan, If tbs Myrtle Rwm could be disoovcrod, withont assistance from any ons, before tbe letter to lbs vioar'sman of business w%% put Into tbs post. Nothing would give him so much pleasure, be said, as lo able to throw It into the fire, and to sends plaia refusal to treat for tne plan In its place.

The* went Into the north garden, snd tbore Hovuitond'a own eves convinced ber that she had not the slightest chanos of discovering any vestige of mvrtlebed near anyone of the ndows. From tbs garden they returned to tbe boose, sod bad tbe door opened that lsd Inte the north hall

Tbey were sbowa the plaoe on the pevement where the keys had been fbnttd. snd the place at tbe top of tbe first flight of stairs wbers Mm Jsseph bed been discovered when the alarm was given. At

,fr.

Franklaod's *tg-

gestion, the door of tbe room which lmm»«d iately fronted thhi spot was opened. I* presented a ifreary spectad# of dnst sad dirt and dlmnew. Some old pictures were pilod atralaatoneof tbe wails, Some tattere I chatra were heaped to-, rtbeflo tbs middle of tbe floor, aa»e oreken china lsv on tbe mantle piece, and a rHten cabinet, cracked through from top to bottom, stood In me cerner.

These tow relics of tbe fnrtllsbini and fl ting tip of the room were all oareluily examined, but nothing of tbesinalfest Importance—nothing tending in »he most remote degree to dear up the mysery of tbe Myrtle Boom—was dlscover-

I. Mr. Frankland next suagested tbst there might be marks of footstepeon tbe dusty floor of tbe landing, but nothing of the sort could be found. Matting bad been laid down oyer the floor at some former period, and the surfaoe, torn, ragged and rotten with age, was too nneven in every part to allow the dust to lie smoothly on it. Here snd there, where tb re was a bole through to the bosrds of the landing. Mr. Frankland's servant thought ho detected marks in the dust which might have been produced by the tee or tbe heel of a shoe but these faint and doubtfnl Indications lav yards and yards apart from eAch other, and to draw any conclusion of the slightest importsnce from them wss simply snd plainly itnpoasible. Alter spending more than an hour in examining the north side of the house. Rosa mond was obliged to confess tbat the servants were right when they predicted, ,,n

first

opening the door Into tbs ball,

that she would discover nothing. "Tbe letter roust go. Lenny," she said, when they returned to the break fast room. ...

There

is no help for it." answered

her hasband. "Send away tbe post bag. and let us say no more about it." Th letter was dispatched by that day's post In the remote position, of Porthgenna, and in the unfinished stat the railroad at tbat time, two d«vs would elapse before an answer from London could be reasonably hoped for. Feel inn tbat it would be betfr for Rosn •uond if this period of suspense wa» 'passed out of the house, Mr. Franklnnrl proposed to fill np the time byalitth ex ursion alone the coast to some plice1funous for their scenery, which would he likely to interest his wife, and which she miuht occupy herself pleasantly in describing on the spot for the benefit of her blind husband this suggestion wa« immediately acted on. Tbe young cbuple left Porthgenna, and only returned on the evening of the second day.

On tho morning of the third day, the longed for letter from the vicar's man or business Jay on the table when L"on ard and Rosamond entered the break fast room. Shrowl had decided to accept Mr. Frankland's condition—first, •ecause he held that any man must be out of his senses who refused a five pound note when it was offered to him secondly, because he believed thstt bis master was too absolutely dependent on him to turn him away for any cause whatever. Accordingly, Ibe bargain had been struck in five minutes, and Jherwas the eopv of the plan, inclosed with the lettere of xplanation, to attest tbe fret!

Kmamond spread the all-important document out on the table with tjrem hllnir hands, looked it over eagerlv for a few moments, and laid her finger on tie

square

that represented the position

of the Mvrtle Room. Here it is she cried.

Oh, Lenny, bow my heart beats!

One, two three, four—the fourth

door

the rirst floor landing is the door of the Mvrtle Room!" She uld have called at once for the keys of the north roo ns bu* ber hns band insisted on ber waiting urtil she ha-1 composed herself a little, and until •ihe hHd taken some breakfast. In spite if all he could sav, the un.al was hurried over so rapidly, tbat in ten minutes nore his wife's arm was in his, and she vas leading him to the stair case.

