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The emile still lingered on her lips as she stood in her own room. A few more hoursâ€"one more trialâ€"she said to herself; then she would be free, and might enjoy her he piness to its full extent. How dearly ubert loved herâ€"how unuttersbly 119.pr she would be when Hugh released her And he wouldâ€"she never doubted it. "I shall not want on again," she said toher maid. “And onot call me in the warping: I ml @951? . Then she passed out of his sight, and he who would have laid down his life for her. saw her leave him without the faintest anggioion 91 theghedow that hn_ng oyer her. She raised her face to his. and he kissed the proud, sweet lips. He touched the golden locket. " You will never part with it," he said: and she smiled as she answered, “ No, never! " The "door of Lillian’a room was not closed; she went in. The night lamp was shaded. and the blinds clone] drawn, so tight the bright gpoopliglgt 001}! no} iptrqde: v She went gently to the side of the bed where her star lay. Poor. gentle. loving Lillian I The pale, sad face, with its wist- tuleegrjed expression, wee turned_ to the wail. There ivore some traces 91 team, end even in sleep deep eight; passed the guivering_ limp= gen-9w en§_ _woe gore “ You have left me until last,” said Lord Airlie ;" good-night. my Beatrice. Never mind papa-he is not looking at us; give me One kisa.” fmpressed on the fair face. Yet, as Bee. tries kissed the clear, eelm brow, she would gladly hue changed places with her. “ I will soon make it up to her," she said, gazing long and earnestly on the sleeping (see. “ In a few weeks she shall he hep ier then she has ever been. 1 will mghe pets: Lionel go on his knees to her." If he had known, how those strong arms would have been raised to shield herâ€"how the stools, brave heart would have sheltered her! As it was, she left him with jesting words on her lips, and he did not even gaze after her as she quitted the' room. If he had only known where and how he should seethatfiaoe again I > left Lillian asleep, and had taken up a boon near him. Lord Airlie had been sketching for Beatrice a plan of the‘new wing at Lynnton. Looking up suddenly, she saw the time. At 10 Hugh Fernely would be at the shrubbery gate. She had not a momentto lose. Saying she was feeling tired, she rose and went to bid Lord Earle cod-night. He remembered afterward ow he had raised the beautiful face in his hands and gazed at it in loving admiration,- whifiiering something the while about "L yAirlie. of Lynnton." He remem- bered how she, so little given to caressing, had laid her head upon his _sh91_11d_er, clue ing her arms round his neck, kissing his ace, and calling him “ her dear papa." He remembered the soft. wistful light in her beautiful eyes. the sweet voice that fill ered in his ears. Yet no warning came to 'm, nothin told him the fair child he loved so dear y stood in the shadow of doethlypegil. CHAPTER XXXIX. Thursday evening, and the hand of the ormolu clock pointed to a quarter to 10. Lord axle sat reading: Lady Heleng has} Beatrice went up to Lady Helena, who smiled, without raising her eyes from her book. Beatrice bent down and touched the kind, stately face with her lip e. u Lion": ninkfy n-nnAmnmmn "P ulna an": “Good-nightâ€"lblegs you, my child," re- turned Lady Helena, and the fair face turned from her with 9. smile. Beatrice took from her wardrobe 3 thick. warm shawl. She drewjt over her head. and so half hid her (me. Then she went noiseless] down the staircase that ledfilron! her sqlge of magnetic the gsrd'en. Lord Earle sat reading. Lady Helena but left Lillian gslegp._ 913:} laudjpken u_p _a yqok “ Good-night: grandmamma,” she said. “ Hey agudjqua y_031 are! " How fair and beautiful the night wasâ€" not cold, although it was September, and the moon shining as she had rarely seen it shine beforq. ‘ mi“ Ill Wu muuuu Anny-o 0 u chance on this ebony one, You needn’t teed over In etters Ere taking them out 0 their place; There'll be no need to prime them orapnre themâ€" Dri tram ot a. faded desire ' You ad much better take them and tear them, And toes them 511 into the fire. Btu], what I have written is written; And here you will find it some day. When most of my words are lorgotten, And he]! of your hair is grey; But you needn't think and y of me. dear, 0r lament that ion haven't been true; For I think