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PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAl'TKR I. 
 
 We were schoolfellows, Maiy Smith and I, with thisdilfer- 
 ence, that whereas she, the handsome, well-dressed niece 
 of two rich men, was considered to be an honor and an 
 ornament to that school ; I, the less attractive daughter of 
 a poor coinitry \ icar. had to look upon it as an honor to he 
 there. 
 
 Not tiial I was sprcially ilifavoivd. 1 wish modestly to 
 put on record that I w;is a wrll cnoiigli looking girl in uiy 
 way; but tlien that was not tlii' way of Mary Smith. Des- 
 pite her prosaic name, she was (juitc a romantically lieanti- 
 fidgirl, tall and slender, with fair hair that was just i.^it 
 golden (it's only ugly, red-faced girls that have your real 
 golden hair), and the prettiest pair of pleading grey eyes I 
 ever saw. She made us all look " dumpy." No valiant 
 struggles would ever gel my waist to the slimness of hers ; 
 no backboards and dumbbells, dancing masters and calis- 
 thenic exercises, sufficed to give anybody else's figure the 
 suppleness and grace of hers, .\rary was not exactly what 
 you would call clever. If you wanted to get ahead of her 
 in anything you always could ; but she was sweet and bright, 
 full of fun and innocent mischief, and the nicest girl in the 
 whole school. She and I were ciiums ; and unlike most 
 friendships of the sort, the chumminess lasted all the time 
 
PiiErrv i\nss smith. 
 
 we Were at school togetlier, and right into our lives after- 
 wards. As I frequcjitly pointed out to her, this was greatly 
 to my advantage ; for it was a much greater treat tome to 
 be invited up to her uncle's big house in Bayswater than it 
 was for her to stay at Little Rainham Vicarage, overrun 
 with mice and children ! 
 
 Mary was an orphan, but the luckiest orphan I ever met. 
 Her mother had made a mesalliance, but she and her hus- 
 band died eaily, and her two brothers eagerly disputed for 
 the charge of her little daughter. It was Charles Marshall, 
 the younger brother, a thriving solicitor, who succeeded in 
 carrying off the prize, on the ground that as he had a wife 
 and children himself he could look after her better than his 
 brother, who was a ibachelor, and often an absentee from 
 England on account of his health. Thomas, the elder, a 
 rich millowner, assented in this view, and contented him- 
 self by sending Mary, from time to time, handsome pre- 
 sents of furs and jewellery. No wonder, therefore, that 
 she grew up with rather extravagant tastes. Diamond 
 brooches, to a properly regulated mind, suggest silk and 
 velvet and rich lace ; while nobody can deny that a mantle 
 trimmed with sable tails cries aloud for a victoria to show 
 it off. But with her Uncle Charles, in whose house she 
 lived when she left school, she had nothing in the way of 
 luxury to wish for. 
 
 What a change it was for me, when they asked me up to 
 town, as they were often good enough to do, to walkabout 
 on carpets which were not threadbare, to dine at a table 
 glittering with glass and silver and soft lights, to be waited 
 on by attentive footmen, to drive about shopping in the 
 morning, to have a box at the theatre at night. It seemed 
 as if people living under such conditions ought to be 
 always tripping about wreathed in smiles, like the fairies 
 in one of Mr. Augustus Harris' pantomimes ; but truth to 
 tell, Mrs. Marshall was rather a peevish, complaining sort 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITIF. 
 
 of person, her daughter Maud was discontented, her youn- 
 ger son Ted was sulky, and Tom, the eldest of the three, 
 was rude and cynical. The only member of the family who 
 seemed really to enjoy life was the head of it, Mr. Ciiarlcs 
 ^Marshall, whose fair, open, handsome face always seemed 
 to me typical of the " fine old English gentleman " of the 
 bong. Indeed, I often regretted, for his sake, that the days 
 of powder, patches, and knee-breeches, in which he would 
 have looked so well, were over. The whole household 
 seemed to wake up into new life in the evening, when his 
 jolly voice was heard in the hall ; I never knew a person- 
 ality less suggestive than l"s of the gloomy majesty of the 
 law. He used to say he . . his villainy at the office, for 
 fear of wearing it out by loo constant use; but when we 
 went to visit him in the city he was always the same. His 
 only discernible failing was a weakness for champagne, 
 which, he said, helped him to forget his crimes. His wife 
 was too dissatisfied at having to remain in London when 
 she wanted to live in Paris to be very fond of him, and the 
 children had been too much spoilt to care for either of their 
 parents ; but Mary and I adored Mr. Marshall. 
 
 I am certain it was only because he was Mr. Marshall's 
 son, and because there was nobody else about for me to 
 make an idiot of myself over, that I committed the great, 
 the unheard-of folly of falling in love with Tom Marshall. 
 To do myself justice, he did try very hard to make me, 
 thinking, no doubt, that it was great fun to make a goose of 
 the little country girl, and saying to himselfthat even if the 
 game were hardly worth the candle, at any rate it kept his 
 hand in. He was not good-looking ; his hair was inclined 
 to be sandy, and he had a snub nose : but these attractions 
 were enough for me evidently ; for, although I guessed he 
 was only amusing himself, and although he delighted in 
 snaking mc mad with jealousy, I was certainly by the tiuie 
 I was three and twenty hopelessly in love with hiiu. He 
 
s 
 
 PRETTY MISS .'!A/I77/. 
 
 M 
 
 was in a stock broker's office in tlic City, was shrewd, and 
 considered hkely to get on. and thought a great deal of 
 Himself, ho much for my taste. 
 Mary knew all about it, teased me unmercifully, and said 
 
 '7'!,"°?.'l^ ^"""^ '"°"«''- ^'^'y ''^' ^ gre^t flirt, and 
 had a decidedly low opinion of all her admirers, so that I 
 often felt it my duty to warn her that she might die an old 
 maid after all, or else fall more abjectly \n love than I 
 
 When, therefore, we learr.ed from Tom that Hilary Gold 
 Mr. Marshall's ward, was coming to England after six years 
 of a roving life abroad, Tom and I joined in declaring that 
 Mary s fate was sealed ; she was to form a romantic aftach- 
 ment to Mr. Gold. Mary entered into the fun heartily and 
 vowed she had long felt that the unknown Hilary was her 
 fate. When the day came on which Mr. Marshall had 
 announced that he would bring him home to dinner we 
 were all in a state of great excitement, and Tom, who had 
 come home early from the City, was working up our inte- 
 rest in hmi by fabulous accounts of Mr. Gold's beauty and 
 wealth. Tom's sister Maud, who looked down upon the 
 City, and who was occupied with a novel to escape the 
 tedious frivolity of our conversation, looked presently into 
 the conservatory, where the rest of us were, with an expres- 
 sion of disgust, 
 
 " Really, Tom," she said, " I don't know what fun you 
 can find in telling all those ridiculous stories ! I heard pa-oa 
 telhng mamma only this morning that Hilary Gold hid 
 anticipated ail his money, and " 
 
 " Hoid your tongue, Maud," said Tom sharply. « When 
 you overhear anything about people's private affairs, you 
 should keep it to yourself." 
 
 Tom looked rather startled oy this bit of news, how- 
 ever. 
 
 " VVell," said Maud, flushing, " I didn't suppose there 
 was any harm m repeating what I heard just to you." 
 
PA'ETTY MISS SMITH. 9 
 
 " Yuu have only broken u young girl's heart," said Tom, 
 looking at Mary with mock melodramatic compassion. 
 
 " Never mind," said Mary, throwing herself into an 
 heroic attitude, " I will go out charing. For what is money 
 where there is love ? " 
 
 " No," I broke in. •• Your Uncle Thomas will leave you 
 all his money, and you will be happy and rich ever after." 
 
 " (:(;me, not so fast," interrupted Tom ; " as I was 
 christened after him, and brought up with the idea that f 
 should conie into his money, if he leaves it to Mary she 
 will just have to marry me." 
 
 " What ;i sacrifice," cried I, with my heart beating ab- 
 surdly f-isl ;i,t the mere notion of his marrying anybody. 
 
 " No," said Mary, who was as usual in high spirits, and 
 brimming over with mischief, "you little miderstand the 
 devotion of a noble heart. This is what I would do ! " 
 
 She sprang up from the American chair in which she had 
 been sitting, clasped her hands, and rolled np her great 
 grey eyes to the roof of the conservatory. She looked so 
 sweetly pretty in her high white silk dinner dress, with 
 diamonds flashing in her ears and on her hands, and her 
 pretty fair hair siiining in the light of the fairy-lamp, that 
 both 'lorn and I watched her in silent admiration, as she 
 went through her little histrionic performance with great 
 spirit. 
 
 '• Hilary ! " she cried, " Dearest Hilary : " with elaborate 
 pantomime of passionate endearment, " Fondly loved one 
 of my heart ! Little dost thou understand the workings of 
 the Master Love in a woman's breast. Poor thou mayest be, 
 Hilary ; penniless even. But what are bread and butter, 
 beef, potatoes, candles ; in f;ict, all the luxuries of the 
 bloated rich, when we truly love. And do we not truly 
 love ? Oh, my Hilary. Does not thy heart beat in eternal 
 sympathy with mine.' Are not thy black locks the very foil 
 nature designed for my fair ones ? Yes, my Hilary,' e'en 
 before I knew thee I felt thou wast my fate, my " 
 
Ill 
 
 10 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 . chat'ge'lr^Xr ''""'""^^"I'PeO. seeing .,. awful 
 " Sh-sh ! Sh_sh ! " I hissed out feebly. 
 
 -ibaT,: :■ lessrcr "=^ '^^ '-^ °' '"^- 
 
 the direction of his and iTJ ' V '''" '^"'' f°"°«<l 
 hind the curtains of, he ii! "• """' «='"'""«;''« be- 
 At my warni,t Ml!tf;:T"°"?f'"''''''™SentIeme„. 
 
 curtain', and dif ve7d r Unl' o'' ,"""=' ^''"^ '"= 
 OoldP There could be no dot^tab' oT hl't It^^" 
 expression of the younK -nan's f-,.» i . '/'" '"J' 
 Marshall's hand was o,f h"wardl 'f """■ '''• 
 
 tense satisfaction mingled i' 1 "' " ' '""'^ °"'" 
 Poor Mary could havell A """''""'" "" '"S face, 
 could I, for her sake ""-^"8™>"'d for shame : so 
 
 «a':t:ed:wi;rc;fmrr::- ^^'^ -^-'^ -""*•" "-^ 
 -•n■Xo:^ct:^.rre;::^"''^■^'-^'■- 
 
 Mary Madcap Smith, a young "dy warrln^d'T" '° "'" 
 -e m,schief in a day than f regiL^TCo:,^ Z 
 
 . her beauty had made upon ll H I tTd ''"'7"'°" 
 
 moment's hesitation, h-'d fallen ■ " /f ^h^ms^d"' 
 love with her Tom ^nri t . • ^ ''^t"oms deep m 
 
 glances of amusenTnt I . ::i::™^:;' """ "^"-^ed 
 pretty piece of acting of Ma I for „" "" " '" "'"' 
 
 turn out to be the fafry-lire pre „d to / "7""""" ""'s'" ' 
 he was a handsome yLt Wlif u '''' '■°'™'="'- ^"' 
 built, with black TvesZ^ fellow, rather tall and slimly- 
 
 wouldJ,ave cl L^Xhet toVool"'? "^ ^°" "' ""=" ™^ 
 
 All fj 1 ,. ' ° ^^^'^ 3^ at any rate 
 
 P ogress of h,s pass.on, for i, was quite clear that 
 
PRETTY MI5S SMITti. tf 
 
 Hilary Gold fell more in love each minute. It was also 
 plain that Mr. Marshall looked upon this incipient attach- 
 ment without disfavor, a circumstance which appeared 
 greatly to astonish Tom. When, after dinner, Mr. Marshall 
 asked his „ ird if he would come into his study, as he 
 wanted a little private conversation with him, Tom came 
 up to the piano, where I was dutifully thrumming waltzes, 
 and leaned upon it with an expression of utter dismay. 
 
 " I can't think what the guv'nor's about," he said, kindly 
 assisting my musical efforts by an accompaniment on the 
 wires of the piano. " He evidently sees this fellow's over 
 head and ears in love with Mary. He evidently doesn't 
 mind it, and yet, Gold has spent all his money, he certainly 
 can't marry a girl without a farthing, and with Mary's extra- 
 vagant tastes into the bargain." 
 
 " But why shouldn't she have her Uncle Thomas* money 
 when he dies ? " I asked. " I don't want to be unfeeling, 
 but he must die some day ; and as he's so delicate, he will 
 probably die long before Mary." 
 
 " It will be a great shame if he does leave it to her," 
 said Tom shortly, " when the guv'nor's had all the expense 
 of bringing her up." 
 
 " I'm quite sure Mr. Marshall would never look upon it 
 in that way," I said indignantly. 
 
 " He would be a fool if he didn't," said Tom, drily, " con- 
 sidering that he has a family and a position to keep up, 
 while Mary Smith has neither." 
 
 I was disgusted with Tom, and I rose from the piano to 
 get away from him. But he followed me across the room, 
 and, seizing me by the arm, forced me to listen. 
 
 "Look here, Georgie," said he, "you think it very 
 shocking for me to speak like that, but perhaps you don't 
 quite know how much depends on this selfish old uncle of 
 mine whom nobody even pretends to care for. Every 
 letter he writes announces that he's dying, so life for him 
 
m 
 
 ! ir 
 
 u 
 
 rj^ETTY MISS SMiTrr. 
 
 can t be worth very :„uch. No.- ,ny tastes arc expensive, 
 and the guv'nor wuh all the claims he has o„ him, will 
 
 Uncle Thomas money came to us, J could alTord to marry 
 somebody I hkcd, and that somebody would be you " 
 
 Perhaps this declaration was not, on the whole, much to 
 be proud of; but I was so fond of Tom, and this was so 
 much the warmest protestation of affection he had ever 
 
 !1 h,""'' 1 ^ ^''^'" '° ''"'"^'^ ""^ ^° ^'-y' '-^"d kept on 
 
 ren bhng and crymg when I found it made him gentle and 
 
 kmd to me. AVe were growing quite tender ovef the hard 
 
 relcl'^l "" ^; " ''"y"''''''' ^""^ '-^ ^°""S ^'^y •"''»» '^I- 
 >e pects hmiself to ex.st without the best wines and cigars 
 
 a dog-cart, and a couple of nice hacks, when the drawing 
 room door opened, and Hilary Gold came in 
 
 We were startled by the change in his appearance. His 
 
 face was so white that, with his black hair and eyes he 
 
 ooked, as Tom unkindly said, '<hke an engraving.'' He 
 
 ooked round the room quite wildly until he sat Mary, 
 
 and then walked across to her with his eyes fixed upon he 
 
 Utered" ' Y'''^'^^ '''''■ ''' ^^^ ^'-ghtenld. and 
 uttered an exclamation of horror as he stopped in front of 
 
 her, and began at once to address her in a hoarse, trem- 
 bling vo.ce. He was evidently suffering from some painful 
 hock, and seemed unable to understand or remember any- 
 th.ng except the presence of the girl he had fallen deeply 
 in love With. ' •' 
 
 " Forgive me if I startled you," he said ; and the words 
 seemed to be drawn from him by a great effort. " I don't 
 tinnk I 3hall ever again see you after to-night, so I may- 
 I must tell you what it is in my mind to say." He paused 
 a moment and put a shaking hand over his forehead and 
 hrougb h.3 thick black hair. Then he went on withoiu 
 
 Mary. When I first saw you to-night I knew I had met 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITir. 
 
 M 
 
 my ideal ; I know it better now that 1 have talked to you. 
 I made up my mind to win you—for my wife. But now I 
 
 find " His tones grew more passionate, and his gaze 
 
 upon her face wilder—" that I— I have no money. I have 
 spent it all. Therefore I cannot hope. I felt I must tell 
 you this ; it will not pain you, because you don't know me 
 enough to know how well 1 would have loved vou. Clood- 
 bye." 
 
 "Good-bye. I—I am very sorry,' murmured Mary, 
 holding out her pretty hand, and looking shy, confused, 
 and touched. /- 
 
 Hilary Gold pressed her hand in his, and looked into 
 her face with such a strange expression, almost of jiroprie- 
 torship, that I was afraid he was going to kiss her. But as 
 soon as she, with bent head and blush, tried to withdraw 
 her hand, he gently let it go. 
 
 " God bless you," he said. And turning in a sort of 
 dazed way, as if he did not know where to go, lie walked 
 unsteadily out of the room without a look back, and a few 
 moments later we heard the front door slam as he let him- 
 self out of tte house. 
 
 As soon as this sound fell upon her ear Mary made a 
 step forward, as if with the impulse to detain her unfortu- 
 nate lover ; then she sank down on a seat and burst into 
 tears. Neither Maud nor Mrs. Marshall was in the room. 
 To my great relief and joy, Tom did not begin to laugh, as 
 I had expected, but very quietly left us together. 
 
«4 
 
 rkUTTY MISS SMim. 
 
 CHAPTER U. 
 Hilary Gold's dramatic appearance and disappearance 
 
 oft ",5:: ° t" """'"''"■« '"'p'--" ™ - S" e 
 
 muchT 7' '"""""'"'>■■'="■• Mr. Marshall also showed 
 much k.ndly sympathy with '■ the poor lad," as he cxHed 
 )"n.; but then as he said, as a man tnakes his bed so he 
 must he upon i,, and Hilary had known perfectly wd "hat 
 b.s fortune could not hold out at the rate at which ," I ad 
 b n stiuanderin^ it. , was glad that To,n took H ary' 
 part very warmly ; it was only logical that he shottld c« 
 SKlerutg how extravagant his own tastes were. On Ma v 
 •he young fellow's earnestness, and perhaps his good loolT 
 had left qu,.o a deep effect ; and I iould see how a„°,ou ' 
 s^.e became when Mr. Marshall mentioned that the yo„„: 
 man had gone no one kn.-w where. * 
 
 For my j.art, though I felt sorry for Hilary's disinimlnt 
 men,, I did not think he had taken it i„ .h7bes, o 'mos," 
 manly way. He should not have at once giv n t p the 
 .dcaofw,„n,ug Mary when he found he h.ad no Z„ y 
 
 s me a'ne r:,'T" "'■' *°"«"^ ■■'"<' -' •'bout making 
 too 1;,^; ''""' """ ''^^ »>' °P"™»- But Tom said I was 
 
 When r went back home to the Vicamge a week later 
 .h subject was no longer talked about, and I thought 
 better ,n my letters thence not to allude to it. I Z ed 
 Mary^to marry somebody else, somebody nice-anyrdy 
 
 as 'I'^did "''"'' ' '"7 "^"'""^ ''"*' ^ ""P"'' in my life 
 ^ d,d some weeks later, one .May morning, whe^ the 
 
 post brought a big. bulky letter, with wide b alk edgt 
 
Pretty miss smith. 
 
 »S 
 
 from Mary. The very first words prepared me for a thun- 
 derbolt. 
 It began . 
 
