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Nn. 1512 \ ^ Th* Seftilde IJbrorjr, Isfuml Dailr ~ By SubucripUon. 136 per ftnoiim. Oopjriirhted 1888, bj GM>nr« Munro. -EnMred at the pMt omi^ &t New York at Apcond Clans RatM - February 80. 18^. OLD GARTH: A STORY OF SICILY. By Professor JAMES DE MILLE, Author of " The bi'hjf rhii;' etc, etc. J FENIMOKE COOPER'S WORKS CONTAINED IN THE SEASIDE LIBRARY: no. 232 Last 'iU. 'I'HK a2t; 'I'liK 220 'I'HK 231 'I'HK 233 The 585 'J'UB 590 The OF TH« Mohicans .... DEEKSLAyKR pATHFINnKB . Pioneers Phairie Pilot 20c. Water-Witch 20c Two Admirals ...... SOo raioi. 20o 20c 20c 20c 20c 615 The Red Rover * 761 WiNG-AND-WlKG 940 The Spy 1066 The Wyandotte 1257 Afloat and Ashore 1262 Miles Wallinoford (Sequel to "Afloat and Ashore") 20o rsRii. 20c 200 20o 20c 200 LUCY RANDALL COMFORT'S WORKS CONTAINED IN THE SEASIDE LIBRARY: no 495 Clairk's Love-Life 862 1,11V K w Sakatooa 672 KvK, 'I'lfK I'actory Girl 716 Hi.ACK Pull 854 (lOlilSASIlE 907 TiiHKi; Sewino Girls PIUCI. 10c XOo 20c 21 ic 20c 20e 1010 His First Love 113:5 Nina; or. The XIystehy of Love . 1102 Vkxiiktta: oh. The Soithern Heiress 1254 Wild and Wilful '..... 1533 Elfrida; or, a Youno Girl's Love-Stoby PRica. 20c 20o 20o 200 20c NEW YORK : GEORGE MUNRG, PUBLISHER, 17 TO 37 VA^DKWATEU STRKKT. ^ THE BEST PAPER. THE NEW YORK FIRESIDE COHPANION. The KiHKHiDK ('uurANioN 1m the best imptT of llie kind uul>llntii-d. U huHtIm Itti-KL'HiL'irciilutioii.iiH i!iMy be mac4Tittlnrtl by iiiii>Hiltiiilng uiiy iicwsdealtT. ItH [Kipii- larlty Id f iitlmly nwli)K U) K<>ua ntorlea. Htorles of ile- favtlve life una (mtvicb havp ftlwnyH lieen one of it« gre*t ffatun>H. No elTort )iuh tivt^'u Hpartxl lo ubuUo records of real detective biiHlneM. ••OI^O HI.Ki;'rH ■wnU AmoDff ita female writ^TS are Mrs. Larr Kaudall <'oHr«irtt Mra> riiarloiip M. Hianler* Mra. Ales. MrVelsh Miller, Hni. Hmnner Harden, Chrlailae CarlMn* Row Ashlelsli, Barilla AU.llajr, Mary Cecil llajr, etc., etc. The moflt dellKbtfuI love stories are to be found In Its paged. The hiKhiwt utandard fs luaiulAiued. Ouly the inoHt Interestlug coiurlbutiouti are pubUslied, The Fireside Companion CONTAINS THE RICHEST VARIETY OF SKETCHES AM) LITERARY MISCELLANY. Cnmlr Kketrhea. ortslnnl hHiiior frnni Funny ConirlbuiurMt Short HtorlcMt INielryanil Bloara- whjTi AuMwerH to ('urreNp«M| llu»i*ehol(i Herlpi'H. tti'A oiher InlereNtlnv riiai-tineni*t will be maluinlurd wiihoui rrvard lu expentie. for both youn^ and old, uii iiintr to couiMbe meut and amitueineiA with tli-^able ivror A new (.*<»n(JtjnedHtory will lM'cealili- to t^ettbe be^inniiif): of a Htory nf the newHdenlerH, < r of lis, rm malter at *vhat Unie they may siiliwrilH.'. Bai-k num- bera can iitways bo hud coiitaiiiliiK the coiiim en cement of every Htory. All of' the old oontrlbiitora oontiniie to write for Th« riHEMiPK ('iiMPAaion. Kvery number Ih full of lively and Oiiarmiii^ 'jriglnaJ iimtter. Our aim in always In lunke A Valuable and Attractive Paper ae entert&iu* Frorniatiun on matt^TS reliitiiiK to the lupin''. courtBMp, iiiarriaire, iio- ciety, aiil (in-s*; to tratify tlw rnnaU- curiosity and in- terciit of all in fhf pirr^ and nattirnl mmance of life: to cultivate a tafitt' for reattm^and intellectual pleasures; and to inculcate ipMH^ netitlmenta and principles in the Blinds of the youcK'. K"thinic of an Imfnoral tendency la ever admitted into its columns. Rencltiifir for Little r'ulks. This is, and will ooutiuue to l>e, one of the prominent foaturesof the paper. Thecontributionsto tnis depart- in ent are by the very f(«vnioBt writers for children In the country. Ttiia alone makea Tbx New York Fihb- BiDB CoMPAMoH invatiiable to ever>- hoiinehold where there are children. We know of itiatanceM where the little nnea insist Ufion hftviqg theen articles read over and over ajfain to them before the paper of Itie follow- ing week i isaued. Correspondents' Column. Xo eiTorta or paiim are spared to make thtsdepart- *ient inoflt attractive and i»eful to our readers. It is Mited by a irentlenuin of wide experience aud sound Wd^meut, aud a vaat amount of iuforuiatiuu Ih Kivec : answent to uut'KtJoiis relatiufr to love and ctimu'tte, iegal and unxlical quefltions, information for the kitchen and household ; In fa«t-ofllce Money Orders. Pottage free. Specimen copies sent free. OKOROV MirNKO. PMbllnber. P. O. Has aval. 1 7 to *i7 VandewMer HI., N. T. A NKW BOOK FOR 7 ADIES. CUlTING-OiJT DRESiSMAKINO. FRO* THE HIKNCIC OF mix biRBcnoNB roR COTTINO EVBRY OaHMKNT WoUN l.V LaDIBS, WITH VVMKHOt'A DIACB.MIB. TABLX or contkntb; How to Take Measureti, VeHflcntion of the MeMQTfr* menta. Variable Measures used aa Supplementary lo tbe Fixed Measures, Variable Sleasurea Dot fonmnf Rectangular Diagramit, drafts of Pattemaof Dreaws, Verification of the Patterns for a Body. Dreaaaii for Young Girls and CblldreD. General Directiona for Pre* paring a Dress or other Garment before maktiig It up. Ureas with HaMque, Dreaslng gown. Low Body wlili round waist, (.'nraoo. Pelerine, how to Trmi tirea, Chetnlse, Drawers, Aprons, ete., ele PRICE 36 CKNTS. P. a Box 37&1. OEOKGE MUNBO, Wnv , 17 to V7 Vandewaivr atrwt. N. Y. ^KW PUBUCATXONS. Htorieh or Jkwism Lira; on, BriatKa from rax Ghbtto. TranRlat*Hl from the (ierman of I^*een recently increased by the revival of Juitf'nbelxe in Huasia and Gtrniunv. Vhe Englisli rewler haM a iraimlatiou of theui here which do<-B not obtM'ure the individual and oriuinal savor of the utorlHs, The Unit, " Schlemlel" twiiicli in .Jewinh phroHt* diH>s not mean a uuin without u Kha4lou. but a perf^lstentlv cluuisyuud unlucky }>erHon), aud the last, " Without AuthorlKAtion," are llie t>est. Tbe first haMugrent deal of pathos. The longest story. "The HAiidar's Cbil dren,' Illustrating the ctirioiw hatidl of the JewK uh fiublicuns which is said to l>c at the bottom of most of lie iTceiit rieoj»le whom the author drew with so much ability, ''The Itrancirt-liuj " i.s a pleatuint book to read. The charm of th<' book is in the dciicate and sppreciatlve description of that earlier iH>riod, and of the elTect which tiie memory of it had ui>on him. When the DuchcKH coiues upon the hcd to an elaborate i>ortroit of her. Tlie (xiliiical Mketchfn and alluHiftuH are made with a good deal of humor, and lUose who read b»>twd bv many transpanytly disguised references to conteui- porary characters and eveiita. A (.I01.DKN r.AM, by the author of " Christinn North ;" No. 1.^7^i. Seanulf lAhrnru ,* price ao cents. In this novel the interest derived frfim incident isconflncd to nariow limita, but within these limits the story lit worked out with much ari and a happy discrimination. In lieu of Incident we have vivid pictures of uKxIern life wiiich aucceetl each other with enifronslug rajiidity. It is one of the merits of this iMKik that th«>re is no preaching in It, while the sjiirit is alwav.s sound and saluUvry. It Is written with smguliir felicity of style and uniform pur ity and refinement: It nl>ouiuts lu lively dialogue, wliile It'is fi-ce from all that is sensational. Thx Skaix HorsB at Allinoton. by Anthony Trol- lope; No. l.Vilt. SeaMdf IJhrnry ; Parts I and 11; price 3(1 cents each. A ivprint, in clear, fresh, lai-gesiztM tvpe. of one of the best of the iiuinerous works of tlie renowned novellHt of common, ever>*-dtty life. One 8(;arcely knows how to say wherein coiisIhIn the charm of Trolloim's botiks. for there Is nothing reHt*ml>ling the sensational in them fnmi lH>giuning to end; but the chann Is there. Thf Wanukhino Jrw, l»v Eugene Rue; No. ISO, Srtt^ Hitlr ! ihairti : Parts I and II ; price »)cent« each. This grt-ut roniinM-H, when it wa.s first publishcfl. BHtonishe*! EuroiM*. lu inanv n»ftpects It still rfrnalup without a nnrallel. li« weird attractiveness and fawinatiou an- Irresistible, It is, indeed, more than a romani'c; it Ik. In addition, a discussion, from the lilieral and popular standpoint, of a score of social and relitrioue quest ions which have agitated and still agitat4> France and tlie world. UHspoTTxn FROM THK WoHU>. by Mrs. O. W. Godfrey : No. I.'jTR, Seoitide Library: price 20 cents. Tills is a love story, pure and wholfsome yet anient and glow- ing, and abounding with the trials and crosses which perhajis are nlwavs necessarily att*'ndant upon tru'' love either for (he purjwse of preveiirtng it from Krovv- ing ftat and stale, or else keeping it from too nearly n-- Bembling the condition of the blessed in Paradise. ^Irs. Godfrey Is evidently at home with tbe subject. CViAi^ or FiRB. by David Christie Murrav. auth<)r of ".Joseph's Coftl " ; No, 1,%41, SV««/rfe l.iln'iry ; prff'e SS) centa. This is a cliarndng b«>ok of minor novels, by one of the finest Kngll^h uo\-«li»ts of recent date. Mr. Murrav is In his eh inent in dealing with the plunders and s<:ami>s of the Stmk Kxchanges. His novels show the knowledge of a iitan of the world. SwKET iNisrAiL. bv RichartI DowMng. No. JM3. .SVd- tide Library ;prit;ev) ents. There are passages und sttuations in " Mweet I lisfail " marked by that peculiar des«;riptive piwer wh -h Mr. Dowling has at hiscoui mond. Thero is in It uIro mach thrilling incident, and all who enjoy an old -fashioned story of real villainy and tU exposure and puuismuent should read It. A THE OOMINO s Snimer Fashioas for Lailie& S MAY NUMBER X (."Vow Heady) g or : The New York * .fl O IV T H L V iFashionBazar P HUBMmiPl'IUN PltlOK.. ••i.AO |»ei- Vrur. (P The May niunber of otir Pasbfon Matrnr.Ino l> sheaA M of all ootuMtiton. It mntalni thn L'ximutir Huium^ SPaablona. No other PaBhlouJoiimsl list ibi* fMhiona. ••< laauMl la Aacriea, sEzqiiisiteSxuninerCosttinie& •* for Evening mnd (iarden Part\e$, 22 The May number contains 011 the rover a S LOVELY COLORED PLATE BE or s: CHILDREN'S FASHIONS. ^M 'Hie l>eHt Fii^hlon Plate (if Children's Fashiuna we ^ have over publlHhed. 11 wivu . Seven Complete Suits S| Fcin (ilHIJ4 AMI IIOVS. M Tlir IMrw «'*l«ird Fnalai.H Plialra uid ||. 2 ■■■■rnlisM. iIiih-Umx' nil tlit- « FASHIONS IN MILLINERY, X Hats, Bonnets and Trimmings, JJ .\uil Blv.. Iho S^New Ribbon Trimmings -J AMD " |New Styles of Wraps and Mafc S We sre indebted to tlH> i«iiiii«tt New Ynrk mer- rhauts.Meeara. LORD Ac TAYLOR. ''or. Hroad- M! «-:iv Slid 2(ith HI., N. Y., and loMeasre. JORDAN^ *S MARSH A: CO., <^f Itoctnt, f..r nmny of tiur new 2 niodi-ls and nlyles fnr the pr.'Srnt sawou. The May numt»or isrichm J NEW BMBROIDEEY PATTEBNS, ■ And Noveltie* in Fancy Work. ^ The May numtter coutulns theoiieumK tliaptersof i f now novel, eutit]eopiilaa authuiw.untl msny chamiiiiK itlctonal uoveluea. efnr which the aNKW YOHK FAHHK «.ri>niiott'd— (he (»nii'lyliit( ol the mort^re^ The I'urjxwe for which the aNKW YOHK FAHHION AZAlt wati <.n>niiotvd— (he »lyliiK '>t thflUioatre- liiil>lt^ Hiiil beautiful FtLfhitiUM, uikI tlie l>pfovelii fcr J famdy reailiiiK— has l>ei'ii snii'ly fnlUIIed. > All unnit-HH' quantity of Wood Euarnvlnga show I nil the ('hitiiKit* snd novelties vthich the Heam>ii «ffer«. Many taHli-ful dt'fiinid are triveu by these EtiKnivinga of I New Hjiriiiir and Hiinimcr OxtT-raniients for Ladles ■ and Children, Patterns for Kuilrroidery and Fancy U'lirk, New KtyleH of Jt'wclry, J-'axhumti and Pattema S in Ladit^' tT,)()«rrlothliiH: ami Lti)i£erie. Stocking*, - (lloves. Ilandkerchipfn and Laces, Orlirinal Patterua 'for Fnticy Work, TwoConife KiiKratlna«, Aueodotea ' and Funny HayiiiifS. a i>tece of |i>>iitilar munic. I liuprrinl PinneH Paper PnllerBa. » We sri* prepared to sni>|ily IniiM-rial Pinned Paper B PattfrtiB, cut and pinned into the sliaiw ol ({■rmeuta K of ali faablonR pubhRlifd in the Magazine. * Tua«lditlou tocoflnnief (riven en Colored Plates, the I entrravliiKH which till the body of the Muvazine fnmlBh ! s wmipleti' outline of the fwhionnof tin' ct iit-nn. Everr- thiUKuew in Dlllltnery. illanllen. lliilhieea. Ool- . mnna, <'onis. RnMiaea. rhlMrni k %"""t I llonierr, f*hiiea and Neck «enr. will t«e found I fully and beautifully llhiBtrated in th« May num. I Also Patterns for Embroidery and Fancy Work. I A choici- f-ptect(«n of Hketches. F^Mtays, Fiiwjuou Itwaa, . pprsoiiaiw. Honip Information. Hiimoroua Siiiiter.i'oe. : try mid Hio^rapby will l»n found in eacr siuKle •'opy- Tb" "Et ^criptlon price la •2.W per year. Address OEOROB MUNKO, I7 to 27 Veudewater Hlraet, New York. P. ♦ B0Z8TU. This Number contain* a Complete Story, Unohanged and Unabridged. voi.Lxxv. ntsmiiii OKOIiOK MLMin, I'LUhl.SllKK, NOI. 17 TO 37 ViUDKWATEH RTRrrT. Kkw Yobe. ( PRICE ' (aO CENTS. \ No. 1512 Tlip 8<'ft*iii«» Iiilii'(ir\-, IsptiPil I>iiiiv - Hv Hiih»MTiptii'ii. J3»; ]>fr nnnnni OopyrlKhUHl 1S»8, by (ienrKe Munro.—EnUMed at Uie I'uac Ofllc-e ut New York m .Second ClaM .'uiles - Fehnmiy ■*'0. IW*. OLD GARTH "etc. ntlier iioplllM oifil P1«SM, Ihf i»ru?.inefnnu«» ., iiMpii. Evenr- IlllllfM, »ol- rrii'k »••••« will l« futiiid << May nnni. Fancy Work. jB Mittttrr, Po*. tiiiliil>«r. ,.TON BAZAB 1 «1M JM Mnt. The «nW. A STORY OF SICILY. By Professor JAMES DE MILLE, Author of " TVit Umlije Club," elf., etc. CHAPTER I. THE STKANdli MANrsnilPT. Old Gahtii sat in his room in Liverpool, imokini; liia pipe nnix feet Rway rose the blank wall of another waiehotise. There wr..s hut little fnrniluic in the room: a narro' iron eot with mattress, two stout chairs, a sma I deal lalile, and tinally a seaman's chest, which ' I tieen transformed into a couch hy the simple means of a few f^iiiny-haKs. The oeeupaut of this room hail not been in Liverpool more than six months, and yet had made himself known diirint,' thai time lhrou,!,'h- OUt a pretty extensive circle of acipiaintances, both by the eccentricity of his character, and the 8in;;nlarity of his business. Tln's*' had im- pressed the public mind very strontdy, ajid had produced tijat peculiar sentiment of good nalured toleration which is often felt to\varlenlif>il eveiyw here In this nineteenth century, both in lidion and in real life. He had a round, almost boyish face, elusleriiig dark curls, open, frank expression, while his eyes were of that kind which look one full in the face, and compel a certain sort of iiileresl if not regard. His lirst remark was the usual and natural one: " Hallo, old boy, how are you?" " Well, Henslo'we, my .son," said Old Garth, " I'm (Icliglited to see you. JIake yourself at home. Don't be bashful, and don't'mind me. For my jiarl, I'm in a confounded lix and aViout used lip." "Why, what's the matter?" said Hcnslowe, dropping into a seal upon tlii> seamen's chest. " Oh, everything's turned Hp,"said the other, " that ought not to." "Do you mean hero in Liverpool, or in Sicilyt" asked llenslowe. "Any news from the seat of war?" " Well," said Garth, "that's about it. It is news from Sicily. It's that beggar Ilcrengar. He's thrown up the cards. The game's up." "Thrown up the cards? Whv. what's that for?" "Well, perhaps it couldn't be helped; but, voii see, the fact is, be was expecting something from me, and that something wasn't forllicom ing, and so — the game's U]). It's hard, t o. You see, il was this way wilh me: I'd been ,, n years or so in Sicily. They're a bad lot, but they've got some pood points.aflcr all, and ought to have ilicir rights. It's loo infernally bad for those beggarly Honrbons to hold a magnillcenl country like i. vegetable garden, and ireat the population like a lot of slaves. Well, you know we've been working away for ten years or so I against the rascally Bourbons for the Sicilian I licpublie, and didnl make much jirogiess, so I ofl'cred to come home and see if 1 couldn't do I something; and I hat, as you know, is the reason ■ why I came here." j "The very last place in the world to come to on I such a linsiiicss," said llenslowe; " that's what j I've always told you. Now, if M)ird tried j France, yon might havedone.soniethiiig; but in i England" there's no chance. We're the most mat- [ tcr iif-fact jieojile in the world. We sympathize with revolutions everywhere, but wc never (Iream of helping them; and in all Kiigland I there's no such mailer of-lacl place as Liverpool. ! I know that. Look al me. I'livan arti.st. An artist: and in Liverpool! Think of that I Now, an artist in Liverpool knows exactly the position of a patriot in Liverirool. But what does your friend licrengar say? K that from liim?" "Yes. He don't say anythhig in particular, except that he's given up, .and is going to make his peace with the Government. That means that the infernal scoundrel is going to he wliat we call (Jucen's evidence, lie's going to play the .ludas, betray his friends, tell all he knows about the revolution, hand in tlienuimes of the leaders, and all that. He means tosaveliis own ski 1, ami make enough by his treachery to get a sUirl ill life." " How did this happen?" " Oh, well — every traitor has an excuse, and Rerengar has as good an excuse as aiiv one. You see, the gainehad become desperate. \Vlien I left, I pioniiscd to seek for iK'lp lure, and re- turn in three months. lint .six months have iKis.scd, and I've done nolhing This is what iJerengar tells me, and he adds that he must either do as he is doing, or bang. There's no doubt that the poor devil is in a iix. Here's his letter. You can see il for yourself." "Thanks — but I don't know Italian." " Well, it isn't hardly lialian, it's the Sicilian puluin. liercngar boasts, or used lo boast, about being a man of the people. After this he will probably be a man of the Government, for they will, no doubt, reward liim for his treachery; — anil in return for enabling them lo bang a score or two of hifi most intimate friends, they will OLD QARin. give liiin n mluiitlon In sonic iliiffand, perlisp*. with n wiliiry of iilMiut four |«miiil» u yiir. llnlhtT »iimll, imi't llV Hut llml!* ofliMi IIiciiimm' with tlio prico i>f hloixl. Diilii't .liiiliiit Imrgiiiii for thirty pliTcH of silvurV" " Woll,'' »iil(l Id lleiiMlowe. Kfter n brief puilsc, " iXTliiiiw, lifter all, it's JuHt n» wi'll." ".lust as well : " rriid (iarlli. " What! Justus well! That's (.(lol, too: mid « lint's goiiitf to In- I'oino of me, I BJiould like In know, wlitii llic great biisiuiss of my life's lirnkeii up?" "Oh, as for thai, a Slellliiii levolulioii Is hardly a liiisiiiess, and n man like you caiieai-lly Hud soinetliliii; elsi'." Qiirth shook his head. " It's not so easy, I can tell you," said he, " for a mall like mc to llnd a ■•oiigenlal oceuim- tlon that suits his nature, and iloesn't olTend Ills conscienee. Yon see, I've lived a roving life. I've tried different countries— Oreece, r,j?ypt, Syria, Turkey, t'orsiea— all, and 1 wasn t ex- actly satislled with any of lliein. At length I settled down in Sicily. 1 found the people enterprising, ingenious, warm-hearted, uiid op- pressed by a mUerable goveninient, I got nii.ved up with tlie Itepulilicans there more and more until at length the eslalilishnient of the Sicilian Itcpnbllc became the chief end of iny life. And all the lime I always had an ii'.ea ilint the eye of £iiglaiiil was upon us. That's what I used to tell llieni. That's what I lirinlv believed. That's what brought me here! .Viid this is the end? I never was so liifernally humbugged in all my life. Kngllshmen care for iiolhing except busi- ness and nioneyniaking." " Well, and why should lliey? " ii-^kod Ilens- lowe. " There, don't lirenp; I know exactly all that you're going to say: but the fact is the average IJritou ha.': only a very inisly notion about other countries, and though he may feel a vague sort of sympathy with the ciiuse of revolution in the abstract, yet he don't feel enough to assist » ilh his purse. But never mind this Just now. I've conic to von about a little matter of my own. It i.-'iA of much conse- quence, and yet, |M?rhaps, after all, it may turn out to 1)0 of uiiich greater conseiiuence than ll seems." " A mutter of your o\vn,"9nld fiarlh. "Out with it, my sou; I should like to hear some- thing that would drive **icily out of my thou^jhls for a few minutes." " Well," said Ilenslowe. "it's a curious sort of thing, and perhaps tliere isn't anything In It after all, but it's taken hold of nie in such a manner that I swear 1 Imvent been ablt' to think of anything else ever since I l^rst came across it." " Hut what is it all anyway, " asked Onrth. "Well, it's a manuscript, " said llenslowc. " I found it in my father's desk. It consists of several sheets— rlant. I don't know how it m.iy strike you. but for my part, 1 can't help feeling as though I'm on the verge of some great dis- covery. If so, my fortune's made, and if you like, you can help me, and go halves. " "lint, stop-, wait a bit," said flarlli; "don't go on too fast. All this is beyond me, and I can't make head or tail nf it. lii the first place, what i.i this manuscript V is it in Fingli.sh.orsome foreign language'? and what is it about? " "Oh, I'll show you it; of course, "said liens lowe. "That's what I came here for. And I've brought it with me. Wait a moment. Here it is." With these words, Henslowe drew from bis pocket a parcel which was folded up in brown paper. This he opened, and brought forth another parcel also done up In brown paper. This wrap]icr he proceeded to remove. He did this with 11 tender care ami delilieralion which showed the high value he attached to its con- tents. At length the manuscript was discloseil, and this Henslowe unfolded and laid ojien before Garth, upon the small ileal table, and then, having smoothed away the wrinkles, stepped back to watch the eft'eet which might be produced. Garth drew his'cliair ijp closer and proceeded to examine the manuscript. The manuscript consisted of a sheet and a half of foolscap paper, covered with writing in a crabbed yet (jiiite distinct hand. The paper was yellow and the ink was faded from age. The edges were worn away, and the corners also. The paper lay in three half sheets, or separate leaves, having evidently fallen apart, for the linos of the folds were also deeply worn, and in some places here the paper could no longer hold together. There were also marks »U over the nfauuscript which showed unmLs- takubly that It had been much Hngeretl. exam- Ined, and |M>nilered over. From cerlain nmrks I it also was evident Ihat fiieslmile InipresMloiis iiail been taken from il.by triu iiig or some such mode. Here and there cerlain words were underlined, while down the margin of all the sheets were llguresinlendi'd lo niimhcr the lines, which Hgures had been made by some later liaiiii than that wlilcli had wrill'ii themanii .xerlpt. The llrst page contained thirty seven of these lines; the second, thirty six; the third, thirty eight; t!ie fourlli, thirty. four, the tiftli, llilrty six, and the sixth, Ihirly live, making in all two hundred and sixteen liiii'S. All this was visible to «!urlli at the llrst sur- vey which lie made. The survey was iiiaiie in silence; and turning over the pag'es he took one rapid glance over all. " You see, " said Henslowe, who stood watch- ing him, " I want you to read It and give nie your calm, iiiihlased opinion. There'f aihance to make a fortune out of it, I think, or at any rate a strike for a fortune. For my part, my |M>sillon is such that I'm anxious lo try any- thing. You know how it Is willi nii\ wlial 1 am— only a jsior artist, |M>or In iHX'kel, and |V)or too, I fear, in ability. I've no friends,— no prosjM'ets, — no fill lire, and therefore, as is imliiral, I feel a good bit excited alxait this. Still I don't feel inclined lo trust my own Judg ineiit altogether. Now, you've got a cool bead on your sijouUlers, at least, for other iieople's alTairs, and you're just the man that's able lo give an impartial opinion, so I should like to know what you lionesily think about it." Henslowe'spoke this in a rapid, feverish way, and with an anxious look; but Oartli did not see him. nor did he appear to have lieiird one woid of what had been said. His mind wius complclely engrossed by the manuscript. The llrst survey which he had taken of it had at once attracted his whole attention, and nmre. There was on his face sometliing that looked like nothing less than aina/.eincnt. Ilcnding his head low he narrowly scnilini/.ed the paiwr itself, and then turned it ovir till he reached the end, as tliough he were looking to .see whether the Imndwriling was uniform or or not. After this he looked back to the begin- ning. Then he frowMcd heavily, and once more looked at the end. ' lion be looked away with an absorbed and abs.racted ga/c, with his eyes on vacancy, and a heavy frown on his brow. "In — fernally ipieer!" he niurmured — " Landsdowne! Lamisdownc Hall! — and Hrolli er Claudian: — most infernally ipicer. " These words Wi re not adiiiessed to any one, forOartl. was evhicnilv lost in his own thoughts. Upon Henslowe the effect of them was extreme surprise. He had expected from (larlh a cool, calm perusal of the miiniiscripl. ami a judicial summing up of its conlcnls. Instead of this, he saw, even before Garth bad read it — at tlie very first siiiht of it — a great and unusual ex- citement, 'fills excitement also had been canseil apparently by the mere sight of some names — Landsdowne, and Hiolber (liiudian — which names he had seen at the iK-L^inning and end of the pa|ier. Yet what could Garth possibly know about nanus like these belonging to a period far anterior? To Henslowe all this was unaccounlablc, yet at the same time the evident emotion of Garth served to give the manuscript additional value in his eyes, since it formed an unintinlional tcsli. inony to lis mysterious imi>orlance. So he now watched Garth more narrowly and earnestly than ever, not .saying a single word, feeling us though his friend might Ik- the actual master of the secret which had been baffling him, and might be able toe'' .ir up the whole mystery. After n brief period of retlection, Garth once more turned his eyes toward the paper. Lean- ing his elbows on the table I'e held his head In his hands, so that his face was not visible to Henslowe, but the profound absorption of the render in Ids task showed how deep was its in- terest in Ills eyes. Now. whether that interest arose from the contents of the paper itself, or from some other additional knowledge of Garth, wa.s out of Ileniilowe's [wwer to answer. CHAITKR 11. CONTENTS OK THK MAMBCIIII'T OK nnoTHEH CLAi:i)IAN. "Jo iiii/e M'ired t^rfuilf if PicHrrrcr Iiii)vrte Biifvii htndmloirnt' of hiitil^thnrne Jftill'. " Hki.oveo Fhkndk.