The gardener's prognostication a host the weather had been verified it had turned to heat--heavy, misty, vaporous dull heat. One white quivering fog •loud spread thinly over all the heaven, rolled down seaward on tha horlein line, and dulled the sharp edges ot tbe listant moorland view. The sunlight -shone pale and trembling thellgbtest, •llghest leaves of flowers at open winlows were still the domestic animals iay. about sleepily In dark corners, 'hance household noises sounded heavy tud lou I in the languid airless stillness vhieh the heat seemed to hold ovsr the earth. Down in the servant's ball tbo usual bus lo of morning work was suspended. When Rosamond looked Jn. on her way to tho housekeeper's room to get tho' keys, the women were fan ning thomselves, and the men were sitting with their coats off. Thep were all talking peevishly about the heat, and all agreeing tha' such a day as that^ in the month of June, they had never known and nsver heard

before.

Rosamond took the keys, declined the housekeeper's offer to accompany her. tud, 'eaoing ber husband along the ons«ages, unlocked the door of the north hall.

How unnaturally co"d it is here!" he said, as they entered tbe deserted olaoe.

At thn foot of the stairs she stopped, md took a firmer hold of ber husband's •«rm.

Is any thing tho matter?" asked leonard. "Is tt change to tho damp -onlnees of tlris place affecting you in any way?"

No, no," sh« answered, hastily. "I am f^r too excited to feel either heat or lamp, I iniulit feel them at other times. But, Lennv, supposing your gue^s about Mrs. Jaaeph is right—?*'

Yes And, supposing wo discover the secret of the Myrtle It0111, might it nof turn out to lie something conce-.nlns my father or my mother which we on »ht not to know? I thought of that, when Mrs. Pentreath offered to aecom

Cer«i

any us, snd it determined me to come alorte with yon." It Is just as likely that the ne^ret might bo something we ought to know," replied Mr. Frankland, altera moments thought. "In anv case, my idea about Mm. Jaseph Is, after all, on a guesa in CM* dark. However. Rosamond, if you feel an hesitation—"

No I oome wbat may of It, Lenny, we enn go Imck now. Oive me yo ir hand again. We hsve traoed the mysterv thus

fmr.

lofre hjr and together we will

And it out." .. She ascended the stair case, leading him after ber, as sbe spoke. On the landing, sbe looked again at the plan, and satisfied herself that the first im preeslon she had derived from it, of the position of the Mvrtle Room, was correct. J)he eonnted tbe doors on to the fourth, and looked out from the bunch the key numbered "4," and pat into this lock.

Before she turned it she paused, and looked round at ber husband. He was standing by ber side, with bis patient fson turned expectantly toward tbe door. She pat berriuht band on tbe key, turned It slowly In tha lock, drew him ckwer to ber with ber left hand, and paused again. -1 dont know what basco ne to me** ahe whispered, fklntly. "I ieel aafrl was aff*H to posh open Aba doer."

Your band is oqld, Rosamend. Walt little—loek tbe door again^pat it of! Mil another day '.

He felt kis wife's fingers close tigbier and tighter oa his band, while he said tlnrtfr wonta. Than there wa an Instant —ooe memorable, braithleas Intfant, never to be forgotten afterward—of utter silence. Then he heard tbe sharp, crocking sound of the opening door,

and felt himself drawn forward suddenly into a obanged atmosphere, and kne* that Rosamond and be were in the Myrtle Room.

CHAPTER XXI. 'f'

Sanaaarl

paneS *khd'6ark' caries dreary, yellow light, glimmering through the dirt of liall a century, crusted on tbe glass purer rays striking across tbe dimness through the fissures of three broken panes dust floating upward, pouring downward, rollingamootblyround sad round in the still atmosphere lofty, hare, faded red walls chairs lb cont'd sion, tables placed awry a tall, black bookcase, with an open door half drop ping Iroin its binges a pedestal, with a broken buf»t lying in. fragments at its feet a ceillngjdarkened oy stains, floor whitened by dust such was the aspect of tbe Myrtle Room wben Rosamond first entered it, leading ber husband by tbe hand.

After passing the door-way,she slow ly advanced a few steps, snd then stopjied, waiting,, with every sense on the watch, with every faculty strung up to the highest pitch of expectation—waiting, in tbe ominous stillness, in thn forlorn solitude, for the vague Something which the room might contain, which might rise visibly before .hdr, which might sound audibly behind her, wbi(h might touch her en a sudden roui above, from balow, from either side. A minute or more she breathlessly waited, and nothing sppeared, nothing sounded, notbirg touched her. The ilenee and the solitude bad their secret to keep, and kept it.