 My Dearest Georgie,— 
 
 I am going to take your breath aw.iy, so sit down in an armchair and 
 ftold fast to the sides before you get any further. Now then for it 
 Ready ? Well, then, my Uncle Thomas has died and left me all his 
 money. I am richer than Uncle Charles, richer than auybody, except 
 the Queen and Baroness BuvdettCouits, and a few other people like 
 that ! At least so it seem, to me. I can't realize it a bit. Never 
 to have to look at a frock anymore and to say, -Well, it's r.nther 
 shabby here, and it wants a bit of fresh trimming there, but it'll have 
 o do! Never to have to pass a confectioner's shop where the tarts 
 look particularly nice with your head turned the other way l^cause 
 your allowance is getting low I Never to take an omnibus instead of 
 a hansom, nor to wear English boots instead of French ones. Never in 
 facttohaveto doanything you don't like any more ! Isn't the prospect 
 stupendous? And the worst of all is. I ca„t be sorry for poor 
 Uncle Thomas, when I ought to be crying my eyes.out just out of gra- 
 ftude. But how can I? I can only just remember his coming to see 
 ™e once^when I vas a little girl at school, when I took him for a 
 :k u.T,r ^''^ '° hurriedly frightened that I wouldn't take the 
 
 St I ir ""^'r^ ""• •' '° '-^ '''' ^° ^ sor.-y,but ica";^ 
 
 ir?? ip ^"-y to "nagme.t, Georgie I All the shops of Bond 
 
 street and Regent-street full of things all for oneself, if one pleases 11 
 
 Tool TirrVT"'' •*"'*'' ^'""''^ ^" "^'-^ '•"'« ^--nd 
 brooch. Ha, ha I I am gomg to look down upon you now, and 
 
 patronue you. and tell people ''Georgie Oliver's a very good grtin 
 herwayl-l-n, purse-proud, Georgie, and I feel it ^il^ on m 
 you are good, and unselfish, and clever, and witty ; but I am rich rich 
 and so henceforward you will have to take quite "a back seat "I 
 can u^ what slang I like now, nobody will dare to say it is -bad 
 form " in " Rich Miss Smith," ^ ^^ 
 
 Write to me a( once, and tell me what you think. 
 
 Yours ever affectionately, 
 
 Mary. 
 
 P.S.— lam 
 
 going to marry Hilaiy Gold. I met him one day ; he 
 
 **»'t want to speak to me, but I made him 
 
 I told him of my good 
 
16 
 
 PRETTY MTSS SAflT//. 
 
 I i! 
 
 II ^ 
 
 il i' 3 
 
 fortune We talked quite a long tin.e. NN e went to KenMngton Gar- 
 de^s When I went back I told Uncle Charles I was engaged o 
 n.lary. He wa, ^ery angry, indeed. I think, thougn he did not say 
 
 Write and tell me what you really think. 
 
 f did not write and tell what I rea//y thought, as ,t would 
 have been rather too straight to the point. What I thoucht 
 was thai Mr. Marshall was quite right, and that Hilary 
 ought to be ashamed of himself. To give up all idea of 
 wnmmg Mary when he found he had spent his own money 
 but to be quite ready to marry her and live on hers, seemed 
 to me to give evidence of a nature too weak and worthless 
 to give adequate support to Mary's, which w.,s far more 
 sweet than strong. 1 wrote the best letter I could in the 
 circumstances, thanking her for her present, which was loo 
 handsome an ornament for me to wear, and hoping .he 
 would be very happy in her new life. I suppose the letter 
 seemed cold and unsatisfactory to her in all the pride and 
 glow of her good fortune, for nearly three months passed 
 without my once hearing from her again. 
 
 The next news I got from Mary came one August even- 
 nig in a most unexpected manner. Hearing Bennie, our 
 old retriever, barking at someone coming up the garden I 
 looked out of the window, tea-caddy m one hand and caddy- 
 spoon in the other, and saw Tom Marshall making passes 
 ?.t the old dog with his umbrella. 
 
 '' Hallo ! " said Tom. - You're not dead, Cleorgie ? " 
 N-not qu-uite," stammered I, coming to the French 
 window and holding out the hand with the caddy-spoon in 
 my bewilderment. 
 
 Tom look the spoon, examined it, murmured " Silver " 
 and put it in his pocket. 
 
 " How are you ? " I stammered. 
 
 "Not so well as you will be when you hear the magnifi. 
 cent prcspcGt tluu's in store for you." 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 »r 
 
 '« What's that ? " 
 " To be my wife. 
 
 I don't say at once, but some day. 
 These treats are too splendid to come quickly. My Uncle 
 Thomas' money will do the trick for us." 
 
 " Didn't it go to Mary then, after all ? " 
 
 " Yes, in the first place. But if she dies unmarried, it 
 L comes to my father, and consequently to me." 
 
 I laughed derisively. 
 
 " Mary die unmarried > The prettiest girl in London ! 
 Engaged too ! " 
 
 " That's as good as ' off.' A lunatic can't marry." 
 
 " A lunatic ? " 
 
 Tom nodded. 
 
 " Yes, poor girl, 
 her head." 
 
 " Mary— mad ? It's not true. I'll not believe it." 
 
 " Go and see her, and then you will." 
 
 Trembling from head to foot, and too miserable to .say 
 more without danger of bursting into tears, I signed to him 
 to come into the house, to give me an explanation. 
 
 She's going, or I might say gone, off 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 " Tom," I panted out, as soon as I had brought him into 
 the dining-room and shut the door, " it is not true, o*" 
 course you were only joking! Mary Smith mad? It 
 can't be ! " 
 
 " It is though," said Tom, with a nod. looking carefully 
 over the things on the table, and finally fixing his eyes 
 with great interest on the jam. " I say, is that quince pre- 
 serve?" 
 
 " Now I know you were only in fun, or you would never 
 be so heartless as to talk in that off-hand fashion," 
 
 " Indeed, my Georgina, then I'm afraid you don't yet 
 know your Thomas if you think thus." And he took up a 
 biscuit, spread it with preserve, and began to eat it with 
 much enjoyment. '• I should be very sorry to have a hand 
 in sending any young woman off her head ; but if Provi- 
 dence, wishing to put me in the way of a good thing, sends 
 off her head a young woman who stands between me and 
 a fortune, I should think it hypocritical to pretend I'm 
 sorry." 
 
 " Tel! me about it," I said, ready to cry 
 
 " Well, perhaps you know that Mity ib bound by her 
 uncle's will to live in the old house adju'j''/-- ^ .he distill ry 
 at Battersea that brings in her moi ;. It the leaves the 
 house, except for a short holiday, she is to lose her fortune. 
 Uncle Thomas had a notion that she might be ashamed 
 that his money came from such a plebian source as distil- 
 ling, and so determined to take it out of her that way. Or 
 •;; Cihaps he had some less kind motive : for anyhow, three 
 months' I'ying there has driven her cranky." 
 
PRETTY MJSS S^MITTT, 
 
 »9 
 
 ** How do you know ? " 
 
 "Went down to see her; was refused admittance; 
 couldn't get over the lodge-keeper, so got over a brick wall. 
 Mci Mary in the kitchen garden ; on seeing me she turned 
 n.s wliile as one of her own turnips — toc>k me for a ghost, 
 I think ; tried to shriek and run away, asked all sorts of 
 foolish questions, kept peeping about her as if she was 
 nervous ; and finally, when I asked her if she was happy 
 in her new home, began to tremble all over and burst out 
 crying. 
 
 " The place doesn't agree with her ; siic must go away," 
 said I, decidedly. 
 
 "Indeed she must do nothing of the sort," said Tom 
 more decidedly still. " If she once goes away she will never 
 go back, and the distillery will be lost to us all." 
 
 " What does that matter compared with the poor girl's 
 reason and health and hajipiness? She must be seen by 
 a doctor at once, and if he says it is the influence of the 
 place where she is living that is harming her, she must 
 make the sacrifice, and you must put \\\^ with it. What 
 does her cfiarmingy?(?//^<* say ? " 
 
 " Hilary Gold ? He doesn't have a chance of saying 
 much. Lately she's refused to see him, he told me so him- 
 self." 
 
 I said nothing to this, being absorbed in consideration 
 of the strange intelligence. I was full of vague suspicion, 
 which Tom's unfeeling manner had greatly increased. So 
 that when, for almost the first time, he tried to be senti- 
 mental Witii me, I would not listen to him, but repulsed 
 him so coldly and decisively that he seemed discon- 
 certed and almost unhappy. I maintained this attitude 
 throughout the evening; and when, as he went away, he 
 asked me quite humbly if I would not look kindly upon 
 him " if any luck came to him," Itold him plainly that if 
 luck came to him through a misfortune to my best friend, 
 
• 
 
 
 >:m i ' 
 
 do 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMiTtf. 
 
 iii!i; 
 
 r would look more kindly on a pick-pocket than I Would 
 upon him. 
 
 The news he had brought tortured me, and I can't stand 
 torture long. So next day I invaded dear old papa's 
 library just when he had got to a critical point in his ser- 
 mon, and asked him if he could spare me away for a little 
 wlule. He didn't ask where I wanted to go; he seemed 
 broken down, helpless, as he always was if one broke any- 
 thmg to hnn unexpectedly. 
 
 "You know, papa, Mmnie is quite able to keep house 
 for you now," said I reassuringly. '' And her hand at 
 pastry is lighter than mine." 
 
 Minnie was the next in age to me, and a good clever 
 
 " li she can only keep the children quiet I don't mind " 
 said my father reluctantly. " And tell the Marshalls the'y 
 mustn't keep you long; I want you back." 
 
 He thought I had had an invitation from Bayswater. I 
 hope I am a fairly honest person— but I did not undeceive 
 hnn. Besides, I really was going to Mr. Marshall's first, 
 for r wanted his advice. 
 
 I went up to town the very next day, left my one small 
 trunk at Liverpool street, and took an omnibus to Mr. 
 Marshall's office, in Lincoln's Inn. The heat was intense, 
 and when I got inside the enclosure I was obliged to walk 
 very slowly. For this reason I had time to notice the ^^vf 
 people I met, and to remark especially the appearance of 
 a woman who was walking, even more slowly than I, up 
 and down, up and down a short '< beat " which she gee'mcd 
 to have marked out for herself. The first things I noticed 
 about her were her tall figure and her pretty fair hair. 
 Next I saw that she was young, about seven or eight and 
 twenty I should have guessed ; that she was so very, very 
 fair that if she had not slightly darkened her eyelashes and 
 eyebrpws with cosmetic they would scarcely have been 
 
 !ii| 
 
cet than I Would 
 
 d a good clever 
 
 PRETTY MISS SAffTH. ai 
 
 seen at all; and lastly, that there was something indefin- 
 able about her face which at one moment fascinated and at 
 the next repelled me. She was dressed neatly and quietly 
 in grey, with a black bonnet and veil, and her dress and 
 walk were quite ladylike ; yet I did not think she was a 
 lady. 
 
 It was chiefly because there was nobody else now in 
 sight that, as I drew nearer to my destination, I still 
 watched this woman. I noticed next that when her back 
 was turned to me she went rather fast, and that it was in 
 returning only that she walked so slowly. She was appa- 
 rently waiting for some one, and every now and then she 
 raised her eyes, which were generally fixed upon the ground, 
 and shot a sort of stealthy, cat-like look at one of the houses! 
 And it proved to be the house to which I was going. 
 When I found this out, some feeling which I hope and be- 
 lieve was not all vulgar curiosity made me drag my feet 
 along still more slowly, and the woman, then seeming to 
 see me for the first time, refrained from any more glances 
 at the house until a gentleman came out from it. 
 
 Upon this gentleman the woman fixed her eyes with a 
 curious light in them, a light which seemed to give her 
 face an unpleasant hungry look. I remember that the ex- 
 pression of her face gave me an odd sort of feeling that T 
 was sorry fortius stranger, whoever he was, on whom her 
 gaze lighted like that, so that I glanced curiously from her 
 to the gentleman. 
 But he was no stranger ; it was Hilary Gold. 
 He did not see me, he did not see her. He was walk- 
 ing away with hurried steps, and an expression of the 
 deepest gloom and despondency upon his face. I should 
 have run after him to ask him about Mary, but somehow 
 the presence of that woman with the fair hair and stealthy 
 eyes prevented me. So I went straight on to the house he 
 had just left, and only turned at the door for a last glance 
 at his rapidly disappearing figure, 
 
a* 
 
 ;ii|| 
 
 V 
 
 i 
 
 liill 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 The woman in the grey dress had left her beat anJ 
 seemed to be following him at a distance ' 
 
 chefful"' Hi. "^"tf- " ''"' '^ "^"^'' ^"^ -^ quite as 
 
 ' I kno." I ' ,'^ ^"'^ "^'^^ ^^'■^'^ h'"^' he said, 
 thelps .'l f "'."-'-^'y-th a shght tightening of 
 
 came in." "" '" '°"" *'^^ «^^P« J-^ ^efo'e if 
 
 " Ah ! Did you si)cak to him ? ' 
 
 mad • if ci, • . .^^'^;'''''"' ''^"^ S'-iys poor Mary's goiny 
 
 Mr Marshall', |„„k changed ,o one of dee„e.,t ,;.vi„. 
 Sh-sh, my dear, yon mnsln't say thing, lit,. , 'i 
 l.g.tiy. , am afraid myself ,|,a. all f. no. uie hm 
 be.>vee„ then,, but you mnst no. lay all the blame ha HI ' 
 on the sl,onIder« of the man, for no better reasoTtha,' 
 yon have seen him with a frown on his face •■ 
 
 But something in Mr. Marshall's manner eneouragcd me 
 .0 beheve ihat he agreed with n,e ,„ore nearly than h 
 words tmphed. I )„m„ed up impulsively and leLed o 
 his great office desk, looking in.,, his face 
 
 "Are yo„ satisfied with this treatment of Mary > " 
 He gave me a shrewd glance, and after a pause during, 
 t:^ -de pen.and.ink sketches on his "bll;';:;!; 
 
 " Really I am hardly in a position to judKe • I hive onlv 
 ottce seen Mary i. the two months she Ls hVed 'rBa ^' ^ 
 sea. She then se.med ehanged cert.tinly; but I don't 
 how that we ought straightway to aseribe'.'he change c 
 H.lary. She seemed to have grown haughty and fancifu 
 
 never as I tell you, been to see her in her own home." 
 But she was not mad ? " 
 " Ph dear, no, I should think that is only a fancy of 
 
 !«; i 
 
PkETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 »3 
 
 is only a fancy of » 
 
 Tom's, who thinks any girl must be mad who doesn't iumb 
 
 [ill him." 
 
 Of course this speech gave me a sharp stab of jealousy. 
 iTom had offended and disgusted me, but I was still faith- 
 I ful. 
 
 " You don't think so, do you, Mr. Marshall," I hesitat- 
 ingly began again, trying to repress more closely personal 
 
 I feelings and to keep to Mary, " that this— that this Hilary 
 Gold is— is what people call ' fast ' ? " 
 
 " My dear," he said hastily, " I am not much in his con- 
 lidcncc. Jf there is in him a tendency to extravagance, 
 
 j and—well the amusements which extravagance in a young 
 
 I man usually means, we may trust that a happy marriage 
 will cure him. We know that a taste say for racing may 
 
 I lead a man a little astray, but " 
 
 1 _ "Racing ! " I interrupted in alarm. " Why, if he is 
 
 inclined that way, he might run through all poor Mary's 
 
 money in a icvi months." 
 
 " Indeed he might. But remember, I only suggested; I 
 don't know'' 
 
 But the suggestion in his tone was stronger than the 
 words, and I was dumb with consternation. He rose from 
 his chair, evidently much distressed himself, and patted my 
 shoulder kindly. 
 
 " Pray, be cautious, my dear girl, and don't accuse any- 
 body rashly," he said. " You might do more harm than 
 good, as r myself unwittingly did a short time ago, I fear. 
 Are you going to try to see Mary ? " 
 
 " Why do you say ' try to ? ' I am going to see her." 
 
 " Well, I hope with all my heart you will. You are on 
 the side of her best interests, and may do good. But I 
 must tell you that her latest caprice is a refusal to see any- 
 body; even Tom only got a sight of her a little while ago 
 by a trick." 
 
 I rose to go, trembling so much that I could scarcely 
 stand. Everything I heard tended to convince me that 
 
u 
 
 24 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 there was mdeed.something grievously wrong with my old 
 school fnend. I left the office hastily, with a sympathetic 
 pressure of the hand f^om Mr. Marshall, in whose face I 
 could see reflected all the anxiety I myself felt 
 
 I had stayed a very short time with him, and in spite of 
 the heat I hurned down to the Temple Station as fast as I 
 could do, crazy with impatience to discover whether Mary 
 Smith really would refuse to see her old friend. As I ran 
 clown the steps, therefore, I was just in time to see a meet- 
 ing which gave me a shock. 
 
 1-1)0 woman in the grey dress and black bonnet was 
 walking quickly down the platform as I drew near; and I 
 elt sure as soon as I caught sight of Hilary standing by 
 the bookstall, that she would speak to him. 
 
 She did so He turned at once with a great start, as 
 the train f{>r West B.ompton came in they were talking 
 eagerly together. She followed him to the door of the 
 carriage he entered, and I, having the curiosity to glance 
 out of my window at her as the train moved off, saw a look 
 of unmistakable satisfaction, as it seemed to me of an 
 ugly kind, on her handsome features. 
 
 'f, 
 
PliETTY ,\nss SMITH. 
 
 *5 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 At West Brompton I Iiad to change trains, and so, of 
 course, had Hilary Gold, who was also going to Battersea, 
 I felt sure. I was very anxious not to have to speak to 
 him, for I was too angry and disgusted to be civil. Who 
 was this fair-haired woman, who followed him to the 
 station, and at sight of whom he had started so guiltily? 
 AVas this the right sort of husband for sweet, pretty Mary, 
 this spendthrift and, as Mr. Marshall thought, gambler,' 
 with doubtful female acquaintances ? I tried to avoid him 
 on the platform, where I had to wait for a train to take me 
 to Battersea; but he caught sight of me, recognized and 
 hastened to greet me. 
 
 " Miss Oliver ! " he said. " This is a great pleasure to 
 mc. I don't think I could possibly have met anyone whom 
 I had a stronger wish to see." 
 
 I let him shake my hand, but my manner must have 
 been very cold. I thought this enthusiasm ridiculous, and 
 the next moment, when he proceeded to ascribe it to ray 
 affection for Mary, I felt that it was hypocritical. 
 
 "Ves," he went on, when I had mumbled some con- 
 ventional words which I didn't at all mean, " Mary has 
 talked so mu-^h about you that I feel as if I had known 
 you as long as she has." 
 
 " How is she ? " 1 asked, to cut him short. 
 I was sorry not to be able to be more cordial, for, in 
 spite of my ] rejudice, there was something about Mr. 
 Gold which 1 rather liked. He had a simple, straight- 
 forward manner, and a way of looking one frankly in the 
 face which would have made the fortune of any rogue. 
 
m 
 
 I Ml 
 
 :!' II 
 
 i6 
 
 Pk(:TTV Miss sMiTn. 
 
 His expression changed at my question. He saw that 
 there was something wrong, and seemed puzzled by my 
 
 '• I haven't seen her for a fortniglit," he said 
 
 sii/dStn7 ''''"■°^'' slightly, for, indeed, this admis- 
 s^Dndu^^ not seem to savor of much lover-like devotion. 
 Mr. Lrold at once assumed an offended tone. 
 