you w l robebl see, dear, That I shall have anged en, tool She left the room, and Lilliui never kngw ylgo hag! 1)an so lov_ingly ova; her. wfifi'étt'érfihiiiult‘ou'ié iréil. " " " You will throw yoursol into a. river, 0r live llko a monk in a «ll. \ Yet why should you think! would wound you 7 I know on have loyally loved, And all I we sold in those letters 1 thlnk that I too. dear, have proved; And I well know on think a you lay. door. Thst your he will forever be true; But every one my: thot men obtuse, dear, And lo I suppose that they do. ‘ amt ln_ the unknown future , A 7 'It seemed to sail triumphantly in the dark blue sky. It. poured a flood of silvery light 09 £139 slapping flpwerq and trees, 7 'Bhe had not lfngered to look round the prett dressin .room as she left it. Her eyes ed not welt on the luxurious chem- ber. and the white bed, wherein she ought to have been sleeping; but. now that she stood outside the Hell, she looked up at the windows with a sense of loneliness and fear. .There was a li ht in Lsdg Holene’s room and one in Lor Airlie‘e. he shrank beck; what would he think it he saw her new? DeepilvI she felt the humiliation of leaving her fat er'e house at that hour of the night; she felt the whole shame of what she was fioing to do; but the thought of Lord Air 9 nerved her. Let this one night us, and a life-time oi heppinessleybeioro er. The night wind moaned fitiuliy amongst the trees; the branches of the tall lime trees swayed over her head; the fallen but she ahoul (Bv the author of " Madonna's haven”) I hue written 1- written, lac-{01093131 and u 39p. My. With I Gaunt 01 Letters. LOVERS YET. Theywent throu htheshrubhery, through the broad green g sdes of the park, where the dew-drops shone upon tern leaves and thick grass ; pest the long avenue of chest- nut trees, where the wind moaned like a. human being in deadly pain; on to the shore of the deep, calm lake, where the green reeds bent and swayed, end the moonli t shone in the rippling water. All this wh le Hugh had not s ken sword,but had walked m silence y her side. He turned to her at length, and she read the riein passion in his face. “ ou promised me." he said, “ and you “ Hugh,” she answered, gently, drawing her hands from his strong p, " this is ell a. mistake. You have no given me time to speak. I am pleasedto see you well and safe. I am pleased that you have escaped the dangers of the deep ; but-I cannot say more. Iâ€"I do not love you as you love me." “ You must be reasonable,” she con- tinued, in her musical, pitiless voice. “ Hugh, I was only a dreaming, innocent, ignorant child when I first met you. It was not love I thought of. You talked to me as no one else ever hadâ€"it was like readinf a strange wonderful story; my head was (11 ed with romance. my heart was not filled with love.” ' “ Let us will: on,” she saidâ€"3' I do not likgatandingjmre." “ Yo‘u promised me," he said. “ and you must keep your promise. You said you would be my wile. No other man must. dare toe sk toyou of love,” he cried, grasping or arm. “ In thesight of Heaven, you are mine. Beatrice Earle." II 'I' am uni ” aha nl'lll'l’n‘nn “Inna“, (I 3.111 “Speak to me.” he said. at length. “ How coldly you listen 1 Beatrice, there iano love, no joy in your face. Tell meyou are pleased to see me-tell me you have remembered me. Say anythingâ€"let me hearAAyoqr yoiee.” WHiE 'handa dropped nervously. and he turngd his despairmg face hamper: " I remember,” she acknowledged, “ I do not deny xt ; but, Hugh, I did not know what I was saying. I Spoke without thought. I no more realized what the words meant than I can understand now what the wind is saying." ' “ Hush, Hugh,” she said, gently, “ you grieze me." __ _ Far off, from amongst the trees, she saw the glimmer of the light in Lord Airlie‘a room. It struck her with a. sensation of feat-Lee thougllhe werewetehing h_er_. " I am not," she answered proudly, “ and I never will be ; no man would, or could, take advantage of a romiae obtained from I. wilful, 10011511 ohil ." A. long, Iowv moan came from his lips ; the twig! despair in hgsfacg qtagglgd he_r._ “ So I have returned for this 1" he cried. “ I have braved untold perils, I have escaped the dangers of the sees, the death that lurks in heaving waters, to be slain by cruel words from the girl I ' loved and trusted.” He turned from her, unable to check tbs bitter sob that rose to his lips. “ Do you think of my grief ?” he cried. “ I came here to-night, my heart on fire with love, my brain dizzy with happiness. You have killed me. Beatrice Earle, as sugly 8.5 eyer man was slain.” l " You {nay'do so." she replied ; “ and, although he will never look upon me again, hoylll proteot me from you} ’ _ . wuuu, IWMBU Uuuu. “ I will appeal to Lord Earle," he saidâ€" “ I will lay my claim before him." I. v.