She looked round at her husband, Hid face, so quiet and composed at other times, expressed doubt and uneasiness now. His disengaged hand was out stretched, and moving backward and forward, and up and down, in the vaiu attouipt to touch something which might enable bitn to guess at the position in which he was placed. Uis look and ac tion, as he stood in that new and strange sphere, the mute appeal that he made so -iarilvand so uncousciou^ly to hia wife's loving help, restored Rosamond's self-

Searest

ossession by recalling her heart to the of all its interests, to the liest of all its cares. Her eyes, fixed so distrustfully but the moment before on the dreary spectacle of neglect and ruin which spread around them, turned fondly to her husband's face, radiant with the* unfathomable brightness oity and love. She bent quickly across him, caught bis outstretched arm, and pressed it to bis side. "Don't do that, dirling," she said, gently *1 don't like to see it. It looks as if you bad forgotten tbat I was with you—as if you were left alone and help "less What need have you of your sense of touch when you have got me? you bear me open tbe door, Lepny Do you know that we are in the Myrtle Room?"

What did you see, Rosamond, •'hen you opened the door? Wbat do y.u see n«.w? tie asked those questions rap idly and eagerly, in a whisper. "Nothing but dust, and dirt, and desolation. The loneliest moor in Corn wall is not so lonely looking as: this room but there Is nothing to alarm us, nothing (except one's own fancy) that suggests an idta 01 dahger of any kind." "What made you so long before you spoke to me, Rosamond

I was frightened, love, on fir entering the room—not at what I saw, but at my own fauciful ideas of what I might see. I waischild enough to be'afraidof something out of the walls, or of something rising ihrough tbo lloos in short of I hardly know what. I havegotover those fears, Lenr.y, but a certain dis trust of the room still clin-s to me. Do you feel it?"

I feel something like it," he replied, uneasily. "I feel as if the night tijat is always tore iny *yes was darker to me In this plXoe than in any other. Where are we standing now

Just inside the door." Does the floor lo safe to walk on He tried it suspi iiously with his toot as bo put the question. "Quite safe," replied Rosamond. "It would never support the furniture tbat is on it, if it was so rotten as to be dangerous. Come across the room with me, snd try it." With those word} she led him slowly to tho window. "The air seems as if it was nearer to me," besai.l, bending bis face forward toward the lowest of the broken paues. "Whst is before us now?"

She told him, describing minutely the sise snd appearance of tbe window. He turned from it carelessly, as if tbst part of the r.H)«H bad no interest for him. Rosamond still lingered near the win dow to try if she could feel a breath of tbe outer atmosphore. There was a momentary silence, which was broken by berhusband.

What are you doing now lie asked, anxiously. I am looking out at one of the broken panes of glass, and tryir to get some air," answered Rosamond. "Tbe shadow of tbe house Is below mo, resting on tbe lonely garden but there Is no cool ness breathing up from K. I see the tall weeds risi'ig straight and still, and tbe tangled wild flowers interlacing themsel vet heavily. There is a tree near me. and the leaves look as if they were all struck motionless. Away to the left there hi a peep of white sea and tawny Hand quivering in the yellow beat. There are no ilouds there is no blue sky The mist quenches tbe brightness of the sunlight, and lets nothing but the fire of It through. Therd is something threatening In the sky, and tho earth seems to know it!"

But thn room! tbe room!" said Leonard, drawing her aside from the window. "Never mind tho view tell me whst tbe room Is like—exactly what it is like, shall not feel easy about you, Rosauioiul.if you don't describe every thing to me just as it is."

Mv darling 1 You know yon can depend on mv describing every thing. I am only doubting where to begin, and how to make sure of seeing for yon wbat you are likelv to think most worth looking at. Here Is an old ottoman against the wail—tbe wall where the window la. I will take off my apron and dust tbe seat for yon, and then you can ait down aod listen comtortably while I tell you, before we think of any thing else, wbat tha IOOJI is like, to begin with. First of all, I anppwe, I must make you undersuud how large It js7" "Yes, tbat la ths first thing. Try if yoa can compare it with any room tbat I wss familiar with before I loot my sight."