 "I have had business to attend to." he went on. 
 Ves ? " said I, icily. 
 
 " And you don't know your friend as well as you sud- 
 pose If you think she mis.sed me. ' ^ ^ 
 
 didn't!'"' ^ ''""^ '' " "°' "'"'^ '° ^°"'" ^''^'' 'f^he 
 It was dreadfully rude to say this, I know. But I did 
 mean .t so l,eartily that it slipped out in spite of myself 
 It made Mr. Gold very angry, indeed 
 
 can b7n?h'"r ^"^'" '^'■"^'' ^^ ^^''^"^"^e'ed, "that there 
 
 He seemed unfeignedly surprised. 
 
 "She has changed since she has known me then," he 
 sa>d shortly. « For she is fuller of mad fancies and jealous 
 s/hnns than any girl I ever met " ^ 
 
 Now I did not like thi.s. It chimed in too well with 
 
 di inde h""'' '""' '^'"" ''' ' ''^"^' '^ '^ -- ^-'t 
 't ITn '"^^f ' '" "PP""'"^ "'^^"g^ '" "^y Mary. 
 
 in a tren^f, ^°" J' ^^ '°"^P^^'" °^ >" '^^••?" ^ ^^^ed 
 
 in a trembhng voice of ill-concealed anxiety. 
 " No. I don't like her choice of friends " 
 It was ^^y turn to be angry. I had a retort ready. 
 I thmk, Mr. Gold, if I may judge by what I have seen 
 
 tr;:,!"f "'^' '"^ ''''''' ^"^ --P-^ -th them 
 
 favorably. 
 
 v«ry 
 
 
Tn. 
 
 tion. He saw that 
 med puzzled by my 
 
 ' he said. 
 
 indeed, this admis- 
 lover-like devotion. 
 
 tone. 
 
 he went on. 
 
 IS well as you sup- 
 
 your credit if she 
 
 [ know. But I did 
 in spite of myself. 
 
 iiered, " that there 
 han studying their 
 
 id capricious than 
 
 3wn me then," he 
 ancies and jealous 
 
 in too well with 
 id, if it were true, 
 ge in my Mary, 
 in her?" I asked 
 iety. 
 Is." 
 
 retort ready, 
 what I have seen 
 - with them v#ry 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 27 
 
 "What do you mean. Miss Oliver?" 
 
 " I leave you to judge." 
 
 I had barely time to say this, for the Battersea train was 
 on the point of starting. I carefully jumped into a com- 
 partmenl in which tlierc was only one vacant seat, for I 
 did not wish to enjoy any more of Hilary Gold's society 
 But I found, on getting out at Battersea, that he was quite 
 as anxious to see no more of me as I was to see no more 
 of him. For he ran down the steps and started off at a 
 great pace for the distillery without so much as a glance 
 at me 
 
 I had to ask my way, and was directed to a busy street 
 lined on the one side witli riverside factories, and on the 
 other with shops and small houses built for the con- 
 venience of the work-people, who were now, at the sound 
 ot the bell to cease work, pouring out from the factory 
 gates m a noisy stream. At last I came to the " long 
 black wall, with two big gates a little way from one 
 another," as Marshall's Distillery had been described to 
 me. From the first of these gates, which was wide open 
 .and led, as I could see, to the factory itself, a crowd of 
 f work-people came out. 
 
 As I approached the second gate I saw that Hilary Gold 
 was standing there, talking to a stout man, whom I guessed 
 to be the lodge keeper. Before I was near enough to hear 
 more than the angry tone of the visitor and the surly tone 
 of the servant I saw Hilary walk on away from me abruptly 
 and impatiently, while the man in charge took a step out 
 on to the pathway to shake his head and look after him 
 , My heart sank within me. If Hilary was not admitted 
 neither certainly should I be ! Instead of being aWe to 
 [put on a bold face I felt that the consciousness that I had 
 come on a vam errand made me particularly bashful and 
 'neek. As it happened, however, this fact proved my sal- 
 ^>atzuu. just as, m ansNver to my timid question whether 
 
!!r 
 
 ij 
 
 in 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 ' i 
 
 aS 
 
 PRETTY MTSS SMTTH. 
 
 Miss Smitl. was at home, the lodge keeper rephed rather 
 c-urtly that he didn't know whether slie was at home or not 
 I'lil thai in any c:.se I could not see her, his wife ran oiii 
 from the lodge just behind him, and said in a hasty 
 whisper : 
 
 "John. John, perhaps it's one of the young women 
 come after the place." 
 
 John, bless him ! didn't think it was. J^ut my gen 
 tilily evidently did not greatly impress his better half, for 
 she msisted on asking me. on tiptoe over her husband's 
 shoulder, whether I had coxn^i after the place. 
 
 My fust impulse was to answer " No " in such a tone 
 of high-bred haughtiness as should cover Mrs. John with 
 • onfusion at lar mistake. My second, and that" on which 
 I acted, was to mumble meekly " Yes," and to enter 
 through the closely guarded portals on the strength of the 
 taradiddle, while the woman looked triumphantly at her 
 luisband, and he, with superior sagacity, for which I felt 
 quite grateful, muttered, " Bless me. how they do dress 
 themselves up I If [ didn't take her for a lady ! " 
 
 I walked down a long drive bordered by shrubs, flowers 
 
 and trees, until I reached the back of a big, plainly-built 
 
 house, whicli might have been picturesque among trees, if 
 
 It had not been recently "done up" in a verv villainous 
 
 manner. The ivy had been torn off. the space between 
 
 the bricks had been i^ickcd out in glaring white, and the 
 
 whole surface of the house looked as if it had been scraped. 
 
 I was hesitating as to whether I should go in at an open 
 
 door opposite me, or wander round in search of the front, 
 
 when a stout lady with a florid complexion came to one of 
 
 the ground floor windows, opened it and addressed me. 
 
 " \xc you come about the situation ? " she asked. 
 
 I-ook and tone were encouraging. I .set the lady down 
 
 as vulgar, but good-natured, and thinking I would have 
 
 some fun I said much more boldly than before, " Yes," 
 
 *' Ma'am," T added hastily. 
 
 
r//. 
 
 ;eper replied rather 
 
 was at home or not, 
 
 cr, his tvife ran out 
 
 d said in a hasty 
 
 the young women 
 
 was. But my gen- 
 
 his better half, for 
 over her husband's 
 ; place. 
 
 ^o " in such a tone 
 vcr Mrs. John with 
 
 and that on which 
 es," and to enter 
 tlic strength of the 
 •iumphantly at her 
 :y, for which I felt 
 low they do dress 
 •r a lady ! " 
 by shrubs, flowers, 
 a big, plainly-built 
 |ue among trees, if 
 n a very villainous 
 he sj)ace between 
 ing white, and the 
 
 had been scraped. 
 
 go in at an open 
 carch of the front, 
 on came to one of 
 I addressed me. 
 " she asked. 
 set the lady down 
 ing I would have 
 before, " Yes," 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 29 
 
 She beckoned me in with another smile, and I entered, 
 through the French window, a large double drawing-room' 
 which ran right through the house from back to front The 
 furniture was old-fashioned, stiff, and ugly; the ornaments 
 were ;.ax flowers, stuffed birds, alabaster vases, and other 
 relics of the glass-shade and lustre period. There must 
 indeed be something the matter with Mary when, having 
 command of money, she suffered these abominations ! The 
 lady, whose appearance I now could examine more closely 
 was evidently one who had seen better days— and also 
 worse ones. That is to say, her manners were better than 
 her speech. It was not long before she explained this 
 anomaly. 
 
 " I think you will suit us very well," she said, when I 
 had admitted that I " had not been out before ;" « I want 
 a very superior young ')erson, just like yourself, in fact 
 More of a confidential maid than a parlor-maid really. I 
 must tell you I am not quite the mistress here ; I am chape- 
 ron to Miss Smith, a young lady of fortune ; a most amiable 
 person, but who has such indifferent health that I don't 
 quite like being left alone with her as it were. The res- 
 ponsibility is too great for me. the widow of a physician 
 and unused to anything derogatory." ' 
 
 I wondered if the physician had married his cook. She 
 was a good creature though, with self-complacent kindli- 
 ncss^ beaming from every feature ; she must have been 
 liandsome, too, in the days before shell-pink became lob- 
 ster red. plumpness stoutness, and fair hair in need of dye 
 " And am I to be maid to you, ma'am, or to the other 
 lady } ' 
 
 " Oh, Miss Smith has her own maid, and I am not sup- 
 posed to have a maid at all. You are to help the parlor- 
 maid and look after the house linen. But-but I want you 
 to sleep in the next room to mine, so that if I should call 
 to you ,n the night you would hear and come to me. Don't 
 you think the house is haunted," she went on hastily, with 
 
M I 
 
 30 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 a nervous laugh ; " the girls who came last week all thought 
 it must be, and refused to take the situation. But it is not 
 so. It is only that Miss Smith is nervous, and— sometimes 
 walks about the house at night, in fact." 
 
 The lady blurted this out in a frightened way. I was 
 electrified. Mary a somnambulist ! What should I hear 
 next ? Forgetting my interlocutor, I let my eyes rove out 
 of the window by which I had entered. As I did so all my 
 fears, all my doubts, received a shockinfj confirmation. 
 Gliding rather than walking among the trees on a small 
 lawn on the other side of the carriage drive, was a figure 
 that looked to me like the wreck of my beautiful Mary. 
 With a face white and .^--awn, a figure limp and stooping, a 
 furtive, hesitating manner, this, I thought, could never be 
 the girl whose only faults, a few months ago, had been 
 levity, thoughtlessness, head-long frivolity. Was this what 
 her uncle's fortune had broug'it^ her? 
 
 I had risen from my seat, and was watching her spell- 
 bound. This chaperon, whose name was Mrs. Camden, 
 left her chair too, and came close to me to whisper : 
 
 " That is Miss Smith. And oh ! you wouldn't believe 
 the change that's come over her in only three months' time. 
 I can't make it out." 
 
 " No," said I slowly ; " but we must find out the cause, 
 you know; we must." 
 
 " You will stay then ? You'll take the situation ? You 
 shall have good wages, anything you like," cried poor Mrs. 
 Camden, with startling eagerness. 
 
 I had forgotten the part 1 was playing. Remembering 
 it suddenly, and reflecting that I might be turned out igno- 
 miniously if I confessed, I said ; 
 
 " Oh yes, I'll stay," and stepped closer to the window. 
 
 Whatever stratagem I might be forced to use, I could 
 not leave the house until I had found out the reason of the 
 change in my poor friend, 
 
 \\ 
 
7//. 
 
 last week all thought 
 lation. But it is not 
 ous, and — sometimes 
 t." 
 
 jhtened way. I was 
 What should I hear 
 et my eyes rove out 
 . As I did so all my 
 )ckinfj confirmation. 
 lie trees on a small 
 : drive, was a figure 
 my beautiful Mary, 
 limp and stooping, a 
 ight, could never be 
 nths ago, had been 
 lity. Was this what 
 
 watching her spell- 
 was Mrs. Camden, 
 le to whisper : 
 ou wouldn't believe 
 f three months' time. 
 
 t find out the cause, 
 
 he situation ? You 
 :e," cried poor Mrs. 
 
 ing. Remembering 
 be turned out igno- 
 
 3er to the window, 
 ced to use, I could 
 Lit the reason of the 
 
 PRETTY A//SS .?J//7//. 
 
 3> 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Mrs. Camden seemed not to be able to make enough of 
 me wiien she found me willing to accept the situation ; from 
 this I was, of course, able to gather that there was .some 
 I great drawback to it in the eyes of the young persons who 
 jhad applied for it, and as she continued to assure me 
 f repeatedly that tiie house was //o/ haunted, I came to the 
 ^conclusion that it had the reputation of being so. 
 
 "Who lived herein Mr. Marshall's lime, ma'am?" I 
 [asked Mrr. Camden, who seemed very willing to talk, and 
 I who had just informed me of the manner in which the dis- 
 tillery came into Miss Smith's possession. 
 
 "Nobody, I think, except a caretaker. And so, of 
 jcourse, stories got about of white ladies and things of that 
 |Sort, as they always do of shut up houses." 
 
 "And does Miss Smith liiink she sees white ladies 
 fma'am ? " asked I. * 
 
 I thought it was very unlike the fun-loving Mary I used 
 ito know to be frightened by mere rumors of ghosts. 
 
 " I don't know what she thinks she sees," said Mrs 
 j Camden, hastily. " 1 think it is some trouble with her 
 yana that makes her so depressed and fanciful. Lately 
 Ishe won't see him or anyone." 
 
 1 remembered Hilary's complaint that Mary was jealous. 
 
 I hadn't tune for many reflections about the meeting I had 
 
 witnessed between him and the fair-haired lady, when Mrs 
 
 iCamden asked me whether I could stay at the house that 
 
 Ivery night and send for my boxes. I wished for nothing 
 
 [better, as by this means I might hope for a nhanrP of an 
 
 interview with Mary without delay. I at once assented to 
 
32 
 
 r NETTY M/S.S SMITH. 
 
 the proposal, therefore, and Mrs. Camden herself led me 
 upstairs. 
 
 It was a comfortable sort of old house, with wide pas- 
 sages and staircases, nearly destitute of modern improve- 
 ments, but roomy and convenient. I was shown into a 
 httleroom overlooking the river, and opening into Mrs 
 Camden's. 
 
 "I don't know how long you'll he able to keep it, I'm 
 sure, ' said that lady dubiously. '« Miss Smith has a fancv 
 for constantly changing her bedroom, so that any day we 
 are liable to be turned out. both you and I. f have been 
 moved twice already. This room opposite," she went on 
 opening the door of a larger and much brighter apartme,.; 
 which the sun was only just leaving, - is where you will do 
 your needlework. We keep the linen in this dresser " 
 
 She unlocked a huge piece of furniture, unwieldy and 
 worm-eaten, in which the linen of a regiment might have 
 been stored, and then, saying that she was late, and must 
 go and dress for dinner, she left me at the door of my room 
 returning to say that she would have my tea sent up to' 
 me. I was to be spoilt then, evidently, in consideration 
 of my condescension in accepting the situation. It was a 
 very uncomfortable position for me, and I felt so guilty 
 that Mrs. Camden had scarcely left me when I suddenly 
 resolved to confess the deception I had practised upon 
 her. and with that intention ran out of my room and down 
 the passage. But I could not see her, and I called her by 
 name witiiout getting any answer. Well, if I could not see 
 her I would see Mary; and I re-entered the workroom and 
 looked out of the window for her. 
 
 It was nearly half-past six. The hot August sun was 
 still glowing in the sky, the brilliancy of its light somewhat 
 dimmed by the lingering smoke of factory chimneys 
 Beyond the little lawn below, and stretching for a long | 
 way to the right, was a great space of mingled orchard " 
 
 i 
 
 Sipf 
 
77/. 
 
 ndeii herself led me 
 
 •use, with wide pas- 
 
 of modern improve- 
 
 was shown into a 
 
 opening into Mrs. 
 
 ble to keep it, I'm 
 ' Smith has a fancy 
 ;o that any day wc 
 lid I. r have been 
 site," she Avent on, 
 biigliter apartment 
 i where you will do 
 n this dresser.'' 
 ture, unwieldy and 
 [iment might have 
 vas late, and must 
 edoorof my room, 
 my tea sent up to 
 ', in consideration 
 tuation. It was a 
 id I felt so guilty 
 when I suddenly 
 d practised upon 
 \y room and down 
 id I called her by 
 , if I could not see 
 :he workroom ajid 
 
 August sun was 
 ts light somewhat 
 xctory chimneys, 
 tching for a long 
 mingled orchard 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMim. 
 
 33 
 
 and kitchen-garden, which looked neglected but nil m 
 more picturesque on that accounc. TZ\ m ' " 
 garden for the near neighborhood oLod"?"::,^" 
 thought tl:atnow at least, while the trees wore t .'i. um 
 
 •spoiled the view r . ' '"''''"'■ ""P'-"ved than 
 
 ;;. ! Where „o.„ad ^n.oorgwt'u ei':^ ^ .tr,; d 
 
 n-o;.raced!.iH;.,f^L;ni::-;i™': ;,:-;'". 
 ;X,«tr;rAer:r "■'■''' ----'^^^ 
 
 Allow me to introduce myself as ' FmHu '" i 
 
 won't stav at ill m^ " , ' ^^ ^^^^^ ^" s^^v, 
 
 siay at all. No, not i thev eive vnn i?r^ 
 
 And she gave me a mysterious nod. 
 
 dreadful?" ' ' ''=''" "" <lo that's sn 
 
 .iol trVnZl "'" \""">'^°'"""ly. pointing in .„e direr. 
 
 I! 
 
wf 
 
 m 
 
 jiii 
 III 
 
 34 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITlt. 
 
 have this floor to themselves. And doesn't poor Mrs. 
 Camden wish she could come into our wing without letting 
 down her dignity, that's all." 
 
 "But why, why? " I asked. "What is the reason for 
 all this ? " 
 
 " Oh, you'll find out soon enough, and I shan't tell you 
 any more," said the girl, mischievously. " Only as five 
 girls have tried the place, and only one has held out as far 
 as the fourth night, why you'll be a regular heroine if you 
 stay. Here's your tea, ma'am. Ha ! ha ! " 
 
 The girl went off into fits of laughter as a housemaid 
 came in with a tray for me, and after giving me a curious 
 glance, turned .to Emily and told her she was " always on 
 the giggle." 
 
 "Well," said the lady's maid, "they want someone to 
 do their giggling for them in this establishment, I'm sure. 
 And mind you don't burn this young lady's toast or make 
 her coffee thick. Treat her well, for she won't stop long." 
 
 " Hush," said the housemaid, who was a much older 
 and staider person than the other. " How you do go 
 
 on. 
 
 And with another sidelong glance which seemed con- 
 firmatory of Emily's views, she left the room. 
 
 The giddy Emily, delighted to gossip, insisted on pour- 
 ing oul my tea, chattering all the while. But, from pure 
 love of teasing, she would not tell me much more about 
 her mistress, seeing that I was interested in the subject, 
 but entertained me with her- love affairs, or rather flirta- 
 tions, which were evidently the chief business of her life. 
 I was disgusted to find that my poor drooping Mary had 
 such a careless and frivolous attendant ; and Emily, find- 
 ing my answers grow short, presently sprang up and offered 
 to show me over the various rooms. 
 
 " They'll be at dinner now," she said. 
 
 I followed with alacrity, most anxious to examine every 
 nook of the house which had proved the tomb of Mary's 
 
esn't poor Mrs. 
 g without letting 
 
 is the reason for 
 
 I shan't tell you 
 
 "Only as five 
 
 s held out as far 
 
 r heroine if you 
 
 as a housemaid 
 ng me a curious 
 tvas " always on 
 
 ant someone to 
 iment, I'm sure, 
 's toast or make 
 ?on't stop long." 
 a much older 
 low you do go 
 
 :h seemed con- 
 
 m. 
 
 isisted on pour- 
 But, from pure 
 
 ich more about 
 in the subject, 
 or rather flirta- 
 
 ness of her life. 
 
 jping Mary had 
 
 nd Emily, find- 
 
 l up and offered 
 
 ) examme every 
 tomb of Mary's 
 
 PRETTY MISS SM/Tlf. 
 
 high spirits. There was nothing in the least suggestive of 
 phantoms or mysteries about the place. Roomy airv 
 and well lighted, this floor contained a series ofkr^e 
 lofty rooms, most of them having two or more big whi- 
 dows, and each having a good sized ventilator in the ceil- 
 ing. 
 