— ll dotlie not neede wordcs to make know ne to you y strougo uffec- tlo & gratitudo w' mye hart fecleth for y w' lo xpressi' as isseenilyc ennilyo words w' bee vcrllyo Hcake A' In mye ease y' is a ilelte Ix'yondti wnnfes since it Involvelh Life itseilile courage Ja calm forliliido y' inyc Life lialh Is^en sufed & thoiigli y' Ik' miiiiye in whose eyen y life of llrollier ('laudlaii, iinwortliye meinlHT of tho Holy Soclelas of .Icsiis Is lesse y" nothing yet y be others who value liim more preliosjye — but most of all in safiiig liiiii y hath been done an aii of iiioiis love to y dear mother of us nil y Holy .Maler Kcclesia. Thus In y' extreme of perl you risked all to safe liie though hi so doing you risked rank, posseifl-iones yea & Life itself: " Heloveil Freiide y Kiindcs of y" life V' you siifed are nearly run out. It hath onlye gafned a short yearc more Ac in lliese lasle lioiires myo niinile hath turned much toward you. For I Ihiiilc of you as ime of y* faillifiille among y fallhlesse A: as a valyaiit son of ye Holy Kc- clesia among her bilier enemyes. Y' time may come biloved Freiide when your enemyes may triumph over you, and piinisli you sore'for your fiiilh and servllluni loyoiir King mil your God. Theyie are triiyloiires In every calii|X- i: you may liaveyour .liiilas. A: IhIovciI frendo It Is out of mv deep iilTeclio A: gratitudo y' myo niinde hatli recalled a ccr' iMie tliyng y'w' im;- ciirred in mye earlye (la\es A: y" w' may 1m' ini- portaiil for you, A- sliolife y day of exilinm ever come lo you or youres, A: sholife you be banish- ed, your pro|Hrlv conllscale A: povertye oppress you, this may ullord yf u y means of a rein- stauriilio of your fori lines As of giving back to you all »' you mav have lost. " Ucade yfore ttiese wordes well A; inarkc y" well A: preserve y docuinentiim. A' if y* time ever comylh ly w' may y Holy .Siiiiles proliih- it) y' yoiii- scrvilium for God A King sliolde bo punisli by y usurper A you sholde become an exiil A a'paiiper A in sore need, v' perhaps y tcslamenl'im may ledeem your life from despo- ralio. Ileare yfori: w' I have to telle. " It is 8(1 years y' I was in Cadi/, when y ar- rived 11 lleeie wiili prisoners captos at sea. These were all pyrates of y w' some had been hanged A y survivors were brought ashore A: some were hanged ashore A: others were spared for a time, not y they were less guilty but Ije- cause lliey were diseased A some even on y* point of death. Among whom was an English- man of whom I beared tell, A being a eoiiutry- iiiaii I deemed it my olllciiim to visit him & seo if I might not reclaim y wandering shee|)e lie- fore it was too bile. I therefore visited him & felt a true gandium, that though in extremes almost, he yet was not a heretic, but desired to confess, A receive absolutio. His faitlie was verily but weake A had well nigh lieen destroy- ed by a life of mortal sin, but in these lust lioures y was a manifestalio of true ixeiiitentia A my ministralio was grateful. He listened eagerlyo to my wordes A made hla confessio A showed true pii itentia for the transgressions of his life. He also told me all y" bisioria of his life, n' had Inen a long cursus of sin A iuiqiiitas; what I am atmul io tell is no violatio of tho arcana of the confessional, but is y* voiiin- toria made in many colloipiia, when it waa as I mav siiy not so much I'ricst A I'lenitensy talked as homo A homo. " His name was .lohn t'lark. About 30 years l«-fore this he left England (circa A. D. MIH'L.)& went 111 a shipiie lo America, A y sliip(ie wa.s wracked A lie with some males in a boat was picked ii|i bya shippe of y Hiiccanneers who took lliem all to their seltlenient in y' insula HLspani- ola. A' there Clarke A his companions all joined y Hiiccannei rs, A look y' sacniinentum rr oath of tidelilas iV made abjiiralio of all other ties & bonds, A then after y' followed a cursus of blnodshed A riipiiic A crimes iin.speakable. At last on one oceasio y' sliipp<' In y w^ he sailed gave chase to a Siianish gallone y w' Ihey knew lo be a trei.sure sliippo from y" 'Havana.s, y w* they chased for many days A approached y coast of Spain. Hut y Buccanneers kept her off fr.im n port A in a storm pursued her through the straits A into V Mediterranean, where after two (lavs thev made an altaik in a culm A ca|>- tured lier. 'I'lie s|Kilia were incniculabilia for y gallone had y whole of one yenre's revenue of Jlexico. " Now y sacramentum of y' Buccanneers bound every one to y strictest lldelitas toward his comrades A y was always an Htpialc divia- io of spolia. But on y oceasio y sjiolia were of so great itmagnitndoy nothin^'like it had beea knowen ever before, & y Gapilaao was a maa of very great ambitio & aTarifia— wbo the day "the spolia Inacceitiible world A .. great Iralllc ed, A y s|)o A inoreovi you to iKrli cessilas she " W'lieci rather lo po famllia all Heaven A i: your loving! " T^ANDSrHIW This was much of it « Bs the pages ■writer, nor i ' anything, sh ■w' I OLD GAKTn. HiiccnnHccrs elitas toward ttKl\mle ilivU- ppoliii wrrc of le it liad been o was a man -who the d»y tftcr tlic rapliira iif v' pillon'', rnllinif y" n»t- cunnctTH tojljIlMi' iividr all oiullo In y w' hi- •aid y' y' "Jiollii wcrr urcalcr Hum witfi r knottcii iM'fiiri', y' il wii-' V ii'vitmi' of Mexico for one year A; (1)1111' not Ikt Ii'sm y .'i niillioiK! f:uinean iV y- llii'y liad won il llicniwlvi'^ liy iipir owcn (lariiiif A: valour, A: y' il w" Ik' iiii- fairc iV. iinri|UM'c> U^l he fiad come liaek lo Ihc C'lirisij:inos i\; joined y ltuecaiine<'rs. And he knew all llie ghorcM A ishinils of Kuiope A of Africa, A" il was an island on llie Ihilian coasi y' he made his t'loelos for ii place in y w* he sholde lairy y* »polia, w' insula iR'iiifj conveniens for seamen, iK lieiii); unfrecpienlaia A' lnrecl of ihe other Bliectd. This he laid on the talili' liefore (lailh. " Here," saiil he, " is Ihe last -heel. All Ihe interveninir leaves are );onc. I haven't any idea how many there were, wliclher one or ten." Oarlli looked up for a nioineiil willi Ihe same ftbslracled air which he had shown liefore. Then lie looked down aitaiii al Ihc papers. "Gone," said he, " 11m — and jiisl here, too — well, llial's a pily. Well, let's sec what there is here"— and, saying this, lie went on to read the last pajrCj "tliespolia. For ll.e place is not rumole nor lnai'ce!»iible since il is in y centre of y' liabilabcle world A' niirh lo couniries wliicli cnrry on a great tralllel^. no y' V insula can easily he leach- ed, *Sc y' siHilia can Ih' exhumed by a few men, & inoreovir y soliliido of y' insula will enable you lo iwrform y work in v cnio. A if y nc cesnitas sholde ever arise y will be your iuidc. " W necessilaH I pray all ye saiiils to avert \ rather to jKitir upon y' heails of yoursclfo A' fainlha ail y' blessinpi A- lienediclione- of Iloaven iV; Ka'nli, s.icli being y daily pr:iy .'i' of your loviiige & gratefullc " Amicus & Prater. "('|..\UI,IAN. '* IjAiiDsixiw.Nn IUllr, OctoU'r, JlI)t.x^.KVI." Thin wae Hic end of the manuscript. How much of it wiismissingit was impos-siiiilc lo tell, es the pagCH were not numbered by the original 'Writer, nor did the nunil)er of Ihe lines indicate ' an; thing, siuce they had ouly rvfereuce to the llne.s on each pngy, and Beemed I'lso lo have been made, as has been sidd, by a dilTerenl hand from llie wri'er. It wiis evldenl. iilsn, Ihal Ihe nilssin,' purl was the niosi liniiorlanl. since 11 ciailained all Ihe infiirmatlon relaliveto Ihe burial of Ihe treaaurc, and tliv place where Il had iH'cn buried. (larlli silt for some momenls lookiiiL' al Ihi' inaiiMsci'ipl, ill silence. He was not reading, but was Icisl in Ihoiiglil. .\t leiiL'th he rai'cd his eyes lo llenslowi', and rcgnrded him for ii few momenls Willi Ihe same sllciil Ihoughlfiil liess." • " How did you gel lliese'/" be asked nl leiiglh, laying one of Ids big hands on llii papers. " I came across liiem by mere iiceldenl, " said Henslowe, " in a bundle of papers bclnnginglo my fallicr. The (lapers were of lililc impia- lance, bill had been laid away by my iniilher aflcr my falher's dealh. " " Hm," said tlarlh; and llieii after anolhcr pause he once more asked, " And how did your i'allier happen lo gel llieni'r" ' I don'l know llial, ' said Henslowe. " I>o you know wliellier he ever had any conneellon or any iicipiainlance willi any of Ihe familv of llie I,iii'idsdownes'r" " ."^o. I really can'l say. I'm sure. I dare say he had. Iii fad. he niusl have hail, I should lliink, for I can'l ai'coiinl for liis gelling Ihe |ia|)"r; in any oilier way " (line more "(iarlli siib-ided inio silence. Heiisiowe regarded him walchfully. I' still seemed lo him Ihal (iarlli niiisl know soni.ihiiii; about this iilfair, llnnigli liow he sliould, was ipille iiiiaceoiinlable. He knew, however, Ihal (lailh had lived a singular ami mosi evenifiil life, anil il was cerlainly probable. Ihal in llic course of his wanderings he h id conic across some circiinislances which might |iossibly lie coniiecled with the secret of ihe maniiscripl. Perhaps he had heard the story of the buried Ireasiii'c elsewhere; or. i«'rliaps'lic might have heard of llrolher ('laudiiin. .\il (larlli's emo lions were easy to be read in his broiul, honest face. He was not a man who could conical whal 111' felt, or wear a mask over his will; and so Henslowe Ihonght il best al once to come lo close quarlers, and uiieslion him alioul il. Witlioiit any (ircuniloculion, Iherefore, he asked him directly: " l>o you know anylliing about t) T' It wiis a sulllcien'lly direct ipie. in, and (birlli gave one keen, penelraling glance al his ipieslioner. Then, willionl giving any answer, lie once more looked at ihe pajwrs. "No one," said he, at lenglli. "can really know anything about lliis unlil these missing leaves arc found. This manuscript is Ihe plav of • Hamlcl ' Willi Hamlet left out. Tlie key lo the whole is gone — llie pages Hint conlnin'ihe real informalion. '\'oii Imve here only Ihe ill Iroduclion and Ihe conclusion. Wlicre are Ihe niis.sing sheets'; Thai's llie ipicsllon. How could your fallier have pome by these fragmenls'; Have you looked for llie ickI'; Ii must be among his pajx'rs. too." Heiisiowe shook his head. " No." said he. " i' is not. I've looked over every paper that he left, and there is nolliiug of llie kind. Tlien. again, I am convinced lliat he did nol liavetlie missing leaves himself, fiom certain papers which were Ixiiind n|i wiili Hicsc and which consisted wholly of annotnlions of his iiixjn this very manuscript. These showed lliat lie ninsi have spent an immense amount of time and study ujioii the mamiscripl. and Ihal Ills whole endeavor was to Hnd out the meaning of Ibis fragmeiilary ]iart. The endless cont'd- ures wliicji lie made about the place where the treasiiie was buried shows Ihal he could nol have seen the missing leaves. All that he found out from ills study of Ihe mamiscripl was no more Ihan you and 1 may Hud out liy similar study, much, in fact, that may be inieresiing. bill iiothing that can throw any real light on the auliject." " You arc right," Raid Garth. " If that Is Ihe case, then he could not have known aluait Hie mi.ssing slicels. Hut it's a deueeil ipieer tiling too — odd and ipieer from beginning to end. I don't Kuppr of till' fiiiiiily liixl middi'iily ili<:i|>|iriiri'il, joii inlv'lil iniirliiilo lliiit lie hail liiki M llii' iiiImIiiu; impi'i's mill )!niu' iiflir llif iira-iiri'. If vimi nri'i'i! Ill lirar lliiil miiiii' I,miilHilii» iii' liail sml ili'iily iimili' n laii;ci I'liriiiiii', jiui iiii);lil ((in elude llial III' liiid I'liiiiiil llii' Iri'iiHiiri'. It hci'Iiih to till' lliat, liifiMc yiiit pay iiiiy fiirlliiT iiltciillnii to IIiIh, m)ii |i!til bi'ltir try tu llnd uiit tlii'M' -iiii pie fiirlH. " " I wiiiiiUt Iiiiw I call lliul out," mild llctii Jowi'. " Eivty enough." mild Cliirlli. " Landwiowiir Hall Is will I'lioiiLdi known, iitiil llic l.aiiils dowr.i'S vi't livi,' and l|ciiii'i'
  • y the powerful spell of this pii/zliiij; miihiiscriiit. I " l.aiidsdonne Hall I " continued (iartli. musingly — "I've lost .sialit of it for many I yenrs. It was in the old Karl's time. Lord 1 Gorge and Lord I'aiil used to lie ali'iiit. Queer iIol^s liolli. 1 don't know "r.: 1 .lunilil object to take a run up there again— and have u look at the old pla.'e — only I 'J^ii'l see how 1 can leave this.' •^'Well,' said Tancred "there's something in this maniKcrlpt. It's worth followinL' U|i. I'm L'oing to kec|i at it till 1 liiid out something, and of course 1 shall want your liel|i " " Vou tluill have it," saiil Uartli. I'liiillnp, now look ofT Iter lliInK*, nml Ml down liv her mother, with wliuni uiu entered I Into 11 long conversation. * I ,Vn uneomiiioidy pretty iind attractive little I riiiiii.' was this I'aiillne. She had a round, illni pled face, with arch, laiiglilngeyes. and an e\ iiicHsio.i of happy nelf coiilent and childish Innoceiice which wiii« very charming. The mother mill daiighlcr had iniicli to talk iilioiit. They did not see one aii'ilher very often, and wlieii ihcv dill meet they enjoyed one another to the full. .Mrs, lleiialowe. wlinni we have thus aecii llv Ing III an attic, had kiiowu better da,\s than th. sc; lull her hiishand had fallen iiilii poverty, and had llnally died, leaving her wlihoiit any Visihle means of support. Ilei children. Iiowevcr. had exerted tlieinselves. and with sonic success. Tancred lleiislinvc was able to make a living a- an artist, and has already been Introdin ed to the render, while I'liiiline gained her own llv ing as nursery governess. " Has rancred heard miylliing more from Mr. Kriiik?" asked I'liiiliiie at IciiL'th, after a long coiivcrHatioii about her own altairs. " Not yet," said .Mrs, Heiisluwe, "but he Is expecting to hear every day." " Is he doing anylliing more with his pict- iiresV " " Well, you know he has had an order from .Mr. Milton for his Klower Oirl." "Oil, M's, 1 know, and has lie flnlslied It yet?' " No. not yet. lie hasn't done niuili this lust week." siiid Mrs. Ilen-lowe, in a tone of hesitation. I'aiiliiic ro-e and went Into the studio. Ail- VMiieing to the ea-el s|ii' wilhiliew tile curtain that hung over the picture, and looked at it. It was a picture of lmiiiI l«aiity and attract IvciicKs. It was all Ilalian scene. The sun was setlini,'. Ill the distance was a chain of dark purjile hills, nearer a ^heiiherd was watch- ing his llock by a ruined temple. The chief ailraction. Iiowevcr, was a ligiire in the fore- ground. It was a girl In the Iti'limi peasant costume. She was sortiii; omc tlowers and CHAPTEIl in. AX A K T I M T ' H II O .M K . It was the attic liiamlier of a house in the business porthin of )he city. Tlie room was •scantily furnished, the door was open and look- ed into a large apartment, wiih a skylight, in wliieli ilicre were various ttrticlesiiidicaliiigtiiat It was till' studio of an artist. All easel stood in the niidille. and near it a lay ligiire, while all around were articles of costume and arlisls' inalerials. An oM lady was seated in the lillle attic- room sew ing. She was small and slight, with thin, shar|i feiiUircs, small, iiriu'^ht eyes, and deli- ately shaped hands. Her hair was very while. and the expression of her face indiciiled greal retiiieiiii-nl and genlleness. S"nielliiiig very wiiinini; and fa.scinatiiig was visilile in that face; it bore tlie traces of sailncss mingled with resig- nation, and seemed to indicate one wlio harl Icninvii greal sorrows, yet, at the same time. Iiad linown irreat consolations. Her work engaged all her attention for some lime, but at lengili il was interrupted by the sadden entrance of a young girl. " .Muinnin, dearest," said tlio new -corner, ad vanclng ripidlv toward her and kissing her fondly. "\Vliy. my dnrling I'l.iliio," said the old lady, dropping her work mid standing up loeni- brace her daiiglilor. " How nice thisis! How were you alile to get away to-day'^" "Oh, well," said I'aiiline, " tlidv were all going off to the country, and so I was free to come to you. I supiiose Tancred is not at liome?" " No," sahl the other. " He has been out all the morning. " looking at the speclutor with an air of iiinoceiii tiiiiniph, — the tigiire, the face, and the expres- ] sion were all those of the sweet lillle girl who :; 1. siiioii looking at lb' picture. Il was (|iiite I evideii! that I'liiilii'.o hnil served usher brrtther's I model. The expression in Pauline's face was precisely like tlint of the llgiire in the picture. There j was the same beniilifiii innocence and cliildish ] glee. .Mrs, llenslowe Ic I come up and looked '■ from the picture to lier ilaiighter and back ' again with fond apprccialion, both of her; daughter's beauty and her son's cleverness, " It's certainly Wdiiderfully like you," sahl slie, " I.ikc niel Nonsense, nimiima, dear, ' said Pauline, "Tancred has nleali/ed me; but what do you mean liy saying that il isn't llnislied? Il looks so to me." " Oh, well. Tailored says that it needs a few more loiiehes," " Has .Mr. .Merton seen it';" " Yes, and was delighted with il." " 1 slioulil think he ou;;lit to lie," snhl Pau- line. "How L'iail '. anil How clever dear Tancred is! He'll feel encoiiraircd now, poor dear boy. I'm sure lie deserves it. And now lie'll feel like workiiiir." .Mrs. Ileiisliiwe shook her head with a sigh. " 1 wish it may be so." said she. " Why. inamina, ile:ir, what makes you look and spei'di that way'? What's Ihematt'crV Has anything li.-ippi-iicd to 'i'mu-rcd'/ Vou re:illy make me feel ipiite imeiisy." " Well, 1 don't know,' said .Mrs. llenslowe. " Perhaps I'm iinreiMonable, but I cannot help feeling worrii'd." " Worried';'" " Yes. I iMii't liel|i it — your poor papa went oil in llie same way." " The same way I What w:iy. maiiiina, dear'.'" " You don't know anything about it. I'aii line, der.r. but it w-is the bcgiiiiiing of all your poor papa's troiilil"-. and now I'm afraid Tan- cred is goiiitr upon die sjiiiie course. " " l!ul what is if;" said Pauline. "I don't iindersbuid — what is it all about';" " Well, it's some wietihcil [lapcrs — faintly papers— something aboiil a treasure - papers containing some secret about lis place of burial. Your father frcllcl his life out over the manu- script trying to llnd out the secret, and now Tancreii has got hold of the same pa|>vrs and is going on in the same way," " Tumlly ptpcm'" unhl Panlinr. " Wh'r, what had our family lo do w lib any treasurer" " Well. I caniioi Hay In particular. Vour father fiiiiinl il anion'.' the family p;i|H'rs, how- ever It lieloii;;ed to \ our graii'dlat her. 'I liirt urandfather hud soini' ipiarrelwith bis wlfe'il faniilv. I needn't go into parllcuhirs. .M any rate, heatliched mm h liii|uirtaiiec to this pu- jier. and used to pass very much time in si inly. liii; il. .\ftir Ills death, \oiir father seeiin d to grow fascinated with it. and became more mill more iibsorbed In the study of II, iinlll at lengtli he bemiii lo neglect his own profcHhiDii. Hu lost all taste for cverytbliig el«c. Soineliines ho would L'ive up the maiiiiscripi for a fi w month., but Would invariably return to tbe stud) of it avaiii. It was his min. If it bad not been for that your father would have ili'd a wealthy liniii. and left lis in eoinforl. instead of dying a poor m;iii. and leaviiu; us to Ih- p'liipcis. Thin wicii III d inaiiiiserlpt w iis the ruin of Ids life, and made him alwa.vs a dreamer. It is a ciirsu to the f:iiiiily. .Vfier your father's death. I waa on the p'lint'of dcstroung it bm | didn't dare to.— il was a sort of lieirloom, and seemed lo iH'long to the family. Ihsidcs, I did not lliliik llial there Would beany fiiiiher danger. Sol left il among your poor pa|ui's iiaperH. and now, imlorliinati ly. Tancred has found it. What makes me most uneasy is the fact that theinanii- script seems to e.xert the same inlliience over liini that it did over liN father. He has already given up his painting, and has not touebed tho ' Klower liirl ■ siiiee be found the iiianiiscript. So, you see, l*aiiline, d'-ar, it seems like your papa's old iliscase, an I I feel a deep anxiety for fear Tancred's life may be riiined too. " The anxiety which .Mis. Ibii- lowe felt wM fully vi-ible in her lone and look, aii'l wiis also shared by Pauline, w hoin this unexpeitcd inlelli- geii'.'e had grcaily astonished lliii l';iuiiiie waa more siingiiine, liiid not sn reiidily t arrieil away by aiixic ty. "Oh. well, inaiiimu. de;ir." said she. "Tan- cred has bis iiroressiuii, and III' is really very niiicli devoted lo it, you know. — and then he's beginning to get orders, luo, — so we'll hope for the best; and perli;ips this mysterious in.iiiu- scripl won't do so iiiiich nilsciiief as you fear. Oiilv 1 do wish that 1 could see it for iiiy- '1 lie coiiversalion went on for some timo loii'.'er. ami w is at leiii;tli interrupted by tho cnlrmice of Tani red llenslowe himself.' IJo came bursting in inipeliioiisly, with his face a^dow . his eyes full of eager deiighl, and waving a lelli r in his hanil. " Hurrah!" be i rierl. " My fortune's made! Hallo. Pauline, you -e just in the nic k of lime!" " Why. what's the mailer, Tankie';" sahl Pauline, as she kisseil her brother. " What good news have you heard'; Is that a nianii script III your liaiid'; " .\s she said this, .Mrs. Ilen.slowe looked aii.X- ioiidy :il her son IPs cxcil' nient touched her. She was afraid it niivhl arise from some vision- ary discovery in coimeclion with the inaiiii- sc'ript. Of many and iiiaiiy siicli eluillilions oT joy >he had been ti.e bopeh'-s witness, and had leariii d to le'jard llieiii all with siispieioii, it not with fear and trcmbiiiiu:. • ".Manuscript!" cxclaiiiied Tancred, ill tone which at once set Mrs. Heiislowcs mind at case. " .No. indeed. What rot! No; Ibis is a letter. .\iid who do you think it's from, now ? " • Don't know," siud Pauline. " Ulless.' " Well, .Mr. Merlon." "Oh. no; you'll never guess. I'll lell you. It's from Prink. " " Prink: " e.yclainied Pauline, in evld'iil sur pri.se. " Yes." said Tancred. triiiniphaiitly. " We've been doing a little writint:; but as I I.iiew bow you hated him and suspected him. I thought I wouldn't say aitythin;; about it. Now, I always rather liked the fellow . 1 saved him fioiii liam- meriiiL's at Klon. He allacli(d liiiiiself to nie, and has been a good friend ever since." " lint what does he say? " asked Pauline. " Say; Why, he has given nie the olTer of a splenilid situation; but yon can read the letter for yourself." .Villi saying this, lie handed the letter to Paul- ine, who opened il and read the following: " I.ANDsnowNK llAi.i-. April 10. 