Rosamond looked backward and forward, from wall to wall, then went to the fire place, and walked slowly down tbe length of the room, counting her ttepa. Pacing over the dusty floor with a dainty regularity and a childish sattafaotion In looking down at tbe gay pink roast tea on her nornlnf aboee holding up her crisp, bright muslin dr»ss oat of the dirt, ana showing the futdftil embroidery of her pettlooet, and tbe glossy atocktnge tbat fitted ber little feet and ankles like a afrood akin, aba moved through tbe drsarinses, the doaolatlun, tbe dingy ruin of the aesne around ber— the mo»t charming living contrast to ite

MAIL

dead gloom that youtb, health, and beauty oould preaent. Arrived at tbe bottom of tha room, abe reflected a little, and said to her husband

Do you remember the blue drawing room, Lenny* in yoor father's bouse at Long fieokley 1 think thia room is quite as large. If not larger

Wbat are tbe walls like?" asked Leonard, placing his band on tbe wall behind him white heapoke. "Tbev are covereiwith pjper, are tbey not?"

Yes, with faded red paper, except on the side, where strips batto been torn off and thrown on the floor. There Is wainscoting round the wslls. It is cracked in many plaoes, and has ragged bolee in it, which seem to have been made by tbe rats and mice."

Are there any picturee on the walls?" No. There is an empty frame over the fire place And opposite—1 mtan just above where I sm standing now— there is a small mirror, cracked in the centre, with broken branches for candlesticks projecting on either side of it. Ahovo that, again, there is a stag's head and antlers some of the face has dropped away, and a perfect mase ot cobwebs is stretched between tbe boms. On tbe other walls there are large naila, with more cobwebs banging down from them, heavy wit-b dirt nut no pictures any where. Now you know every thing about the walls. What is the nexttbifig? ke floor

I think, Rosamond, my feet have toid me already wbat the floOr is like." "They may have told you that it is bare, dear, but I can tell yeu more than that. It slopes down from every side toward tbe middle of Lhe room. It is covered thick with dust, which is swept about—I suppose by the wind blowing through the broken panes—into strange waty, feathery shapes tbat qu te hide the floor beneath. Lenny! suppose these boards should be made to take up any where! If we discover nothing to day, we will have them swept to-inor row. In the mean time, I must go on telling you about the room, must I not? You know already what tbo bize of it is, what the window is like, what the wails are like, wbat tbe floor is like. Is there any thing else before we come to tbe furniture Oh, yes! the ceiling, for that completes the shell of the room. I can't see much of i-, it is so high. There are great cracks and stains from one end to the otUer, and the plaster has come away in patches in some places. The centre ornament seems to be made of al teruate rows of small plaster cabbage and large plaster lozenges. Two bits ol chain hang down from tbe middle, which, I suppose, once held a chandelier. The cornice is so dingy tbat I can hard ly te 1 what pattern it represent*. It is very broad and heavy, and it loolsin *omo plaees as if it ba«! once been color ed, and tbat is all I can say about it. Do you feel as if you thoroughly understood the yvhole roo'm now, Lenn.y

Thoroughly, my love. I li ive tin same clear pi* ture o: it in my mind Ahich you always give tne of e-or thing you see. You need waste no more time on ma. We may now devtteour selves te the purpose for which we aim here."

At those last words, the smile which had been dawning on Rosamond's fo' when her husband ddre.»so! her, vanished from it in a inomo t. She Mole ol ise to his side, and bending down ov-r him, with her arm on his shonidcr, suid, in low, whispering tones.

Wben we had the other room-opened oppo-jitethe landing, we began by ©x amining the furniture. We thought—if you remember—^that the mystery of the Myrtle Room might be connected with hidden valuables tbat bad becu stolen, or bidden papers that ought to liavt? been destroyed, or hidden stains and traces of some crime, which even chair or a table. might betray. Shall we ex amine tbe furniture here?"

Is there much of it, Rosamond More than there was in the other room," she answereu.