 " What a nice, large house," said I, in admiration, as I 
 looked out of one of the open windows of the room which 
 Emily said was " Miss Smith's, while the fad lasted " 
 
 There was another lawn on this side, which was the front 
 of the house. I gathered that the front door was not much 
 used, for the drive which led round the house up to it was 
 grass-grown, and the steps, which I could see protruding 
 from under a heavy portico, also looked green with damp 
 and want of use. Beyond the lawn, which was fringed 
 with trees and shrubs, was a wide, built-up path, which ran 
 along the bank of the river, from the distillery on the right 
 as far as the boundary wall of the garden some distance 
 away on the left. The river here was no pretty pleasure 
 stream, but a busy high-way, for great flat barges which 
 heavily laden and drawn in long procession by pufling little 
 tugs, or empty, drifting with the tide, kept the black water 
 stirring and rippling hour after hour, day and night. A 
 flat rnarsh, fringed with straggling, new, small houses, ugly 
 and dreary, formed the outlook on the opposite shore. On 
 the right the great body of the distillery, with the high 
 square tower in the centre, could be distinctly seen. 
 
 What a pity," I went on, drawing my head in again 
 and turning to the maid, '' not to use more of these lovely 
 big rooms." ^^ 
 
 " Ye«,» said Emily, -the house is full of wasted space 
 
 attic full of lumber from the works. It was built bv the 
 late Mr. Marshall to ventilate this floor into. There's ' 
 splendid view from it, if you like miles of chimney pots; 
 
 i 
 
36 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITFt. 
 
 only you can't get up there from the house ; you have to 
 go through the door that leads to the works first, and that's 
 kept locked, of course," 
 
 A great, big attic above, entered only from the works. 
 Here, thought I, is where the ghosts collect, and all man- 
 ner of weird night noises arc heard, the wind whistling 
 through the chinks and crannies, and the rats and mice hold- 
 mg high revel. My reflections were interrupted by Emily 
 who was beginning to get restless and impatient of man- 
 ner, 
 
 "And now I shall have to be off," she said. "You 
 won't mind being left alone for a bit, will you ? It will be 
 daylight for a long time yet, you know." 
 
 I said I did not mind at all, and the girl hurried off, so 
 full of excitement that I unkindly concluded it was some- 
 one more interesting to her than her mistress whom she 
 was going to meet. For I had not been in her company 
 nearly an hour without discovering that Emily's horizon 
 was bounded by thoughts of " young men." 
 
 As soon as I was alone I returned to the workroom and 
 again looked out of the window. The sun had sunk lower, 
 but there was still a bright red glow in the west. Emily 
 had said that dinner would be over by this time, and I was 
 hoping that Mary would return to the garden. I had only 
 waited a few moments when this wish was fulfilled. I saw 
 my poor girl leave the house slowly, with a heavy, listless 
 tread, as different as possible from the fairy-footed pace at 
 which she used to trip across the lawn at Bayswater. She 
 went straight across to the orchard, and there amongst the 
 trees I lost sight of her. Running down the staircase and 
 through the hall like a hare, without meeting anyone, I 
 followed her. The shadows were growing black upon the 
 rough, long grass under the apple trees, Mary's face, 
 when I caught sight of it, looked ghastly in the cold shade! 
 She w^s standing stilj, mi h^nds hanging listlessly down, 
 
 U- 
 
PSETTY MISS smnr. 
 
 her eyes raised and fixed on the branches above her ,vith 
 an expression of u.teriy forlorn and helpless misery. My 
 heart was beatn,g fast, my eyes were filling with tears and 
 
 Mary, I croaked out huskily, " My poor old Marv I 
 l"2T r'""' Vo„ haven't forgotten mc? m*'" 
 
 ne r r for" he"! "T 7. •"'""'' '"" ''•^""^ '° ="'™"« -^ 
 
 vole Zl M ," '"«"""=" ^' '"^ «"' »<"'"d of my 
 voice. A.S I finished ..peaking, however, I made one for 
 
 ward movemenl. With a stifled cry, my poor gW™ i.h , 
 
 :r.iri;:i:e:' ' " ""^ -^ --'• '--^^ -' ™ ^-^ 
 
 I did not attempt to follow her this time. I wa, appalled 
 
 M:;':rr^;tt;i;ir7;:e''"''-'-^-"°^^^^ 
 whr^'bti'ght'it'r .""" '■'=" "■"" ' '"-^ "■■— -^ 
 
38 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 But how to begin, how to begin ? I could not approach 
 near enough to question her ; I could not confide in any- 
 one about her; I was full of suspicions of everybody in 
 the house. I stole timidly round the house to the river- 
 front, where the mists were beginning to rise from the water. 
 The tide was going down, and a margin of black mud, 
 which gave forth no very sweet perfume, was growing wider 
 on each side of* the retreating stream. I saw no faces at 
 the window ; the house looked blank and desolate. I 
 walked as far as a wall which ran down to the river path, 
 separating the garden from the distillery yard. This wall 
 was almost hidden by a clump of trees and high evergreens 
 and I stood in the shade of these^ looking at the river very 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 " Hallo, Mary, my girl ! " cried a voice above me, start- 
 ling me very much. 
 
 I looked up quickly, and saw what I took for a boy, 
 wearing a round felt black hat very much at the back of 
 his head, and smoking a short briar pipe. This figure was 
 sitting on the top of the wall, with its feet up, its sallow, 
 snub-nosed face peeping at me through the trees. 
 
 "What are you doing up there," I asked angrily, much 
 disgusted by the lad's impertinence. 
 
 " I'm a-looking at you, my dear," was the cool answer. 
 *' And when I've looked long enough I'm a-coming down 
 to hev' a kiss, blest if I ain't. And you may as well smile 
 and look pretty, for them's my perquisites from all the new 
 slaveys in this establishment." 
 
 X shah go and fetch someorie to turn you out," I said 
 
above me, start- 
 
 yrou out," I said 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. jg 
 
 indignantly. *' I know you're trespassing, and as for that 
 pipe you're pretending to enjoy, why it's turning you per- 
 fectly green." 
 
 I was moving away, a good deal annoyed at finding the 
 sort of encounter my deception exposed me to, when,''with 
 a cracked laugh, my persecutor jumped or scrambled to 
 the ground, and placed himself in front of me. I then 
 discovered, to my astonishment, that not only was he a 
 full-grown man, but that he was not even a very young 
 man. His thin, hairless face proved, on closer inspection 
 to be full of minute wrinkles, and the expression of his 
 small eyes was decidedly knowing. 
 
 " If I'm green, my dear, it's all on the outside, I assure 
 you," he added with a bow and a frightful cockney accent. 
 "And, as for havin' me turned out, as I've been night 
 watchman to these here premises over eight years, and am 
 about as useful a member as there is on the establishment 
 why you've overshot the mark, my dear, and no mistake '' 
 " Whoever you are, I won't have you call me ' My dear.' 
 I never heard of such presumption ! " 
 
 " Hoighty toighty ! The airs these pretty slaveys give 
 themselves, bless their dear little 'earts ! But perhaps you 
 feel to want a proper introduction. 'Ere, then, at your 
 pretty feet (and if those spicy boots didn't come out of 
 the wardrobe of your late missus, I'm a Dutchman ' ) I 
 figuratively kneel and introduce myself as 'Arry 'Opkins 
 born m the Borough, t-j.ated at Gutter College, Bache- 
 lor of the Arts of Distilling Whisky, and likewise drinking 
 It, at your service." 
 
 This curious, shrivelled-looking man-imp had a good- 
 natured twinkle in his eyes, and I could not help bein- 
 rather amused by him. ° 
 
 Well," I said, " that's very interesting, but I don't see 
 the use of all this ceremony, as we shall certainly not 
 come much in each other's way." 
 
 it I 
 
40 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 ' That's alJ you know about it. I come very much in 
 the way of anybody I take a fancy to, and I've taken a 
 fancy to you, Mary. You don't mind my calling you Mary, 
 do you? You see, the missus changes her dolly-mops so 
 often that I have to give 'em names accordin' to their siti- 
 vations; and the name for the sitivation of parlormaid is 
 
 The grandiloquence of this speecli, combined with the 
 cockney accent, was so irresistibly funny that I had great 
 d,ftculty m keeping my countenance while I assured him 
 that he might call me what he liked. 
 
 "That's right, Mary," he said approvingly. "You won't 
 lose anything by being civil to me. I have keys to all to 
 private doors, and' I know many a short cut by which one's 
 cousm can make himself scarce in a case of emergency 
 And now good-night, my dear; I'll have that kiss to-mor^ 
 row, when you feel a little less shy with me " 
 
 And the impudent little man, with an odious contortion 
 of his features which I believe is called a wink, turned on his 
 heel and got back on to the top of the wall, ;inging to him! 
 self m a cracked voice something like this : '^ If you wish 
 to know the time ask a p'liceman." 
 
 I went back into the house after this encounter, which 
 had made me rather shy of further exploration. A I 
 reached the first floor a pitiful sight met my eyes. It wa 
 poor Mary, wandering slowly but restlessly along the cor' 
 ndor. listening at every door, and from time to time 
 retracing .r steps to peep into one of the rooms she had 
 ased^ On such occasions the light from the windows 
 showed me that her beautiful blue eyes were distendid 
 mthjerror, and that her lips moved as if she was talk!;:' 
 
 I was afraid to come near her or to attempt again to 
 make myself known ; something in the expression of her fee 
 told me It would be useless. I could only remain quic"; 
 
as talkiner to 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH 
 
 J^-atchiiig .ny poor guland yearning to put my arms round 
 her and comfort her, with the tears creeping do^vn my 
 cheeks. At last she cume to the door of the room which 
 had been pointed out to me as her sleeping apartment. She 
 stopped before ,t, evidently hesitating whether she could 
 enter. P.rst 3he put her fmgers lightly on the handle, then 
 she withdrew them with a gasp; then after a short space 
 she did the same again. Finally she put her hands over 
 her face and began to tremble with sobs. This was too 
 much for mc ; 1 ran along the corridor towards her But 
 no sooner had she caught the sound of footsteps than, 
 without looking up to see whose they were, she burst open 
 the door of her room with a shudder which betrayed that 
 she felt a dread of some experience she had undergone 
 there, and shut herself in. 
 
 I retreated to the little room which had been assigned 
 me where I remained until my supper was brought up into 
 the workroom opposite. The maid Emily bounced in 
 upon me while I was eating. 
 
 " Well," she cried, evidently in the best of spirits, •< and 
 how do you like solitary confinement, eh.> Don't make the 
 mistake of thinking that it's due to your merits you're 
 served in state like this. It's because Mrs. Camden's afraid 
 tlmt the tales told in the servants' hall would frighten you 
 
 And she burst into a ringing peal of laughter, in which 
 she was interrupted by the sound of her mistress' belj 
 t^miiy sobered down at once. 
 
 ;And now for Miss Mumchance," she said with a 
 gnmace -fa-ta. Shan't see you again to-night, I expect; 
 but_I H be sure and see you-off in the morning " 
 
 And with a look of demure mischief, she curtseyed her- 
 self out of the room. 
 
 1 "Z "° °"%''^^ ^^^^'-^ ^'^ ^° ^-^ except Mrs. Cam- 
 ^Itn, whu seemed rather nervous and anxious to be off, 
 
A» 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 afraid, 1 think, that I might insist upon leaving the house 
 at once. She seemed much reaeved to hear that I was 
 comfortable and had no complaints to make, and wished 
 me Oood-night " with great cordiality. 
 
 I meant to lie awake to see if, after all these disquieting 
 hmts and suggestions, anything mysterious should ha])pen 
 but I must have been very tired, for I fell asleep almost 
 immediately, to be awakened presently by a shriek, which 
 brought me out of bed in the twinkling of an eye 
 
 I am not strong-minded, but I don't deny that I was 
 horribly frightened, and that I would have given the world 
 to be able, with a clear conscience, to jump into bed again 
 and tuck the clothes rightly down over my ears. But Mary 
 What was I here for but to find out what was being done 
 to her? Was I to be as callously selfish as the rest of the 
 household seemed to be ? I hastily put on mv dressing 
 gown and slippers, the shrieks still continuing, though they 
 were not so piercing as the first. I had to fortify myself 
 with virtuous maxims as I unlocked my door with a trem- 
 Dhng hard and ran along the corridor. 
 
 I faltered again when I reached Mary's door. The cries 
 
 had ceased, and instead I heard low moans, whether of 
 
 pain or misery I could not tell. There was another sound 
 
 too, not so loud, but more inexplicable; a soft, swish- 
 
 swish. as of something rushing through che air and beating 
 
 against the walls. Only the old wives' saying, " My heart 
 
 was ,n my mouth." gives any idea of what I felt as I turned 
 
 the handle. The door was not locked. There was no light 
 
 in the room; that horrible swishing sound still went on ; 
 
 the wind seemed to be sweeping round the walls. Suddenly 
 
 something flapped violently against my face with a loud 
 
 screech. As my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, I 
 
 could faintly see, by the light ofthe summer night through 
 
 the bhnds, that the air was full of whirling bodies that 
 
 beat the walls with great fluttering wings, uttering from 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH; 
 
 4S 
 
 time fo time weird, ear-piercing cries. They must be 
 birds, or bats, I knew : but even though I felt that this 
 was some trick which had been phiyed on my nervous 
 Mary, I confess I could myself have shrieked aloud as the 
 creatures flapped against my face, 
 
 A light I must have. I ran out of the room, leaving the 
 door open, and returned in a few moments with a lighted 
 candle and a box of matches. As I approached the open 
 door I noticed that the moaning of my poor friend was the 
 only sound to be heard. Creeping cautiously into the room 
 protecting the candle-flame with my hand lest the wind 
 made by the flying creature should blow it out, I received 
 another shock. 
 
 There was no sign of bird or bat in the room, and the air 
 was quite still. The windows were shut ; nothing had flown 
 past me as I went through the corridor. But in some 
 mysterious way the great flapping, screeching creatures, 
 whose wings had made a wind in the room, had disappeared 
 leaving no trace. 
 
 f :l 
 
44 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 .r.ck, how «.as u done? and above all, who had done T? 
 
 Mary was in bed, lyine on her f.™ • . 
 
 and clasping .he .ki rfi,rabovet; ,"*";:? ,!:r;"'^; 
 
 Stf "'%^l '"^ ■'-"^' -« .o;, d" 8,.; 
 
 calling to her soft y by name T^n. -k^ i ,• -8'"' 
 cowed down,as if sei/ed ) ;;onfe f, , T!' """,'" ''"' 
 "ot be p„, off though this tin en™ ' , ' "'""'' 
 
 i clasped the gnl warn,lv i my a-n lit:" ""' "T"' 
 words into her cars, and .ryL by' v" T' "" ''"' 
 power to calm her nervous feas l,^]], '" ""' 
 
 far as to induce her to turn »o iook , ml 'T'^'^ '" 
 . saw a gleam of recognition "n're ^Z'.T^ "'^^ 
 was so completely wrecked by a strain LT^ 
 Which I was sure must have las' d fo :e ' K tl ITs,'"""' 
 me no welcotne, expressed no surprise ^Id"/"! 
 be able to say she knew n,e was a great step ' '" 
 
 She made no opposition when I insisted uiioi, „„,.• 
 mto t e bed and passing the remainde of he nigh bf 
 l.er s,de. However, there was no further dist, rbince and 
 
 ;-:rrft,;::;e:r'°^'''''-^'""-~^^ 
 che'^lifn:: of\vzrs,.'";"Tr''^' ^-^ ^""""-''"^ 
 
 should next „ J . P"" ' ^ ' "' ''='="'"'6 "h^ steps I 
 ofobtam another „,terv,ew with Mary. She did indeed 
 
 Tone vhTnT' ;:'"■• """""*'' no. shriek as she had 
 done when I met her ,n Ihe orchard the day before But 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 45 
 
 she shrank awriy in avoidance of me, and I was forced to 
 come to the conclusion that the sight of me reminded her 
 painfully of her sensations of the night before, and that 
 It would be better to wait for a favorable opportunity of 
 approaching her again. In the meantime I wrote to my 
 second sister, the bright one, asking her to send me some 
 clothes, as I should be staying where I was for some time. 
 None of this new household of Mary's had ever heard of 
 Georgie Oliver, I felt sure. I thought I would keep up my 
 disguise a little longer, as the person or persons who had 
 designs against Mary would use extra caution if they knew 
 she had a friend about her. 
 
 But alreac:/ I found that Emily looked upon mc with 
 some distrust. Mrs. Camden had heard me go to Miss 
 Smith's room, and knew that I had passed part of the night 
 there. This fact getting abroad, was, of course, looked 
 upon as an attempt to ^' curry favor," and when I asked, 
 with real solicitude, some questions of the lady's maid, she' 
 answered with marked coldnessj 
 
 The cries and moans Miss .Smith uttered at niirht had 
 gone on for about two months, she said. .She had iu>vcr 
 tried to get into her mistress' bedroom when she heard 
 these sounds, ^Miot caring to poke her nose where she 
 wasn't wanted." If Miss Smith had wanted her she would 
 have rung her bell. Mrs. Camden had gone in once or 
 twice, she believed, and had heard and seen nothing. 
 Whichever loom Miss .Smith slept in the cries and moans 
 and unearthly flappings and screechings went on just the 
 same. Nobody else in the house had ever been troubled 
 with cither ghosts or nocturnal noises. 'J'his was all I 
 <;ould learn from Emily. 
 