1S3I1. " Hi'.yii OLD liov. — I've done it at la.st. and gained what lye been trying after for many months, AVlicnl wrote you last I didn't feel altogether certain; but now it's decided, and I am instructed to ask you if you will accept It ^\ il th fr in trcniiurnT" liir. VMiir UK rn, lii>w- lnr. 'Ilih I liin wlfo'ii m. A I liny to lIllH pit- lu ill hi inly r si'cini'l l(> I- iiiori! iiml III III Iniiitli ,^M<>1I. IIU iini'iinit'x ho 1 W Mlcilllli^, wlllll) lit It lliil lll'll fot I II wiiililiy I III (lyliii; a i|Mrf. " 'I'liin I III' Ills llfl', II Is II I'liritu ill Kill, I »'iu 1 illiln'l iliire I MM'lllllI 10 ill iioi lliliik mmir. So I ■rn. Mill iiiiw, il il. WIml lilt ilniniinu- lllllli'lli 1' livlT ,■ liiis iilnaily lollrlll'll llin iiniiiusivi|n. n» Wkr .viiiir • |i iinxirly for tiMl. ' owe fi 11 w»» jlll'l ^Vll^ iiUo |iri llll inll'lll- II raulilli' wttH ( iinkil nwiiy ,\ hill', 'Tivii- \» li':lll> vii-y mill Hull lii''< IM-ll llli|W f'T eriiHlM iii.iiui* ■f HI* >iiii fi'iir. L'c it' for ii>y- |)r sonip time ii|iIim1 liy tl|0 llilllMll.' llo Willi 111'* fiico it, mill waving rliuu'i' mnili"! link of liuiu!" iiikKY" Hiild llll-. "Wlmt s llial 11 inaiiu- l,),)kiMl aiix- It iimi'licil litT. 11 Mumi vWioii- ih till' niiiiiU; 1 ilmlliliiiiis lit iiu"iiiriiiii. it OLD GAliTII. mri'ii, ill tiino . iiiiiiil at I use. tills i* It letter, now 7" ni li'U ynu. ill cviili nt *iu- iiillv. "Wi'vo MS I l.iii'W liow 111. I IllOllL'llI I Ni.w, 1 alwayn 1 liiiii fiiiiii liam- 1 ,iii~i'lf In me, -lliri*." ,, a raiilinc. llie olTei- of il 1 nail the lellcr lie h'lliT to Paul- following: il.l.. April 10. IN3I1. it at last, ami .iftir for many last 1 iliilii'l '<■•■• ileciileil, ami I you will accept thn poKlllon nt privttio icrri'tary In Mr. Dniry. Thr siliiiition i» tlfht rate. Salary llvi' hiiiulnil |iiiiiiil n inaiiuscript. " Diiliil il slrike ymi us veryi|iieer, mollier." said rani'ied liiriiiiig lo .Mrs Meiislnwe, "that my siliiiillon sliniild he in tlds very phne— this l.indsdnwne Hall? Uliln I yoiinoiice the name III the lellir.''' .Mrs. Ili'iislnne miirmiired .sniiii thing scarcely aiiilihle. The fact is, slie had nnlii ed It at nnic, and liad lain virv fnrcihiy alTiclidhy II. The mnnieut that Pauiiiie had hegiin lo read the leiler, and had iinnlionid Ihe name of l.iindsdonne lliill, tiie old lady sturled. ami In- volunlarlly her hands clas|H'il one anollnr. It was only liy a sirniig i llnri, and liy slow ile grees, llial she iriiined anythln:; likerninpnsnii'. " And. iinw Unit I think nf il. " said Taiieinl. " I should like In know Iniiv il isllnil fill In r liiid these paix'ts, and how lliey liiipfii in d lo he nnniiig Ids things, slowed away as liilnni.dii',' Inihe family. What eonneclinn isltirie luiween IIS. the II nslowes. and iliese l.iinilsdow lies? l)o Mill know, inolher?" .\frs. Ill nslnwe looked at him sadly, and with wistful eyes. • I Hi. yes." said she: " I know. " " What H the conneclion, then? said Tan- ered. "The conneiiioii," naid Mrs. Ilenshiwe, "Is on till' inaiernal side. Vniir grandmniher, who married Leonard lleiislnwe, wasa Landsdowne." "A l.ainlsdnwne? Voii ilou'l say sol" ex- claimed Tiiiicred. in sui'p|-i'>e. " I've invir llioiii:hl il wniih while to men tinii it. " cniiliiiind Mrs. Ilc|l^|nwe. " Your irrandfathcr. Leonard llen-lowe.i|Uarrcled wilh Ihe Laiidsdonm-s. Hut llic eonneclinn isnnlof any value; still. If it weie mil fnr one or l«o nihers siandlng in Hie wujV. vou might now he Lord l.anilsdowne insiead ofa poor arlist." "Lord Laiid-dnwuel" exclaimed Tanered; " wlie eewl ' CIIAPI'KU IV. U E I. I B K II .VT I O K Ij . "Wkii., hy Jove I" cried Tanered, "this is one nf the oddest HiiiiL's 1 ivcr heard of I Such a lot if cnineidenceM! Il eeitainly is (picer, — and H hat's going In he Hie end nf It?" " This is a very |Mi-ily ' niy. ' paid Pauline, who had nowcompjeled Hie manuseripl. " .\iiil ver.v mysterious and rnmaiitic. Jliit. iinfiiriu nalely, there is nn cniicliision lo il ; and 1 Inilc to re:iil a story and Iiml at Ihe end of Ihe hook that il is only Hie lirst volume, and Hint the secund line is not lo he had." " Il can never Ih' had, " .said Mrs. Ilenslowe. " Don't try lo liiid it, Tanered. dear. Fnrgel all ahoul il. It was tlie ruin of ynur poor father, don't let il higiiile you." Tanered laughed. "Oh, Well, I'm a dilVcreiit sort of person from fallier. Dnii'tynii frcl. Y'nii won't catch me letting myself he liiiniliiig.i;ed hv this sort nf lliiiie: IJut did futlier ever go loLuudsdowne Hall/' " No." " Why ni.l?" "Oh, well, Hiere were family ilitlleiillies ill Ihe way. His father hud married a Lniiils- ilowiie, and hoHi incurred the cnniily nf Ihe fiiniily. Their sun cniild lint go Ihere. — hut now- there are new people, and your very uaine will he unknnwn." " Who are ihey? " " Well, tlieie a"e no Luudsdownes at all now — no men— at least not at Ihe Hull. Lady Laiid.sdowne lives Hiere wilh her hrnlher. this l>riir.vof wliom Mr. K.'itik sjie.-iks. and Lucy Lanilsdowne is there, the daughter and heiress. Thai is all." " Well, hut how do you happen to know .so iniicli about them, motlu'r? " iiskeil Tanered. who felt great surpri.se at such knowledge on her part. " Oh." said Mrs. Ilenslowe. placidly. " 1 liave had cause lo know very much abnul them, though since Lady Lanilsdowne has succeeded 1 liavc not known anything of Hiem. and 1 am contldent tliat they don't know unylliing of me." "Hut, mamma, dear." said Pauline. " dnn'i you suppose Ihey mav know all almut us — and perhaps Ihey have given this ap|ioiiilnieiil to Tanered for Ihe sake of making friendly ad- vances toward a reunion of Ihe faniil.v?" " Oil. no," said Mrs. Ilenslowe. " liial istpiile impossible. What motive would Ihey have? Wu are utterly obscure and insignilicaut. It iis ban ly poulblu that Mr. Krink may have told Ihiiii' " "Hut how eoiild he have Inid HIriii." salil Tanered. " when he dn'il know liimseK? \\ hy, 1 inysell didn I knnu anylhmg alimil It llll yoii told nu" iiinl llll sure he doe-n'l know any- Hiiiig,- nr siisiiei t aiiyllilng, .\nd fnr mv part he never shall kiinw. 1 certainly wuirt tell ' iiii." " You don't Intend, then, to claim relulioiv ship? " said Pauline. " Of course noi. " Hiild Tanered. " In fael, it thev knew the relationship, I would refuse to k'o. ' " Oh, nevermind iiIhuiI the reliiHonship!" snhl Paiillne. " lion t you sec. Taiikie. whiil a ehancu Ilieie IS I'nr ynu to fniiii a new rehilinn>lil|i? (lu iinil fnllnw in the lool.^li |>~of ynur illiisltiniisnii' eeslor and win one of Ihe l.aiiilsilowne hidiis — Lucy LandsilnWne— I'm i|iiile in hue wiihlho inline, and I'lii sure she miisl he nil Hial's charm- lug- llnw. Isn't she. niainnia. ihiir? ' " I dnnl kiiiiw. " siild .Mrs. lleiislnwe. an Pau- line iiiipi iliil In her. " I've never seen lier, nor have I heard wlial slic looks like." "Oh, mvir iiiinil--de|H'nil iipnii It," eon- liniii'd I'lUillne. "sheislo he Mnir I'ale. <<(i, hy all mraii-, Taiikie, dear; ilevole yoin>elf lo Lucy l.iindsdowne; win Hie heiress, and then, wlien Ihey wanI lo know who ynu are. lell Hicm that ymi are llnir eniislii by only a few remnves. \\ in her. Taiikle. marry In r, and makes Miiirselt Lnid Laml-dnw ne, and I'm suiu youll do cK'dil In Ihe liaiiie anil the lille. " " Have you evi r -i ciitlie |iicm nt l.iiilv Lands- dnwne?" Inipiiied Tanired of his nioliiii, tak- ing no nulicv of Pauline's Hoiiicwhat IlippanC remiirks. " .No, " said Mrs. lb iislnwe, " 1 have not seen her; but I remi'inlii r hearing a gn.id dial iihniit her whin she tirsi came Ihere. It was after the dialli of Paul, llll' liisi earl. She cuiiie with her ihumhler, w ho was Ihe next heiress. Tliis Lady Laiidsdowni- hail livid a i'o\'iiiL'' life wilh her hiisbiinil. and he Inid died in Kriiiici- lint a liUle while bilnre. If he had lived, he winild havo li'a|iid iiiln line nf Ihe gii .ilest I'nrliiiiis in Lug- liiiiil. I've heard lliat she is a very clever wom- an, tlioiigh not nt nil well bred. Sninc have siiul Hnil i-he is of rni her obscure pareiiliige. and not l.idv like. I've heiird lliat her manner is sliigy. ami Unit she reidly was iiiiee on lln .-.luge. .\ml I dale say ll's M ry likely. lUr hiisbnnil hud lii'i'li ilissi|ialeil. I liiive hianl. and Inid picked her up somewhere wiilionl ever imagining Ihiil so grciil a dcsiiny lay before hini: bir ymi know till re liiid biiii Iwn nr Hiri-t- li\es belweeu him. and the inlii lilance, and Hie death of those Landsdowncs was must iimxpceled." "Slagy — iihl" said Tanered — "lini—uiid of low nrigiii— well, I ilon'l like Ihiil. to begin wilh ; iiiid I niufiaid. Puiiline. Iliul this Lucy will huril- ly I nine up In Ilic mark. I ralliir Ihink that Krink meaiil In Iiinl at soiiii Ihiii.g nf this sort. Ile cniildn't siimd her. Hints ivideni, but Ihmighl 1 inighl,— a likely.stoiy. Whal! I — I— pill ii|i wilh a nii'lo dramutie, ill bred giiaHul C'onround his impiideiice!" "Oil, really, now," said Pauline, "Hint !.■> gniiig a lillle Ino far. You had much better wail lillyou see her before you sweuratlier I'nme iinw, Tankie. reserve your o|iiiiion till yoiive seen Hie lady. For my part. I've ipiite inude up iny iniiiil Hi, it ynu arc tu uiarry her und be Lnrd" Landsdnwiie." " Well, at any rale." said Tanered, " il's a tiisl rale berlh— almost loo good In he true. I'm afraid--and I feel as though Ihere must be some si-rious drawback which h'tank has heeii alraiil lo im nlinii.— such as a tendemy lo mad- ness in Ibis Drury, nr in niie of the ladies, or si,iii|.||iini; piTleclly iiilolerable about Ihu eslulilishminl. However. I'll see Frink soon, and I 11 pump him dry. In any case, I'll go, — I don'I mind :i mad landlnril, or a luiialic lady or iwo, — and I'll put llirniigh thn e mmiths, at any rale; and besides, there's ,oiie Ihing that I ought lo succeed iu if everything cisu fails—" " What is thai?" asked Pauline, as Tanered hesitated, " Why," said Tanered, wilh an emphaiic movement of his head. " the manuscript. " " The niuniiscriiilV" " Yes— the niissiiig leaves, you know. I liuve an idea that tliey may be lying some- where at Laiidsdowne Hall, ll's not at all unlikely. This maniisi ript must once have been Ihere. since it was urigiimlly written there. These leaves — this incomplete portion — somfl one removed from that place, and most probably left the missing leaves behind Uim. What U 8 OT.T> OAKTH. i mor* llkriy llinn thai tlipy mill nro llicru, iinil itl lilt ■aiiii* lliiii' wiml la iiKirii llloly lliriii I hill I IDiiV liy Dome liiippy cIiiiiki', lie hIiIi* Ici llnil lUoMiT" Tiiiicreil x|H)k(! with mutli wiirmlli niiil mil mailon. " Will," niilil III* motlier, mildly, " \l I wcr«< you I Wdiilil kIvu nil nil llidiiiilit of (lilh niiiiiii (rrlpl I lii'lli'Vu llml ii I'liric iiIUikN II. Il • Tiiliiod your |«ir a i(i iitliintiii ii( llir uM ■chiHil. )«o ill Liiily LuiiitMiiiiwiir lirMitw nut' wIki Itcki'il till' liiiii', III!' iilr. Ill)' iii'i'i'iil. mill till' brciMlin;.', chilli lir liml l>n ii iihvn\H rutiiilliir with ill Iriii' liiiliiH. mill wlili li li" liml I'XiMitKl tn Uriil. HI II liiiillir nf rmiro', In Kmly LiihIm diiwiii'. Hut III' ri'iiiriiiliirnl liiiit licr Iiii^IiiiIhI, Dieoriliiii; III liii iiiiillirr'n nlory. lnnl iinin' mi ci|H'i irilly iiiiii tills liilirrit'iiH r. anil liail liicn ii •iicrii'i ii( liliii'k hIii'i'Ii, IIiiiI III' IimiI iniirrk'il in tiid liny, of Mm liiiniilliitliiii, iiml limi incki'il ii|i a wifi' will! Willi priiliiililv lii' Inffiior l.iiily l.iincl»ilinviii' wax iiirrily a llriirv, ami nt nllirr liloo'l lliiin \\U. Onii niiin riniainiil for liliii tn Hi-e. anil that \vii« llir liilri'w, I. my. Wliillivr nlio wdiilil III' It I.aniNiliiwiii' nr a Driiry, now Iwcnnii' Willi lilni n i|iiiKtliin iif vtTy gri'ut iin- portanrc. CHAPTKll VI. I.l't Y I.ANDHIKIWNK 1,1 I Y I,\NDI»IMIWNH prnvcil to III' nillllir II liaiKl-iliiwiir iiiir a Dnirv, at li'a>t. '•o far a" Taiirri'il 1 ix|«'riiiiri' liail iiailinl Of '■li'tiilrr fraiiii' anil imilliltii Ktatiirr. mIii' iliil not rxlilliit thii tulliK »i 111 till' mil', imr tin' iHirilinr"!! of tlif (illirr Kli'ptni in fnriii. with ' i'vr» Slir wm. ii lilimili', anil Inr iiulil i iiin|>li'\iiiii ami rinimli'il iliinplril I'lici'Us '.I'l'inril i'Xi|iii'on his life path,— a jiirl who wa.s (|uite unlike any one w lioin lie hail ever known, wlio.se perfect naliiraliiess miitht make her ilistaslefnl to the cnnveiilional Frink, Imt only served to i'onini"nil her to his own iniiid. The si;;ht of her had ipiite over- powered him. The thought that he was tn have her, as his pupil, in close ami freipicnt coin- paninnsliip, was most ileliL'lilfnl; and it seemed to him that this ainne wimlil lie icward enontdi for cominj: tn liandsdnwne Hall. liefnre the close of the day Tancred had the opportunity of seeinn tliat althoiiu'h Lucy was very cold toward her mother, she had no lack of alTectinn toward a certain old woman whom she addressed as nurse, and whom she fondled and care.ssed wilh unusual warmth of alTee tion. It was a very L'rateful scene to Tancred, for it slioweil that I.ncy was not so cold as he had feared, and it seemed to him as thoni;li her own mother, liy her indilTerenre, had checked the natural feelings of her daiiu'liter's heart, which, left to themselves, hail turned toward the nurse. The flrpt day nt l.andsdowne Ilnll showed various thitijis. First, he saw that his duties with Prury would Im' very lijrht. Driiry's Imsiness, wliai- cvor its importance in\i;M ]w. was not extensive, and all that was required of him could lie done in less thau an Iiotir per day. Secondly, Lady Landsdownc had thrown him 'enllrtily ami unrrwrvedly u|Hin her (IniiRliIrr; ' and liy np|H>lntlni( lilni In r teacher Indrawlnit land palntlnir, had npeneil ilie way in consliinl ennipanionsliipnf the lllnal inilniaie cliaraeier. . Thlrilly, III' liiid illienvind that tlie inoiliir and ilanKhter were nil had teriiiH, while ilm I daiiithter and nur«e wern very fond nf mni nn I other. Tlie«e dUroverleii were of a hliflilv Important chariicirr. In the llrst place, the liiiit lli'ss nf his ilntlell I and the easy iinexaclliiK iiatuie of Drury wniilil I leave him plentv of time to lilni''i'lf, nnd ai his nwii dl'-linsal. 'rill* he inii;lit lilher devote In jtlle private prnseclltinn nf hii lielnved art , nr, as he wiin inore inclliieil, he niliiht appiv 'inward the •earcli after that nivsterlmis inaiiii script which he had imt at all fnri;nlten, and the s|M II nf which was as stronit as ever Here were all the condillons '.eeeK«ary to a llioroiiirh siarcli— free access In the lihriirv and tn tiie falling pii|H'rs, tni;eiher with plenty of time and opixirtiiiiity. The assiH'iatlon allowed with Lady Lucy was one which prnniised Rrc-.t i'ii|iivinent. Her iiweel fair had alreiiilv lns| ireil hliii with adinl ralliin, the i liance nf her siH'iety was a siih Jert n|uin which he i mild not ihink wllhoiit dell'.'ht and excitement, lo lie with her woiilil ! nf itself Ih' sutlleieiit to make life at Lands I dnwne Ilidl siiiMrinr lo every nllier kind of exist I'liee. KInaily. the coldness existini.' Iielwpi mother and ilaiii:liter wniild be rather in his ow n favor than nlherwi-e. It was elcnr that since Liny had not the alTietInn of her own mother, she must Ik' hailly oil for friends, in viliich case, Tancred slnml ready to u'ive her all the alTeclion which her desolate heart mi;;lit crave. tllAPTKIl VII. AN .^CIIIIKNT. In tlie course of a few days, TaiKred had he come fairly emrased in the diilies of his new otllce. His iM'ciipatiniis wilh Driiry never re- ipiired more than half an liniir, liiii that );enlle- man Usually held him enjiaKid dnrinnlhe whole nnirnin'jr, in dlseoursinif tn jiini in soiinrnus sen- tences on every conceivalile suhjecl. In the af ternoons he wii.s at leisure to ({ive drawini,' li s sons to Lucy, Here, too, a half limir or an Imnr would have sufllced, hut Tancreil apprnprialeil Lucy as loni; as he |Kis>ili|y cniilil. Lucy's nature was franii and cniiflilinpr; sin- was qi.ite free frnm anylliinjr like hauteur or reserve. .Vftir the llrst day nr so their inter course irrew more familiar, and their conversa tinn '.'radually I'Xtended itself tn iIiIiil's that lay oulsiile of tiie drawiii'j: lesson. It was iinpns- silile for two sill h natures as these lo associate loL'i'tlier wiih'iin feeliiur at leas! a stroni; re liard. linlli were frank, and ).'enerous. and ami- alile, and had lioth lieen men. or hoth women, a sirons friendship would Inne arisen. Hut when one was a handsome and chivalrnusyoulh, and the other a lieaiiliful and tender hearleil L'lrl, it i- not dilllcult to see what the result would inevitahly lie, Accoriliiiiily. the more they saw of one nn- nther. the more they npprecialed one another. It Is'iame the haliit of Tancred to lake her "H, sonielinies on font, sometimes on horseliack. for the piirisi*!' of "sketehini; frnm nature," and it will readily Im- lielieved thai Ihis sort of associa- tion cniild lint he otherwise than clnse and famil- iar. Kvery day they i;rew mure iici|Uaiiiled with line annlher's character and surrounilin^^s. Snnii Tancreil tnlil her all aliout his own past career, without, however, tonchini; ii]ion hi- re- lationship tn her; while Lucy told liini all iilinut her own ralher uneventful iil'e. Her story co- incided wilh his own ohservaliniis and conclii- siniis. Kor her tnother she fell Mule else than awe and respect. SIk' had never rect-iveii from her a mother's love or tenderness, and she had iiothini; tn (zive her in return hut cnid duly; lint for her mirse.she expressed the warmest al- fectinn, and declared that to her she owed every- tliinj;. It certainly did occur to Tancred, and very frequently too, that he was allowed very nn usual liberty of asso hisl assault of Hiich a passliin, eslieclally while eii{oyln|{ eon- slant assialailnn with Iheolijii l of ijia'i paiwinn' So Tancred I'M ry eveiiini; siilil in himself that he mii-t wiiteli mill lie careful, hut on evrrjr siicci'i'illiu; day he found liimseir invnivid morn lieavUy than ever. And sn things went on until at last il only needed -nmelliinKa little out of the iirdiiiary course of events to reveal every- ihiiiu'. .\sfarns resolutions could ro Tancred wa« priidi III and hnnnralile. He said Inhlmself that il wniilil never iln for him, a penniless adventur- er, t'l seek tn win llie alTecllons of a Kienl heir- ess. He felt Unit a marriai.'e lielween them would never he permitted, and even if it would. Ills priile revnili'il at the iili a nf a wife wilh vast wealth and pie eniineiil iliL'iiiiy. Iln wl-heil In lie nnl Inn meal Iv the infi'iinr of liii wife In rank and fniiiine; Imt here I he disparity was so i;reiil that nil Hie world wniild surely linind him as a mere fialiine liiiiilei' Sn he re- -olveil tn keep a siriet wiilell o\er himself. Hi! I niilil nnl IhIii); hinisilf tn anything' like tlitflit frnin his heaiitifiil iissoeiale, nor even to any- thing' like a iliminulioii in their hours of asso- liation, lini eontented hitn-elf with this va(;na rcsnive of self wiili'lifnliie«s. At length, one day an event did occur suf- tlcii'iilly nut nf Ih minon run to destroy la one insliiiil all Tanereil's miiu'iianlinoiis resnlii- lions. They had lieen out riilini; on their usiial errand of "skeliliin;; from naliue," and hail none a liiiip'i' dislnnce tiniii usual, Lucy's horse showeil sniiie siijiis nf wearlne.-s, of which, how- ever, hut iiltle notice wastiiken. Al lenvUilhey liet:aii III ilesi'ind a Iniii; hill, and as they went nn, Tancred, in his usual enlhnsi«»tic style, dilated nn the chief imliits in the very niag nillcenl seeiie liefore tliein, Suililenly In the midst of this Lucy's linrsc sliimhieil iind went dnwn. In an insUinl, hel'nre Tancred could make the sli^liiesl mnveinenl to pnvenl it, lie- fnre he could even iliiiiN, Lucy fell downward very heavily, strikine; on her head, nnd then rollini; down the declivity for a few paces, lay senseless. Knr a moment Tnncred's heart slop|>eil lieat- ini;, and his whole frame seemed to he paralyzed in utter honor, and then tlimiins himself from his horse he tlew In her iis,.isiiim'e. He raised her senseless form in his arms, and supportini; her thus, licfian wildly ehatim; her Imiiils. As he did Ihis a --mall stream of lilnoil trickled throiiuh her jjolilen hair and over her fnreheiid. This eomplelcd the despair of Tancred, who now looked wildly around in all direclion.i liopin^ lo see some relief; hut the sjiot was a lonely one, and nothiiiL' like relief was near. At leiiL'th. the murmur of a brook caujrht his ear, and with a vague idea nf the bcnelicinl elTects of water, he raised her in his arms and carried her in that ilireetinii. lieaihins the lirnok he laid her down gently, and llieii (irnei did to iiatlie her face in the cold water, '11.. now of blnnil from her head was not much, yet it was quite sutHcient to terrify riiiicred, who tried tn stanch it. For some time there was no roiionse whatever on the part of Lucy, and the time seemed endles.s to her des)iairini; allemlanl. In his an.xiety he called ujion her, ami ealled'lirr by every cndear- iii}{ name that he knew, .\l last, to his infinite relief, she drew a loni; breath, and half opened her eyes. At this, overcome with delight, Tan- cred caught her in his arms, kissed her a hiiu- ilred times, and called her over and over again his darling anil his love. In the midst of ihis Lucy opened her eyes air,'iin and looked around in a bi'wildered way. It was eviili nt lo Tancred that she was not yet herself. He Ihercfore held hersiipported in his arms, holding her pressed close to him, nnd keeping her hand in his, while her head rested on his shoulder, her face sullicicntly upturned for him to see its expression. He saw the color slowly returning to the cheeks nnd lips, and felt her cold hands grow warm wilh returning life. Lucy looked dreamily out upon the wide- spread scene before her, and the bewildered look did not leave her. Then she looked up at 10 OLD GARTH. I Tancred and flxed her eyes earn-.stiv upon hU. Hhc wua in liU arms; bis face wascfusc to licrx. It Mvtnicd im thou):li hIic did not know linw tliiH could be. Hliu lool(ed timidly at him, yit trust- fully and tenderly, and a eenilv blush sulTused ber face. Her eyelids liw, and she looked away. "I — don't — remember — anything, " said she. at last. " I know who you arc, but I've lost all my memory of every thing cl.sc." Slio Nimke this in a low voice, and gave him another look full of the same timidity and Iru.st- fulncss. "Ob, my darling! my darling! " cried Tan- cred, Ntrainmg her close in his embrace. "You liavc bad a terrible accident. You have not yet come to your senses. Rest. Wail awhile," he added, fearful lest she might move away. " You'll get letter presently. Lvicy did not move. "Didn't we live at Landsdowne Hall lasU she asked, in. a strange voice. " Yes, darling," said Tancred, wondering r,t lier question. " Is not this— the— the year 1886?" she asked again. " Yes, myown sweet little pet," said 'Fancrrd holding her clo,ser to bis heart, as Ihoiigli dread ing a return of her senselessness. " I think I'll get my memory back by and by,' said she, " if you help me. 80 won't you please tell me a few things? ' " Oh, yes, darling," said Tiimred, tenderly. " We left the Hall at one o'clock, you know;" and then be wenton to mention the route which they had taken. Me mentioned also the sketches. The momeut Unit be alluded to anything Lucy remembered it at once. In this way he; memory came back more and more, yet still there was some perple.vily. " What were we doing before we left?" she asked. Tancred told her. "And have we lived any length of time at llie Hall, or are we only visiting tliere'? " At this singular fiiiesl Ion Tancred looked in deep anxiety and jierplexity at her. As he did not answer «',u raised her eyes once more to his. If he had ihoiigbt by lier question that her mind was wandering, the glance of her eyi^s and the expression ot lier face were enou"!