“- man AA an " aha unnnnl‘ - H nru‘ She saw the angry II ht flame in his a on, she heard his bran. come in quick. 3 ort gasps, and the don or o! guarrellin with him struck her. 8 e lai her han upon his arm. had he trembled at the sow: tenet. u " Hugh," she said. “ do not be angry. You are a brave man ; I know that in all {our life you never shrank from danger or cared peril. The brave are always gener- ous, always noble; think of what I am going to say. Bupposo thatby the exercise of any power you oould real pompel [no you, unauuw. She could not resist the passionate torrent 0! wordsâ€"they must have touched the heart of one less proud. She stood perfectly still. while the calm night wind seemed to thrill with the eloquent voice of thegpealgerg ._ _ .. .. .. “ But. " he said, hoarsely, “ you promised to be mywife. ” .. _ lesves whirled round her feet. She crossed the gsrdens; the moon out strange shadows “31°“ the broad peths. At length she sew e shrubhory gets. and. by it. erect end motionless. using on the bending trees in the park. was ugh Fernely. He did not hear her light tootste -â€"the wind among the lime trees drown them. She went up to him and touched his arm gently. “Hugh.” she ssid. “ I am here." Before she could prevent him. he was kneeling st her test. he had clasped her hauls in his own,:snd was covering them with hot kisses and burning tours. us 8 “ to: mother look at that (see; I shell see it always nowâ€"lts light will never leave me more. Look at me, Beatrice." he cried; “ let me see those dark eyes again.” But the glance she. gave him had in it nothing but coldness and dread. In the excitement of his joy he did not notice it. It W’s-An nun an mall” ” ho fln‘a “ T nnnnnt " Words are so week.” he said, “ I cannot tell you how I have ‘longed for this hour. I have gone over it in fancy a. thousand times; yet no dream was ever so bright and sweet as this reality. No man in the wide gofid ever loved any one as I love wide wo 1d even 109.. Bo “Sam" to be our. wife, what would it benefit you? should not love you, I tell you candidly. I should detest you for spa! lug my Illaâ€"I would never see you. What. would you goln by forcingme to keep my prognme ?_” He rose the?» and. before she could sto him. he took the ahawl tzom her hand an nixed the beautiful face so that the moon- light: fell clout-1y upon it. III. 1,1IILA__.‘J - Ho mode no reply. The wind bent the reeds, and the wnter came up mule bank. with}; long2 Ipw wash. “ My darling." he said. " my txioe, I know you would oomql" “Why not 7" be naked, tightening the gun upon her arm. “ at from mammary motives," she replied. “mostly; “ not. Immune my («that in wealthy, my homo magnificent. and you “ I appeal to your enormity." elm midâ€"- “ your nobility of c erecter. Release mo from a. promise I made in ignorance. I append to your very love to rueâ€"release mo, thaLI‘may be happy. _ “ Those who love truly," ahe continued. receiving no reply, " never love eolilahly. If I carod for any one no you do for me, I should consider my own heppinonn last of all. I! you love me. release me, Hugh. I can never be hepEy with you.” " Why not ?" e asked. tightening the own Bea.- “ I think it must be 30," said Hugh Fernely at lastâ€"“ I think I must give you up, Beatrice. I could not bear to make you miserable. Loak up. my darling ; let me see your face once more before I say 80211 bye" _. - .. u.