 My best chance of getting further into the mystery was 
 by the help of my Cockney friend, Harry Hopkins; and 
 although further acquaintance with him would not, I felt, 
 be unaccompanied by drawbacks, there was notiiiiig foV it 
 
 
<« ' PRETTY A//SS SMlTfi. 
 
 such ., »upe,b:n, I ,.::,t.r';:T '"™'^"" ^^"^ 
 
 i nat creature ! " she PYrlii'm-, i ■ 
 ■•^■ou .are surely never U,Z '",":"'""' "^ "'■''"■'^• 
 Well, I„ever.l,o„ld have h, I," 'f '"« ,"" "'"' ''""' ' 
 
 "1 ivant to Bet l,im ^„ 7 "''' ^"'"''"^ >■<»' 1" 
 explained. " nf a idl,'? 7 T "'" '"' "»*=" 1 
 the place." '" ''••"' ""^ '"^^ "' "" 'he doors in 
 
 By the look in Emilv's fir-n T „,.. , , 
 go. him to open some of .h„ *T '' "'"' '''' '"'<' "'^" 
 1-1 wanted him toTo so '""^ "" "" -"-«. »' 
 
 ;.A'''"ot'''.crsr;ort,::r;,;r"'-'' ''^- -'^. 
 
 friend ! Well, don't t™ J l '''' P""'" " "'eful 
 
 "l«ys after, „;.;■, ™r/r' *"'■' •■■"■ "='« 
 nuisance if yo„ encon'rl^ hit""""''' ■■""' '»'^ " P"f«. 
 
 so."°s^n.7X°;i';: !Z:r "'-'"'■ -^ ' -« ^« 
 
 'odged off the |,remS Emll T' '" ''' '"""d- He 
 his address ; si e « • nt y"'"' f"' ^'"^ "" ■'»' ^'-ow 
 inquire," sh'e add d „oi d^' H ' """"'^<' '" '""' '<■ 
 watchman from six 0^00^, the "" ""'^ "^ '^"''^f 
 
 in the mornn.s ; but a he n^ ".'"« ""'" '''« " •'"'^k ' 
 
 »as often to bVme s ^1 ' nbouVh ""Z""'" '""'■"' 
 in the evening. * "' """ >'^''<' «''h his pipe 
 
 " And playing the spy, you may be sure " .u 
 "cously ..or it „,„,„d,n be HarVHo: hts " """ ™ 
 
 I strolled about the garden and tl„ • 
 •hat evening in the hope of L,, "™'-P«'> i" front 
 
 but he did not apne r \f r , !!« '"' ^""''"'y f^nd ; 
 .i.e present chie'^me'C't 1 ,''''" ','" '°"''''^^ '"' 
 ing the tedium of Mrs CaraZ. '"""'^■''"'" and reliev 
 
 -.hiieshetaiked. ' ^:::^Tz!^j!::::^z 
 
PRETTY MISS SMlTIf, 
 
 47 
 
 le went on 
 
 makeup for having had "nobody to speak to" for many 
 weeks (she did not hke Emily), that when she went down to 
 dinner I felt as if a mill had suddenly stopped. 
 
 I saw nothing of Mary that night until she had gone to 
 her room; then I knocked softly and suggested to her, 
 in a low whisper, when she opened the door, that we 
 should change rooms. 
 
 " Oh, would you dare ? " asked the poor, dazed creature, 
 clutching at my arm. The next moment her hand dropped 
 listlessly at her side, and she shook her head. " It would 
 be of no use," she said drearily; "it is only to me they 
 come-these shrieks and flapping wings ; and it is because 
 I am going mad — mad ! " 
 
 She raised her hands to her head with a shudder. Not 
 knowing whether we might not even then be watched, I 
 felt that there was no time to lose, and urged her, with lov- 
 ing whispers, to let me take her placb. She was docile 
 enough, poor creature, wnen once one approached her, ind 
 ni very few minutes 1 had seen her go into my little room, 
 and had got into her bed in fear and trembling. 
 
 For oh ! I was frightened, horribly frightened. To lie 
 awake and expect a trick to-be played upon you in fun in 
 bed IS bad enough ; but to wait for a trick which has been 
 played for weeks in systematic cruelty upon a gentle 
 unoffending woman filled me with such a sens(> of the 
 wickedness that is in the world as I had never felt before. 
 There was a horrible ingenuity about it, too, which seemed 
 to me not far short of fiendish. 
 
 Hours seemed to pass while I lay waiting, watching the 
 night-light burning on the table by the bedside, and fancy- 
 ing horrible shapes in the flickering shadows it cast upon . 
 the walls. Now and then a board creaked, or a mouse 
 scampered behind the ceiling. I began to fear that poor 
 Mary was right ; that her unseen persecutor had discovered 
 the fraud we had practised. 
 
 !* 
 
 f* 
 
48 
 
 ^^ETTV MISS SMim. 
 
 Suddenly, with a hiss anri o , 
 ""d ] fel. a ft. drop of"cowt"""';''^ "'«'" "»• ou.; 
 ^"d fe«. All my fi„e reserve off ''"''"'^ °" "^ ^i 
 P'-oved of no avail; i shrSedL" "'"'=""' P-'^l'-^'ion 
 Po^ure. Something flap ™;;^4°fjP™g inlo a siuing 
 ■he a,r was all alive with To ? , "^ "^^ ""'"i a screech 
 »j;.. before. Over™X4& -•'-<' bee^t' 
 self down again, and buried mvi'^"'"''' ' «""« my. 
 - d watted. The dis.urbanceTott f :,"/"^ "^"^'"'"es, 
 only, lam sttre, although, Jfco,"e ., '^^" f"' """utes 
 "• Then as suddenly fs it 5 ™"'^' " ^'^n'ed much long- 
 a sound like the shutdngdow^Ta bo""'?' '"" '""^ "- 
 he ntght-light, but the wicfcTas m ' '™'' '" «-"el.t 
 
 he matches only showed i^a^'''''- ^"^ S""™" « 
 had disappeared. To make dl ,h "°""™a' '""•"ders 
 ■■-ge enough ,0 leap ouTof bed "f''' ' ^"""'""^d «"■ 
 7 "atches, .0 examine evrycu,r' T "'* ">' -« "f 
 »". as I had already done h^f"^ "'■''• ""'«. and cor- 
 'hat I found was a couple „f? «°'"e '0 bed. aJ, 
 washhand-stand and o^e* he'"ol' '"'^' °- °» « 
 blocked up by a board, which had ' J*" "''P'^" «s 
 
 door was locked as I had I^i' "°' ''^«' '"°"d; -he 
 ^oorMary! I wa«! ,w ■ 
 
 secution had -rough ontrTirlf' "" """^ "'is per- 
 ■nnch coarser fibrf, f^l" com^f"=f '^ '"'nre, when r of 
 ventures of these t^o girof''""""^'^ "-^ *= "d 
 
 - "lone, t^ z^ : , ;:•;;:" T' f™™- -'- ^ 
 
 done. ■ '""1 bated breath, for what I had 
 
 ''-v:rh\.rtm'akt''r;?-- -" ^—^^ 
 "-----. -or bei„;d:^-r::ttr:';:i 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 49 
 
 bling voice, while her eyes wandered about the room in 
 that horrible straining, searching way which had become 
 habitual to her. '' And did you hear nothing ? » she fal- 
 tered. 
 
 '-I heard something which convinced me that someone 
 
 has been playing cruel tricks upon you," I answered stoutly. 
 
 W hy have you stayed quietly here without complaining ? '■ 
 
 "I did tell my guardian that I had-fancies," and she 
 
 shuddered; "and I told Hilary. But they all laughed: 
 
 nobody believed me ; they thought it was caprice. And 
 
 Hilary was angry; he saidif I left this house, and lost my 
 
 fortune, he could not marry me, as he was too poor " 
 
 It was evidently only by a strong and now unusual effort 
 that the poor girl was able to concentrate her mind for so 
 much consecutive speech. She had spoken in short jerky 
 sentences, and now, exhausted by the effort, she broke 
 down into childish tears. I was doing my best to console 
 her, when Mrs. Camden's footsteps were heard approach- 
 ing, and Mary, with a scared face, sprang up from her 
 Knees and ran out of the room. 
 
 I was too suspicious of all the household of my poor 
 friend to make a confidant of the talkative chaperon I 
 was bursting with impatience to get into the attics on* the 
 floor above, and also to interrogate the night-watchman, 
 who could, I felt sure, let some light upon the mystery 
 
 My opportunity came when I was strolling upon the 
 lawn while the ladies were at dinner. 
 
 "'Evings, 'tis she ! " was the welcome exclamation that 
 told me my admirer was at hand. 
 
 Hopkins was looking over the wall this time, with his 
 head perched on one side in what I guessed was meant to 
 be an attitude of fascination. I was, in truth, delighted to 
 i^ee him, and I made such an ecstatic rush towards the 
 wall, that even he, great as was his confidence in his own 
 cJiarms, was surprised. 
 
 
so 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 .0 1'ee ;:„r '""'"""' "''<• ^"^^'y- " I ™ very g,ad 
 
 patronage which '^1?^ "' '"" * """'' »' 
 
 know a good thing when you s= if. ^"",n f^' '" 
 werry good thing! tai.ce 'hlw d for t.'Tnd ',0'" '^ ' 
 
 "ird n;r„ " '"\' "" °'" "-^ "°^''^'" I -id boldly. 
 " If Win, '• '" ""'' '■'■"«••'•■" ^»M he promptly 
 
 "P o°h r. 1:' 7"' .■"=">• «'* 'ootsies tocarry'^on 
 
 o fee a nervous twitching down one side o myfo'e ^ "f 
 I must do It too. ^ ' ^^ " 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 " I am very glad 
 
 •oud, blest if you 
 I just a touch of 
 rewd enough to 
 lev the sense to 
 rry 'Opkins is a 
 and no error. 
 » as don't give 
 ange of lone he 
 ased lo want of 
 
 " I said boldly. 
 
 I he promptly. 
 
 ■s to carry you 
 
 at the end of 
 
 a jiffey. And 
 
 will be 'appy." 
 
 s class winked 
 
 her it did not 
 
 es. Hopkins 
 
 until I began 
 
 my face, as if 
 
 5« 
 
 CHAPTER Vni. 
 
 I RATHER dreaded what my friend's conduct might be like 
 when I found myself alone with him. But the little man 
 took a great pride in the establishment where he had been 
 employed so long ; and, once in the distillery, he grew so^ 
 enthusiastic over his description of the works, and the 
 various processes of malting, drying, grinding, mashing, 
 fermenting, "rflu. stilling, that I became in his eyes only a 
 more or le ,; jllectual listener to the wonders he had to 
 tell. 
 
 " It's too late to see much to-night," he said regretfully, 
 never guessing, as I thought, how little I wanted to see if 
 only I could get into those attics above the bedrooms. 
 " You must come over the malting floors by daylight, and 
 I'll explain everything to you till I'm hoarse. There's no- 
 thing much to be seen to-night ; we're distilling ; that's the 
 last process of all. You shall come into the stillhouse and 
 just see the stills at work. The grinding and mashing's 
 more interesting, but that's done with for this 'period.' 
 And when I talk of mashing, don't you go for to think it's 
 the sort you've been used to, or you'll be disappointed. 
 This is where we do our ' mashing ' 'ere." 
 
 H? led me into a narrow gallery along the wall of a 
 great bare building in which the voice sounded hollow. 
 Through the skylight in the roof enough light still came 
 for me to make out, many feet below us, a huge tun, like 
 a yawning black mouth, across one half of which were fixed 
 two long bars, armed with double rows of sharp metal 
 teeth, some curved one way, some the other, and so ar- 
 ranged that not a grain could escape battering and bruising 
 as the malt, churning and seething in hot water, was 
 
 ■ ■ 
 
 r 
 
s» 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMTTH, 
 
 '^vhirled round the tun xwu 
 
 "■-hinery ,v,„-eh wo^ed 'emt ""^ »''"? '«'h and the 
 
 'un>ed suddenly sick .i.h„e™„r"r" ■"°"°"'«^' ^ 
 '"« o" the fragile ,v„„de„ ra hZh * '' "°P'"'"^' '=»- 
 explan,ed ,l,is p„cess ," ^e 1 ,1, ''" ""'"' '"^ gallery, 
 drw back suddenly .. s"n ""' ="""'S'«n,. I 
 
 over this rail_i, is„^' very Z "wVfT"' ""' "> f^" 
 ."motion ? " suggested if ^''-"""'^ ">« machinery was 
 
 HoptrsXiy!' " vvhrueiTyrr""' '"^''^ '■"••'-'■<' 
 
 t..e malt down there wiiie the ' J"" *"' '° f'" "«» 
 
 yo" d be mincemeat befo i c„ .M? ,'"« ""^ 8°'"S ™. 
 
 »«> ■' ' Those prongs are ■» to ° f "'" ' ■''"^'' R^in- 
 
 ^ ': Let „s go back.^r 'e some r ' '/ "^''" "=" J""'-" 
 dering. '^^ somethmg else," said r shud- 
 
 My nerves were nor -.t i?, • , 
 P-vions „ig„„ ,„r le' ::,tt ''r *"'"'^'' °f '"e 
 *a< the nearness of this hu!" Z "'' '""'"'" ''^^d 
 
 hmgry teeth, was ,. danger ,„« ''"' "'"" "^ ">''' <>{ 
 '""= cracked langh whth « ,1 "^- "°P'"« «"e a 
 
 " '«" you come .nd ! ^ ''"'""S ">" •afters, 
 "fo- 'Lousand ^.Ita' J ','>.\^""-'ouso?.. said he 
 
 non'titurakeyerCrwl;"?^^ •^" «<""' « O"" 
 «'".tdid„ot. Iwante,! • 
 
 ;'I"."'kwe'lll.,,r,t'°f';'"''°'''°-a,.ics. 
 
 "-'ey, and oats f,„ed i„ .tr "on !™f '^T' '""' ^'""^ °' 
 l"=fe n,y companion, who A.d v r ' '"""'edon 
 
 -.her disconcerted by m;:udde„ fr^'"':; f"" f™^" 
 
 ireaK. At iasi the door 
 
 '^'iii'i rHMlliUj 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH, 53 
 
 which led through into the house came in sight ; and with 
 a loudly-beating heart I noticed a flight of rough wooden 
 steps to the right of the door, which led, I felt sure, into 
 those attics I was so anxious to explore. 
 
 " Where do those steps lead to ? " I asked. 
 
 But my assumption of indifference was not good enough 
 to deceive Hopkins, 
 
 " Oh," soid he, with a curious whistle through his teeth. 
 " That's what you want to know, is it? Well, why couldn't 
 yer say so before, instead of taking me trapesing all night 
 round those blooming vats? They lead to the attics where 
 we keep our lumber." 
 
 I flattered myself that if Mr. Hopkins was sharp, I was 
 sharp too ; and I concluded that he knew something about 
 the mysterious haunts of the attics. Without waiting for 
 the chance of being refused permission, therefore, I ran up 
 the steps, opened the door at the top, and ran through 
 into what he had rightly described as a lumber-room. It 
 was a big place, running the entire length of the floor, high- 
 roofed and draughty, so piled with rubbish of all sorts 
 that it would have been a month's work to examine the 
 contents thoroughly. The big square ventilators, which 
 had been a freak of the late Mr. Marshall's, and which 
 formed so special a feature of tiie house, were all left un- 
 encumbered, and I made my way quickly, stumbling over 
 bolts and cordage and old sacking, and clutching at 
 nunous-looking packing ca?es, to the spot which I judged 
 would be immediately over Mary's room. 
 
 I had skipped along so quickly that by this time I was 
 well ahead of my conductor, and was able to grope about 
 at my leisure. This floor was lighted by gable windows in 
 the roof, which sloped up to a great height at the back 
 of the house. The panes were very dusty, and the light 
 was fading fast ; still I managed to discover that the parti= 
 cular ventilator -which I believed to be that of Mary's 
 
 
54 
 
 PSETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 room was quite clean on the lop in «riHn„ „ . 
 
 the tliick dust which lav 1 . u ^ °'""" *"'' 
 
 down on my kMes hl^i , everything around. I „as 
 
 that the mt7ven „Tba,e 't: rald^r^r- "" ""'""^ 
 n>e to play hide-and Sfiv ^X^ln s"f T"'' '"^"'^ 
 longer, I raised the cover with sTme it 7 V7 r™'" 
 pmting ,ny face down close to the wire wtk,"''^' "'"' 
 
 -that^ygupssormycaicuiaurrdarrr^ 
 
 I was over Mary's room. 
 
 Knowing very well that the girl's nnrf.im,! . 
 whatever thev were hpH K« f nocturnal tormentors 
 
 ci uiey were, had been nitroduced from tlii<: «.. . 
 I next tned to raise the wire-work itself a^^^ 7?""' 
 had been pulled away from ulf . ' ^"^^0""^ that it 
 be raised a^nd lo;e::d^ TIXTT^^J^''^'"^ 
 enough for me. It was clear thnf c^ ^ " "^""^ 
 
 Of Mary, heartless pers "^.^ttrt^l ^ -^'-'''^ 
 
 The question was— How to refum ., / ^ " 
 I dared no. confide in Hopl.i:::h:':e ^^1^:- 1:,',' 
 
 .earcl of n.e™'l ^o IdTo fhopeTatTror^ """'^,' "' 
 undiscovered in the meantimV Th ? '■'™"' ''"'•' 
 
 each ,„on.n. „,ore ^gt r^^, t]!^:: r^IrM ^If^f 
 would summon balf-a-dozen men to h.].. ^ . 
 
 leave before I was unearthed ^' '"" "^'"- ^'^^" 
 
 orold metal ^hat made a^ cL^ sltd" ^^B^t if^^t 
 
 cr;ir.''in^rri"' ^-^'^-^•'■'--: o^:^^ 
 
 -Trrv n . "'^'' *°"'- 'T^^^" ^gai" to himself- 
 
 Arry Opkms, you are a bloomin' jackass and no fl. 
 Mary my love I'm that discons'lale wi L 'y^h ri 
 can tabear myself, and if you don't make tracks out of 
 this in rather less than a brace of shakes ^ 
 
 alarm, and raise 
 
 and Tommy about your 
 
 ring the fire- 
 ear^." 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 ng contrast with 
 around. I was 
 nt, and trusting 
 ils would enable 
 )r a i&^N minutes 
 e difficulty, and 
 >rk underneath, 
 been a lucky 
 
 nal tormentors 
 m this quarter, 
 d found that it 
 
 that it c juld 
 ielf. This was 
 er the ic^entity 
 
 this spo". 
 late at night? 
 - I heard call- 
 iry comments 
 the lumber in 
 i remain here 
 n was getting 
 doubt that he 
 
 1 rather than 
 
 d a growling 
 jainst a pile 
 ' Blest if I'll 
 2, come on, 
 to himself: 
 nd no flies, 
 It yer that I 
 acks out of 
 ring the fire- 
 ear^," 
 
 55 
 
 I scarcely heard him. For I had found something ; not 
 indeed anything likely to prove of much value;towards iden- 
 tification, but something which told me enough to fill me 
 with doubt and amazement. It was part of a gentleman's 
 riding glove, almost new and of the finest quality ; one 
 L :tton was still attached to it. This strip had, I supposed, 
 been partly torn off by the sLarp corner of the ventilator, 
 and had then been wrenched from the rest of the glove and 
 flung aside by the wearer into the corner where I found 
 it. 
 
 I put the scrap of dogskin into my pocket with shaking 
 fingers. There was no denymg that the discovery pointed 
 strongly in the direction of one solution of the mystery 
 which I liad scarcely dared to admit into my mind. Hilary 
 Gold's conduct anc manner had been so suspicious on the 
 last occasio'- of my seeing him tliat it was inevitable that I 
 should ask myself if we had not been altogether deceived 
 in him. But was it conceivable that a man could take 
 such a base revenge upon a woman for throwing him over, 
 as to form a deliberate and cold-blooded plan for driving 
 her out of her mind ? My brain reeled with agonizing 
 suspicions. 
 
 Suddenly Harry Hopkins' voice, much nearer than be- 
 fore, roused me to a remembrance of my strange situation. 
 I, however, kept quite still, on the chance that he might 
 pass me. He did. I heard him stumbling along, solilo- 
 quizing so loudly as to preclude the possibility of his dis- 
 covering me by the aid of his ears, and using expressions 
 of which I understood nothing save that they expressed 
 the strongest disapprobation of my conduct and an acute 
 desire to " have it out " with me. He went so far down 
 the long room that the inspiration seized me to try to make 
 my escape while his back was still turned. 
 