| to dispel such an idea, she looked iit him with such gentle and tender affection, and with such soft and sweet modesty. " We are living there?" replied Tancred, at length, not knowing what else to sn}'. " Hut — where is mamma? " .I:.'d Lucy, still further in the same tone. " Lady LandsdowneV Oh, she's there loo." " Lucy heaved a sigh. (Jnce more she looked at TaCL'red in llie same way, and then said slowly: " I— I am afraid — I've not vet tjuitc reg.iined my memory. I cannot recall my ow n iiiinic quite distinctly. What is it? ' " Its Lucy, darling." said Tancred, glad to get on dry grouiul oiico more, after lloundering in the depths of puzr.U-doin. " Lucy — yes — and wbal else?" she iLsked. At this a light began lo dawn on Tancred. It seemed lo him as though in this partial obscura- tion of her facullies, Lucy had sup|iosed her- self to be something ditrerent to biin; some thing nearer — iR'aring, perhaps, his nmiie — in short, she had supposed herself his wife. Yes; this must have Ixjen her fancy, and this would also explain the look that she gave him. The thought was sweet beyond expression. lie held her still close in bis arms. It ■^ei'med easy now to say what he longed lo siiy. "Oh Lucy, my darling, " be said, as he held her in his arms. " You arc mine, arc jou not? and you will be mine, for 1 .1111 yours. We arc not yet married, darling, fur you are Lucv Lanilsdowne; but I love you with all my souf, and as you've been my own fur live or ten minutes past, will you not iihvays Ijc so to me?" A crimson llusli sbol over the face and neck of Lucy. She struggled to pl away, ami in licr shame averl'ul her face; ! t Tancrcd's words were not spoken lo an obilunile hiart, and Lucy was soon drawn back lo thai heart against which she liad leaned so conlidinalv. I niAPTKi! vm. TIIK I.OVKHS. . A HBW Imnd was now formcil, by means of their declared love, which united these two more closely than ever, and threw a new pleasure around their association. Tancred, however, on thinking it over, ilid not feel at all In a posi- tion to mention it to the elders. The next step lo iHjpping the (piestion is, usually, to "ask pa pa," or whoever may be in papas place, lint Ibis was the very thing which 'I'aiiered was not inclined to do. He anticipated the violent and insulting rejcclion with which his suit would be met. lie felt sure of immediate dismissal from Ibe place, and did not just yet fiiel willing to give up Lucy forever. He concluded, there- fore, and very naturally, to enjoy an long as he could the society of his dear one, hoping that in the course of time something might occur to make llie elders more favorable to him, or to lessen the disparity at present existing between himself and Lucy. In the course of the conversations which took place between the lovers there arose, of course, ■i dceiH'r inlimacy, Hid things were revealed which had been hilherto concealed. Among these was Tancrcd's relationship to Ibe Litnds- downe family. This inlelligence startled Lucy very greatlv.aud Tanc red was surprised to find that the erfeet upon her was rather distressing than pleasing. "Oh!" she cried, after a long and painful silence, ' it must lie you— it must be you ! " "Me! me! What do you mean?" " Oh," she said, after linolher silence, " it all agrees together, and cannot |)o.ssibly refer to any one else. " " Whv, what? 1 don't understand," said Tancred, in new perplexity, Lucy beaveil a sigh. " Well," said she, " you know I u.sed often to overhear them talking" about .someone, — Lady Landsdownc anil Mr. Drury, 1 mean, you know, —and 1 couldn't liilp (Ivi-rheariiig, as they talked (piite regardless of mc. Well, Ibis i>er son was some one n-lalcd lo the family, ami be was voung, and it must be you." I "Ob. nonsense." said Tancred; "thai by no I means follows. There must be many connec- tions of an old family like this, and among them are lots of youngmen. " "Oh, yes; but Ibeii, " iM-rsisted Lucy, "this was some one in particular, about wlioiii tbi'y were making some plan, and, frimi the way they spoke, the |daii intended no good — it must have lieen lo injure you; and, you sec, in the midsl of all this iliey send for you and bring you here, with no very imporlaiu employment — more as though they wisbetl to keep you in their power — in a stale of unconscious iniprisonmi'iit — so that tie-y might have you whenever they w.int you." " Hilt wli;il could they jiossibly mean by it, or what reason could they have?" asked Tancred. " I doni know, I'm sure," said Lucy; " I only know the words tliat I've overheard, and I judge from llii'iii that they arc anything but friends. 1 believe thai both Lady Land-downe and Mr. Drurv are your enemies. " " \Vliy, iiow can that be?" r-iicd Tancred, in a-'toni^linii'iii. ' when they are both so |)articu- laily Kind and alienlive, and cspeciully when they allow me ti> have such constant freedom of access to you and association with you?'' Lucy . ('orres|xmdence then was the first duly of Tan- cred, and Ihe second duly was conversation. Uut all this time Tancred kept Ihescareb after the missing leaves constantly in view. That sciurh could never lie carried out, liowever, un- til he should enter upon a Ihoroiigh and com- prehensive search of all tin- accumulated manu- scripts of the Landsdownc family. Most, if not all of lliesi', lay deposited in iKixes and cases in Ihe libniry. where they had lain un.seen by any human eye for years and geneialion-, and in some instances for cenliiries, .V short time after his first arrival at Lanils- downe Hall, Tancred had introduced the suli- jeet of these manusi-ripls, and bail requested pirmission to e.\ainiiie Ihein, arrange them, and lake notes of their conlenls in a general book of reference. To this pro|Hisal r»riiry bad at once aceeeded without any objection whatever, and evidently without any other feeling than one of surprise that anybody should take such trouble voluntarily. Having thus gained |)ermiNsion, Tancred went to work, and continued at his task during all his leisure hours. The mornings were generally wasted with the twaddle of Drury; Ihe after- noons were taken up with Lucy. There re- mained the evenings, and as Frink was alKent, I Tancred pursued his inve-tigations without any one whatever lo interrupt him or interfere with him in the sliglilest degree. Having thus plenty iif time for leisurely ex- nminalioii. Tain red made great progress. But so great was Ihe niinibcr of lliese liitirs and manuscripts, thafat the end of a month there was but little to -how for all his labor, in com- liarisim «illi what yet remained. Tliese letters were laid away, sheet by sheet, and lied up in parcels which contained several hundred. These were then deposited in boxes containing aljoiit twenty four parcels. Each 1k>x would, therefore, hold about seven or eight thousand letters or iiianuseripls on an average, all of which had lo \m: looked over. It was necessary lo i!i) this minutely, loo, in order to ctTect Ihe object" of this search, for he wished to find not only Ibo missing leaves, but also some information as to whether anyone of ihe LandMlownes bad ever obtained the trei.'-ure. One evenini:, as lie was searching fur into the night, be came upon some iiajwrs wbieli lioro the unmistakable a|)pearance of aL'c. There was also in the pajMrs sonielhing which looked like the menioiable muniiscript. He opened the sheets. The handwriting was the simr, lie turned lo Ihe first words at the top of Ibe first page. They were as follows; "go for lo bury y spolia." These wonls startled liiin. He remembered well the concluding word- of the last page in the MS. which he bud seen. They were; " They scttesaile for y place nberey' t'u|)itaiio dill propose lo " and here came a' tlie be- ginning of a new jiage the conclnsii n of Ibo .senlenee: " go for lo bury y' sisilia." Yes. there Was no doiilii about it. He had found the missing leuvrs of Ibe maiiuscripl. His cxcilemenl was so great that he could scarcely read on; and tlien there came over him a feeling of siispiii<^n, as though some one had placed this puriio-ely in his way. It might fur into llie liii li bore •i>. Tlieri; icli Iciokfil lie 1 'pencil the Sim'. to]! of llie •■go for to OLD GARTH. 11 bo Drury, with Ilia solemn twiul(ll<': or, it mi^bl lie FrliiK. Such suspicions, liowcvcr, were speedily (llspelled by the tlioiijjhl Ihiit neither Frinli uor hrury Imd uny Ituow ledge, whiit ever, of the Iiiunlsdowne iiuitiuseripl, und, there fore, that iiosucli trick was possible. A careful examinalion of tliese leaves con Drmcd him in the opinion Unit Ihey belonged to the original document. They were in a bundle of letters. These lellci-s bore the dale of the year MDCCXVII. This was about a year after the date of the manuscript. All the letters in this package bore the dale of this year and the preceding one. All were old and written in faded ink. There could, therefore, be no rea- sonable out y water >\: keep y pit dry for y workmen. A: so ■ pit was iligged to a •lepth of one bundiei feele. " Now ill iiilililion to y" pit V Capitano caused to be made anothir pil of greater length. \' w' pit did start fiMin y shore of y sea A: go down to y' bciitom nf y pil aforesayde in a slante, A; y second slanlyngc jill was small A ( not more y" i feele in sy/.e, A- it wa.s stayed up with sionc of w* v" was a greate stone on v* shore of v' insula — sijiiai'c in shape A easiiye worlied. i y last pit fniiii y •■eashore to y botlMrn of y' lirsie jiil wii'-ii sliiii-cordraim Iiy w" y Capitano liid intend lo secretly conveye y sea waters into y' money hole, lo y» inteiite y' no one sliolde penetrate lo it uii- lesse he kiieui? y' sei ret (if y* draine. Hut y waters of y si-a w<-i-e not li I io penetrate inio V" money holes untlly la-t. A agatcway of stone & wood was constructed under y ".ea at t dis- tance from y shore ill dci>tli of six feele of water, by w'' y sea water could cuter. So y'deplh of y "money hole was one hundred fccte, A it was at tlie'west viile nf y bowlder A y" paliiia tree, one liundred feele from y west end of y' insula, & y draine ilid starle from y* sea shore at a pointc du weste and run down circaoiic hundred feele to y bottom ofy money hole, it tliuR y jireparationes for y' spolia were made by y t'apitano. " Now y spolia itself was all contained in oaken boxes with hoopes of iron, w' oaken box es weresnialle soy'lhey inighl be lyfted wilh out too much effort by one or two men, iV these were ready lo he |>laced In y reccplacuhim A lhe.se were all brought in safely to y shore from y shippe, A the palina tree did overhangoy pil with iU brani'he^ A folia, A il was so thereupon one of these overhanging branches y Ca|>ilano did cause a wheel lo be lixed over y w' a line was slung A: so y" oaken boxes of y spolia were loweted down iii safetyc to y bottom of y' pit, A: when y men did labor at y" laske of lower- inge y boxes, v Cniiitano fearing lest passingu sliippes shoulil observe y work ilid cause his sliippc lo cruise about y insula, w' shipiHi did capmre A: burn one vessel y' came too nigh, be- sides chasinge awaye diverse others in terrorc, A: lluis y, worke proceeded. " The oaken Im.xes conlaiuiuge y spolia were then all lowered into y [lit, at y bottiiiii of w'a chamber had been made, y area of w' was twelve feet sipiare. A: y height thereof six feet, which cliamljer was well nigh tilled with y spolia. V' Capitano did then open y sluice upon w' y waters of y sea poured into y pit A rose within y* pit lo circa thirty f^ct from y mouth thereof, for y' pit was digged one hun- dred feel from v' top of y insula A: pcntralcd circa scventye feet below y sea water. So when y sluice was opened y sea water did thus pimr in. After w'y Capitano did give word to throw in y earth into y pit w" y workmen iiroceeilcd lo perform, A as they threw in y earth y water rose higher till v water was ail driven out A; y pit was tilled altogether with y, earth in a solid massa. .\ow of y men y laliored at y pit all were jirisoneres capliv in y galloiii- w' prisoneres y I 'apitano did give orilers to slay aty mouth ofy pit, whereof lliere were nine le«n, all of whom were triiciilate A: butchered at y, conclusion of y task of tilling in y pi; up to four feet from y" top, A: here in y month of y pit were their bodies thrown. A: overy bodies there was thrown eurlli, it over y earth a plat- form of stout limliers, side by side, A: over these was y earth laid smooth A even with y bui- I'oundingearlli, A: y Capitano did cause moss to be brought A: stones A: trunks of smull trees A brush v w' he caused lo be placed on y sur- face of y earth over y' month of y pit lo y in- tent y' it might liav(^ y appearance of nalura, w' ii did ill very deed have so iniu-h y' no slianger could iniagin lo liiniH-ll the work y' had been done benealhe. " Y"' inlenlion of y Ca|iilano in thus lelliiig iu y ,-ea walir was to iiialse it iin|u)ssiblc for any one to lie alili' lo cxliiimane y' -polia. for no one woulii know- ab«uit y* sluice A y ailenipt to dig down lo y sp.ilia would be vain so long as y sea water should |'our in. A' y inti'iiliou was to go away Willi y crew whom he diil bring, A afterward return with another A smaller num- ber, among whom such a divisio nf y spolia might be made .so as lo leave a larger proporlio for each man. " Tims y spolia was deposited in y rcccpta ciilum at y bottom of y- pil A was guarded by y sea water w' v* Capitano had let in A- y mark's of y work had been oblitcrata accoriliiig as has been sayde, A y pri.soners lo y nuniere of nine- teen had been slaughtered at y mouth of y pit, A: now after these things were ended y Capitano prepared to depart iV: y last actio "w' he did perform was y co!"il!agralio of y' gallonc w' was iniriied A destroyed. A' then lliey look up their dcpartura from y insula vV: sailed fory Atlantic {but y indignalio A- vengcfullc furia of Heaven j did pursue it y' a seiics of slorins iV horribiles ! tcinpcsialcs w' drave y' shippe on y' coast of I Morocco. Mere y, t'apilano A one half of iy. |.]-,.vv dill perish it y other half werearrestate A- made capti\i A slaves lo y Moors, A as ^laves all did live till dcalli, wild y' exceplio of one man, to wit, y seaiiKiii Cliirke. Which sea- 1 man Clarke being once I;ikcii I'v his master In a I seaport town did siiccecde wnnderfiillye in inaU- i inge good his eseapado A reached v' o|tcn sea in a liiial where In,' was pycki-il up by an Kngli«li tsliippi' of war, .\fter this hi- served among !y Knglish for ■■ ,no years A afleiwards lie be ; came a buccaniie, >, A while thus serving lii^ 'shippe was capta b_\ a Spanyshe frigate, A as a prisoner he came into my way. I " And Ibis sloria I have tlioinilit good ;'iiisto set down A I hope y you will inarke well these ] wordes A- servare y docuineiitiim lo y end y' if advcrsitns should .-issnil you y may be a Iresource. For iu y event of exilium or contls- ctttes of your eslalc you may redecir. yourself from poverty by searching for " Here the manuscript ended, and just at this poini the unlinished sentence was cunipleled io the last leaf of the original manuscript, which Ilenslowe had llrsi fecii, in the words "the spolia, " This newly found portion consisted of six pages on three leaves, and anioontcd In about as much us the la-l, the writing being about an average of lliirly seven lines lo a ]mge. And llius the vhole manuscript when now put to- gether amoi'iiled lo thirteen pages. CHAPTEH XI. KEBVI.TS. It is impossible to describe the intense ex- cilement that tilled the breast of Ta!icred, as he looki'd over the pages of the manusciipt which he had found so unexpectedly, and which accorded so wonderfully wilh llie j otlii-r iiagcs which lie had brought with j him. They were parts of one manuscript, and all had been written by the same haiul at the same time. Tiny aKo contained the full revelation of all ihat he hud so longed to know, ilescendiiig into a most minute eminicra- tioii of particulais, and diseriliing with almost luiinfiil claboialiijii all the cljuruclerlstic feat- ures of the hiding-iilai'c nf Ihe treiuiure. The tirsl night after this ili«envery, the treasure drove oul every iitlnr thnugiil. lie iliil not close his eyes llml night, imr did he think of anything else in the world than Ihat manuscript, which he now continued to study w ith a devour- ing eagerness and self-absorpiion lliat he had never felt before. The next thing to do, howen-r. was lo com- municalc wilh (iarth. To do so bv letter would be tedious; and then again be wTslied lo show him llie precious leaves, but was unwill- ing to trust them In Ihe mail, lie coiild'not go ill person lo see his friend, for a variety of rea- sons, ruder these eiicunislanccs ihe arrival of Friiik look \ihice, and Tancred at once resolved at the earliesi oiiportiinity lo tell him the whole story, '-how him the manuscript, and get his opinion. On the I'vcning after this the oi>portiinily oc- i-nrred. Frink had tinishcd some business with I.ady l,amb"do«ne and Driiry which bad brought him to the estate, anil sought out Tan- cred for Ihe purpose of spending the evening with him, and learning from him bow he was getting along in bis nc- ; life nl Lanilsdowne. I )iiriiig this conversation Tapered coinmnnieatcd lo Frink llic wliole story ol Iho manuscript, lo- gellier w ith the recent discovery which he had made. I; was (|uiic evident thai Frink felt as- lolli^lllncnt of no ordinary kind upon liearing lliis siiiL'iilar disclosure, and Ihat his interest in the slorv was as great us his astonishment. Ho a-keii 'I'ancrcd a series of most minute questions referring to the nioilc in which be had flrsl gained possession nf the inaiiiiseri)>(. and how it had happened to conic into bis fathers hands. This last ipieslioii Tancred did not clioose to answer, for all hough be had no secrets from Frink, whom he regarded us his mo.st intimate friend; yet he did not think il worth while to allude to the relatinnsliiii which the IIciislowcs had with the I.andsdnwiies. " Frink. however, did not push this ipiestion far. He seemed ralher lo feel curious about the way ill which Tancred could account for the possession of it, than the iios-cssion itself. He found many other things lo ask nboul, referring chielly lo liie siibieet mailer ofthc manuscript, and liie things spoken of there. "Well. Ilenslowe," said he at length, "I'll be iLiiigcd if I don'l think Ihat there may bo somelliiiig in this, niily I'm not llie sinl of fel- low lo make up my mind at once. I should like to sUidy this over iicirc carefully, and give it all a thorough overhauling. Y'ou sec it's such an uniisnal sort of a thing ihat a fellow don't feel exactly like believing il all at once. The ireasure spoken of here is sonictliing so enormous that it ii-ads like the rceord of some drei m, and not like actual fact. What are you doing vilh these? Can yon spare lliein for :i day or so, an;ain alluded to tho manus'eiipt. At the end of tiiat time he onec more a))peared at Tancrcd's room, bringing the papers with him. "Well," said Tancred, " you've looked them over, luive vo\i?" " I have,'' said Frink. "And what's your opinion? " Frink placed the maiinscriin carefully on the table, and looked earnestly at Tancred. " You, yourself,'' said he. " of course believe in this." "Slost ccrtaiidy." "And if I didn't believe in it, my unbelief wouldn't afTect yon at all." "Certainly not; my mind's altogether made up. I believe in that "most implicitly. " " Well," saic' Frink, " so do I." " Oh, you do, do you? Why, I didn't know but tliat "you liad formed some" susiiicion as to its aniheuticily." "Oh no; the fact is, it needs but a very Blight examination to show that it must be a b»na fdf document, and exactly what It pro fesses to be. 1 slionld like to tiiid out something more though, tan you tell nie whether your Hcnslowe portion of the inanuscrip' ';ver fell Into any oilier hands outside of your ^/ivn fami ly, or whether any one else knows about it? This is a matter of some importance." "Oh. I'm certain," said Tancred. " that no one outside of our family knows anything about it." "Well, that Ib an important thing." said Frink, "for, alllKJUgh, there is no mention of the place of burial in the Ileuslowc' porlion, slill its just as well that no one should know that there is such a manuscript in existence at all. Now as to the last half, this Landsdowne portion, we may be .sure lliat this is absolutely unknown. It iiiust have been lying here, packecl away for very many years, lis e.vistence can- not even have been suspected. It was oidy by the merest accident that you made this discovery; coiiseipiently we are' safe in considering our- selves to bo the only living persons wlio know anything about the .secret revealed here." " That must be so," said Tancred. "Well," said Frink, "thero is still anotlier thing to be considcTcd, and that is, whether this trea-sure has ever been discovered." "Tlie very tiling that 1 lia.e often thought of," said Tancred. " It is possible," said Frink. " that this trcas urc lias been found by some of the family. Von «ee how the papers have been studied over? " " 'Ves." "Well, some one has been studying this up before you, and may have got the money." "Well," said Tancred, "it certainly is pos sible, but tlicrc won!' Ije p sure way of llnding out whellicr a Landsdowne ever got" it or not." "How?" " W!iy, by llnding out whether anv Lands- downe lias ever got rich suddenly. Now that fiuesti(m I am in a position to answer. I have looked over all the papers in the place nearly, and have found that no Landsdowne has ever discovered any treasure, nor has any conneelion of the family. There is no record of any one getting rich. So I think .ve may take it for granted that whoever examined this manuscript never got Ijeyond the bare exaniinalion. " "If that is really so," said Frink, "then of course we have the whole tield open before us. And so the next ipiestion that arises is wliciher we can find the jilaco or not." "Why, that's ea.sy enough, isn't it?" said Tancrcci. " It's all put down there plainly in Mack and white." " Ves." said Frink, "it certainly is very clear, very explicit, and very ininnte," and as he spoke he drew a slip of jiaper from liis pocket. " I've got it jotted down here," he continued as lie unfolded it, " the chief points mentioned in tho manuscript. Now here they are I" "First, the place is one of tlie Lepari Islands. "Secondly, it is near the island called Vol- cano. '■ Thirdly, it is three leagues to the west of it. " FourSlily, this islet is called Leonforle. "Fifthly, it is half a mile long, and thirty feet above the water. "Sixthly, it is covered with woods and under brush. " Scvcntlily, it is marked by a imlmtrec forty feet liigh, and by a granite bowlder twelve feet in diameter. • " Kighthly, the trees are generally beech, "Ninthly, the money hole must be found; and — " Tenthly, the drain to let in the sea water. " And now, my dear boy, the (piestion is how to begin to go about it." ' Well," said Tancred, who had listened to llic above " points," as Frink called them, most attentively, " that's what I call at once mat and logical and metliodical. You are evidenlly 'in- tended by iiatue for a solicitor, or something of that sort. All tho.se points of yours are clear enough in my own mind, but I should never take the trouble to sum them up in that fashion, and certainly not to write llieiii all out.' '■ Well, Ihut's my wav," said Frink. "Tliey say it's a sign that a fellow's going to be an olll bachelor. But never mind. Have you thought about what vou're going to do? ' " Do? W'hy.seek after it. " " Hut how? You can't go alone." " Oh, no; there's n friend of mine." " Who?" " Oarth." "Garth. H'm. Oh, yes; I've heard you speak about him. But will two be enough?'' " No, 1 should hardly Ihiuk so; but I haven't arranged those minor delaiis yet," " Well, you'll have to havet!iree at lea.st. ttnarticular |irivate circumslances, reminding her of her own great wealth, and showing her how his poverty made their re- spective iHisitions too uneipial. " I'm sure," said she, " 1 don't see the use of Ihiiiking so much about money." " Well, voii know, darling. I don't; it's your friends— it's the world at large." " Itut I'm sure 1 don't care for the world at large. " " Ah, ves you do! you wouldn't like me to he called a foririnehunter.'' "Hut you wouldn't be; and why should we care for what ill natured people might say? " " Well, but ill any case, I never could get you." " I'm sure 1 don't see wliv not," said Lucy, sofllv, 'Sour mamma aiKl uncle would never con- .sent," ■ llow do you know that, sir?" " Oh, I'm sure of it! They don't suspect me even now. They would accuse me of a breach of faith, if Ihevknew how things were." "Well, but "if they didn't like it. why did they liriiig you here? and why do 'hey allow yoii to sec so much of me?" "I'm sure I don't know; but I believe they never siisiiect that I would dare to raise my eyes to yi>ii, riiev iliiiik I am a man of honor, tind would not violate the coiilidence they put ill me by seeking ycpur love, my own darling. Ami so, you see, my sweet little jiet, I'm in an awfully false position; and I feel, in some siirl, as though I'm violating .some agreement, only it's nothing of the sort. Hut, at any rate, I shouldn't ilare to let them know how it is. for fear of being driven out of this. So. you see, there il is. This can't go on forever. I'm afraid to ask them for you; and the only thing that seems open for me to do is to try and do sometliing that may le.s.sen the distance belween us. Now, if there Is nothing in this, as you say, why, I'll soon llnd out. and there'll be no harm ilonc; while, on the other hand, if there is a treas- ure, and 1 can get il. wliv, then, my darling, I can hi>petowiii you— with their consent, if I can. but if not, why, then, without it." Tancred went on in this .strain at some length, explaining to Lucy all his motives, until, at leuglh, hcrobjeclionsto the scheme grew gradu- ally weaker and she began to acquiesce in it, and. at length, to concede, that, under present circumstances, it was one of the best things that could be done. She now began to take some interest in the plan itself, and question him about the way in which he intended to carry il ♦ out. "Well, then," said he, "my intention is to have as few with me as possible. In fact, tlircc. 