‘ .o-o-Iu v She hand before him, and the thick dark shawl fell from her shouldera upon tBe grass ; she did not miss it in the blinding joy that had fallen upon her. Hugh Fernely’e gaze lingered upon the peerless features. stood on the shore of the deep lake in the fierce grasp of a. half-maddeued men, there was no one near to help her or raise a. hand in her defence. But she was no coward, and ell the high spirit of her race rose within her. " Aiawei‘ me‘l ” he cried. “ Where is the rig; I 89“ 10“.? '3 belong to another grade of societyâ€"not {or that. bub because I do not love you. I never did love you as a girl should love the mankgho mean; to moan? “ That is beside the question,” she replied, haughtily ; “ I am speaking of you and myself. Hugh. it you Will give me my freedomâ€"it on will agree to forget the foolish prom e of a. foolish childâ€"I will respect and esteem .you while I live. I shall bless dyou every day. our name will ‘be a more one enshrin in m heart, your memory will be 3 source of p easure to me. You shall be my friend, Hugh. and I will be sjrue irieugl yo you." They stood for some time in pefleot silence; they had wandered down to the very1 edge ofy the lake. The water ripp pled m t e moonlight, and, while Hugh Fernely thought, Beatrice looked into the clear do the. How nesrshe wasinhertriumphl A ew minutes more and he would turn to her and tell her she was free. His face was growing calm and gentle. She would dismiss him with grateful thanks; she would hasten home. How calm would be that night‘s sleep! When she saw Lord Airlie m the morning, all her sorrow and shame would have passed by Her heart beat high as she thought of this. “ Loosen your grasp, Hugh." she said calmlyâ€"“you mil} 1118.." _ fie seized both hands and looked at them ; they were firm and coolâ€"they did not tremble. As his fierce, angry eyes glanced over them, notafeatnre of her beautiful face quivered. " I have not worn it lately,” she replied. “Hugh, you forget yourself. Gentlemen do not sneak and not in this we .” “I beieve I am going 111 ,” he said, glodgnilfii “I could relinquish my claim to you, eetrioe. for your owu sake. but I will never give you up to be the wife of any other man. Tell me it is not 30. Tell me on have not been so doubly false as to ove another. and I will try to do all you wish.” “ Yes, be tempted,” she saidâ€"“ let mp urge you to be generous, to be noble I See, Hugh. I have never prayed to any menâ€"I ray to {flu ; I would kneel here at your eel; and seeoh you to release me from a. promise I never meant to givei: Her words touched him. She saw the gottened look 11 n his face, the flaming anger die out of is 9 ea. , , “ Hugh." she and softly, “_I, Beatrice Earle, pray you, by the love you "beat me, to release me from all claim, and love me in peace." ' ......‘ c‘q “ Let me think,” he repliedâ€"" give me afow minutes; no man could part with the dearest treasures he has so hastily. Let me think wbot I lose in giving you up." “ I can give you up," he said gently, “ for your own hap iness, but not to another, Beatrice. 91 me that you have not She mafia no zeplyâ€"notto have saved her life a. thousand times would she have denied her love for Lord Airlio. His kisa' was still warm upon her lipsâ€"those same lips should never deny him. Shé saw». him light in his eyes, and shrank from him. He tightened his grasp upox; her arm. _ -. Not far from her slept the lover who would have shielded her with his strong armâ€"the lover to whom every hair upon her dear head was more precious than gold or jeWele. Not far from her slept the kind, loving father, who was prouder and fender of her than of any one on earth. Gaspar Lawrence, too. who would have died for her, lay_ a§_that mplnent n_ot far away. awaké aid think ng of her. Yet in the _hour_ot _her dgqgl y_peril_, yhgn spa swat me, Beatrice." w"Circa are véry'bandiai" he said,bitterly; “ ray. in there any one else you love In th a guy ?"_ " You do not speak,” he added, gloomily. “ By Heaven, Beatrice, if‘I thought you had learned to .love another manâ€"if I thought you wanted to be free from me to marry anotherâ€"I should go madâ€"mad wigh jealous {ago} _I_s_it 39? ”Answer me.’_’ learned to §ove another sincé I hit you.” -“ Answer me I " he cried, hoarsely. “ I will know." 7'“Boatrioel" lib 'oried, “ do not tempt me!“ “Am I to live all my life unloved and unmarried.” she answered, controlling her angry indignation by a etron efl'ort, “ became. when I was alonely an neglect. ed girl.Ifellinto your power? I do not ask web a sacrifice from on. I hope you will love and marry, and happy.’ “ I shell not care," he said, " what hap~ one after I am goneâ€"it will not hurt my feeloue. angry heart then. Beatrice; but I should not like to think that while you were my promised wife. and I was iving you my every thou ht. on were oving some' one else. I enoul like to believe you 'were true to me while you were my own.