 Cautiously stealing out of my hiding-place, I crept along 
 the uneven floor, praying that no incautious tread, no un- 
 
 
 M 
 
S6 
 
 PRETTY Af/ss SMITH. 
 
 preventible stumble wnnM a- 
 
 •he door unheard b^ hr^e wt ,d'7 "."'"^ ""°"«'' 
 ■^"•ong the lumber wbiirrind f ^. °", ^""""« '"' ™^ 
 ■nyseif securely. On e other I, '' °' ""'" '" '^""'^ 
 I'e would probably im S>e ^ , ^1'^'"'" '^ '"= ''"'■'' ■"' 
 
 Whole 1 decided hZf ' ,7^ ,'""' '•' '"'"'=■ O" 'he 
 'Chance of remain ngu^v^ ' ""«'"' »•'"■ » g°od 
 'he sack, of grain wi.l, w "ch ,| ,^V^'"'''= "'>-'f .™o„g 
 "hen Hopkins had given 'his 7 T """''■ ■"'="• 
 
 ■^reep out and decide from w ''' ''"''''•="• ' "^'"'W 
 
 for .he man t^fltl'X 71 °' ■''''''''''' '''''''' 
 mind. °"'>^ destroying poor Mary's 
 
 .'acks'lriflaT'aT;' "'^^=' ''"•"' " P'"= "^ ",1, 
 staircase by whllT' had,': !' ''°'^''"" '"'" '"' '""<'" 
 kins, more'fnri^^i ^g y t ttvl b' ^"" """^ ""P- 
 and began tc come dow,7 ' ■""■'' °P^" "'= <'°<"- 
 
 .-e? ir^oinrto^reetT '"^ -■■" ^^^^ ^ -"^'•"^ 
 
rK£7ry M/s.s smith. 
 
 57 
 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Ev the help of that lucky star which seemed to be protect- 
 mg me through my adventures, I was able to stifle tlie 
 ooughuig and sneezing I could not altogether repress so 
 that the night-watchman could not hear me 
 
 He continued to call me in alternating coaxine and 
 . reatemng tones, now infonning ,ne that /w.as " f ,.^ 
 of ins bloonnn' eyes," and anon that he would "get ra d e 
 ack ne« day, bles, if he wouldn't." To ail tl,e.,e bla,,^ 
 .»hmeuts, however, I of course retnained mute. Ther " as 
 a dogged obstutacy about his tones, however, which con 
 vmced me that I was no. ye. on. of danger of d cov r 
 
 ^ZZln ' \ "" '■"'''•"""'•• »° '■'■'""='■ -> -d'of 
 ''all. Ihen, running down the steps, he detached them 
 rom the hook which kept .hem in place, and amoved 
 Ihem to some distance. leraoved 
 
 J^^:T^ '^.'""■" '"^ "'^ '° '"'-'elf i.. a low voice 
 v.th sp,.eful emphasis, ■• if you're up .here still I give m 
 leave to try to come down when my back's trnld r 
 you ea„.. burst the string, you can ju'st Tay th ™ m vo 
 dl'^K?: ; "k '' '■°" ""' '^ J'"«° ^''■'■"^•-" good 
 
 "V'ouli..le wretch! "I said to myself. 
 
 revel ''^Tv''"'T T* *'^ ■""" '"'••'" »«=■"?' -< 
 he ™'* ^ ? "" ^°°' "'"'* 'ed into .he l,o„s, 
 he ,ve,u through, evidently with the object of ascertaining 
 
 lit 
 
 :>. 
 
 
58 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITn. 
 
 sure there J"r/22'Tri"': ""' "'°"8'' ' '''' 
 works where a per™, U„V." """"'" """" ** 
 without fear 71" I hid T"'""' •^""" '"■<" 
 horror of " „ach erv ' , a, , ;" ! " "™"e '■™'"''"= 
 ".rough those roo,: lu o 'v ts 1 "°' '" H^ "'^^^'^ 
 Wheels, and stills with curlyehin ; " Tr"' ?"' "««''' 
 downa little lower hehinrl M ,^>"- Solonly cmuched 
 
 .hem to find o„. ::„':'::' ;,;:,dr''' """ '"=''^'' "-'^ ■•" 
 
 I hoped I should not Invp f„ .. i 
 •hough, for already I wa 'Z,l r ' T' '" "" ''"'^ 
 
 beetles, and thfv ; ^ ^n 71 T/r ''"" '"^^'■- 
 and .,11 the time I could l^u "'''''?' "= '""■"; 
 
 moment tL I'sCd tl "'' "" "'°"«'" ""^ 
 
 philosophy, ,0 c u iot r u', °" "•'• "■ ""^''=" '^•■■^^ "° 
 »hrieki4'„;yself J:!'": "'"'"' '''"' P^--'"-"" -e frotn 
 
 no' "wtt^ktT ■''""" °' "°'""'"'' '"■"• ' doubted 
 .ions in . ^ f. ;,r,r';'""^ °' »----'.g his fascina- 
 
 minor terror, X t l'i""« ^^'""'"'^ "> "'e^e 
 
 "hich was ..rf o a ::::s;"t:'' -^"^^ °^ ^ ""''^ 
 
 with slow and is i, , 7 *°™eone was coming, 
 
 iong storerotX. t ^d' i',ir;"';/°r^'T' ''"" "'^ 
 so cat-like, that if the ll i u ^' "^ ""'' ™ ^o *">«. 
 
 1 coubt „;. wi^'; I tr^d wrheaS';"'" 1",'°°-' 
 
 my thoughts, instead of turninir to fh, t " "'^'' 
 
 ^orwhomxwas„„.hewa;xvr^"gr:;-:x 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. ^^ 
 
 stories about the house being - haunted." No man, how- 
 ever careful, could tread as softly as that; beside frol 
 t.me to t.n.e I detected a faint, rustling siund, , ke t" 
 «a s.lk skm brushing against some object as " 
 
 Holding n,y breath, I tried to peep out. There was 
 scarcely any daylight left, and nowi.dow on the opposite 
 -de of the storeroom for some d.^ance down. Peerin! 
 between the cornsacks, however, wuh straining eyes f 
 fanced I cou d distinguish the f.gurc of a woman, gliding 
 very slowly along, hke a g,ey shadow in the gloom Tht 
 wu.dow belrnd mc was so blocked up with sacks and 
 boards that scarcelya -y of light came through, and I w^ 
 askmg myself whether my imagination had not Carried me 
 juvay when I heard the handle of the door which led into 
 the house softly turned. The door was locked, however 
 and presently I heard the handle rattled impatiently-and 
 the door shaken with some viole.icc. Almost at the same 
 moment I heard Harry Hopkins' voice, within the hou^l 
 hummmg a com.c song in respectfully modulated tones. 
 At this sound, the mtruder fled back down the storeroom 
 -scarcely n. tmje. As the watchman opened the door, he 
 eaught sight of the mtruder, whom he mistook for nie 
 
 "Hallo ! There you are, ma'am, are you ^ Well, you 
 don't get away this time ! " 
 
 Taking a whistle from his pocket, he blew it three times 
 the shrill sound making the windows rattle in their frames' 
 In a few moments a tall, broad-shouldered young man' 
 carrying a lantern, appeared at the further end of the store- 
 room. -wwv. 
 
 " Hello ! " he said. " What's up .? » 
 
 "There's a girl, the new girl-at the 'ouse, a-wandenV 
 somewhere about the place,"said Hopkins, in a half-gZ- 
 bhng. half-excited tone. - I am afraid she'll ..f 1 into 
 UOUWe, fall down the lift p'raps, or something.""' """ 
 
 f i 
 
PRETTY MISS SAf/T/f. 
 
 It don't matter for the girl," said the younger 
 
 " I see. 
 man drily. 
 
 ;; Well, .he'd have brought it on herself, yer see ' 
 Vou'rc always a-running after the ^WU 'T ,' 
 
 a fall. " ""'""^'"> '«'""". ™y vanity had 
 
 •• I took her fora lady at first," the young ,„an wen, on 
 abo,;. her."'""'^ """ ' ^^^'^ '""' "^ -"-ink w^g 
 
 -,:i,:-.r:j:rtrr'"^rTF^ 
 
 mean ? " ^ ' ^hy, who do yer 
 
 the manager, as I tell you." *° ^^'^ 
 
 Hopkins stopped short in amazement 
 
 ..eZ'L:dt;:;rr,t; ™:re'':'«r' ^'" ■"''p'=-''." 
 
 1 • . . ■'^ -iiien mere are two wnmpn n;n 
 
 Playm' h.de-and-seek about this 'ere nla ° ? ' ' '" 
 name's 'Opkins ! " ^ ^' ""' '"""^ ^« '"X 
 
 'viro^r.!.' ''' '^'"' ' ^''■'"^^'"' ^° ^^- ^-ch other's 
 ^ur out all on account of the same young spark ? " 
 
 lie affected to reject it, and proposed a search of the store 
 room to bee n with p„f *i siore- 
 
 notion tni/ '^ ^"""S^' "^^" '^"g'^ed at the 
 
 notion, told him it would take a dozen men to make the 
 search properly, and added his confident belief that the 
 g.rl, or girls. in hiding, would come out fast e'. J f 'he, 
 were ieft alone. " "^o- " '"^> 
 
: on earth did 
 
 Ph'ETTY AriSS ^MlTir, • j, 
 
 " A girl keep, out of the way of a chap like you because 
 she knows precious well you'll run after her," said BiU 
 sentenfously "Now if it was me she'd never let me alone,' 
 because .f she d.d I should let her alone. That's all the 
 difference. Girls know, bless you ! " 
 
 And having succeeded in restoring the calmness of his 
 te'n anTn J- ^'".^'" ^'^ ^^°^^ '^'" ' ^^'"^'"g ^is Ian- 
 
 j:Lrd hfm°'''"' ''''' ' ^^^ "-"^^ •---' ^'-'y 
 
 After this there was a long penc I of de J silence but for 
 the night-noises, which seemed to^^ .w louder as the dark- 
 ness came on, and the wind blew colder through the cracks 
 and devices. Every bone in my body ached with the 
 .ram of remaining so long in a cramped position. I felt 
 a last that I must come out of my hiding place and move 
 about a little, when suddenly I thought I could distin^ 
 guisli sounds of voices in the distance. They came 
 nenrer. t distinctly heard '^ All right ; thank you,'sir,'' in 
 Hopkins' voice, and then, after a short pause, the doir a 
 he further end of the storeroom opened quietly, and I 
 heard a man's tread along the creaking boards 
 
 Surely he would hear my heart beating ! The man car, 
 ned no light and the darkness was now complete j but he 
 came on without faltering, like a person who knows his way 
 Of course I could not see Jiim, tl^ough I crawled out of my 
 nd.ng place on my hands and knees in the vain effort^o 
 ^o so. He stopped under the attic door, evidently feeling 
 ^r the steps which Hopkins had removed. Howev f 
 was so familiar with the place that he found, replaced and 
 mounted them with very little difficulty; a^d finding the 
 door astened up, either cut or untied the string, and let 
 himse f through without more than a i.^ momen^V delay 
 The strangest thing about the intruder was the utter silenc^ 
 t'trr'L!'?"^'^ ': ^.^f ^^-^-^^^ -- l^- prepared 
 
 ■1 , 
 
 ill 
 
I ii 
 
 111! 
 
 6a 
 
 II If 
 II i 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I all"': I 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 This, I was sure, was the man I had set mvself to 
 
 «t;t M '"^" "''° "" ^"'^'"^ """ - infan^oTd ig,: 
 agamst Mary's san.ty. But I had not realized ontil tha 
 moment when he stood within a few yards of m, ha 
 courage ,. would need to follow to his work a 1; who 
 
 blooded and heartless murderer. I shook like a leaf as I 
 came o„t from my hiding-place and stood, with Jv blood 
 frozen .n my veins, at the bottom of the steps, at L not 
 danng ,o go up. Yet how could I draw back nLw. with the 
 solution of the mystery at my very feet? The man who! 
 
 plrbdofTs'""""""'^ '■"^^■'"' -- '^ >%"' "'some 
 
 Ja f "'''"'' "P. *<^ "='i'-c''s<= '""• feet deadened by cold 
 and fear, and shpped through the door noiselessly. ^How 
 hombly qmet the wretch was ! I waited, holding „" 
 breath, for some moments, before a slight scraping sound 
 old me ,n what direction he had gone. Then satisfl d 
 that he was some distance off, and perceiving that if I 
 hoped to be successful, I must make as' little nofse as 1, 
 went downon ray hands and knees, and absolutely crawled 
 along U,e floor, feeling my way with my hands before each 
 forward movement. 
 Nobody who has not found himself late at night in a 
 
 ture but one desperate scoundrel, can realize what my feel- 
 mgs were as I drew near to the spot where he was aTlork 
 When nothtng bu, .,ne empty packing-case stood between 
 h.m and myself I stopped and waited. I could jus thea" 
 h.m ratse the lid of the ventilator, and then I heaM Mary 
 ^h as she turned in bed. This man had calculated 1^^ 
 time to a mmu'e or two. He moved slowly away while I 
 trembled lest he should have discovered me. Bu't"' he 
 was paietratmg much further into the long attic, When 
 
1^^ 
 
 PRETTY UrSS SAttTir. 
 
 «3 
 
 he returned, I could hear from certaiu sHghl sounds that 
 he was bnnging with him .he birds he usfd for "he .rS 
 piayed upon IVIary. Then came Ihe expected momel _ 
 he w,re work of the ventilator ,vas lif.ei. and the bTrds let 
 hrough w,.h the fluttering and screeching I had itard 
 ."nee before. Again poor Mary's sobs and moans brought 
 .lie tears to my eyes and made me grind my teeth. Afte 
 
 ea'trtiTr:"" '^^'^ ^r -"■^--'.-q.uckiyat. 
 
 neatly that I was certain they must be secured in some 
 ivay, and the ventilator was softly closed 
 
 I was beginning to think that I should have no opportuni- 
 y of seeutg the man's face, when another and much louder 
 so nd caused me to turn tnyhead towards the door of the 
 atl.c. Someone was coming in, someone with a light sot^e! 
 one who had no care about being heard or not heard iTa 
 few ra.nutes I saw to n,y astonishment that it was the worn!,! 
 Who had followed Hilary from the door o M M rib" ' 
 office, and who had met him at the Temple statiof Tfe 
 expression of her face was wild, but determined and almos 
 fierce. I noted what a t.all, powetfnl woman she ,'^4 
 she raised the watchman's lantern she carried, and mJved 
 ■t from side to side, evidently in search of someone. 
 
 afrlw tirsf "' "7"'"""''' '="°"8'' f"™'^- Dreadfully 
 afraid that she might see me and haul me out to answer 
 
 questions, I crouched down behind my packing case Ih 
 waited for the meeting ^ "^ * ""= ^^^ 
 
 n 
 
 i. iif 
 
 1-1 
 
64 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 came recklessly on, and passed without seeing me, as I 
 cowered down close to the floor. I felt as much afr. id o 
 
 wolfish m the expression of her long, grev-green evf.s 
 w. their straight light brows, and in'tlfe :Xs -a 
 mouth wuh ns crimson lips. As soon as she 'ad 
 passed me, I ventured to creep roimd the back of the 
 packing-case which stood between mc and the unknown 
 man. Wnatever the risk I ran, I felt that I must see his 
 face, when the light of the lantern should be flashed upon 
 
 But he was gone. The only trace he had left was a 
 handful of httle soft feathers from a bird's breast. 
 
 In my impatience and disappointment, I could not 
 refram from uttering a slight sound. It was scarcely more 
 than a long breath, but the woman heard it, and turning 
 quickly round she discovered my presence and laid a strong 
 hand upon my shoulder. 
 
 "Get up," she exclaimed in a harsh whisper. " Let me 
 see your face. Who are you ? " 
 
 She flashed the lantern into my eyes, making them blink 
 and smart ; and apparently taking my confusion for a sign 
 of guilt, she shook me roughly, and peered into my face 
 witn her lips drawn back from her teeth, just like some 
 savage animal. 
 
 " I— I am a friend of Miss Smith's," I said as boldly as 
 I could. 
 
 The woman laughed derisively- 
 
 "Oh yes, we're all friends k Miss Smith's, aren't we? 
 
PRETTY MISS SMTTII, 
 
 \'i 
 
 6S 
 
 rest ^hr' "f"^ '" ^"^'^ ^^^' y-' - -ell as the 
 rest I have no doubt. And pray what is Miss Smith's friard 
 doing up here at this time of niglit ? " 
 
 "That is no business of yours." I said resohitely 
 Jc:i::sT "°' '^"^ '-^"^ ^'^-^-'-.iderand I^okedat 
 
 doub't L i/eT:::! "" '^"^' '"^ ^^'^^^ ^ ^-^ ^-' ^^ 
 
 ^^ ^'Icamelu..rctowatch somebody," I answered simply ^ 
 If that IS what you call meeting " ^^ ' 
 
 " Oh ! " ^' 
 
 totel^rmf Sr ' ^"' ''^^°""^'^^' '^"^ ^^'^ -''-^ 
 she s okn T'- "°"^'^ermg my face for some moments 
 
 she spoke again m a much lower tone. 
 
 , /f '"c-who were you watching? " 
 
 She threw back her head defiantly 
 
 ;; So youVe . kind „f pnVate detective ? " she said. 
 
 aretr:i:r:x;:;:-;-'"-'ofi,,do,,..ho 
 
 ' Well, I don't much mind if I tell you Yoi h;,v. 
 
 :r It; :: ■'"''■• -^ -"-■ "■" - '•« be!:;e: d":;;: 
 
 I'lTly, 1 d as soon serve yours as his " 
 "Well, well, whose?" 
 
 I was on fire with impatience to hear the name T.,.^ 
 as s e was overcoming her final hesitancy 0^;; Is 
 something mov ng behind h^r ti, • ^^' ^ '"^^ 
 
 ."„ was snatchel o , of her ha,^ JT' T""" "^ '••"" 
 we were i„ darkness ' ''""' " ""*' •■'"<' 
 
 Murder!" " "luuin. • Help. 
 