1 think, will be the number. It won't do to have any servants or emploves. We must be all equal parlners — all going equal .shares. Now, with me I intend to associate twt. intimate friends, men whom I know and trust, and whom I have alreadv communicated with." " Who are Ihey?"" " Itiie is in Liverpool. His name is Garth." " Garth? I never heard of the name." "Of course not. lie is a stranger to you. Hut he is one of the (ln'.'st fellows living, and as true as steel." " And who is the other?" " The oilier? Will, the other is Frink," "Friukl" exclaimed Lucy, in a peculiar voice. ' Yes." ' I'm sorry for thai," ' 1 know yoii don'l allngellier like him," said Tancred, " but he's an old friend of mine." 1 not only don't like him," siiiil Lucy, " 'jjl I jiarliciilarlv dislike him, and 1 have reason to." 'Oh. lliopr 3l. Why, what can poor Frink have done?" " Well, in the first place, you must sec," said Lucy, "that his position here is one of influ ence. " 'Of course." Your coming here was through him." ik ftuy more t me speak. " ytliiiig iiboiil 11, won't yon, 'ouii'^p to liu s 111 listen," [riuious nmn- to oxpliiln to ircuinsliuices, t weiiltli, nnil »(!o possessed by nature of sulllcienl inechanical ingiiiuily and skill to be able lo lake this inacliiiie In pieces and reconstruct it without aiiv trouble whatever. Tancrcd did not believe In the >leamengiiie very much. ;inil as for Frink. he made a tew upprccialive le- luarks. which, however, were merely comiuon. place civilities, and only served lo conceal an utter skepticism: About this, however, (larlli tronliled hiniM'lf not in Ilie slightest dcuree, but ciintimied lo siiind llie praises of bis wonderfiil engine with an enthusiasm whii-h never slack ened. About a fortnight was taken up in making these preparations, and at Ihe end of that lime the " Dart." for such was the name of the yacht, spread her white wings and sailed far away to llic ■Siutliern Sea. Ail llicse preparulions had cost much money, which, however, had been raised without very much ilillleully. Tancrcd had saved some liuu- ilrcds of pounds. Garth was tbc owner of as much more, while Frink po.ssesscd still more. The "chooner had bciii purchased for a very low sum, and two thousand pounds sterling more than covered the entire expeuditnte of the three associates. These three, Oarlli, Tancred, ami Frink, con- sidered Ihemselves ijuile sulllcient for all the purposes thai lay licforc ' in, whether of navi- gation on the .«ca, or laboi ii Ihe shore. Garlh, by viitueof his age and experience, U'-sunied. wilh the consent of Ibe others, ihe position of caiilaiu or leader. The schooner required no larger nunilicr, !ii'r rig being ailuptcd to very easy .sailing. Had they been mure luxurious in llieir tastes or habits they might indeed liave felt the need of a cook, liul being inclined to rough il, the ab.senee of thai tiiiiclionary gave none of Ihem any concern. They hu'.l i nough biscuit and coUl meals on board to serve them without any furlher preparalion, and as for drink, Ihey bad laid in stores of liipiors which enabled them lo disjicnse very well with tea and colTee. It was glorious weather. The " Dart " ran down Ihe channel am! out across the Bay of Biscay, and along Ihe coast of Spain and For- lugul, und inlo the Strailsof Gibraltar. A fair wind bore Ihem swiflly along under blue .skies and over sparkling seas. Tlit air and Ihe sur- rnundiiig scenes served lo in>|iire iIriii idl and till Ihem Hith hope. Day after day passed on that bright voyage, and still Ihe "'Dart " sped over the waters. All were full of hope und conlldence. though each one avowed his feelings in a way which wan charaelerislic. and in accordance wilh his own private character and purpo.'-es in life. Garth was full of his projei Is about a Sicilian Ke- liublic. His presenl ailvenlure was only a means to an end. Il was an undertaking, which, if successful, would enable bim to lling himself inlo the htart of Sicily, and rally round liim among the Sicilian .Mounluins a band of brave dcsiicradoes to the war-cry of Liberty and thu Kcpublic. 'I'licn should fiurlli feel I hill he had not lived in vain, und iniiihl hope lo accomplish something before he died. On Ihc oilier hand, ' if he failed, he liad made np*liis mind lo buy out from Tancrcd and Frink their shares in Ihe "Dart," and use her for the benctit of the Si- cilian Hepublic in some way or olher to beaftcr- tcrward decided upon. Tanercil, on the other hand, was as full of hope ns Garlh. but bis hopes all pointed to a very dilTercnt objccl. His hn|K's all turned to- ward Lucy. For her he wu« risking everything. If successful, he wascertainof winning her, but if he failed, he was in danger of losing' her. Of failure, bow ever, he did not choose lo think, bill persisted in hoping for llie best, and ill al lowing bis iniaginalion to dwell fondly upon that bright day in the futiire, when, coming back crowned with success, be might once more meet his love and cliiini her for his own. As for Frink, be was diirerenl from cither. He talked iniessantly. but not -o much as the other- about the treusiire. ICithcr hi-niind was not Ml much oc( upicd wilh it, or else be con- cealed his Ihoughlsmore. 'Ihe relationship of Frink lo tlie others waa peculiar. Tancred treated him wilh unfailing frieiidlini--i and eordiulity, seeming always to feel lliut Frink was his old friend and school- male, and lo have iilterly forgoltcn Ihe warning of Lucy. With Garth, however, il was diller- eiil. 'i'bere was a reserve in his manner toward Frink that nothing could h'sscn. The rcconi- mendaliiin of 'rancred bud brought Frink on board, but nolhing could Ics.'^en (iarth's utter distrust in the man and dislike of him. t IIAPTEH XIV. -V cnrsntKo dis.mtointment. G.\nTii bad brought with him Ihe latest charts of the Sicilian and Italian coast, and Tancred had brought one of an curlier edition. These churls they studied most carefully on the voy- uge. but y'cl lo their greiil perplexity they could not lind either in Ihe' latest edition or in the earlier one any trace of the little island of Lconportc. Now, according lo Ihe manuscript, lliis island of Lconportc was one of the cluster, known us Ihe Lepuri, on the north of Sicily. Its position und "ize were both very niinulcly described. It luy ncur the island of Volcano, three leagues west, und was about half .i milo loiiu'. The dcseriplion was tcrtainly us plain, anil as intelligible as any description could lie, and the writer evidently had a perleitly clear idea of the posilion of "the island, but tbi-; very singular cireuinstance made it all ilie stranger, that no mention of it should be in tiic Admiralty chart. " It's queer, " suid Ourlli. " It isn't often that « II 14 OLD GARTH. the AdminiUy iimke niiy uiiHtHkcn in their cliart.s, cilliiT of oini^sinn or I'Diiiiiilsitiiiii, yi't lieru is a clour omission." "Pcrli:ips llir IkIiiikI lias (iiiillti.'d il^iclf," 8uid Friuli, Willi a siiiilc. " And wliiit inuy joii menu liv llml, prnvT" said Uiirtli, wliu never was oordlul nilli Fiink. "Well, merely tills," siiid Kriiik, " I lint the island liHs tnken itsi'lf ofT." At tliis dnrtli frowned uml looked llb^l^leledly nut upon the hi;i. " I don't \iiiile -iliimi yon.' snid Tiimrcd. " Well, " siiid Krink, ' I'llexpliiin. You know that in tliesc sens volennoes «ie very iietivc. It's tbe midst of a voleanie reji'on. 'Fliere's Kinn and Vesuvius. There's iilso Slromboli. jNow all tlieae Lepiui islnndH me of volcanic ori);in— that is, lliey've Ixen thrown iij) by voleiinie action. Sometiiues iiu island is thrown up in ,\ aingle night. This would lie all very well it it itood tlicre, but iinforlunateiy the islands some- time.s go away a.% (|uickly as tliey eaine, and it liaa linppened that just us you liogan to u;et fond of an island it has vanisiied out of your sight." " And you think llml this may have happened to Leonforte," said Taucred. in a tone of vexa- tion. "Oh, 1 merely made tlic suggestion. It'sone way of accounting for the nliseiiee of any men- tion of it in llie chart. 'i"oii see it's among the volcanic Lepari Islands, and it hnp|)enslo stand next to an island whieli has the very ill nmeiied name of Vnleano." "True," said Tuncred. " but then wonldn'l there bo some mention of it here on tlic chart? Wouldn't it 1)0 said tliat an island once stood here?" " Well, yes. I suppose so. if tlie islauil liad been lliere'witliin fifty years, and this lends me > to think tliat it may linve disa|i|)eareil more than a century ago, or perliaps a short time after the treasure was buried, anil that would also ae count for another thing. I mean, for the fuel that although several people have evidently studied up this manuscript, no one has ever found the treasure. Perliaps they liave gone to seek the island, and have never been able to find it " " Well, that certainly is an enoouraging sug- gestion too," said Tancred. " It would be rather too bad to find Hint out. At any rate I'M hope for the best." "Oh, so will I for that m!ltler." said ^'rink. " I merely threw tliis out as an idea that miglil have sometliing in it; but of course we must hunt up tlie island all the same. " "Well," said (Jarth, "at any rale tliis dis poses of one difflcully that caused me some trouble." " What was that?' "Well, 1 didn't know but llial the island roiglil liave become inliabited since tlie burial of the treasure." "Inhabited? Ob, tliere's no fearof tliut. Il's too small." "Small! not a bit of it. I've seen .sm.aller islaniis than Leonforle is said to be, crninmed with people. Hut if it bad been inhabited it woUid certainly have been down on the chart." " Well, for inv i>art, I confess. I'd ratlierlind it inliabited than not find it iitlill." " Oh, I rather think it's there somewhere." " But liow do you account foi its not iH'lngoa the cliart? " " Well, in various ways. One is that it is an artiial mistake. You onn'l expect infallibilily, even in an Admiralty cliart. nor omniscience, aiid foas lliey have not linown about Leonforle, they have not si-t It dow ii. Anollier way of account- ing for it is on the ground of a confusion of names. The island here called Vnleano may be not the one now called Vulcano. Perhaps the snilor Clarke meant Stionilxili, where the volcano is. Now here on tliis cbarl, just about three leagues from Slromboli there is a small island which may be the one." " So it may, " " So you see we needn't give up just yet." "But this one may he inliabited." " So ii may. That's the fear I've always had." "Wliat can we do?" " Well, tl:;;t de|H'nds upon the number of in habitants on the island. If liicre arc only two or three poor llsliermcn or peasants, we can buy them up at once, and pack them oiT; but ff there arc many [K-ople on it, I hardly know what we can do. It will certainly be hard to work, so as to avoid suspicion. "It's the only real difficulty before ui. " " At any rate wo ought to know soon, for we must go there first of' all, and find out " " Yes, wo ought to do tliat, for tlu- sake of our own peace of mind." This discovery served to disciuiet tlicni .some- what, but their very disiiuictuue and .sus|)ense only made them the more eager to tiiid out as soon as possible. On entering; the Straits of Gibraltar, they sailed away dm east, and kept on tills course for some days. I lere, however, llieir course was clieckcd; tor thcwiud, at llrst, hauled round and blew Btllfly from the east, and tlicy had to beat up again.st it. After this liitd lasted lor a day or two, tlic wind died out altogether, and then came a calm. Willi such interruptions and delays as these, the " Dart" coiitinueccted to tinil somelliing somewhere on the sea, which niiglit alloni a trace of Leonforte. In this way thev sailed on until they reaclnd Vnleano. ifere Gartli went iisliore. lie found llie island inhabited, and (|iie"tioned some flsbermen and some piiesi,. but found that no one had ever known any- thing of any island lying west, nor had tliere ever been any mention made of any. So (iarib ciinie back to tlie schooner. " Well," said he. "there's one thing more for us to do now." " Wlint is that?" asked Tancred. gloomily "Well. vOTi know the idea I had that' the -ailor, Clarke, meant by \ iilcano not this island, but tlie volcano— that is. Stromlioli. So tlie only thing now to do is to sail there and see if it is so. If we can find Leonforte anywhere it will be three leagues west of the volcano. " " Well, that's our only eliance now," said Tancred, " as far as I can see." " For my part," said Frink, " 1 think it's far more likely to be Slromboli. Of course it is — the seaman Clarke meant all the time the vol- cano." " Well, " said Gaviii, " we must make up our minds for a disap|Kiintiuent. It's just as well to lie iirepareil for the worst. " The "Dart" now came about, and lieaded nortlieasl. -The wind was fresh, and she made tlic run of forty miles in a few hours. Long be- fore sundown they came in sight of Stroniboli The towering peak rose up, wltii its pennon of smoke floating from its summit. With anxious eyes tlie three adventurers sought all over the surface of the sea for some signs of Leonforte. South of Stroniboli they saw islands of various sizes, but west they saw nothing but a wide waste of water. CHAPTER XV. sE.*ncnrso after the mishiko island. Aktrii this second disappointment, the party fell into a profound silence, « liieh was unbroken foralongtiine. At length, as the " Dart "contin- uing on her course be^-^n to leave Stroinlioli 1»'- hinilheron her lee, Garth broiiglit her about, and headed her towari' the island. " I don't know w hai to do next," said he, " but tliere's no need cruising about forever, so I think we'll best drop anchor, till we come to some decision." To this neither Tancred nor Frink made anv reply, but moved about in silence— doing their rcs|)cclive tasks, as tlic vessel came about, and then seating tliemselves onee more and looking out to sea in an abstracted way — wliicli silence lasted until, at length, about sunset, when Garth called to them to dropsail and let go the anchor. " We've got to decide to-night," said Garth, " all about our future movements. " Tills ho said as they seated themselves tutern, while the " Dart" swung at anchor, " Now I intend to go below, and give a thor- ougli overhauling, tirst to the manuscript, and then to the chart. " " 1 don't see the use of that," said Tancred, "we've overliaiiled them both hundreds of times, and 1, for my part, am beginning to (eel a little tired of It all." " Well, what else can we do?" asked Garth. " Are you willing to give up now on the spot, turn away here from this place, and go back to England? " " Well, to tell the truth, I should hardly like to do all that— HO soon." " What else do you want to do then?" "I don't know. " " Oh let's overhaul the manuscript again by all means," said Frink; " who knows bu' what we may notice something new, or find out some mistake Hint we've been ninking. " Willi llicse words tliey all went down below, where Garth lighted the lamp, and spread out the chart on the cabin lalile. lie then drew forth the well-worn niaiiiiscript, and turning to the place where the island was described, read, in a loud voice and witli slowness and distinct- ness, the following; " Now there are olT y" coiisles of Italia & on y Northe of y coastes of Sicilia certayne in- snhis w' are called y Lepari, among y" w' there is II certayne islet witliout iuliabitanles. This In- sula lielh nigli to y insula called Vulcano, dis- taiii about i) leagues, v^ y' name by w' it is knowen to y' mnrineres in these seas Is Leon- forle. y- w' lielh to y west of y insula Vul- cano. And y' insula is in length not more y one half mile A in heigiit above y sea thirty feeic, (.V iiuicli covercde willi woode & Ihickettes, A in y* iiiidsl thereof 'i'-'-"tli u rocke w' lyeth on y' sn|«'rlicies t , jiinde, being circular in sliape though irregi aire like a large bowldere from y sea, w' rocke is circa 112 fcete in hcighto A; depllie. A nigh to y roiinde bowldere ariscth a palnia tree circa fourly feete in height. Hut all y reiiiainiler of y' insula is covered with a growl lie of beeehen trees. Now y was y place where y" Capilano made preparationes to bury y' spolia." " It's evident." suiil Oarlli, as he flni.shed it, " tiiat we have not lieeii making any mistake in the manuscript llius far, for liere we find it again— three leagues to tlic west of the Island of Vnleano, one of the Lipiiri Islands. It'scvUlcnt also that there is now no such island here, wliellier we take tlie Island Vulcano itself, or suppose that Slromboli was meant. And now there remains for us only two courses opei One is to give up tlie whole thing as a Action, made up by tlie man Clarke us a sailor's yar'i, to humbug llie priisl, or to give it i-.p ind go about oiir liusincss; and the oilier is to take it as materially true, but thai some mistake has been made in stating llie |H>silion of the Island Leonforte, a mistake whicli may have liecn made by Brother Claudian, especially as he wrote from memory many years afterward. " " Hill siip|K)se there has been suchamis'ake," said Tancred, " what can be donein that case?" " Simply this, " said Garth,' "we can make inquiries to tind out if there's any island called Leonforte among the Liparis. It don't make any difference to us where it is, so long as it is here somewhere, and ;icces8iblc to us. Now, my plan is to go to Palermo, and make inquiries there." " A good idea, " said Frink. "Capital," said Tancred. "It gives us a little liopc yet. and lliat is .sometliing." " I know lols of seamen in Palermo," said Garlli. "and in other Sicilian towns. The most of the tishermen in Sicily are good repub- licans, and belong to us. They all know the Lipari Islands, 'rliere's old Paolo Benibo, that can tell me exactly what I want. He's grown gray in prow ling alioul these waters, and, if he's .siill ill till' tiesh. I can learn from him the whole lliiiiL'. No.v. my idea is that it will be better for us to go to Palermo withoiil delay." " Yes." said 'I'ancred; "that seems the liest thing for us in our present situation. If yo.i know tliese seafaring men you ought to bo able to find out everylliing you want. " "Why. Ilicrc can be no ipicslion at all alMiut - it, " said" Frink. "You speak their language, and have Mdvanlages siicli as few iiossess for learning all tliat yon want to know." Some further conversation followed, but the result was that the unanimous resolve was to go, as Garth suggested, to Palermo. That night, however, they remained where they were, anil as they were itll pretty well fatigued with watch- imsclvos uterD, lior. iiicl give s thor- nunuscript, and ' bald Tancred, 1 liundrcdit of L'glniimg to (eel ?" asked Oarth. w on tbc spot, and go back to iild hardly like thnnt" script again by r And out Home lit down below, and Hpread out He then drew and turning to deMribcd, read, i^sii and distinct- 1 of Italia i& on 11a certayno in- long y* w» there ilanles. Thisiu- :d Vulcano, dis- jnic by w' it la ic seas Is Leon- f y insula Vul- not more y" one Bca thirty fectc, : thickelles, v% in rocke w' lyetU , beinj; circular a large bowtdere fcete in heighte IwwUlerc ariseth II height. Hut all covered with a K y' was y* place atioues l"o bury .s lie finished it, g any mistake in lierc! we find it t of tlie Island of d». It a evident cli island here, ulcano itself, or ■ant. And now courses opei ing as a fiction , i a sailor's yari, ive it I'.p ir.d go Iher is to take it luc mistake has on of the Island have liecn made lly as he wrote •ward." suchamis'ake," me in that case?" we can make iny island called It don't make , so long as it i» le to us. Now, id make Inquiries It gives us a ething." Piilerino," said an towns. The I' arc good repub- icy all know the nolo Henibo, that nil. He's mown alers, and, if he's m him the whole will be better fur •lay." t seems the licst iluatinn. If yr,.i ■ou ought to bo 11 want. ' stiun at all about - , their hingimge, few ^mssrss for now." followed, but the resolve was to go, no. That niglit, e they were, and igued with watch- ing and overwork, thoy slept roundly, and did not sot sail for Palermo until ihc following morning. Un reaching Palermo, Onrtb went f(,rth In searcli of Paolo Uembo. This [wrsonai^e li td once twen a lisherman by name, but m his oventful life had dipiwd a little into privateer ing, anil, as was wliis|Hred, into piracy .ilso. Kheuiniillsm, however, anil old age had induced him to retire to the ipiiel of a shore life, and he gained a living by selling miseellaneoiis articles to the flshcrmen and suilors of the port. Garth found him without anv very great trouble, and was received by old llemlio. with a mixture of profound resiicct and heart v cordiality. Garth was not much at ifiplonmcy, anect with the well-hnown words of the manuscript. The manuscript was therefore perfectly reliable, and the only trouble had ari.sen from a mistake in oncword. Brother (laudiaii had written west when he ought to have wrillen east. Such a mistake was most natural. lie had taken down the narrative of the sailor. Clarke, but in writing it out after the lapse of years, he liiid naturally enough forgotten the particular situation of lieonforte toward Vulcano, and had written the wrong word. Full of ho|)e. thay now set sail from i . '"rmo toward the Island of Viihano. This time they were sure, at least, of Leonforte. Disappointed they might be, yet at least lliey would have the satisfaction of a trial. They would be able to see for themselves, and judge accoidinily. Even if they should eventuallv fail, it would be less hard to bear than a failure at the very threshold. 