‘ l WI u nuu \VIIU ll! unuuu I no uuuu, boaidohimaol! with an ry raga. “ Porha Inhall know then w Iy you wish to hood from me. Whose faceisl ing near your heart? Lot mo ace. Itits that of She made no answer. fearing to irritate him if she told the truth. and seeming to deny the love that was the crowning bless- ing of her life. His anger grew in her silence. Again the dark flush rose in his (age, 99d his eyes flamed vyithfiegee light._ Sliddonly 115 caught night’ of thevgold locket. who wore round her neck. fastened by thgalqnghr 91min, A ” You forgot yourself again," she said, drawing homo]! haughtily away. “ I have no uoooupp to roudar _to ypu ofpyjriondaf “ What in this thinfi you wear ‘2" he asked. quickly. “ You t row aside my ring. What!» this? Whose portrait have you there ? Lot mo Boo it." I will lioo 'Mio in “note l"'he cried ‘ergia my King?" he asked. "An CHAPTER XL. 311 one who has outwitted me. Iwill throw it nto the d thI of the lake." -‘ H Van nhnl not sum in" film mid‘ inf-inn There was one awful, despairing lenee from apele, horror stricken face. an then the waters closed. the ripples spread over the broad surface. and ’the nice ing lilies trembled for a. few minutes, an then lay still ' ein. Once, and on'ce only, ewoman e White and. thrown upon it were in agon- izing eupplieetion, cleft the dark waters, and then all was over; the wind blew the ripples more strongly, they washed up on the greee, and the etir o! the deep water the grass, 'subsxded. Hugh Fernely did not plunge into the lake after Beatriceâ€"it was too late to save her; still, he might have tried. The cry that 1:an thr9u3h_ _tbe _sleeping mwoodn he n'evé'r safight to save tintâ€"never plunged into the doe waters, whence he might have rescued er had he wished. He never moved. He felt no fatigue. The first thing that roused him was a. gleam of grey light in the eastern sky and the sweet, {9.39}; song of 9. little bigd. _ The sun shone out at length in his majesty. warming and brightening the fair face of Natureâ€"it was full and perfect day. The gardeners came through the park to commence their work; the cows in the pasture-land stood to be milked, the busy world be an to rouse itself; but the fetal‘ secret hi den beneath the cold. dark water remained still untold. ' CHAPTER XLI. The sun shone bright and warm in the breakfast-room atEarlesoourt. The re. s fell upon the‘palm stately lace of L y “ You uhnlf not see it." she said. ruining her hand. and olasping the little locket tightly. " I am not afraid, Hugh Femoly. You will never use violence to ma. " It will never be known how that Intel weldent happened. Men will never know whether the hapless girl fell, or whether Hugh Fernely, in his mad rage, flung her into the lake. There was a startled scream that' rank through the clear air1 my heavy that rank throu h the clear air. a. heavy _f__a_ll, a splash ami atfilge vgaterq 9f tho_lake. seemed to paralyze himâ€"he stood like one bereft of reason.eenee and life. Perhaps the veryeuddennees of the event overpowered him. Heaven only knows what passed in his dull. crazed mind while the girl he loved sank without help. Was it that he! would not save her for anotherâ€"that. in his oruel love, he preferred to know her dead, beneath the cold waters. rather than the living, happy wife of another man? Or was it that in the sudden shock and {Jarret he never thought of trying to save or ? He stood for hoursâ€"it seemed to him an yeargâ€"gvaitchipg ghe s_p_ot yharq t_h_e page, agonized face hEd vaniBhedâ€"wabching' thé pddyingripplpq a_.nd the_ green reeds: Ye_t Then he saw that the day had broken. He said to himself, with a. ywild, horrible laugh, that hexhad Watched all night by her _gra.ve. He turned and fled. One meeting him. with fierce, wild eyes full of the fire of madness, with pale, haggard face full of despair, would have shunned him. He fled through the green park, out on to the lu'gh road, away through the deep wondeâ€" he knew not whitherâ€"never looking back ; crying out at times, with a hollow. awful voice, that he had been all night by her grave; falling at times on his face with wild, woeful weeping, praying the heavens to fall upon him and hide him forever from his fellow men. Ho fled again. This time the piercing cry filled his ears; it seemed to deaden his brain. He fell in the field near the cottage. Hours afterward the children out at play found him lying in the dank grass that