 
 Ti 
 
 • ''1 H 
 
66 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMrTTl. 
 
 rat an ;,17: '^ ""' "^ "^^' '° '"^ """ "-' ' --g"' 
 The woman uttered a loud groan 
 "My arm ! Don', break my arm l' 01,, mercy, mercy ! » 
 
 his ^cre"'" ™' """* ""'""^ ''°'™" '° "■""^ ''"''"P 
 Still lie never uttered a word, 
 
 a voicrn?'! """''^^ '''"' ^ ''°"'' ^'''''y y^"'" ^he cried in 
 a voice of agony, too much excited to keep silent. " You 
 
 know what you promised me, you know what you promised 
 I only came down here to find out if you were keepin. 
 your word. Pm not jealous, not a bit ' It's al^overf 
 ween us lo.^ ago, I k,K,w. But I want money, and you 
 sa.d i should have it out of this girl's. Well when J^k 
 commg? When.P That's what I J.t to know' " 
 
 She had torn herself away fro.r him, and her excited 
 tones grew louder and louder as he pursued her in the dTrk 
 ness. Long before ti.e end of this speech she had f^ rgotten 
 the presence o a tinrd person, I was sure. But he had not 
 
 ^oi^ dTd'h r" ''^'r'^^^-^' ^^^^ ^' '^^ '^'g'--' '-dt; 
 
 ponu, d.d he betray hunself by the utterance of a single 
 word. Yet all the time he was stealthily chasing h t 
 
 doVhtc"a^; Jh'er! ' '''''''''' '''' '^^ ^' ^'^^ '^ ^"'^ 
 
 I had by this time reached the door, and was placing my 
 
 oot on the step outside, when a cry, in a womin's voi"! 
 
 tell upon my ear. ' 
 
 "I will get help. Help ! " I shouted, as I fell rather than 
 walked down the ladder-staircase, and scurried along ,h" 
 storeroom. '.Help ! Help ! " i „peated, as I r.r : o 
 
 all over the floor. ' 
 
 " Hallo 1 " cried a well-known voice, and Hupki 3 the 
 
 watchman, caught me as I was rushing blindly past him! 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH g 
 
 I was still ejaculating " R^in t '> a- • , 
 
 to recover my breach anH !? ^ , /'^J°'ntedly, as I tried 
 detaining hands ' ^^"-"ggled to free myself from his 
 
 " Come with me, come back to the atnV " t 
 
 wilhout moving a step "I w h' ■■' comp„,edly, 
 
 particular pa' of m „e I.L '" "'"-■" =""' >«='» =« 
 
 -re ..: ,- ro'; ?^\^r.oTv;p,:;^j-ii\^ 
 
 stood fo " """"^'' '^ "'^ "'^hman-s eooTnet ,L I 
 
 -agination. B^t p'et^e' l^eV'™^ "^''^-^ 
 
 and I shook my head with a "Xr '"" '"^ ""* 
 
 ar qTtatr'mLTd'ifl" "r^"'" ' P^"'^" -'• "T^ey 
 he >ril, do he:';ome ia™"" *" ""' =""^ "■" ' ''^"■=- 
 
 " A woman ! " cried HoDki"n<; ti, 
 apprehension, he went on' ."oh ' s 2 ' ""^ °' 
 woman who wanted to sp, th. '^ ' "'ysterious 
 
 " Km, ,„k J , ""^ manager, no doubt " 
 
 But why don't you go and see ? '• L\a t • ■ 
 " Cos I ain't so fond „f ,v" .- . "" ' ™patientlv. 
 
 rels,'' he said driy:!^°specL ;"::?■" """^ ^''^^^' -aV- 
 and most lilce.y h'jsba'd a d w^ nToT? "" ' '"'"""• 
 
 e^ido..mi„dgoi„ghaekw;^;:-htz..;°:;-, 
 -;,::xi:^rp:;n"tru;hr 
 
 at a sauntering paee whL '^r Z y " .*; '""■"°°"' 
 
 qutcken. Expecting that ,he«:oZ'scrre'srnd''" '"" '" 
 
 uiuaij s (pries and groans and 
 
 If \ 
 
68 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 Joud complaints wo ild break unnn n,,- «o 
 
 I w.. s„rp„«d and rathrtlZd "" :r/.:r,"!^' 
 
 " /T.Hn • " I T ^^"^^^ satisfied. 
 
 ~:;;.ou:t^;? "^'^^---^^wanttow 
 
 As she took no notice, he left me and ran after her 
 
 ".*;o,v„ „,a„, .„„ ,,, ;L:r3: : :r;;~:;.;^^^- 
 
 should not again escape me. There was , f 1 , , ' 
 Where I was standing, s'o I decidedrrr/lX^d 
 
 " So, as I didn't see why I should be left in the l„r^l, r 
 
 here. That was fa.r enough, wasn't it? I hiv. Z^ 
 
 you or anybody any harn, ; I only wanted an .! . j, Z 
 
 from my young MA. n." °" 
 
 "WelJ, Idon: . e as thnf.: inv -. 
 
 eas mats any excuse ,• comm' arj 
 
Pl?ETrV M/SS SMITH. 
 
 ($9 
 
 kicking up a rumpus in Miss Smith's house. And it's 
 doubly wrong to come a-arskin' for the manager juft to ee 
 inside the premises, 'cause it's calculated to get me into 
 trouble Therefore, you'll please, miss, in future to have 
 your sh,nd.es outside. I.rthe meantime as I mu t Lt see 
 
 i^strintidT'^'""-'"'^ ^°" "^^' ^'"^-^ ^-bL;: 
 
 to step mside here a minute." 
 Little insignificant creature as Hopkins looked he Was 
 
 head taller than humelf, and in spite of her stru^eles to 
 escape, he half dragged, half pushed her into a Sroom 
 
 T"? 7 ^°" '■'^ '-^'I '-'g'^^. mi'^sis," he turned the kevin th! 
 lock and walked away from the door towards Sstlir 
 
 Just at this moment I heard a man's footsteps behfnri 
 Zlvry::''' d'-tion of the staircase It wt he 
 
 to have my suspicion. co„f,n„cd. I!„i as he set Tl 
 *es,ai,.case I sa. .I,a, .„.. „,„„ wa d e«ed i , aW 
 loose, rough coat and broad-briinmed fel h« „ t 1' 
 entirely disguised bo.h head and fig^ C Here i sT'rd 
 Crane „,y neck ,o look a. him as I might, and as I dw' 
 tlr "-"f ™-i°" to be gleamed^vi'thou. a si hfof 
 ms ace He was runiung rapidly dom. the stair, r 
 
 rn^'rtlre"-'''''-^^^-'--'--^- X 
 «ca,ing „e. I caught him Jithiit' ''^^ a X:; ™ "HJ 
 
 f ; 
 
 
7« 
 
 PRETTV MISS SMITH. 
 
 ground. "''"°''""- "'•■"'"ewith.nthreestepsofthe 
 
 Ho'nlrr "?'"' "'<•"'>'<"'■■ "«l>'i"' I shrieked shrilly to 
 Hopk.ns, «.ho was slanding lamem in hand. ^ 
 
 he ™oved^a step forward, he turned ,he light full upot'th" 
 
 Z°!T """'"" ' """='' "'""kly at .he drawn features 
 prev than" " "f"^' "'^° '°°'"=<' -<- "^e ' beS 
 
 "^^;z^ ;r -^ -™ -^ "> -^ ^^^^ »:: 
 
 For it was the face of a n,a„ I had never seen before. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 71 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 I SUPPOSE I fainted or went out of my mind for a short 
 penod, overcome by the excitement of my chase of the 
 mysterious man, and by the amazement I felt on discover- 
 ing hmi to be a stranger. 
 
 At any rate, when I came to myself I was sitting on the 
 hard stone floor, propped up against the bottom step of 
 the front staircase, and Hopkins was standing over me 
 flash„.g the hght of his lantern on my face, wi^h a rath'; 
 malignant expression on his own features 
 
 " Oh, so you've come to, heV you? " said he drily be- 
 fore I remembered much. ^' 
 
 collect ""^ ""^ ^"' ""' ''"^' °'" ^^^ ^^^^' ^^y'"g to re. 
 " So you've been a playin' the spy, and a workin' of 
 yerself into a fever all about nothing," continued thet tch 
 man jeeringly. ^ Now I s'pose you're not a servant at all 
 but heV come here with some hend in your heye mo t 
 hke y a man But I tell you, whoever /ou are ' t 3 
 wash. I ain't a-goin' to heV this place made . 'anting 
 ground for young women that heV grievances against th f 
 young men, and so I tell yer." 
 
 I listened very quietly, a good deal impressed by the 
 senous, earnest manner of the little Cockney, who gave me 
 strongly the idea that he would be above a bribe 
 
 '' That doesn't apply to me," I said at last, - but I think 
 It does to the woman whom you shut in that room " And 
 I pointed to the door he had locked upon her, which now 
 stood open. " Whut i,as become of her > " 
 
 ^'There's not much to choose between yer, I expect if 
 the truth was kno^^n;• said Hopkins bluntly. <' Hrever, 
 
 m 
 
 .1 
 
 ■|4 
 
 "!i'*; 
 
•^ 
 
 PRRT-rv MISS SM/T//. 
 
 fu . 
 
 she was ab'*- 'o tnvf , i t»« 
 
 youve d„„e, .nt :,«:': ,:r Id '""^'^ "■» ""»• 
 
 h" "P ; s,. ihe's cone rV,, / someone to back 
 
 A.>d if ever,ou /e. ^ i^ cltt^tt frr'/"' 
 set the watch-dawir at ver ' ^^"^ ''^ ^ ^O"'* 
 
 T 1- . , o **' y^^- '-^ now ver know " 
 
 colMterrote^rarr''^ "-o^d^r^ndeed X 
 
 was ™; r^n ^'i;" ' '""""''' ""»" "= ^^^^ fi-'i^h^O, .. who 
 
 Hopkins began to chuckle a little anH tr. i , 
 nous. "'^' ^"" to look myste- 
 
 "A^Jith^"""' ""■"!='"'"'"'"'■'«" he. 
 hon^e? " ''' "" '"'" ' P"' ■ "-■»« - '»e auics over .he 
 
 — X^^:i^ J/- -^ f'-d. .her. I hke,. 
 
 suffered by .he lady of^hf h ^ ^A^d dM .f'-'-'-'^^'^ 
 to you to connect vn„r r. " *' ^^^^r occur 
 
 / ^onnect your pr-cious ' pal ' with th^n, > » 
 
 Theopmionlhad conceived of he witch m^ 
 
 was strengthened' ',. the nay in Tchhe^T) '"*'^"'^^" 
 
 t'ons. He stared .. ra. at Zt h .^ T^" '''"'" ^""- 
 
 ^;^or^^'-^---^'---"-n^ 
 
 ,0,11 ''" "" "'" "^™"»£ 'Pe^'ing in ve,y decided 
 " We!! perhaps, now that T „ 
 
 jgai., .o.,„or,„w nigh. , el, '.en'" "" "'°'"'' ^ ""^ 
 degree „„hle,y, j,,!. /o, o^h,. C ," "' *:"'«''"' 
 and 6nd out how he ,«sses h.alc ,Vre°" "' ""'"• 
 
PR £ Try MISS SMiTir. ^^ 
 
 By tins lime I could see that Hopkins was as much im- 
 pressed by my earnestness as I had been by his. He stared 
 at me out of the corners of his eyes for some moments, and 
 then asked bhintly: 
 
 "And who the dickens axc you V 
 
 There was no further use in conceah-ng my identity, in 
 fact It must be known the next day by all the houselioW, 
 aslnitendcd to «. up to town and bring Mr. Marshall 
 back with nic, if 1 could, 
 
 "I was a schoolfellow of Miss S ..iih's, and her dearest 
 friend ' I said. " Ai>d I am intimate with Mr. Marshall 
 and all Ins family. [ pretended to be a servant to gain 
 admittance here, because I was sure something was wrong 
 with my friend. Now I have found out what i» is, and I 
 shall brmg Mr. Marshall down to put things right." 
 
 Hopkins looked at me with something like consternation 
 or is face. 
 
 '' i.Ir. Charles Marshall, that is, ain't it?" he said du- 
 biously. - I don't know him ; he's never been down here, 
 as I Miows OP in all the years I've been here. Well," he 
 weni on aftc nausc, in a great burst of resignation' " if 
 anyihmg wrouj, ., happened it's no fault of mine. But as 
 lor Its being the man you saw to-night that's at the bot- 
 tom oi u, why it's all my eye ; for he's a government 
 detective sent to keep his eye on the excisement ! » 
 
 He brought this explanation out triumphantly, and I 
 confess it was what Tom Marshall would have called a 
 'staggerer' to me. What object could a government 
 detective have in frightening poor Mary out of her wits > 
 
 Are you quite sure he's a detective-thai man I saw > " 
 1 asked much more humbly. 
 
 Hopkins laughed contemptuously. 
 
 Ju ^l '"!^^ ^' ^ """ ^^^^ "^y "^™^'s 'Opsins, that's all, 
 »Vhy, he s been on this lay for weeks." 
 
 " And the woman ? Who is she > =' 
 
 % 
 
74 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 goods under fa),- pre,e„™'; ' "'""'^•'^' f"' "'"aining 
 foliov^n, h™ , ^t^ °-o-«„,. So.^e. .„„^ 
 
 specially ,vhen .here ^n't lotr"!" ■'"" '° "^" "'^ ""'l>. 
 •hen. mi«, if you're rcldv r 'I ^ '°' "^ '>""8- Now 
 blun.1,-. ^^' ' " "''"= yo" back," he finished 
 
 l>e delivered rae up ,o C J!l i, T^''" '" ""^ ^""dor, 
 that H.hoever I «,as The'd ,7. I ''™"^ "P'"'"=<1 ^opc 
 of the ,vorks. Th™ wf.h ^° '"°"«'" '° •=«!' "« ° « 
 
 '-i„g„e.o facet' crpero^^/Le"'""' "= "'"^^ °'^' 
 
 Mar;i:rht::;ru-,:'*tr '""'-^-- -^ 
 
 " Georgia Oliver !■■ a J 1,^7 ' ?''"« '°'' "Georgie!" 
 wl-ich betrayed me Tit n,i'"T''r""^ '" f"" >™rd, 
 ".rough the householl hatTr '"" ^P'"""^ 1-'<=tly 
 bad, therefore, no. o„ y o /u ^ ' ^"^ ,'" '"^ -"P- ' 
 den's fretful questioning bm I ^'■";°*' °' ^''- ^am- 
 Picious glances of the sLan, i'" "" ""^'''^ and sns- 
 vivacious Emily at tl e r hTad 'sf T "' "''°"' '"'"■ «- 
 end of the corridor a M,rv he ™'""'"° ""= •■""' ""= 
 
 her bedroom and thrL her'a'"^"'! ''°'"^' """'"' f™"' 
 . It was .early one Xloc" MvTb "" ""''■ 
 "ous rumors that followed, hadiem h""',"'; "'■' "''='=■ 
 0"t of their beds. Telli, „ m ' ^ ^ "''"''^ household 
 would give her any expSofs'Ih ^'""'!." "^"^ "'a- I 
 ing day, I took Mary Sck h to h "^"'"^ °" ""= ^""ow- 
 »» ".y passing the r«t :^rnt r"""' "*"= ^'^ "-•^'ed 
 
 Next day I lold both Mr, rf ^ 
 tbat 1 believed that the laUer iTu" '"'' ""^ P""^ S''" 
 
 trick Which, however. I did „; hi r "" ™'™ "fa 
 
 ' ""' """I' she would suffer fron, 
 
He's been 
 "or obtaining 
 So she's been 
 
 ibtfiilly. 
 
 H the truth, 
 'ying. Now 
 ' he finished 
 
 I had been 
 le corridor, 
 ■essed hope 
 :eepmeout 
 •valked off, 
 
 ce. Poor 
 
 '^eorgie I " 
 
 fall words 
 
 id quickly 
 
 camp. I 
 
 ^rs. Cam- 
 
 and sus- 
 
 ^vith the 
 
 from the 
 
 hed from 
 
 emyste- 
 Jusehold 
 ly that I 
 : follow- 
 insisted 
 
 jor.girl 
 m of a 
 er frorq 
 
 fRETlY MISS SMITH. y^ 
 
 again. When, however, they both pressed me to say who 
 It was who had played the trick, I had to own myself at a 
 loss J and this fact I could see laid my evidence open to 
 suspicion, especially as I did not think it necessary to re- 
 late my adventures of the night. These I was reserving 
 for Mr. Marshall's ear. He, a shrewd lawyer as well as a 
 sympathetic friend, was, I knew, the proper person to go 
 to for advice in the matter. 
 
 Mary would not let me start for the City as early as I 
 wished, being nervous, depressed, and an.xious to keep me 
 with her. When at last she Reluctantly permitted me to 
 get ready, she insisted on following me to my room and 
 reniaining while I put on my hat. My dressing-table was 
 m front of the window which was opened. I was glancing 
 out at a big barge, laden with straw, slowly making its way 
 up the river with the incoming tide, when my attention 
 was caught by a female figure on the river-path below. A 
 second look told me that it Was the Woman who had got 
 lino tlie distillery on the previous night. She was keeping 
 so closely under the shadow of the wall that I did not once 
 get a full view of her, but yet I knew her without the pos- 
 sibihty of mistake. The sight filled me with dismay. Who 
 was she? What could her object be in haunting this 
 place . In the present almost childish state of Mary's 
 mind, when she was hardly able to think or care for her- 
 self, I did not like to leave her, even for a couple of hours 
 exposed to the chance of an interview with a jealous or 
 revengeful woman. 
 
 As I stood considering what I should do, one of the 
 maids knocked at the door. 
 " If you please, is Miss Smith here ? " 
 
 Mary, who was easily startled, sprang up and ran to- 
 wards me. 
 
 ;^' What do you vvant ? " she asked, in a trembling Voice. 
 If you please, ma'am, Mr. Gold and young Mr. Mar* 
 
 
r^ 
 
 PnETTY M/SS Sjf/r/r, 
 
 -sir;::; J:1:t:[^--:?• ?'" '-^-^ 
 
 Hilary i„ Ue'r pr^LTJ^t "2^ T "' '" '"""''"^ 
 to clear up certam susnicion, 7 ""' '"'''°'"' '»■ 
 
 young ,„a„>s conduct bZr 7 °"" concerning ,|,c 
 
 b^eaci, beuveen '^i:' ^^^"m:^''^ ^ST "':! "'= 
 down to the front door not .vi.L " ""'■ "" 
 
 account, since I had « ye .^r"'" ," °," "^°"" 
 come my weakness for that Tom cntnely to over- 
 
 I r^l'^JuS^' '"^ '™"' "'°'' ■•' "- Ton, aione whom 
 
 -^catT^^stlnoThim' "■■^^- ^-"^ »'^ -' 
 "Oh, itv'you, ilt I ,:;,Xr "g T "7 "'^■ 
 
 s..d hoMingout my hand a ^:!^; ^^ "^ •-«." ' 
 
 ^iv^y' iTLr;h::th^r;y;"^^'' ™^«"«- '<"- 
 
 -O' s«m surprised ,rsefm7 "' ''""'' "'^' "= *'' 
 
 "He couldn't stand being i„s„.,ted, - he said •• r 
 
 ■''0 he s goiK to wait for me on rt,„ i f ' "n. 
 
 you. Suppose we take T vail u d 'f' "'t ' ''"" '" 
 not co„3ide , good enough to crin Lf.^-' ^ '■- 
 
 -vants, who knew Telld ^^, Jetid",;"" ^'^ °' "•" 
 house. He drew mv hand „,!^ f admittance to the 
 
 of proprietorship and begaVto d,, "'" '""' ' 'i"'" »'^ 
 trees. ^™ '° ''"S m« towards the fruit- 
 
 eo:«y> '^^:nc:!:^. ■•■■ •"= -■•■■ ■- -p'^-^ 
 
PRETTY MISS SM/T/r. 
 