'I'hesc new ho))es animated them all. though each manlfesteil his feelings in a iliffer *nt sort of way, according to his own disposi tion. (iarth was eager, impatient, yet strong and self contained. Tancred was nervously ex OLD GARTH. cited, and full of feverish restlcuness, while Krink, more cool and collected, showed Ids ani- mation clileHy by being more giMierally talkative and lively. The first day the wind was liirhl, and the •'Hart" did not make very consiiierabic prog- ress. As the isiiii set tley could see. far away to the northeasl. the darkm;'.ssof Vulcano lying low on the horl/.on. Then, after the manner of this southern cliine. day vanished, and night in- stantly succeeded. The night was calm, with a iiioileriite breeze from the southeast, at the im pulse of which the " Dart " slipped along through the water, holding fairly on her course At length morning came. It waseaily diwn. The three treasure-seekers were on deck! They hail taken turns at the watch through the night, and were now all suftlciently refreshed to enter with vigor upon the duties of u nc w day. They stood looking over the water. To ward the northwest, and somewhat behind them, lay the Island of Vulcano. Eastward, and a little distance before lliein, the waters were all reddening and glowing in the refiected rays from the (laming sky. There the sun was casting up his r.ays. the heralds of his approach, and there on the horrzon. immediately in front, lay a low dark mass, in the very midst of the glowing sea and fiamiiig skv. No one spoke a wonC ftacli one knew that this was the islet which they sought ; but seemed afraid to menlion its name, for fear lest it might suddenly vanish from the scene. Itiit the islet was all too real and loo firm on in deep set base to be sulijict to any such cncliniit- meiits; and every m iint revealed more and more of its outline. I'lie wind came up more freshly, and the •Dart" drove onward fasicr through the sea. and the sun climlied higher, until lit last he rose above the horizon. Nearer and nearer they came; higher and higher rose the sun; unlii at last the islet stood clearly revealed, full liefore them, not more than a mile or two away. There it lav. iiboiil half a mile long, covered with trees, in the inidsl of which rose up a solitary palm. None of them i.ttered a word. The sight of the i-land seenieil to be enough. The sight itself seemed to fill all their souls. Each one knew llie words of the manuscript, in which the island was described, by heart; and was now exiilling in the exactness with which this island before them corresponded with the words of that description. I nder these lircuui- stance-- the " Dart " moted onward, while Garth steered her straight toward the island. At length they came close up. and Tancred heaved the lead, sounding as they approached the shore, and thus thev reached a spot as near as a hundred yards, hefore them they saw a little cove, which seemed to promise moorings for the schooner, but they resolved first to go ashore and inspect. Accordingly the schooner came to anchor, and. lowering a boat, the three went .ashore. The island rose about thirty feel above the sea. It was covered with trees which rose about thirty feet higher. At the west end of the island, nearest the place where the schooner anchored, there was the cove spoken of. It was peculiarly situated, and opened from the southern side.' Toward this they rowed and soon roached the place. The cove was not more than sixty feet in width, and ran in for about a hundred yards in a winding course, being deep, and sheltered by the island and the trees. It was adapted to alTord a secure bar bor for the .schooner, and a place where no pass ing sailor could descry her. No sooner had they made this discovery than they at once returned to the .schooner. They determined while the wind was fair to bring her witlio;it delay to this haven, and then after having secured her they could proceed more leisurely to the work of" .surveying the island. .\ccordiiigly. they hoisted anchor, up sail, and before long the schooner ' ' Dart " was lying in the snug little harbor secure from every sudden storm and hiihlen from every curious eye. The trees on the island were of moderate size, anil beech prevailed, though there w ere some of other kinds. There was Imt little underbrush, and thev could walk about without any difll- ciilly, and survey the surface of the island. In the cove they saw what they supposed might have been the mooring place of the pirate vessel and her prize; and Judged that the pit where the treasure had been conveyed could not be very far away. Now there was but little diffl- ciiliv in finding the place. Eor there were two lanilmarks. either of which would have sufficed, but which, when taken together, served to indi IS cttle the place wllli unerring accuracy; thcao two landmarks being— first, the palm-tree, and secondly, the bowliler. The palm tree nad al ready excited their attention from a clistance. and it rose close by the cove on the north, a few hundred feet away. Toward this they first bent their steps, and soon reached i'. On renching the palm tree they saw a huge round granite Imwlder covered with moss, and about twelve or fifteen feet in diameter. This they had exiiected to find, and the di.scovery excited no surprise, but inerely gratification or satisfaction. So fully had tlie description of the manuscript been carried out that they ex- pected now to find everything verified, 'down even to the smallest detail. Hut one thing they foui.d here which did create a sensation, and a very strong one too. As they stood there under the'piilm tree, looking all around, up and down, and in every direction, the keen ey«s of Garth ciiiight sight of something siispi'iidi'd from the palm tree. There it hung, high in the air, sua- i)eniled by chains from tlie palm tree, as it had been himging for centuries an iron wheel which had undoubtedly been iiseil for the purpose of lowering the treasure into the money pit. He neath that wheel the pit itself niustlie. but the cround liorc no mark extirnally. It seemed like any other part of the surface of the island, being smooth and even with the rest, showing no indentation, nor iiiiy elevation, but being in all respects like the ground about it. Hut before making any attempt here. Garth was anxious to find the sluice, since in his opinion nothing could be done until this was found and stopped. This Is what the luanusciipt said about the sluice: • Now in addition loypit yCapitano caused to be made miotlier pit of greater length y' w' pit did .starlc from v" shore of v sea & go down toy' bolloni of y pii nfoicsayile in a slante, iV y" second sliiniyuge pit was iinallc A' not more y '.' feete in syzc. iV it was stayed up with stone of w* y was a gieale stone on y" shore of y* in- sula, si|iiare in shape A: easilyc worked, Ay' last pit from y -eashore to y" bottom of y flrste pit was a sluice <egin at once upon the money hole. Accordingly, on the following morning, they all went to work. Two. darlh and Frink, 16 OLD GARTH. r. ' I worked with plcknxeH, while Tuiicrcil uted tlic ■hovel. Tlic eiii'tli wax lirni uiul liuid pucked, and it was evening liefoie tliey liiid <'uine down to tli« timbers Hpoken of in the niiiuuscript. Three feel below the tiiirfme they ciiiiii' to thciia tiniljei'H, or rather what wax lift of lliiin. for some of I hem were allofrether j?oiie, and others half decayed, so tliat they were tlirowu out without mueli dilllcidly. On the f(>!h)win(; drain were still open and in working order, it would need all the ])0wer of their steam engine to keep the pit free from the rush of the flowing waters. Gurth now proceeded to set up the engine in a convenient place. This proved to be the most difficult joli which tliey had hitherto en- coui'tcred, yet by means ofingenious conlriv ances they succeeded at lust in getting the engine into position, and in applying its power to a pump. It was willi some anxiety that they watched the result. The engine certainly did its work well, and pumped up and Hung forth :in enormous quantity of water. Tii- fortunately, liowever, enormous though the quantity was, it made no appreciable ililTeiencc with tlie contenlM of tlie pit. The level re mained almost unchanged. It wivs as Ihiiiigh they hud tried to iiiimp out the sea itself. The iteainenglne proved ridiculously inadequate. In vain Tancred and Kriiik, who remained below, plied pickax and spade. They found it impo8.sil)le to work in llie pudiling like mass. In vain Gnrtli, '.vlio tended the engine, piled on the steam. The engine worked bravely, but its strength wa.s matched against overwhelming odds. It now became evident that the flow of water from the sea was constant, and in largi^ volume, and that until this should be checked. It woulil be quite useless to do anything with llie money hole. Below this thirty feet no progress could be nude. Thirty feet down marked the sea- level, and on reaching that they eueounlercd the iiii walcr. They compreheiuled the full nature of .iieli position. Tliey umhirstiiod it frnm the des>'ri[' sea In a slant to the iKittom of the money l.cile. It was two feet s (Uiire, formed of sliuie. it siarled from tlie seu-shore. "at a|)oiiiteilu Weste'and "agate- way of stone anil wood wils consiriielcd under y" sea al a distance fnmi y' shore in depth of six feele if water." It was evident by this that the drain slarted from the west end of the island. Ileie. then, tliev turned to carry out the search. Pirstof all, they smight lo tlnd wiielher there were aiiv remains whateverof lliis work, wliicli was called in the iiianuscri|it 'a gateway of wood and stone." This must have been some solid wiirk of limber and masonry under tlie waler, and coiitainiiig asluice. oriloorwuy. willi a llood-gule bv which the sea-water might en ter. Originally such a work iiiust have been large enough lo lie easily detected. Hut now no search availed to discover any such work — no timber could be seen and no slone— nothing was visible but the sea-sliore. Then they investlgaleil under the water going out ill about, and peering caul iously downward. The wonderful transparency of llu- Mediler ranean waters allowed them lo see far down, even to the depth of tliirly or forly feet, with perfect ea.se, so that tlie depth of six feet was as nothing. Nevertheless, they saw no sign of iny work wlialever. If any gateway to the drain hud ever been consliucted, it must long ugo have bieii dashed away by llie surges of the storm-tossed sea as they Ihundered upon this western shore, in many a lem|iest and hurricane. To those who .sought for it now, nothing up peured suve the smooth lloor of the .sea boiloni. with myriad iK'hblcs. und cobblestones, and coral and shell-llsli, uiui seaweed. At length they saw that any seurcli like this was useless, and that if they wished to tind the druiii they must go lo work in another way altogether. Garlh decided that it would be best to take the bearings of the drain according lo llie deRcriplion in the munuscripl, und then dig downward for il. Taking tlie eential jioinl of the palm-tree and the middle point of the money hole, and drawing a straight line Ihiough these two points, due west toward the shore, he reached a place on the beach, and here he re solved to dig as near the sea as possible. In oriler to prevent the sea water from coming in upon this new excavation, he took one of the largest casks from the schooner out of which he kno<'kcil the bottom, and then used il as a speciiw of coffer-dam. Work in this was some what slow on ui.'couiil of the contracted space; yet il was the only thing left, and they managed to make some progress. At length, after several days of most tedious work, tliey reached the depth of four and a liulf feet. Here they struck some solid work. I'pon examination it was found to be a structure of squared stone, sloping down in a direction which led to the money hole. CHAPTER XVIII. AT T It I-; 1) O T T O M I This .sloping stone work wus the very drain whicli they had been seeking afler. I'pon its discovery some time was taken up in debating about tli'e best course lo be taken. At tirst they bad no other idea than to slop it up by forming u new lloodgute. But Ourlh soon reminded ihem that it would be quile enough if Iliey wi're able to slop up the sluice in any way, so as to keep out the How of the sea water, und that a gateway would not be needed at oil. To stop this up was more easily performed, although IliiK required some hard labor. It was iii^ces- sary to dig down on each side of tho^ sluice as fur as the bottom. The oozing of the water through the sand made this troublesome, but it was siiccessi'ully acimmiilished. Stones cement- ed with clay were then laid in the place, until a wall had been made on cither side of the drain, and ub tliu depth wont on. Ninety oue feet! Nintty twol Niiiuiythrci'! Ninety four! Niiiily llvi ' Only tlve fcrt more. Five feet belwoon (I. n and llie k>'o»' treiuurc— the countleu, 'ho long winKlit, the IcMiK hoped fur. Only live t«'l. Tlien they went on : Ninety-Bix fcetl Ninety-dcvenl Ninelycighll Ninety nluo I (In roHrliing that depth it was too dark to worit iiuy furtTier. They had done their day's work of one foot's cxeiivntiiin, und hud put In the llndxrH ns uhuiiI to Hliiy the worit, und hail wnt up the lust bueltetfnl of curth. After Ihl.t (hey liad prejHired lo ^o "[>• Uefore ntiirlln>; (Jurlh took inn pickax und drove it down deep into tlie eurllt. It penetrated lill il btrnek UKuinsl HonielhliiK hard. Ajjuin and aj;ain Oiirlh Blriick his pieka.x, und eai'ii time it met with the hard Nul>^tan('e. It wax evident to him lliut there wus KuniitliinK dilTcrent there from anything they hail hitherto found, lie thought it felt lik<: wood. It Ncenied to hini that it WO.S the liniher eoverlnj; over the boxes of treasure, or perhaps one of the boxes them sclve.s. But it was loo late that night to do any more, and Uarth turned away, eurliing liisimpalii'ni'c. Both he and Tunered loneluili'd that It would be better to go up now, and leave any further exannnation till the imirrow. For now an ex- nminution woidd only be partial and Ineom- pleie: but on the tnurrow it would be u part of their day's labor, und Ihey eould make l\\h labor as exhaustive lui, possible. And so with this resolution Uarlh and 'I'anereil a.Heeniled. They announced lo Frink this latest news. He said nothing for some time, and at length he spoke m a slow and peculiar voice: '■ llni," he said, '■ then, if that Is so, to morrow ought to — to end it. " The next day came. (Jarth and '1 anered prepared lo descend while Frink. as usual, was to attend the engine. Ii was thi'ir custom to go down one at a time, and In making this descent they were lowered tlowii by the slenmengine. On this morning, os may be supposed, they were earlier than usual. Oarth went down tlrst ; then TanoreSlio thought about him inces- santly, iler faith in the success of his enter- prise was decidedly weak ; but whether suece.ss fill or unsiicecssful, she felt conllilent that he would come back as soon as possible, and then when they were once more together, they would be able to take measures wilh reference lo their future. In the meantime Lucy's Ihoughls were vei-y largely occupied by the illness of her nurse. It will III' remembered that her alTeellon for this niiise had been strong enough to surprise Tan- cred Iiiicy herself hud confis.sed to him that she loved her nurse far belter than her mother. Willi this nurse, Mrs. Wells, her earllesi thoughts had been associated. Her mother had always been indllTeient. Mrs. Wells had always Ik'cii true ami loving. .Still, though I, my had for simie time fell no need of her services. .Mrs. Wells iH'isisted in devoting lierself to her young mistress, and so devoleil was Lucy to Ilie old nurse, that she woiihl not listen to (he proposal to lake to herself u younger and more modish lady's maid. Such was the lurson whose illness no\. alarmed Lucy. .She had Ih'iii taken 111 suddenly, and she had sunk rapidly. What made It worse, was the discovery llial Lucy hail made that her illness was largely owing to iffenlal trouble. Somelhing was evidently lireying on her niliiil; and allhungh her boilily illness was eerlainly real, yet it was her menial disquietude which liiade liti bodily illness worse. I.iicy noliced this, and ut llrst made no allu- sion to il. She felt profoundly disturbed and perplexed; disturbed at thus fiiiding that Mrs. Wells could have an'' secret from her, and per plexed l)CCttURe she did not know w hat to do to enable her to gain relief. Delicacy prevented her from (!ven alluding to il, and thus she was eompelled to waicli Ihe distress of one she loved wilhoiit making any elTort to help her. liut Mrs. Wells heiscif, at length, found her troubles intfilerabh' and spoke of them lirsl. " There's something on my mind. " she said, after hmg preliminaries — "something on my mind — and it's killing me, darling — it's killing me." At this startling address Lucy did not know what to say. She said, however, what came uppermost. " You want to see a clergyman, dearest niirsey." The nurse shook her head. " No, no, no," she said, " at least not now. A clergyman can do no good o-s yet." " Shall I get n lawyer, thenV" Mrs. Wells sighed." "You may; but not yet. It is you— you— you " " Me!" exclaimed Lticy in amazement. "Yes. you!" repeated Mrs. Wells; "you. The secret has been gnawing at my heart all nij- life. It is your secret. What If 1 should die — .'Uid you not know. And they do not want you to know. Hul you must— you must. 1 must lell. 1 am hungering and thirsting to tell vou all." Till! nurse's vehemence now began (o alarm Lucy. She thought that this unusual c.velle meiil, .xs well as ibis strange and unintelligible language, was due to delirium. She therefore strove to soothe and quiet the nurse; hut her elTorts were of no avail. " Lucy, child, " said she, " you tliii.k that I am excited. You think I do not mean what 1 say. Dear chiWi, this is nothing new, it is not my Illness that has made nic think of my secret, but it ir, my guilty secret that hxs made me 111 and reduced me to this. For years it has been in my mind. For years I have hod to keep up a struggle within my soul till my heart has 1k'- come diseased, and my frame litis broken down. It is this secret, dear child, this guilty secret." The nurse here liegan (o tremble violently, and Liic . in great terror and conslernalion, run to her relief. Tlu se dark hints as lo her secret showed her that lliere was no delirium. iMis. Wells liad for years been siibjeel to tils of nerv- ous ju'osiralion and other disiirdirs which llin family physician hail called discaseof Ihe liearl. Lucy now hiiiril licr alMibiile Ibis heart disease lo Ihe possesshm of a secret. More, she called Ibis a " giiilly " secret. What II could possibly be she was not able lo guess, and awailed ii further revelation wilh awful expecluncv. " Lucy, darling child, said Mrs. W'ells at last, as soon as she had recovered herself some- what. " Well, niirsey, dear, " said Lucy, wllh an elTorl at cheerfulness, " You have always loved me, haven l you? ' " Always, always!" said Lucy; "and most dearlv." ■' As well as— as any one?" " Yes, more, far more; you have always been my dearest one, my deuresl nurse— and more like a mother than a nurse. I've always said so." "So you have," murmured the old lady, " and I love lo hear it— more like a mother Ihi'in a nurse— that's what you've always said." " Yes, darling," said Lucy, fohling her arms around Ihe niiise. " You have always loved me just like a mulher, and I have always loved you jii9l like a diiiigliter. Lady Lnndsdowne la too cold and ausierc. She has no afTecllon for me nt all. She chills me. I'm afraid of her. Bill you, my own dearest, you are like a true mollier. " Mrs. Wells looked ii|i at Lucy with a strange, eager, wistful gaze, and over her face there was a yearning look of iiniilicrable alleellon. " Lucy, darling.' said she, in a low voice. " Well, niirsey." "Can I tell vim it?" " What?" " What is In my heart?" "TellilV — certainly. Do, ni rsev, if you Ihink I'm III lo be Irnsleil— if it will give you any relief; do Icll me." " liut you win hale me! " " Hale you?" ( ricd Lucy, in tender reproach. " Hale you, my dearest, sweetest nursey? " " Are you sure you wouldn't?" asked the nurse, eagerly. "Sure? Why, it's impossible? How could I ever feel anylhing for you but Live?" " Oh, but you don't know what this Is. You cannot bear It. You could never forgive me. You would always look upon me with liorror. And oh! my darling, that would be worse than (lentil !" " Oh, my own dearest, what u strange opinion you must have of me. Don't you know mo, your own Lucy, whom you have called your child a thousand times over. Haven't 1 bad you all my life always near me? Haven't you always loved me dearly, and haven't I always loveii you? You break my heart, nunsey, when you doubt my love. Don't you remember onco a few years ago when we used to play llial wc were mollier and daughter, and 1 would call you inaiiuna for weeks together. Come, now, iuclend that you are my mamma now, and tell me all. Y'oiir daughter Lucy can never turn away " At these words, ut'ercd with many caresses and in tender accents of alTeeti^n, there came n change over the pale, wan face of the nurse, a Hush spread over the white features, the eyes glistened with .joy. She wound her hands round the young girl's neck, and strained her tremulously to her painfully throbbing heart, " Oh. durlirg! Oh, my child!" she said, in a low voice. " Yes, be niy daughler again ; call me mamma." " .Mamma, darling rtianima," said Lucy, ki.ssiiig Ihe old nurse again and again. " And you love me! "she sighed. " Dearer than all the world, " said TjUcv. " And you are my owndarlingdaiighler." " Yes, mamma dearest," .said Lucy. "Oh, my child! Oh. Lucy! Oh. my own, my darling daughter! It is not pretense — it is leal. You arc my daughter, and 1 — I — I am your — your own mother! No, no; don't move; don't leave me, daughter, don't leave me, or you II kill me. Wind your arms around me; iiold me tight in your embrace, my own dearest darling. You said you loved me." Overwhelmed, confounded, and bewildered at these strange words, Lucy only knew enough lo elieek the tii-sl wild start of surprise and bold in her arms this strange old nurse who ilms claimed her as her daughter. With au idea that T5^ OLD GARTH. t It wan all (IcUriiim, but witli n ilprp tinili r cnn- Tirtlon Hint It wiix all Iriii', Lucy linlt'iicd U8 tliu niirsi- went i>ii. " It w.iH )o»rii ago — ycu wrro an mu oii.-.rl(Hi» Infant when 1 iH'j^nn It. II ^m I.iiily I.ani lil Ir' I ihi for you. I have llvi'd all tliixo yearn with yon. hIdInK myself a HlriuiKcr to your heart. Iliar galneil that I should alwayn be with you, and conxenled that I hIiouUI Ih^ unknow'i. Oh, what axlrugiilc 1 have kept up! Uh. bow hanl II )ias been to remain unknown to my own child! I have tried to feel proud of } lur education, your beauty, your accouii>llshnicnti*, your |iro« peels— but all In vain. Oh, I did wiong! — very, very wro.ig. I see it. Oh. 1 niniied, I sinneil, I Hinnedl Oh, I bad no right to bind niyelf to such an agreement! Now you Me why I.udy Landsdowne never cared for you. You are nothing to licr. You have none of the bloo(l of her or of bent. You have no right licre. You are mine— my daughter. And oh. liow I have paid the penally of my sins— yes, ■witli my heart's blood! Ills remorse that has killed me; it Is the long elTurt that I have made to stKle tbo ycaridngs of a mother's love. And oh, tell me, tell mo Ihat you don't hale me for this. Tell me that you forgive your wretch of a mother. Tell me that you love me still, in spile of all. All these words were poured forth wildly and incoherently. The heart of the old nurse bent more and more furiously, until at last Its palpi tationsseemeil tosulloeate bi'r. She could speak no more. She gasped for breath, and llimlly became senseless. Lucy, half frenzed with ex- citement and anxiely, could svarcely control herself so as to administer the nece.