fringed the pond under the elder trees. The first faint flush of dawn. a rosy light broke in the eastern sky, 9. tremulous golden shimmer was on the lake as the sunbeams touched it. The forest birds awoke and began to sing; they flew from branch to branch; the flowers began to open their “ dewy eyes; " the stately swans came out upon the lake, bending their arched necks, sailing round the water lilies andthe green sedges. ‘ Lord. Earle made some laughing reply. but Lady Helena was not uite pleased. Punctuality with her had a ways been a favorite virtue. In case of real illness allowance was of course to be made; but she herself had never considered a little extra fati us a sufficient reason for absent. ingrhersel from table. he two gentlemen talked as l during breakfast. Lord Earle asked u rt if he would go with him to Holte, and. Lord Airlie said he had promised to drive Bea- trice to Lan ton Priory. Hearing t at, Lady Helena thought it time to send some little warning to her grandchild. She rang for Busette, the maid who waited upon Beatrice, Mid told her‘to call her young mistrese._ But the hot anger leaped up to he hurt; he was mad with cruel jealousy and rage, and tried to snatch the locket from her. She defended it. holdlng it tightly ales in one hand, while with the other she tr ed tojree herself lrgmhie grasp. He crept into a. field where the hedge- rowe were bright with autumn.tint. He threw himself down, and tried to close his hot, dazed eyes; but the sky 'above him looked bloodored, the air seemed filled with flames. Turn where he would. the pale, despairing face that had looked up to him as the waters opened was before him.. He arose with a. great cry, and wandered on. He came to a. little cottage, where rosy children were at play. talking and laughing in the bright sunshine. Great néavenl How long web it since the dead girl. now sleeping under the deep wafers; vgns happy 51351 blight es} they ? _ Helena. upon the grave countenance of her son. upon the bright, handsome features of» Lord Airlie. They sparkled on the deli- cate silver. and showed the pretty chine to perfection. The breakfast was upon the tabje. but the three ‘_oooup§1_1t_a of the room had lieen waiting. Lady. Helens took her seat. "It seems strange," she said to Lord Earle, "to breakfast without either of the girls. I would not allow Lillian to rise; and from some oaprioe Beatrice forbade her maid t_o o_all ‘her, saying she_was_t_irad.” ‘ " L'ddy nelena, without speaking to either of tho gentlemen,went to the door when the girl stood. ‘ ...V O“' _. .__V-- “M lady," ahaâ€"35m: " will you please foTo’ xere ? You are minted very particu- “Eya’ ,A‘ ,4 ”$135 SE65 Et'hfiéiâ€"gfiiihfi-imblo, nrmngin some letters. when the maid returne . Lady Helena looked at her in utter wonder â€"~th_o_gi1:l‘s_ {age yvas naje 91111 geared. He smiled at first, thinking, as she had done, that there must be some mistake, and that his mother was fanciful and ner- “vous; but, when Lady Helena, in quick, hurried words, told him of the unfastrened door and the ribbon, his face grew serious. He took the ribbon from the maid’s hand â€"it seemed like a living part of his daugh- ter. He remembered that he had seen it ‘ the night before on her dress, when he had held up the beautiful face to kiss it. He lliaddtouched that same ribbon with his ‘ 8.11 - in the matter?" “For moroy'a sake. my lady." replied the msid, "come lap-stairs. I-I cannot find Mill Beatriceâ€"she is 110‘ in hormmg“ and the girl trembled violently, or Lsdy Helena. would have smiled at her terror. ‘ all 'gmgtiofifihd wgnt Ripieflx up to. heal): " No,” replied Lillian ; “I have not seen her since just before dinner last evening." 1: fll,- 1 Â¥ AL _I-__ ___‘LIA ___AA LI.-_ (In __S: “ ohe has not slept here.” she said; " she must have slept with Miss Lillian. You have frightened me, Suzette; I will go and ash m 1!." L y Helena went through the prett sitting room. where the books Beatrice h been reading lay upon “the table. on to Lil- lian’e chamber. and Ian id, yet better than she had looked th_e nig _t beforg. Lady Earle oontrqlled “ Have yet seen Beatfioe tliis rimming ?" she asked. “ I want her.” Then he went out into the grounds, hell expecting the beautiful face to smile upon him from under the shade of her favorite trees. He called aloud, " Beatrice l" The wind rustled through the trees. the birds sang, but there came no answer to his cry. Neither in the groude nor in the gardens could he discover any trace of her. He returned to Lady Helene, a vague fear oom- ing over him. . n u u u n e! 1. "_AL__ The rooms were without oooups’ut; no disarm of jewels, flowers, or dresses. no little 8 'ppera. no single trace of Beatrioe'l "22““ ‘7‘.