More than you can examine in on morning?"' 1 No, I think not." 1^' "Then begin with tbe furniture, it you have uo better plan to propose. I am but a belples« adviser at such a crisis as this. 1 must leave the responsibil 1 tie or decision, after all, to rest on your shoulders. Yours are the eyes that look, snd the hands tbat search and if tbe secret of Mrs. Jazeph's reason for warning you against enuring tbis room is to be found by seeking in tbe room you will, find it—"

And you will know it, Lenny, as soon as it is found. I won't luaryou talk, love, as if there was any difference between us, or any saperiority lo my position over yours. Now let me see. Wbat shall I begin with Tbe tall bookcase opposite Uie window? or the dingy old writing table, in tbe reces behind the firo place? Those are the two largest pieces of furniture that I can see in the room."

Begin with the bookcase, my dear, oa you seem to base noticed tbst first." Rosamond advanced a few steps towards tbe bookcase—tben stopped, and looked aside suddenly to the lower end of the room. 'jm.V I forgot ono thing, when I was telling y« about the walls," she said. "There are two dojrs in ti room besides the door we came in. at. They are both in tbe wall to tho right, as 1 stand now with my back to the window. i£acb4s at the same distanoo from the corner, and each is of tlmssuw sise and appearance. Don't you think we ought to open tnem and see where they lead to?'' "Certainly. But are the keys in tbe locks

Rosamond approached more closely to tbe doors, and am wsrod in the affirmative. '•Open them, then," said Leonard. "Stop! not by yourself. Take me with you. I don't like tbe idea of sitting here, and leaving you to open those doora by yoursell."

Rosamund retraced her steps to tbs

Eim

lace where bo was sluing, ana then led with ber to the door that was furthest from tbe window. "Suppoae there should be some dreadful sight behind It?" she sakl, trembling a little, as she stretched out ber band towards tbe key.

Try to suppose (wbat la roach more probable) that it only leada into another room," suggested Leonard.

Rosamond threw tbe door wide open, anddenly. Her husband waa right. It merely led Into tbe next room.

Tbey passed on to tbe seoond door. "Can this one serve tbe sains purpose as tbe other?" said Rosamond, slowly and distrustfully turning tha key.

Sbe opened it as aha baa opened the fim door, pat ber head inside it for an instant, draw back, shuddering, and Closed It again violently, with a taint axel amotion of disgust. rh "Doot be alanned, Lenny," she said, leading bim away abruptly. "Tbe door only opens oa a large empty cupboard. But tbere are qaaotittos of horrible, crawling brown creatine about tbe wa inside. I have abut them in again in their darkness and their seorwiy and now I am gdlag t^ take you back to your aeat, before we find oat* next, what tbe bookcase contains."

Tbe door of tha tipper part of tbe bookcase, hanging open ana half drop

ping from lta hinges. Showed Ibe emptiness of the shelvee on one aide at a (lanoo. The corresponding door, when Rosamond pulled it open, diselused exactly tha same spectacle af bareneaa on the other aide. Over every ahelf there spread the same dreary accumulation of dnai and dirt, without a vedise of a bOok, without even stray scrsu of paper, lying anywhere in a earner te attract the eye, from top to bottom.

Tbe lower portion of tbe booktase was divided into three cupboards. In the door of one of the tbiee, tbe maty key remained in tbe lock. Rosamond turned it with some difficulty, and looked Into tbe cupboard. At the back of it wete scsttered a pack of playing cards, brown with dirt. A morsel or torn, tangled muslin lav among tuem, which, when Rosamond epread it out, proved to be tbe remains of a clergyman's band. In one oortier she foufcd a broken cork screw, and tbe winch .of a fishing rod in another, some stumps of tobscoo pipes, a few old medicine totties, and a dog's-eared peddler's spng book. These were all the objects that the cupboard contained. After Rhsamond had scrupulously described each one of them toner husband, just aashe found it, sbe went on to tne seoond cupbosrd. On trying tbe door it turned out not to be locked. On looking Inside, she discovered nothing but some pifeces of blackenod cotton wool, and ue remains of a jeweler's packing ease.

Tbe third door was lockt d, but tbe rusty key from tbe Arst cupboard opened it. inaiae, there was but ono objuct—a small wooden box, banded round with a piece pf tape, the two edges of which were fastened together by a seal. Rosamond's flagging Interest rallied instantly at this discovery. She described the tiox to her husband, and asked ir he thought sbe was justified in breaking the seal.

Can you see amthlug written on :he cover," he inquired. Rosamond carried the box to tbe window, blew the dust ofl the top of it, and read, on a parchment label nailed to the cover: "PAPERS. JOHN ARTHUR TRKVBRTOJF. 1700."