«.saiy reslora lives, but at last succeeded in affording relief. The affection of a lifetime, which she had elierishcd for the nurse, an affection quite as tirong as she could have felt bad she always known lierself to be her daughter, now arose within her. and caused her to hang over the Bens»les.s form with anxious care and tenderest assiduity. This loving and anxious affection engrossed all her heart, nor diii it allow her to dwell tiimn the ionse(iuences that inighl follow from the discovery of her mother, 'hiose con Bcquences she pushed forward into the future, • f leaving thera to the dcvelopmenlsof that future. At length tho nurse Iwgan to revive once more, and graduall- regained her consciousness ami her recollection. Her first thought was for Lucy, and finding that there was no alienation ia iM> daughter's heart, that the tenderness and fke affection were if possible, even greater than ever, she gave a sigh of thankfulness, and tears of joy flowed forth unrestrained. But Lucy saw with deep concern that the in- tense emotion of this last scene had been too much for her newly dfscovered mother, anil had left her much weaker than she had ever iM'en before. Her limbs were almost jiowerlcss, her voice faint and almost gone, while in her at- tenuated frame, her heart throbbed with a speed and a force which seemed frightful to Lucy. Still, Mrs. Wills was eager to complete the revelation of her secret, and although Lucy earnestly entreated her to postpone it un- til another time, and try to get rest for her- self just then, she would not be persuaded, and went on to tell her the whole story. The substance of that story was as follows: That Mrs. Wells was the widow of a small tradesman in Liverpool, who had failed in busineas and in health, under which circum- stances he bad gone to the South of Fiance with the wreck of his property, in the hope of regaining his strength. Ilere he bad died, leaving his widow and an infiint daughter al- most jK'nniless, They were i i deep distress, and in the extreme of potcrly. wlien the op- portunity offered of improving iheir circum stances. A lady came once to Mrs. U'ells offering to aihipt hcrchild. This was Lady Landsdowne. Mrs. Wells diil not know her liiotives nt the time, but afterward discovered all, Laas aiioil,, r thing however, of .i more seii the death. Out of so much self rep'iiacli. re morse, and penitence, mingled with iiisaiiale long ings which had to l>e repressed, she had can led a broken-down constitution, and a bodily frame afilieted with an incurable heart disease which for years had been growing worse. The excite ment of this last scene, with its anguish and its intense emolion, had been loo much for her. She never rallied. On the following day she sunk intos<'nseles,snesB, out of which she never again emerged in this life, but dh'd w iihout ever again bearing the loving words of her daughter. This one lliing only was needed to complete the utter desolation of Lucy. It would liave l)een bad enough had she never known her re- lationship to the departed, for then she would have lost her liesi friend; but now she had li st the only relative she had on earth; and worse than this, she was well aware that she had no more right to live here at Landsdowne Hall than anv beggar from off the highway. Worse still. I-Vom lier mother's revelation it lieeame clearly evident to her that she had been chosen in her infancy by Lady Landsdowne, and bad been made use of all her life for the sole purpose of enabling them to come into an unlaw fill pos session of the Landst, listening most intently, wllhoiil any thought that she was |ierforinlng the disgraicful pail of eavesdiop|>er. •Ho there's no more news than that?" were Lady Landsdowne's first words that I ucy heard. " Well," was the reply of Oriiry, "at any rate you sec we're certain lo get rid of llena- lowe. " It was this that arrested Lucy's attention, roused her curiosity, and made her stand rooted lo the spot, listening Willi all her ears. " Ves," said Lady Landsdowne, softly, "that follows, of course. We'll iret rid of Ilenslowe " " Well, " said Drury, " Tin not sure, but that its heller lo have Hi rislowc to deal with than such a devil as Frink." "Oh, no," said Lady Landsdowne; "you forget. The cases are widely different. Ilens- lowe is the next heir. The Landsdonnis are all dead, and Tancred Ilenslowe reiiresents the children of .Mary Lamisiiowne. lie will be Lord Landsdowne, when he finds out, asa mat- ter of course, but he must never gel llie estates. To have him here as Karl of Landsdowne, and heir to all the property, owner and master, would be it very ditlerent thing from having Frink here as partner. The Karl would be our niasler, but P'rink, at the very worst, would be no more than our eiiual." " Of course, of course. Oh, yes, " said Drury, "1 know all that; we understand it all |M'r- ficlly well. At the same time I cannot help wishing that we had let thingn go on as they were. The young people were evidently ai- tached to one another, and if Ilenslowe hail married Lucy, it would have settled the whole thing." • Well, I dare say that might have been liesl. ' said Lady Landsdowne; "but what is Ihe use of lamenting? You know how Frink interfered. First, he brought him here to use him as a whip over us. and afterward, when he saw that wo were content to let things take their course, he changed his mind, lie now wants t.iicy him- self. Why didn't In say so at the outset, and avoid all this? You and I inu.st arrange a new plan. " " Well. I'm afraid we must be siil)ordinale« any wav. Frink will get Lucy and be mastei heie. 1 haven't the nerve I once had. He'l/ send us to tlie right about. I'd rather have Ilenslowe for a master. If it weren't too !ate I'd interfere to save Ilenslowe yet. lint it's too late." "Of course it is," said Lady Landsdowne, ealmh . " We mustn't hope to save Hi-nslowc now. He's iloomeil. He's lost already. Wc must now try to light off Frink tlit^ best way wi can.' " Well, if it comes to open war," said Diury, 'and il may come to that, I suppose we've got as niueli against him as he has against us. " "Oh! no, no; don't think that. He's got everything against U9, in black and white — proved beyond the lio]ic of denial — and what have we against him? " " What ! Why the murder of Tancred Hens. lowe " " .\li, and how can we prove it? Who will find the bodv of Tancred Ilenslowe? Who con prove thai Prink was ever anything else than Ids best friend? No, no; we must work i« other ways. Above all. we are not in a posi- tion to ilify him. We must wait till he comes back, find out as much of his inteniions as pod- sible, and tight him with his own weapons. Come, rouse yourself, Wudliam. This life of eiuso ha« almost destroyed you. Think of what you once were — how bold, how audacious to contrive, with what iron nerve and invincible nil! you carried out your plans, with what sub- tlety you could undermine and circumvent an- other. Come, your whole future is at stake — your very life. Will you allow yourself to be beaten at your own game by such a tyro as Frink?" OLD GAKTH. 19 I' 1 Drurv drew • long brentli. " We'll— tliiil'ii llko a breath of frcKli nii jo»el You tiHuli llie rlRlit 8p>' In itddllion to tl|i> 'f he nlioidd be savi'd kIic u hlied to make known lo liiin lliu moved off, lenvliiK J.iicy ii prey toiinotiiiii'i »iieli j Inilli of hlHiMiKlilinwlta rcftrcuce to Iho Landa iiH Klie had never known before. Kve n the Htiirt dowrtp OHlnlex. linKruvelnllonof >Mr«. Wellxthoimhlt wiixHonic But bow coidu kbc tly lo flud him or tare tliini; Unit wii«eonni'eteelng observed, so that she might not be followed. There wassonie dilHcultv alMiut this. young lady was seen walking along the road early in the mnrniiig, a few days previously. From the keeper of the nearest railway station Had she l)een « bold and enterprising young illiev learned ihatayoung I'.dy had been there lady, she might have gone oil by night; tiiiead | four days bcfori'. but she liad kept her veil down Ing her way through tlie park, and scaling the j so that he c ulil not see what she was like. She walls. For such an expli'il as that, however, she would never have hud llie rei|Uisiie nerve. Indeed, had her esciipe depended upon this, she never coulil have etreeted il. Fori unately. for her, accidenl suggested to her a mode of depart- ure which was simpler and more feasible. It was the fashion for a number of beggars, half gypsy folk, and such like, to come lo Lamrsdownc Ilafl to receive certain alms by virtue of an old custom width hail originated in past ages. It happened that one of their visiling days occurred about this lime. Il seemed to Lucy that she might easily slip oul among them wilboiit any one susiKclmg. Accordingly she collected what things she wished to lake, wrapped Ihem in a bundle, threw an old mantle over her, put on an old bon net. and in this guise waited till dusk. Hy that liiiii' the gvpsies were beginning to start. Lucy did not wish to Ite among them, nor behind them, but went out before them. No notice whaiever was taken of her, and thus she es caped unobserved. C'HAPTEH XXI. THE SEAIltll A.ND ITS IIE8CI.TS. So infrei|uent was the association of Lady Landstlowne with Lucy, and so little was the wentoff by me of the trains, butwhelher north low iird C'l 1 .''sle. or south towuiil Liverpool, was more than he could say. But even if the sta- lion master liad known the dircclitm which slio took, it would have availed but little, for they still would have been in Ignorance of her pur- |K'se and of her ultimate destination. Such were the circumstances attendant upon Lucy's aight. Drury, however, was confident that he woultl flnil her. He had connections indifferent cities of the kingdom. To these he wrote at once. In Edinburgh, in Glasgow, in Carlisle, in Pres- ton, in Liverpool, in Manchester, and in London, agents were put in motion as soon as |)ossible, and exerting themselves in con..ectitm with the |«)licc. The circumstance of Lucy's tlight, to- gether Willi other things, had caused Drury to undergo a complete transformation. From the easy, twaddling, voluble, |)lausilile, indolent old man, he had suddenly changed lo an eager, vigilont, active, scheming, crafty plotter, with every energy of his botly, and every faculty of his mind roused to action. The resources of a subtle nature, and adroit manner, and cool nerve, were all called forth, and Drury became again the daring adventurer who, years beforo had, by a bold exploit, seized upon the vast inherit- ance of the Landsdovt-nes. Drury threw him- self now with his whole soul into this search after Lucy, and not a day passed in which he thought given lo her, that several days clapsetl did not suggest some licw plan, or put some new machinery in motion. Fortunate was it that he possessed no clew whatever to her move- ments, for hatl he possessed the slightest he would infallibly have fallen upon her trail, anil brough' her back. Beside the active energies of Drury, Lady Lanilsdowne was but an interior geniui. She re- lied altogether upon him, and only sought to assist him by the offer of an occasional sugges- tion. At length, one day, a new incident occurred, which served to divert Ihc thoughts of both of them to a new subject, and rouse up Drury to a fresh degree of vigilance, so as to guard against a new danger. It was a letter from Frink. The letter was daletl London, and consi.sted of but a few lines. It informed Ihem brielly that he liad accomplished Ihe purpose for which he had set out, and that, after allending to some business in London, he would go to Lands- downe Hall. A signilicaut postscript contained the following: before her abseni'o was discovered. Since the death.of .Mrs. Wells there had been no one to fill lii:r place, nor had any one been engageil to take the post of lady's-maid to Lucy, ('onsc- quenlly. lliere was no one in particular to Iw in- terested in her movements. The first one who noticed that she was not at the Hall was a sta- ble boy, who iiseil lo hold her horse when she went out riding; which boy, observing that, for several days, she ilid not make her appearance, began to in»ke ini|Uiries under Ihc impression thiit she was ill, and these inquiries led to the discovery that she was gone. The startling inleHigenci; was received by Lady Lanilsdowne. at first, with ineretlulily, and aflefward by an agitation fully warranted by such a circumstance. Drury was rtuised, and fell as much agitation as she did. A search was made in all direc- lioiis. Tiiey would have kept it secret, if possi- ble, but that could not be tlone, since the whole house had learned the fact of her disajiptjarance before they themselves had heartl of it. But the search which they made was unavailing. First of all, they i|iiestioned every one of Ihe •ervanis most closely and striclly. In vain— not one of Ihem knew anything about her. Not one of them had seen her for three days; nor could they Icarn anything from any of tliem which might throw a light upon the cause of her de- parture. No letter had come from Henslowe. so that it could not arise from any sci:ret love- affair, and they knew very well that there was no other one who coiiltl possibly have inspirctl her Willi any tender sentiments. Since the tleath of Mrs. Wells she had been very greatly tie pres.scil, but such a state of mind would hardly " P.S.— I should like very much to have Lucy prepared lo receive me in a" more cordial man- ner than the last lime. ' On reading this letter, Drury handed it in si- lence to Lady Landstlowne. She read it care- fully, and then neither of them said anything for some time. " He's done it," said Drury, at last. Latlv Landstlowne noddctf. " I'll rather have Henslowe back, if it could be done," continued Drury. Lady Landsdowne said nothing. " However, regrets are useless, and we've got 20 OLD OAHTH. I ■^ lo •rl. 1 we lomelhInK very pcrtilliir In thut iXMlncriiit, ilun'l yuiiT" "Wlml?" " Don't youneo thut liiiit about Lucy?" " Vim." " Well, what U tho niflkiiliiK of that, ilo you •uppiMi't" " Why, ulinply ihU, Ihul he wlnhiw uii tomnku l.ury moru corihiil lo him, n* it that were poiwl- bli), f'Vi'ii if mIki V urc hiTo. " " Oil, rill, thcrc'H more than thnt." I. -Wh*!?' " Wliy, h(>'a RoinK to flgbt on that Imie." " Ki((lit on Ihiit boiet" " Yi'«, hu's Ku'ng <*> Ire tlio Drat gun in the Damn of I.iicy ■' " I don't nnilerslimd." ■' Wi'll, tliiii h It: I believe he la si the liot torn of Lucy's (lisnppciir»ntT. lie's n"t her oft Homehow, I'orliii|)» hen 'old her Me truth. ' I'erhiipH hc'H truni|)eil up Honm slury iibuut HenHiowe. Purhnpit hu'H frifthtciuxl her." " liut thnt'it iinpoiwibln; ho hiutii't written." " No; but ho nmy hnvi coinn lipp' hiinwlf in nomc underlinnileil innnner. lli: could iiiHilvdo thBl. Whoever of the Hervniit" he Imit brified, lie hw done It well, for 1 cun't discover iiny tbinj;. nnd I can't tlnd out Ibiit any one of IiIn ntyluor ll)?ure bus ever been here. Well, lie's (jot her nwny; hc'a prolmbly told her thf triil/i. And now, his next step will lie to coino to iin o|H'n rupture with us. He'll come here — de- mand Lucy — we cnn'l produci! her. He'll then nccuse u." of lireakhi),' fnilh with him, (piiirrel with us, nnd lu'trin ojwuwnr, unlesr., indeed, we both po down on our knees iMfore him, and ac- cept the terms wliieli he may be Kraciously )>le:ised lo icrnnt. Oh, the fact is, llenslowc would have been by far the belter muster." " Ibil arc you sure that he U going to be tho master'i'" " Well, that's Just the qiicMion." '• Are you ^niwg to give up all at the first blow?" "Hv no means." " \\'liat do you intend lo do?" "Well, that s the very tliini; tliat I do not know just yet. I shall have, to be guided by cireumslaneeH nilogether, nnd meet Friiik us may seem best." " Hut you will have to come to an open rupt- ure." "Thai don't follow," " Why, if he conies here for Lucy, anil finds (hat she Is i^itne, he will at once (leposed lo her encagement willi Tancred, and that his life was in danger from their plots. This was, of course, Huitlcient to rouse the fullest sympathy of I'aiiline nnd her mother. Tliev were well aware of Tancred's feelings toward Lucy, and on seeing her now, coming a.s she did iinder such circum.slauces, they n^ceived her with ojien arms. jJeitber Mrs. Henslowe nor Pauline bad felt the alightcst anxiety about Tanered. Ho had told them the same as be had told Lucy, name- ly, that he would be for a long time on a lonely i-sland. and that six months at least inus"t elapse before they could expect to bear from Iiim. The only chance of hearing from him sooner would be In the event of a total failure, and relinquifbment of the piir|K)se9 of llio c.\ pedition. And so. aa the .six months were little more than half over, they looked forward to a still further period of wailing. But the Information which Lucy brought tilled them all Willi teiTMt. That TancHNl was related to the LunilMloHiies they knew, but that Imj wiw tho next of kin Mrs. Hensliiwe hud nevi r siispocteil. Auaiii the inlelllgenco that Kriiik was fulse roused thrm to a still greater digrie of terror. In fail, the Intelligence wiw so terrible lliat they could scarcely bring them selves to believe It, and rejected it utterly. They sought to tlnd nrgumenls to op|MMo ull the circumstuntial cviilence whi( h the brought, und apiH'uled most of all to Taiicrvd'H hiug and familiar intercoiirst with Krink. They hud been frienils from boyhood. They hud ex changed inanv and msnv an act of kindlv frienilshiii. Kriiik was lioiind by every prlil ciple of iluty, and every tie of friendshlii, und every motive of honor, to stund by his frieiul Kven if Krliik sought after his own seltlsli In leresl. he could guin far molt' by serving Tan cred than by liel raying him Into the hands of strangers. If h'rink knew thai Tancred was next of kin ho leinl«.r -JO. isao. " Mr DKAKKHT MoTiiKU, — You will be sur- prised to get a Idler dated from this place, but I may aciouiit for it from the f ai I that my e.\- |)4Mlilion is e.vplodi-d, and I am here on a new- plan. Hut I'll explain all about it in a few words. Well, we found the island of Leoiifoile after soini' trouble, and went lo work there dig- ging like beavrs. Tlie lunnuscript was all 111 and vaiu;ible as fir a.s it went, and we worked on full of hope for week after week, till al last we got to the botlom. On reaclimg that imporlnnt point, however, we found iinfort iiimtelv that llnre was nothing in il I shouldn't wondi:r if some one bad been there before us: perhugis the pirati! 'Capilano' him self, or perhaps, even, one of lite Landsdownes However, lliere's the melancholy I id, anil I leave you to iniagine Ihe faces of Oartli. Krink, and your humble servant on the ilay when we came up from our last ili.scovcry. " Well, we all cleared out nnd sold the schooner and traps in Palermo. I'm happy to siiy thai we sold thi-stulT al a siiHIcienl ndvanci' to pay us for our trouble, so that none of us are much oul of pocket, ftarth cUaretl out to join his Itcpublican frientls, and Krink remaineil awhile with me. I've just got an offer from a wealthy American. He has engaged me to go to Florence to copy piclures for him. Tiie offer is a very haniLsonie one, intleeil, and makes me quite flush. I owe this lo Krink. Poor old Krink seems awfully cut up becau.se I've been so ilisapiHiinted. " 1 won't go home till next spring, for my en- gagement is too important to h'ave, nnd the only thing that can tiraw me home is Lucy ; but I've written to her, and explained all about it. Anil now, dear mother, as for you, I want very much for you and Pauline to come out al once, anil I will mc«'l you at Leghorn. I inclose a draft for Ihirty iiounds, which will pay all your expenses oul here. Write me ' Postc Hestantc, Leghorn,' and let mo know when you leave, so that I may know about when to expect you. Be lis quick us you can, for I am anxious to got off to Florence. ' Krink is oil for Kngland soon, anil iwrhnps be may see you before you leave Liverpool. lie can tell you all about our adventure. I wish I could go, too, and bring you on, but I can't manage it. And now, dear mother, do not sup- pose that tbc failure of this expedition is any- thing so very bad. Of course wo were disap- pointed, but we have come to laugh over it now. Por my (mrl my circiimslances are very inod, and my prosu-tta quite brilliuul. I tlnd that Krliik liiia liTin blowing my lrum|ii I oikIiiI* II- iJii tnjr r r.iiilini', 1 llie gliTj I flnt pari wax a xliiiiili- imr i«llvo lit fn'tn, mid li* (llil not linvc to ilrnw In Hill nllKlll'^t iliKrv)' ii|K>ii liln liiiii^liiiillnii. Ilu ri'liitpil llii'lr ili^iimv mi rniililriK Hu' iH)liit wmt of Viilciinii, iiiiil tliiilliik; im> ixlaiiil iIiiti'. tlii'lr viiyiiKi' III MriMiilKill. Iliuir nliini In I'liU^rmo, mill tlii'li llnul illiinvir} uf tjannrorli'. Tlion III! iIi'mtIIm'iI Willi Krinl iirmriiry llirlr lillior nil Mil' iNliiriil. Iliilr wnrk ut tlii' iiiniK'y |iil, mill Mil' Willi r ilriilii. 'I'Ih' rrinrlii.li.il nf liln ninry wiiit, liDWPVcr, iniiilr up mmr rrnin iiiiiiKJiiulinii. Al llii! Iiiilliini iiniii' hull', 111' Milil, llii'V linil dl'ii'ovi'i'i'il II iiiiiMH iif (linlH'ri mill iHuinU liiilf di'i'ityi'il, lirnkrii '■imirN, rii'*U-il IimiIm, uihI iiriiis (if iiiilliiili' riinliiiiii, nil nf hIiIi'Ii Weill In ulinw dltliiT lliiit iin liinniy liiiil rvir liirii i|p|>n'ri"tntliis mnmi'iit he had never doubted thai I I.iicy had been sent away by Lady l.andxdowne, I In be kept out of his way, lie now learned ; that Driiry had spoken the 'ruth, lie learned t also that l.ucy was mote completely in his I (xiwir than he had ever expi'eted to have her, i until he had won llio whole j^aiiie. I The surprise which he felt was evidenl. hut | Frink was so completely maxler of himself. ' that .Mrs. Ilenslowe could not see iiiiylhiii).' < I more than a very natural feelini;, lie lisieticd | ' tn her story abniil Lucy's unwilliiii;iii'ss lo ^o Miack. and after heariiii; all, he addressed liini- ■ self to her with a candor anci ;ii'iiernsity that I ehanncd the old lady, and made him, if pns- ■ silile, more In r friend, than ever. i lie stated frankly that Lucy was in a false position; that she had done very foolishlv; Hint 1 she oimlit lo (;o back; that it was his duty ox I solicitor to the estate and friend of her mother to send her back; but. ax she was U'trntlied to his friend, and wniilcl snon Ix/ his friend's wife, thai this mach! a diflcrcnce. He would there fore act for Tanered. and keep Lucy's secret at all lia/.urds. Moreover, lie would even go so far as to aid liiid abet Iht escape. Frink had already had a stormy scene with Driiry, at Landsdowne Hall. Uriiry had come up to Liver|Kiol. walehinn [iroceeilings as well as he coiiUl, by means of his agcnix. He saw Frink at Liverpool, and lo his iiniarcinent. found him very friendly, Frink. in fact, even went so far as lo apolnijize for his uwn lianh iiess, and assured Urury that he now believed him lo be a man of honor. .\ll of which made Drury open his eyes, and believe more slronfrly than ever that Frink had manau'cd in some way to get Lucy under his colli nd. This is what he mentioned lo Lady Lands- downe. " What is he doinjr now?" she asked. " lie seems to be planning a general emigra lion seheme." " Such as what?" " Don't know— to take Hie inolher and xislor to Tanered." " Ladv Landsdowne regarded Drury with aj solemn face. ' " Sit — they'll — all — irn!" she said. ' Drury shrugged his shoulders. " .\nd Lucy." said she. ' " Well. I can't make mit his plan aboul Lucy i at all, and I've heard nothing more about her. \ As for Frink. however. I've got a plan al last. I that will effietiially— setHe — him.— and— for I evcrl" " ' ClIArTKK XXIV. Tn R Vo T A (I K III' r TiiK iiblp " Dvlta, " Captain Tlialn. wax en- gaged III the Italian trade, and tlilx wax the vci- xel which had beiii eiii'iiged hy Friak for thic purpose of lakiiu; Ihe linlii's to Leghorn Frink liiid acroinpllxhi d lii« biisiiiexx tn hlx own xiillx fill linn, anci announce c| in .Mrx. Ilenslowe that lie wniild be able tn go Willi In r to Italy, u piece of Inli'lllgence whiih exiilld Ihe livi'liexl eincilionx of Joy ill the inind of the old lady. She liad an ciiicoiniuerable nervoiixniss about every form of travel, and Ihoiiiih going by sea wim mueli lexN perplexing than going by land, it wax, at the xaiiir lime, iiinre claic'c'ioiis. and this she ilreadecl lo encoiiiitir .Now. the iirospi 1 1 nf Frink X soilety iiniile Ihe sea voviigii I all its lerrorx, and if Lucy had fell any lln grrliiu objei Hon to Frink. the dillglit of '.Mix. Ileiixlowe would iiavo prevented her from ci- prexxing it. Till" " Delta" wax a vexxfl of very good cluwi, and with comfnrtulile accominoilalioiix for pox- seiigerx. She was of about six hundred Iniix burden, copia'r fastened, and of very fair rate of speed lier cabin was roomy for the si/i of the vessel, and llicre were tliiee spare xtatc- rooms which were eniraged for Ihe parly. Cap- lain Tliain wax an Lnulislinian, who, however, spoke Italian like a native, and had iniieh to do with Hie pun liaie or dix|n>silion of Ihe cargo. He wcis a tliin. wiry iiiaii. with a ciiiinliig sinile. and bright slnewcl eye. Not the sorl of man one would like to ri'l> on for any kind of fa\or. iinr M't one in wlmsi' power a man wniild like tn Ih': yet In ordinary life, and in general, a L'iKid natiired sort of inaii. and u illiug lo oblige whin it did nnt cost anything. With this Tlialn Frink Ine! many consultations, deep and pro longi'cl, invcilving things far beyond the scope of an ordinary sea voyak'e. W'iili lliis 'i'haiii i-'ritik. after sinii pnilniigccl eonsiiliatinnx, canie lo a full iindcrslaiiiling. and the whole train Any. laid, and all thecii'eumslances arranged, by which the iiiteiitiniis and iiliins sliouM be car- ried out wliii h Frink liail formed with refer- enie to .Mrs. Ilenslowe, I'auliiie. and Lucy, riitil these should all lie satisfactorily clisposdil of. It would l«' impossible for him to make tlio move which lie inteiicied with reference to the Landsilnwne extates. and Hiorefnre Ids arrange nients with Captain Tliain were of a higlily im- |">rtRiit cliaraeler. Hut while Frink was holding inlerriews witli Tliain there were others who had access lo the same person. Tliain li.ail been incluced to call on Drury. and these two liad succeeded in making " arrancenienls. " It will be seen by lids that Driiry was busily engaged in doing as Im had said, which was " lighting Frink with his own weapons." Now TImin was not by any means a I oinforlable man to deal with, and in iliiscase where lliese two carried on a war witli one an other by means of Tliain, the victory would in. clinc to the one w ho knew Thain best, or (^ould use him best. Now t'icre waa one disadvantage under whieli Drury la. ored, and that was his utter ignorance of Lucy's wliereabouts. He suspected that Frink had lieguilcd her away and kept her se- cluded in some safe hiding now, but where, he could not iniauine. It never occurred to liim that Lucy could by any iiossibililv be liere in Liverpool with the llenslowes. and was to form one of the parly. He knew that .Mrs. Ilenslowe and I'aiiline were going, and he knew Frink's designs with regard to them, and acipiiescecl In them, but he did not know who the other lady was. In fact, he (lid not much care. He sup- posed it was some friend of theirs, and as he wax indillerenl to Ihe fate of I'aulinc, so lie was ecpially indifferenl lo thu fate of I'aulinc's friend. And lliis w.is the reason why Drury missed this chance of finding the fugitive. Al length the dav of dcparlure came, and Hie party took their places on board. F.verything liad 1)1 en made ready for them, and every mo- ment the ladies had reason to admire the careful forelhought of their invaluable companion. That fnrelhn milt' lind extended itself lo the minutest details, and of all that could minister to Iheir comfort on board noiliing seeined lo have lieen omitted. The wind was fair; and al- Ihoiizh the ladies felt the usual ills that afllict those who are not accustomed to the sea. yet be fore a couple of clays Ihcy became accustomed to the new life, and had overcome the first in- ronveniences. Time passed pleiisanllv. TJio " Delta" crossed the IJay ot Biscay witliout en- countering more than one hard blow, coasted along the shore uf Portugal, and at length en- 1 i 12 OLD GAHTr:. 