“ “1°?“ The retty white bedwae untouchedâ€"no one h slopbinit; the blinds weredrawn, and {she eunli ht etrugg led to enter me rooni. Lady elena walked mechanically to the window. and drew aside the lace curtain; then she looked round. “ She dld not sleep with you, than ‘2" said Lady_ Egrlet “ My lady," she said. “ I fastened the outer door of the staircase last. night myself. I looked it. and shot the bolts. It isnnfaatened now. and I have found this lyingby it. Miss Earle wore it last. evening on her dress." £1653ny with Miss Lillian." she y make such a mystery, “She in aid; “w Smite?" “ She is not there, my lady; I «not find her." wag the nnawer. , “ ylad ." Busette whispered. and her frightened aoegrew deadly pale. "barbed has not been ale Mu; nothmg is touched In} 1111:: room; a has not been in'it all as .n - nl ht." g shock of unutterable dread seized Lady Eula; a sharp spasm seemed to dart thro h her hear’t. “ are must be some mistake," she salt}, gently ; “ I will go_ _1_1p-a§airs wit‘h‘you.” Lady Helena kissed Lillian‘s face, u e~ quitted the room; a deadly, horrible fear was turning her faint and cold. From the suite of rooms Lord Eanl had prepared and arranged for his daughters, a staircase ran which led into the garden. He had thought at the time how pleasant it would be for them. As Lady Helena entered. Susette stood upon the stairs with a bow of pink ribbon in her hand. “ Something terrible must have hap- pened." exclaimed Lady Helena. “ Snaette, ask Lord Earle to come to me. Do not say a [0rd to guy ou_e." He stood by her side In a few minutes, looking' 1n mutye wonder at her pale, scared éée'ifia'd In; "utterly impossible that my harm could have happened to her. - “Sh; indihiwe gone out into the gurden or the grounds." said Lady Helena. 7 “ R0, sherdid not. sleep here," respondad thg ygun_g_g_irl. ‘“ She may have gone out into the grounds, and have been taken ill," he said. "Do not frighten Airlie, mother; I will look round myself.” . He went through every room of the house oneb one. but there as no trace of her. Stil Lord Earle h inorfeer; it "Ronald,"ahe said. “Beatrice has not slept in her room all night. We cannot find her.” " I cannot find her,” he said. “ Mother, I do not understand this. She cannot have left us. She was not unhappyâ€"my beauti- ful child.” , _ ‘ "-There ‘was no slip of paper. no letter, no olew to her absence. Mother and son looked blankly at 08.011 other. "Ronald.” she cried, “where 'is she? Where is the poor child ‘1" He tried toeomiort her,but fear was rapidly mesterin him. "Let us see i Airlie can suggest any- thing.” he said. ' They went down to the breakisshroom. where Lord Airlie still waited for the $11 he was never more to meet alive. 0 turned round witha smile,and asked it Beatrice was coming 3 the smile died from his lips when he saw the pale anxious (sees of mother and son. "Hubert,” said Lord Earle, "we are alarmedâ€"let us hope without cause. Bee- trioe cannot be found. She "has not. seem- ingly, ele t in her room. My mother is it htene ." edy Helene had sunk ale and trem- blin . upon a couch. Lot Aime looked bow ldered. Lord Eerie told him briefly how they had missed her, and what had been done. wvu uuvu v. ”V“-.. v- _. , Father and lover went out together. Lord Ail-lie suggested that she had perhaps gone out into the garden and had met with some accident there. They went carefully ever ever pertâ€"there was no treoe of Beatrice. hoy went through the (Continued on seventh page). uvuu‘ “ She must be trying to frighten us." he said ; “ she must have hidden herself. There can‘t be an thing wrong.” Even as he a he he (9 thew impossible it was that h s dignified Beatrice should have done an thing wrong. e could throw no light upon the sub. 'oot. He had not seen er face since he ed kissed her when bidding her goodnight. Her maid was the last person to whom she had spoken. Susetto had left her in her own room, and since then nothing had been seen or heard of Beatrice Earle. '8 What. is it. Busetto ?" she asked. “ whtt The yopps'air} was wake-.lwkiyz 9.519