I think you may take the responsibility of breaking tho seal," «aid Leonard. "If those papt-rs had beon of any family importance, they could scarcely have been left forgotten in an old lookcase by your father and his his executors."

Rosamond broke the sea', then looked up doubtfully at ber husband Iwmre she opened the box. "It seems a mere waste of timo to look into this," she said. "How cau a box tbat has not been opened since seventeen hundred and sixtv help us to discover the mystery of Mrs. Jaz-ph aud tbe Myrtle Room?''

But do we knew that Jit has not been opentd since tben?" said Leonard. ••Migot not the tape and seal have been put round it by anylmdy at soino more recent poriod of time? You can Judge best, because you can see ii there is any inscription on the tape, or any signs, to form an opinion by, ufion tho «e.ti." "Theseal is a blank, Lenny, except that it bus flower like a frget ine-not in the middle. I can see no mark of a pen on either side of the tape Anybody in the world might have opened the box before me," she uont nued, forcing up the lid easily with lu-r hands "lor the lock is no protection to it. The woodo the cover is so rulten that I nave puiled the staple out. and left it sticking by itself in tho IOCK below."

On examination, tbo box proved to be full of papers. At the top ot iheupperii'ost packet were written these words: "Election expenses. I won by to ir votes. Prioe fifty pounds each. J. A. Trevertoti." The next layer of papers had uo Inscription. Rosamond opened them, and read 00 the first leaf: "Birthday Ode. Respectfully addressed to the Mwcenas of modern times, in his poetlo retirement at Portbgrnua." Below this production, appealed a collection 01 old hills, old notes of invitation, old doctor's prescriptions, and old loaves of betting bo ks, tied togctbe with a piece of whipcord. Last of all, there lay, of the bottom of tbe box, one thin leal of paper, the visible side of which presented a perfect blank. Rosamond t»*k It up, turned it to look at tbe other side, and saw some faint ink linen crossing each other in various directions, and having letters of the alphabet attached to them In certain places, .she had made her- husband acquainted with tho contonts of all the other papers, as a matter of oourse and when sbe had described this Isst paper to bitn. be explained to her that tie lines and letters represented a mathematical problem. ••The bookcase tells us nothing," said Rosamond, slowly pu ting the papers back In the box. "Hhall we try the writing table by the fire placo, next?*'

What does It look like, Ro»amond It has two rows of drawers down ea:b side, and the whole top Is msdo in sn odd, old-fashioned way to slow upwards, llks a very largo writing desk."

Doea tbe top open Rosamond went to the table, exa.nl ned it narrowly, and then tried to raise the top. "It is made to open ft»r I sea the kej-hole," she said. "But it I locked. And all the drawers," she continued, trying tbem one after another, "are locked, too."

Is there no key in sny of them asked Leonard. Not a sign ot one. But the top feels •olonaotbst I really think it might forcoc op«n—as I forced the little box open just now—by a pair of strongsr bands than I can boast of. L°t me take you to tbe table, dear it may give way to your strength, though It will not to mine."

She placed ber husband's hands carefully under tbe ledge formed by ths overhanging top of tne table. Ho exertod his whole strength to foroe it up but, in tbis esse, tbe wood was sound, the lock held, and all bis efforts were in vsln. "Most we send for a locksmith?" asked Rosamond, witb a look ol disappointment.

If the table Is of any valne, we must," returned ber bus band. "If not, a screw driver and a hammer will open botbtbetop and the drawera, in snybody's hands."

In that esse, Lenny, I wish we had brought tbem witb us wben we csrae Into the room for tbe only value In tbe table lies in tbe secrete tbat it may be biding from ua. 1 shall not feel satisfied until yon snd I know what there is inside of it"

While saying these words, sbe took ber husband's band to lead him back to his seat. As they passed before tbe fireplace, be atepped upon tbe bare atone hearth ami, feellog some new substance under his feet. Instinctively stretched out the hand that waa free. It touched a marble tablet, with figures on it In basao-relievo, which had been let into tbe middle of the chimney pieoe. He aopped Immediately, and asked what tbe object was that Ins fingers bad aoeidentally touched. "A piece ef sculpture," said Rosamond. "I did not notice it before. It is npt very large, and not particularly attractive according to my taste. 80 for ss I can te'l, it see ma to he intended to represent—" [Continued on Third Pag*.]