1 'f I ttn-il Iha HlnlU. Once In the Mtdllrrri «n llic voyiiKc Ix'ciimn rnrr iiitirli iili'imniili'r, iln' air wo iiiiUIrr, Ihe hh raliniT, itiul tlir m hiimm of IlK'ir ilrnllimliiiii \(tiv it iii'W plnuiiirr. Kiliik IIDW III) miir iiiint! RKrirulili' limn tvrr llilinil oiTli'il liliiiHt'lf uliii'i' If'iivliiK til liiitki' lliliiK' |iliMi>iiiil. lull iiiiw III' Inruiiii' llii' llfr III I III' iirirly. mill I'Vcii I, my viiu, hIiIIki'iI In i oiifrKa In Uirni'lf lllllt I'Vlllk llllll KM I'llllli'Mi (mill of „iiihI iiiiliiri' In ilruw wjiiiii. Kriiik uliu wim it vrr) IiiIi'IIIki'III iiiiiii, mill wi» will riliinilnl. 'I'lir ii|i|iriiiii li III tlir >li>rii'il mi'Iiih nf llir jiitiil ^lliiiil' liiii'il Ilia niliiil itiiil i|iili ki'iii'il Ilia liiiaKlniiiliiii, mill III' |Hiiirril I'lirtli nil lili kiiuwIiilKi' fur llii' ailliTlullllllPlIt nf Ilia (lll'llll< Till" klliiwii'll^l' WOM not, liimi'vrr, llii' liurkiirvril rui'tH miiiIi itn ■nay liv iiri|iilrril (nmi «rliiiiil liookH nr nliillril iiv |ii'ilunlH, lull llii' (ri'ly. ■• Mi'liirc'ii," K«iil Frink, " Hiiun-al ■ haid I'milini'. '■ I nCTcr lizard of It tii'forc '■ I dorr «»T not," iiaiil KrinU. " ll » on the loulli mill' of'Sirlly, and wim fniindi'il, I iMJievi'. by llio Siiracrnn. I'tc hmrd lliai llii' nanii' wim 'Hlii'ikli. and the llulinn ' Sriiiiiit' ii a inrriip tinn nf it. It wwt It fnmuus •Irunglinld nf the faruniis in its day." '• Arc ilirrc initiiy |>*ople Ihcre now?" ■ Will, no, nnt vrry many; lifliin or twenty tlioii^miii, I •iippniti'. riieri'K a lillle Iriiili' go inK on, but not nf any great rnnneiiunn e. Still, its a curious n|il iwn, uiid the nienerrin llie nciifliliorh I ix most niii);niliernl. If we ^o aHliore I Nliuiiid like lo «liow ymi nrnund. ' " I )h, I'm aiire I hlioiild like, nliove nil lliinK". to see it." " Yuu certainly aliall, if we go anborc," anld FrInk. "Oh, we really must >;o ashore; why, how roiilii we r.iial alioard theica|>e, llr«ldea. It wmild iigreeitblr Chanel* frnm the mom vnviige l''lrsl nf all Sh'lly lav like II hllln line lltmn llie linrl/oii, llllll il gnw III) intoshapi'Hiid ill'ennls: " In Ihe reign nf Martin and Mary, the Iielress of llie house nf IVralla, u lady of' rare heiiiily and Mist pnssi'ssiniis, WHS wooed both by I'oiinl Artale lie I. una and by (iiovaiini I'erollo, a ile sceiidatit of Ihiil liilherl who had hi diled ,luli elte de llnuleville on tlieileiitli of her first bus blind. I.aniparron. The King, biinu parliiil to I. una, as a Spaniard, prevailed nti tlii' lady In give lier hand In liini in prefeieiice In llie Sieil ian, wliieli rxeiled sucli rage in I'ernllo's liearl llial nothing let-s than the ileslriiclinn nf hi> fortunate rival could satisfy liini. Ile iiiiide sev- eral at tempts to cut him off by open violence, but. faiiineinlhese, he had recourse lo secret revenge, and in 141'J deslroyeil the Cniint by poison, 1 he infamous deed eniailed discnrd and ruin u]ion both families, but a kind of sullen >|iiiet reigned till Arlate'sson Antonio arrived al linage I Intake up I he feud, when a civ 11 wariiio«eiii Si I acca lliut involved the whole citv in lionor and ! desolation, I'ietrn I'erolln. tlie inheritor of his fathers i|':nrrp|. was tlic feudal lord nf the for tress of Sciacca. wliidi he kept full of hisarmed relaincrs. T'lC Count of I. una possessed Ihe strong ca^'ie of (alia Velolla, twelve miles dls- taiil. Kaeh was ever seeking to compass the deslriielion of his foe. In April, I4."i'"i, Lima and his followers were taking part in Ihe solemn procession of one of Ihe holy liioriis of Christ's crown through the slreel- of' the city, wlieii, on pa.ssing I'erollo's castle, I'ietrn. at tin head of his bravoes rushed out, a.ssailed and 'jlew man.\ of the f ount's suite, and put Ihe lesl In lliglit. Pietvd. singling out his hereditary fne, allai ked him wilh great fury. stablM'd him repeatedly in the Jfiice and tiod'y, and left him for dead Then, rushing lo Hie castle of Luna, he sacked it. drove out tlie family of his victim, and took rifiiire himself in Ihe castle of (ieraci. The Count s liody w.is found by his attendants, who. perceiving tiiat he was still breathing, tended liim with such care thai lie was uilimalely re stored to health, when he relalialeii Herccly on tile lives and property nf his adversaries, sack- ing and biirninir Peroilo's eastli . and putting more tlian one hundred of Ids partisans lo the sword. I'ieirn was fain tn save himself by tliglit. The citizens, weary nf tliis parly strife, appealed tn Ihe fiovernmenf tn maintain order. King Al fonsn the ^lagiianimous sentenced the two barons lo perpetual buuisbmcnl, aud couUseuted Ihrlr poweMlnns; bill, three yeara later, on hia dealhbed he revoked lhl« senlencr, wlilih III- lililgeil lenilv was priiiluilive nf further evill. Thus ended 'the tlrst ' Casi di Si inn a ' 'The feud, lliiissiippipsNcil, broke inii afreak seteiily four .Mars later. (Ilumino I'eiollo, lirninl of hU own wealth and power, anilintilld liig ill Ills popiilarilv u Itli Ihe lower orders, and III lii^ friendship wdli Hie Viii loj, Ihe Duke of .Moiileleone. iissiimid aliiiiwl ilcspiilh' power liver Ihe lives and libiillis nf the lillzeiia of Siiaiia, and bore liinisi if wilh such haiiiihli nesa liial he roii<.i'd the spirit nf Slglsmiinihi dl Luna, who eoiild nol brook Ihe luaiill* of hIa hereditary foe. " III I'i'.'U he llvw loarniB, and collerlctlafiirce of four liiiiiilred font and llirie liiiiiilred liorse, andllireati iicil Ihe ( astle of I'm .1 In. but lliniigh the Haroii (liucome oblaini d anslstani e frnm lliii VIceiny, LiiliH eonlrived In nlilnin IHisscssiun (if Sciaii a. After vain atlempls In lake Ihe cau'dn by iissaiiil, he liirncd ngainkl it the cannon on till' lily rnmpiirlH, effi ileil a breach, stormed II, and liiil all tvllliin the walla In Ihe sword. I'erollo niumiged fnr awhile to elude pursuit ; liiit the llaroiiess and Ihe wives of Ida foilowera fell into Ihe |Hiwer nf the Count. At Ihe sight of Ihese Indies, Luna conlrolled Ids wrath and lienled lliem wllh ail kiiighlly coiirlesv. Lay- ing iisiile hilt arms be nppronclied the llaroneM with res|K'el, kissed In r lianilH. Innieiilcd ■ 'iin( mint ri'iiilily In fu>(, bIii' IiuiI um iilnt wiiiilrvir •if iirnkrlulilim to clliiilj nil iiliiuiiil |iriri|iitiiiit lllll i>f aiK li alii'lxlil If Unit, lull |iri'fi'rri'u til iiiaku i>ii )ii>r«i'liiu'k. f'lr tlirrr wiui im i iirrluK<' nmil. miil ''iiptiiiii 'I'lmiri |iroiiiini'il In itert lilmxlf In pniriiri' tlir nrnnniiry niiiiiiiili, amniii; wliiili lii' olTirril III prnrliri' Ull i:iu h lit' ili'cliirtil to li:ivc till' iMiwir of licalliin nil lu.in HIT of ili'.i'iiwi. I.ciivjiiK llii'M', liny lM'(;iin tlii' lisrcnt of ('iilop 111. 'I'hry foiiml ihr |iiilli»iiy very Hill |> mill nidtfiil. At Hrit tlir i;iiiiin Iriri, liny (ami! lo ii Imiri' cavern, callcil the Oioilo ili Diana. Here iho eieiTone shoiiletl. -iii'i (111! erlio u'liH wuntlerfiil. Kiirllier on iva« a ilecii pll or well, goiiiix down oliiiiptely, where lliey In anl a I'oariii.i; uoi.'ie, nhiili Koniiileil like (he iliilaiil tliiiniler of rnlliiiK water*, ii< tlnnii;li li'oiii llie hinvels of the earth. In fail, llir whole tiKiiinliiin is full of holes, uml ehainlier., wiiere spriin;'* ari^e, mill water pours aloii^,' ineessnnlly. Kveii on the nnniinit uf tlie niountain llieic sprinu'snie fnuml, mill fonit a chief resort to Iho.se inakiiii.' the nsceiil. Tlicy nre very celehriileil, even beyonil tile hounilH of Sieiiy, ami form one of tile eiiiif nllrartions of Weiaicu. Tiiesi! vapor Imth'i are very am lent, nnil have lieeoine surrounded with ii ina.ss of le^remi^. ac cording: lo which they were uiade in the niytli ieal a^'i s tliousaiids (if yearn ajjo liy Dnedalui liinisi If. .Moreover, lejiend says thai .Minos. King ol' Crele, was siilToealed liere. 'I'lie lialliH cunsisi of a nuinlier of grott'ies hollowed out from the rock, with .seain hewn uUn from the suine, upon wliuli palieuls laku their station, mid are thrown into a perspiration liy the hot vap'ir whicii "leain.s forlli iijioii them. l'|>on the rock; walls may be wen in.s(Ti|ilions winch have hei n niaili! here for sonic thirty centuries liy more tlian it hiindre I Keneralions of visitors. Our piirty entered this cavern Iml found the at inospherc .so close and snfToc^itini;, and so laden wilh heavy v»|)or, that they were compelled lo relreal at once. Adjoiniiii; this is nnollier eave which 'iln liueione |>oiiiled out to lliein as liiivin;; once lieeii the abode of the famous San ('iiloi/ero hiniftclf, who is now the tiitelarv Saint of Seiacca. In this cave they saw a well of immense deplli which went down lo lliein nerinost reces.ses of the lU'iuiilalns. I'eoplc have tried in vain to descend into lliis by means of ropes, but the inunense volumes of steam which alwaya roll upward have rendered funic all ellorls of'^ this descnpiion.. lllll, llinunh the visitors on tliis occa.sion did not ;.'aiii any very gre.it satisfaction in their in- spi'iii.iii of the cavern, they fnuiid llumselves more Ihan rewarded for their toilsome ascent ill llic iiiaiiniticenl prosj>ect wliicli awaited liiem. Tlien: a vast panorama lay oulslrelched on all sides before Ihcir eyes. (In the land i'ide the fertile coiiiilrv Hurrouiidinji S-iacca lay near at "land, while /iirlher away il arose into the dis taut liii;lilanils of the interior. Onlhenorlh- laml of I'mitellurlu nilKhl Im! »ern rislii;{ In a purple inn,<> iarri«Ke», uml the i ountry hail very many beautiful lundscupen. This wm the only direclion in wliii h a party could taken journey, for Ihe ruad up and down the i oust wiu un pleiMiitli rouKh and moiioioaous. taltalielluttaitiielf wimnol withuutatlrartinns. Il uriKinaled in Kowiiii days, but owes its pres ent iiuine to Ihe Sarin ens who captured It and culled ;il Kalul al lU'lliil. or ( islle of Oaks, cur ruptcd by Hie naiites i"lu (ailubelloiia A rocky uteep arises above I. surrouiidiiii; cuiin tryrowned with an uncieiil etslle. and around Ibis, and at it« base, i lii»lersthe town A river winda at the fool of this rm k, which, however, like m'»l Sicilian siieums, is ainiosi dry in siiii'. iner: while from the castle on the suiiiinll of the ruck there is a iiiotl nnunilli ent prospect. The iHipiilalion of Ihe towiiTs a little over tl\u lliousand, and oiiu of Ihe churches here wai orli'iniliy a Suracenic inusipie, and its slyledill inilienles its ori|.'in. I |"in leaving Siaeca the parly rode along at an eksv |>ace. The roml, or rather palli, went aroumi Hie base of Mount San Calngeio, and was ill places two narrow for two lo ride side by side (aplain Thain nnii! ahead. Tlien .Mrs. lleiisloH'e, iieil to her was l.uey, then I'auline, while Kriiik brouirht up the rear. In this way 'hey went along until tliey eaine to within about a mile of (alliiliellotla. Here the road wound around the spur of a bill, and on une side llie rocks arov steep, while in theoibi-r llieie was a dense grow lb of callus and dwarf palin. The road also was narrow ami rougher 'ban il had liillierlo iM'en, and wound in a crooked manner in and out among projecting rocks, prickly cue Ills, or scattered stom .-. The path wound in Iliis way, and steadily descended a bill uniil at last it caiiie down lo a valley, or rather riivine. in wliicli was one of those drieiliip river beds which are so eonimon in Sicily. Here tiure was a space some Ibirty in- forty feet in wiillli running up into a narrow gurge among Ihe rocks, tow ird the hills. The bottom was all strewn Willi sharp rocks like the chauDcl of a uioiiiilain torrent. This path (hey ilescended slowly, and one aflcr another entered the ravine. Scnrcely had they all entered, m arcely bad Frink, who was last, emerged from the pathway into the o|ien, Ihan a loud shrill nhi.stle biirsi' upon their ears. Involuntarily Hiey all started and slared aroii'id them. They did not have lo wail long. In an instant, from behind a numlier of rocks in ail directions around them, there sprung forward as many as twenty riilllanly looking men, all armed lo the lei lb. which men al the moment of their appearance all raised their rilles, and ; held the iKiity in a deadly aim. At the same | time two men came forward wlio advanced to Captain Thain, One of these men talked witli him for some lime. The others all stood in cou slernalion lixikiuK upon ihc scene. " What does Ibis mean Mr. Knnk? " asked I*aiiline, in a tremulous voice. Kriiik said nothing, but sighed and shook his head. " Arc they brigandsf" " I'm afraid so." "Can we do nothing?" "We have no arms," said Krink, "and be- sides, .see how many of them there arc. ' At this Pauline burst into li ars, and hurried over to where her mot her sat looking iipoir the scene, with a frightened face. Hcrmoiher folded her ill her arms, without a word, Lucy now hurried up to Captain Thain. "Oh. caplaiu!" she said. "Can't you tell us what this means? What do these men waiity The captain turned and shrugged his shoul- ders. "Well," sold he, "these miserable devils have got us, and I've been trying to gel llietn to let us off, aud I'm afraid they won't listen to rea.sou. " " Wlial ilii Iliey want.' ' asked I.ucv calmly. " \^ ant oil I'vrryHiIng' I bey liilnk ymi are noble linln s. Kngllsli inlllliiiiain't and all ibai, and Ihev a^k a riuiidred thuuitaud guiuesa fur the rauauni uf the parly " lIlAI'TKIt XXVII, IN III* I'll Foil some HnieiieiiherOurth iiorTancrrd said one word fiirlliir. bin siood in silence at Ihn iHilliiin of Ibiir pii. staring at one another In sluiu Hcallon ami in horror. There lav tlie chain whiih liad fallen at the bolliini of tlie pit, and there loo Ihev saw the oo/e of water us It cuniiia slowly Irlikilng through Terrible wan (heir posiliiMi, Il rrible U'vonil expression was their priispeil. but more terrible yi t was the suspicion that Hashed Hirough eai h oiie as to the way In wbii h this hud been done. This >u>pi( ion had ulready Ixeii (uit forth in words — the arurd* " We are belriiyed '" The etpluslon bad sounded from the Uiwi Is of the earth, and seenied to rise sliniilluiieoiislv all around them, aslhougb the very Islandltsi If had moved. The horror of that exploahm hud U'en like tliut of ileulh ilsi If, and llieir nerves hud not yet ri i overeil from the vibration Ihut had thrilled Ihroimli tlieni. Dill it was not a lime lo aland in stupid wun- dermenl, and (lailli was Ihe llrst lo ruu*v him- self. " Come, " said lie, " we must look alxiut us, and see what can be done. ' " lllll what has happened'.' " said Tancrcd, '■ Wlial'?— why an explosion. ' "Couldn't il have U'eii an earthipiakeV "No: its been an expioalon, and baa been done bv buinaii hands. " " WIjoV" •■Duly one— Frink." '• Impossible:' cried Taiiered, endeavoring lo light oil the suspicion, " N>' it's true. That's (he reason be tuok cburgi of the engine, lie threw down the chain to prevent our esi ape. then he blew up Ibedam by the sea. to let i'l tlie water throiigfi the drain, ami here it is. Biit come, let's make a dash for il. " Seizing his iiicka.x, (laith drove II two feet above his head iiilo Ihe interstice of Ihe lini- liei slaying, and llien drew himself up and tried to mainlain himself by Hiriisling his feet into tho lower iiilerslici s. Hut the timbers had Inen laid too close together, and there was no foothold. .\ few desperate elTorls of this kind showed Garth only too plainly Ihut il was ini|x)ssible, so he was cnnipelled io relini|uisli his design. Had it not lueii so wide Iliey might have man- aged to struggle up by strclehing their legs act (isa, and working up In that way; but the width was too great to allow of this,' aud.tiartU, who tried this, gave it up also. After Ibis, they stood in silence looking upon the walls tliut rose up around them, 'rbo ellorls of Oartli had not taken up many mo- ineiils, but already Hie water in Hie button) of the pit was up to their ankles, nuil the prosiK'ct of perishing without an cITort was intulerabiu. Suddenly (iartli seized his pickax and tore away at Ihc last timber that bad been inserted. Willi n few vigorous elTorls be forced it from its place and sluod il upright against Ihc nail of the pit. " Wlial's that for?" si.id Tancrcd. '■(lur only hope, " said (.Jarth, tearing away at another. " IIow can we get out with these? " " Arranging Hie beams zjgzag, and then climb- ing, " said (Jarth, as he tore out another. " Hut, man, you'll loosen the whole staying, and it'll fall in upon ii.s," ■ Well have lo run some risk, of course," said (iarth, who was now tearing at a third beam. '• lint we'll be buried alive," remonstrated Tancrcd. " As well be buried alive n.s drowned like a rat in a pit." cried Garth. Tancrcd said not a word more. lie had noth- ing io say. Ketnonstiancc was useless, unless ln! himself had something better to offer. (Jarth, al.so, had put tlie ninltcr in its right shaix'. and the choice wa.s between drowning and being buried alive. Hut in the last case there was merely a risk, and there wa-s a chance, at least, in favor of the adventure. Garth worked awa" thus, tearing away beam after beam, and pulling them out from the place where they had been deposited, whU* I 24 OLD GAETH. li Tancrcd assisted liim anil atood cncli one up on end, " IIow many do jou want?" lie asked. " Oh, well, about n couple of dozcu ou);lit to do." " Why, man alive, the whole eouccrn'll tum- ble in upon u»." "Well; 1 can't help it. " " Won't it be enough if we're able to climb up out of reach of the water." "No; we must get out of the bole. Other ■wise I'd rather die here and Ik- done with il." Meanwhile, as Garth worked, the water con- tinued to ooze through the soil. Already it was above their knees, and rising more rapidly. At length Garth stopped. 'There!" said he, flinging down his pickax, " wc ought to have enough. Let us begin now." Taking one of the beams he put one end of it at the bottom on one side, and leaned the beam against the opposite sidq of the pit, so that the upper end was about five feet from the bottom. Another was placed alongside of it. By (he help of this slanting beam Qarth was af>le In climb up a little (Ustance. He then -reached down and, raisine up another beam, rested the lower end against the iipi)cr end of the Urst beam, and passed it across the pit slanting across to the npimsite side like the lir.st. Ills intention now Irecamc evident, which was to construct a series of beams, running zigzag fashion from the bottom of the pit to the top. Thus a ladder would Iw formed, up which Ihcy might be able to climb. The only diflicully would be about carrying up the l)c.iins as they climbed higher. Ptill, tliat was nut an impos sibic task, though certainly diilicult in the e.v treme. At this moment, just as Garth had secured th" second beam, there came something like a shudder in the walls around, and then suddenly it seemed as though all the pit had fallen down. A deep, dull sound arose, accompanied wiih the g\irglc and hiss of foaming waters. The two men stood awe struck, brac-ing tliem.sclves in voluntarily to receive pome terrible shock. The moment was one of awful expi-clalion, — but it passed and they found themselves .>^lill alive, Tancred up to Ids armpits in mud and water, and Garth wildly clutching the sides of the pit. "Hurrah!" he cried. "Hurry up. We can climb a liltle way now. The timbers arc all loosened. Can you get up from where you arc!" "Oh, yes; don't mind me. old fellow," said Tancred, in his usual voice. " Take care of yourself. Go ahead, and I'll follovr." As he said these words, he seized the lie.ims and lifted himself up out of the water, while Oatih began to climb higher. It was indeed as Gartii had said. Either the tearing away of the staying, or the action of the water, or both together, had loosened all the soil at the lower part of the pit, so that it had fallen down in one mass; but in that loosening of the soil and in that fall, the timber slaying had not come down in a coherent way, but in its descent bad been dislocated and torn asunder. The consequence was that each beam of the slaying was separated from the other and stood apart, BO that there was Imlh a gr.isp for Ihc hands, and a hold for the feet. It became, in fuel, a sort of ladder, far more easy to climb than I he zigzag arrangement which Garth liad begun. Up this Gttrlli now climlwd for some dislance until, at length, he was compelled to slop. Here there was a break in the slaying. Ifclow this it was fallen and dislocated; above this it bad continued firm. This arose from the fact I hat the lower soil was louse sand and gravel, while the soil above had l«'en composed to a large ex- tent of clay, and was consequently far lirnicr. At this place, where the bri:ak occurred, there was an interval of about two feel between the fallen staying and the upiier pcirliun, and the upiicr limbers of this fallen slaying projected or bulged out about a fool, while Ihesand and f [ravel had fallen down behind the slaying, Icav- ng here a kind of shelf, where (jarih was able to sit quite securely and rcl. From this |K)iiit he looked down and saw Tancrcit just benealb him, to whom he reached out a li.Tiid, and thus assisle1ow to thrust the earth out. ' '• The earth's too hard. It's stiff clay." ' Oh. that's on'.y in places. At any rate, it's ticlter to be doing something than to sit here doing nolliing." Willi iliesc words Tancred seized one of the beams of the staying that was nearest and drew it out of lis ])lacc After this, he split off from one end some pieces; these he sharpened and Iheii iH'gan to scoop away the enrlli behind the upper stjiying. The soilwiis, as (inrth had hinted, raihcr hard and siubliorn, but Tancred worked aw av. and gra Garlb. "Hurrah," lie cried. "Why, Qarth, what do you lliink! The beams are all floating up here!" ' By Jove!" cried Garth. " Only think what donkeys we have been all along. The beams — somehow 1 had an idea that they all gotnedged in at Ihe bollom." "No, here Ihey all are, every one of them. Wc mighl almost lie able lo float upon them." " Ob. no, we'll have a ln'tlcr use f(rr them than that. As a raft Ihey couldn't lift us up much further, for l^ralheV think the water has found ils level i.t last. " " Well, what can you do with them?" " Do with tiiem? why, go on and conslniet a climbing way, zigzjtg as 1 began. I'll finish it. after all. and with thi^ very beams that I began on. And so. young feller, as you're down thire, just try if you can reach them. Can you do it?" At Ibis, Tancred stooiKd down, steadying himself with one luind, and grasping one of the beams with Ihe other. The water had risen to the level of his feel, and the beam was float- ing along with all the others, end upward as Ihey had been piled up at the Iwtlom of the ph. This beam he succeeded in raising. " Wait a moment, my l>oy," said Garlli. " ,Tusl sireleh that benin across so us to afford a belter foothold, and llieii reach up another lo me. " Tancred did so, laying it across parallel with the one he sloo