 77 
 
 And he gave my hand another squeeze 
 
 "But you can't stay in the garden," I objected, "when 
 Mary won't let you into the house I " 
 
 " The very reason why I should stay in the garden," he 
 retorted calmly. «' Besides, why should I be so particular 
 about respecting the orders of a crazy girl, who is just 
 keeping me out of the property which will be mine some 
 
 I was appalled by this cold, brutal frankness. 
 What are you saying ? " I panted out at last. - Have 
 you no heart, no sense of decency ? " 
 ^^ -^^^ I hope I have a little of both," said Tom composedly. 
 J3ut iiot enough to make a hypocrite of me. If Mary's 
 out of her mind I'm very sorry for her; but I can't pre- 
 tend to feel much sympathy for a girl who looses )kt wits 
 without any provocation, especially when she treats my 
 friend badly, and when her insanity will help me to fortune '' 
 A pretty pair-you and your friend!" I burst out 
 md.gnantly. "All you care about is the poor girl's money. 
 1 think, in the circumstances, you might have the decency 
 to stay away from the place." 
 
 '' Perhaps I should if you were not here," said Tom 
 knocking down an apple from the tree under which he was 
 pas : :ng. 
 
 "Don't dare to mention me, sir, in the same breath with 
 with-with anything, in fact." I finished lamely, unable 
 to express my indignation in well chosen words - I would 
 never have anything to do with such a heartless creature as 
 you have proved yourself to be, if you were an emperor ' " 
 Quite right," said Tom. "An empress is hedged 
 round with all sorts of restrictions which you would never 
 stand. You d be always wanting to go down into the kit- 
 Chen to see whether liie cook's ways were clean." 
 
 What was the use of throwing away passionate indigna- 
 lion on this creature ? 
 
 
 ! •' 
 
 .' , L 
 
7« 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 ralXtS,''™''' ' «'- ""=■■• ' -^=0 Abrupt,, and 
 to stay." ^ ''^ "'" '^'^ quixotic enough 
 
 Ton, ™igiu\e ;,' ,'oX'"L";:':?r'' ^r- ^'^ "■'' 
 
 We did see her wou • ^ *^ "^^ ^^^^ clue to her identity 
 of the wa, ; her S-k l!'^ '''""^'^"^^ ""^^ ^'^ ^^ado'. 
 glanced at i/erttrLtg^^; ^I^^^; ^ ^^^ ^-'« eyes 
 He turned his face with m ''^" ^^ recognition, 
 
 on the Jeft. ^ "'^'^ '"'^^^'«* ^«>^^rds the bridge 
 
 ''There's Hilary," he said. 
 
 face f„„ of interest. T.^Le TXk X" ^■"i "'* ^ 
 great rate, and disappeared fori f. ""^ "«= ^ndge at a 
 eyes; the next glimme wf / , 7 "'°""""' f""" <>"•■ 
 %ure getting ov'er";!;:^:^ 7t Ve^ "'Tf "' "' 
 "lore and he was on the river-nrr, ,*! ^ '"' ''^P' 
 
 quickly, with a flushed facl w ,eh 7, '"' T'""* ""'' 
 Tom curiouslv he w„ "' '"'" I'^athlessly. 
 
 turned at the so nd of ,'" ''"'T.' "' ""= ""'"'»■ SI- 
 her hand with asm e Af r^"."" """''''"■ ""O ^eW out 
 
 .He. wa.ed o::^::he:^rt:,ct:,f:tr '""°^"- 
 
 I turned sharply to Tom v ** .e^^'^- 
 
 cer.e^.he.riey,,asti^:dr!:mT;w;.'°°^'^<''- 
 „f'";'/?^"''"'>l'oi»'l.atwoman?'. 
 
 .aken hi.!:"' '" "'' '"^- ^" "'^ — ce had for- 
 
abruptly and 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 n 
 
 f guessed that, 
 ixoti'c 'enough 
 
 r, in tlie hope 
 
 low, and that 
 iier identity. 
 
 r the shadow 
 Tom's eyes 
 recognition. 
 
 s the bridge 
 
 irded ^attci 
 Suddenly, 
 er him. He 
 him with a 
 bridge at a 
 ts from our 
 wed us hig 
 iQVf steps 
 diking Very 
 eathlessly. 
 nan. She 
 I held out 
 few words, 
 
 d discon- 
 
 had for- 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 WtTH one disgusted glance from Hilary and his companion 
 
 he garden towards the entrance-gates as fast as I could 
 But lorn was not to be shakenoff. He followed, and as" 
 of course able easily to keep pace ^.ith me, ' 
 
 ^^ Where are you off to in such a hurry .;• " he asked. 
 
 wish f^r^"'"^ "^ '° T" '° ''' ^'■- ^^''^^^^' -»d I don't 
 wish for your escort, thank you," I replied 
 
 "^^"''■egoing to have thaladvantage thrown in, though " 
 he sa.d coolly. <^ And you ought to be gratefu ; for t he 
 governor's very busy this morning, and perhaps yo.'ll hav 
 o come away w.thout seeing him, and be dependent on n^^e 
 for your lunch. And if I have any more tantrums it h.^^ 
 not go beyond the humble bun, < penny,' not ' Bath ' So be 
 a good girl, and don't give me any more trouble " 
 1 stopped short in dismay. 
 
 " Not be able to see him ! " I exclaimed. " Oh but I 
 must I must. It's life and death almost," I wem on 
 threatenmg to become hysterical. ' 
 
 It had occurred to me already that Tom's light manner 
 vas partly assumed that morning, that there wa! some r a 
 care underneath. Now I felt sure of it; for instead o 
 takmg my trag.c outburst lightly, as at another time I f.I t 
 
 t me w-r ' ''" '""' ""' ^'^'^ ^"'^^ ^^^^'•^^' --'d looked 
 ^w7 u '""°"' questioning expression in his eyes. 
 
 What have you got to tell him?" he asked very 
 lortiy, after a moment's pause, 
 fever mud.' 
 
 shortly, 
 
$o 
 
 PRETTY MTSS SM/T/f. 
 
 and ,vi,..ever you ^l^i,,^ I ^1, h^r """ "°°'''^"«' 
 
 I made no answer to this, and we walt^rf ,1, 
 "ay to the station almost in silenc! fI ''" °' ""= 
 
 I should have been stoical e,„u,h to h "''''"'■ ^ ""'"'^ 
 whole distance 10 the citv in J V j ' "■'"^"""^ ">e 
 
 -t p.esen.ly e^e/ted S'S' ' hi al'T ' f ''^"^ "-' 
 coaxing manner Which to ni<^ In , ^'^'^uming a 
 
 .ui.e ittesistihie, he^idr 'l nX t: ^T; f """' ''^^ 
 carnage until he was close h^.'J 1 ^^'^ renl^ay. 
 
 " Vouve gtown ^tyrrdrGtSe ""' "^' '""■^""^"^ - 
 
 .earo;/t:::;;:,r.pitrti::'^er^---° 
 
 and mystified, stupid after a bad "?I" rT "'"™""' 
 myseir for still canW for this hi f/^ ^"^''^ '""' 
 enough to be moved by h s ^fc '"L'f ,"' '" "■="" 
 and Tom, i„ real or affLted sympat y pu/htT '.° "" ■ 
 mine into my pocket in ^...^u /,^' P"^ "'s hand vviih 
 
 eyes. WhatTdt'::r t° rrt*"^''''' '° '''^ "^ 
 colored ribbon which I was ,-,b •"'" °' """" 
 
 Without seeming to tLX tS^Z TZ '? T'^"- 
 my eyes, and of course my horror a, fin?' ""='' " '" 
 
 "P my tears as no tenderJesTcl^irreTr''"''* ''™'' 
 andl;:L:r:lr-"I-^^ed. . Xfs spoilt now, 
 
 " It was my emotion—it got the h^i-f». r 
 mured Tom. "Don't vn„ k , ^' °^ '"^'" "lur- 
 
 Georgie?" ' ^°" ^^^'^^^ ^'^^ fond of you, 
 
 I shook my head. 
 
 "No, indeed I dnn't " t ^^-j j ., 
 
 thing, I don't believe after .he heart' '"^■. " ''"'■ °- 
 
 spoke about poorMary hat voTl ''-"""''''' ^'"' 
 
 much for any 'woman ; I'nd ,',;: ::oTn '' "'!?'"' 
 
 >ou're not capable of feeling mn h fo m ■ ' "' ' '""" 
 
 IjH 
 
s mystery," he 
 2r's confidence, 
 
 the rest of the 
 'y part, I tliink 
 : travelled the 
 e, if Tom had 
 Assuming a 
 s for him, was 
 ' the raihvay- 
 If whispered : 
 
 o burst into 
 as miserable 
 ^ angry n'ith 
 ^> yet weak 
 egan to cry ; 
 s hand with 
 ef to dry my 
 :e of cream- 
 ' to match, 
 pplied it to 
 spoilt dried 
 
 spoilt now, 
 
 me," mur- 
 i of you, 
 
 "For one 
 kvhich you 
 of feelinsr 
 e, I know 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. g, 
 
 helpt''' "''' ' ""^^ '""°^ °^ ^^^ --^ I couldn't 
 ^J^^nd yet you care for me a little bit still ? " whispered 
 
 " That doesn't prove you to be worth caring for It onl v 
 proves that I'm an idiot." ^ '^ 
 
 "Will you give me a kiss, Georeie? " h^ ^.\a ■ ■ 
 inglypuuin, „i. great ginge; Zrd c Js "o rL":" 
 
 But I intended to let him ^p,. fl,,, j- ' 
 
 ., '*^' "'"' see that an idiot once i>! nr,t 
 
 necessarily an idiot always. 
 
 "No !" I said, shooting the word out like a bullet and 
 drawing myself up .ery straight, " I will never ki' you 
 again, until you have left off being friends with the li" 
 who IS breaking Mary's heart." % 
 
 These words gave Ton, a shock. He told me that I was 
 h rd and unjust, and that it was Mary, on the coltrarT 
 »hose caprice and coldness had made Hilary m'sei be' 
 But of course I was too loyal to my friend to liLn to hiL 
 
 was as unconvinced as ever. 
 
 Rather afraid lest Tom, in his jealousy at m, „ant of 
 mifidence should try to prevent my soehig h" fl h I 
 look the daring step of running right through n „ ?/ 
 pnvate office without knocking ^or ly ^.^Z 
 
 suddLf'!!""" "■"' """'' '""'"S ^' his desk. When I 
 suddenly threw myself on my knees beside him and looked 
 up mto^bis face, he looked as if a cannon ..1 h^lantd 
 
 .u:;^:^::„:;::w'ou';dri::;. :^^ -. -- 
 
 important to say to you th '^ I Z\? ^ometinng so 
 
 -..With M,4 ^:} c :u:Tca,;r : 'z 
 
 
 'm^'x 
 
 ^■^M. 
 
83 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 I dr». deep .gh.nd shook™, head. 
 ■I uon t know. I hnH „„ 
 
 "a.chm.n said he was a dew "T """ ^^°"- The 
 le is all a mystery. I could do !'. '" ' '^^'"■' "^''^'-^ -■'■ 
 I was relieved \o see ,h" m, H. '^^ "■" "^"""^ "> ^O"-" 
 inclined ,o ™ake I^h of l;^''"'" "^ ''J' '» ">«". 
 recoumed ,o him a( lelh L T'""' "''"■'^'' ' ">" 
 into the room, heard,." lli bl^u ". ''' '""""^'l ■"» 
 background makine ,,L„„ "* ""'' 'S'"''"!' i" ">e 
 
 Mr. Marshall s„o'k"f, ^rrdlS, -"^ I had fi,,shed, 
 
 .as evir;Z-t;;\lt-:;;e -d. -So^e one 
 
 Vou mus. ,e„ all you have .old J ,o Mr Z\ ""'l "'"■ 
 other guardian. He's a hard-hMd^rf "™' "^'^''^ 
 
 may help us." '^^'' "»»' and his advice 
 
 I was sittinff bv the tihtp- ^u • 
 bit of glove w°hich was tie 000!"^"'°"'^ "'* '"' '°™ 
 '•ad not ye, shown hZ '^ °' ""^ '="'''"« '"Wch I 
 
 -ndT;:fC„inTo:"':r i-h'''' ^''- -''- -- 
 
 ronnd for five minutes" "^ '"'" '^ ''' "° "me 
 
 .he^mltt"" '"'™"^ '"■^"^'^ '» --^ no ™ore to do with 
 
 yolg^'aSjItr^RS '""''■ "'•^=«« "x^- 
 »ith him by thisZe rt do? ° ■' ""' ' °''«'" '" "« 
 
 As he spoke, he open^ he Xr r""' "°"" 
 outer office, and retuLw crossea th/ '" '"^" "" '"^ 
 and looked out. He wJf,Tu^ . '°°'^ '° "■' "ifdow 
 "ewasfumbhng m his pockets, and the 
 
>ok the lawyer's 
 peculiar intent- 
 IJy sane. 
 
 Then, after 
 asked: "What 
 
 s before. The 
 an't believe it. 
 come to you." 
 s by no means 
 which I then 
 followed me 
 quietly in the 
 bad finished, 
 
 "Some one 
 T girl's wits, 
 etson, Mary's 
 id his advice 
 
 with the torn 
 ncc which I 
 
 ' "just run 
 le can come 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 H 
 
 next moment he pulled out two pair of gioves. One amir 
 of hght th.nkid that he had worn that 'morning h^ th'ew 
 carelessly on the table. The other pair he proceeded to 
 draw on his hands. 
 
 I watched him. horror-struck. As he proceeded to 
 dn.w on the second, I no.ced that the end was torn 
 
 With aery scarcely knowing what I did, I snatched it 
 from h,s hand and produced the strip of dogskin I had 
 been carrymg. 
 
 It fitted exactly into the torn place. 
 
 p I. 
 
 ' to do with 
 
 ot to drive 
 >ught to be 
 
 )W."' 
 
 rder in the 
 he window 
 s, and the 
 
PRBJTV M/SS S.WTH. 
 
 CHAPTER xni. 
 
 f«d, the for^c-r, I .hh, "cI cefv ; "'°""^"' ^^ 'f^-''^- 
 ^"PPened „„„•: X explai d heiTf rr*"^"^"' "^-^ 
 "■^'.ng scrap of dogskin Bu, T T"^ ">= ''"•="■ 
 
 before, wi,h incoherent wordfh T"" ""''<^""'°<1 even 
 "•« I hadfonnd i. c o, h, ,, '" ^' '"'''■ ' ""■"d 
 ™om. Then, overcome „mi,e' ""T^"" °'" Mary's 
 Father "''" "''''°"' ~. '' "' ^''™^' ' '"'"« "^ 
 
 »i'emiy,". ^el^d for;:,":!;''!:;:',""'' '^^'"^ ^^'='' »•>'=' 
 
 WtSe ::■r1""""'^°""'^°'"" 
 l.oarsely. '™' » <=""°"s grey color, langhed 
 
 amjyif;::." """'^'" ■"= '•^P^'"= °f-y viUainy, .„d .„ , 
 
 " liu' it was not you i Vm, . 
 I cried m a„ eager whisper ' ""' "" """ I ^^^ ! " 
 
 '" ^ «™ge, constrained tonf ^ I '""'•" ''' """""ed 
 ;«•, "eedn't pretend if, vrJ ,"«"""'"■'*"■ "*"" 
 be... a person who'd bor„e?hiJir^"'^ '" '"'' "' " "">"« 
 ''"ows me and my opinio"^ ?- ^ '"""""■ Everybody 
 
 -::".:'f:fii:r;:;d: ■; L-r"-^ ™"'^ --^. t- 
 
 B"' r could not refrai^ from tairo'f?""" "" ^•™«-"- 
 " Ol. Tom, but I had T J °' dtsappoin tment. 
 
m glove was 
 "t as if trans- 
 'Jng what had 
 ^d the incri- 
 rstood even 
 i>s, I owned 
 over Mary's 
 , I hung my 
 
 each other 
 ist I looked 
 
 r, Jaughed 
 y, and so I 
 n I saw ! " 
 
 ortly. " I 
 
 continued 
 ■r. '^And 
 it would 
 k'erybody 
 
 ity, Tom 
 ynicism. 
 lent. 
 Jarl that 
 
 P/i£TTy Jt,,SS SMITH. j^ 
 
 ^^ He boked round at me quickly, and I thought he seemed 
 
 " Well I've undeceived you now," he said in a much 
 ess resolute tone than before. '- Instead of wav ringbe 
 
 ^:z::lt f^^^r" ^^" ^^^^ thesatisfS'or 
 
 Knowjng I m a real out-and-outer " 
 
 But for all l,is levity, he was ashamed, I couldsee that • 
 
 and I own to the disgraceful fact that my hear, went o,' 
 
 oh,m mlns humiliation, guilty though it was, v^nm" e 
 
 ha, ,, had done in the days when his airs of easys upeTo; 
 
 .y had been sometimes rather hard to bear. K^iZ 
 
 m^mb r"'""?'"'"' 'h-ugh me. however, as it 
 membered another feature of the case. •■"•ire 
 
 '* The woman ! " I cried ** Oh T^r^ .u 
 Who the woman was ! " ' ^°'"' '^'" ^^^ ^"^^^ 
 
 .wl'^^r n;yhonor_,f you think I have enough left to 
 swear by-I never saw her before this morning " 
 
 If this were only true I felt, weak that I was that I 
 could forgive him all the rest-in time. I could not r pr ,s 
 as.gh of relief At that moment a clerk came 'n ' 
 announced " Mr. Ibbetson ! " '" ^""^ 
 
 "You'll keep my counsel-just for this morning?" said 
 l^m abruptly, leaning over me and speaking fn a \t 
 
 JI'X "^^'"^^^^'^'■"^ ^--^Pt by a reproachful look. He 
 m ght have known he need not ask me that . 
 
 O course she will," broke in Mr. Marshall's vo.ce 
 Georgie would never utter a word to <.et an old ir \ 
 -nto „o,.b.e, if they tied her to the staked isl; tt'^::'! 
 
 " I hope so, Mr. Marshall," said I 
 
 The sound of his voice had startled me. In truth I hid 
 been so much absorbed in my feelings about Tom that I had 
 almost forgotten that anyone else was in the room But tow 
 I nottced ,„ the father's face the cflccts otthe son's co„fes 
 
 M 
 
 III 
 
 m 
 
96 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 I'll 
 I 
 
 sion of ffuil^ T koj 
 
 -, had always, I knet h^fa t c " Kt'';' ' T "^' ''^^ 
 just time to crossover to hisVh^T ? '''"^°"'- "^^1 
 •■and placed afTeciona,! „ httrf.'" "''"""• "'"• "^ 
 
 This a, « fron, ,,o fa I ,g i^Mrlw "l""' '"'"'= '™'<' l'- 
 always borne as l.ighacha !!lrf„ '"'^^'™^'"'•"'-''•ad 
 "ess; i, was a ^oL^^^^^lT^^'^ ^^'"r ^^, 
 
 out for and fi„d„,g „^, wor't tra , of' t"* "' °' '°*"'S 
 «"* wl,om he had to deao„ ."""""' "'""'^" 
 •■■ppeared ^.cfore hin, in one's 1 ? . "'"'' "'"'f"^", 
 *at I w., ,„ ver so has^v so7'', t"'"' ^ '' f"' "'"'• ^It 
 when >H w,. in ,L ^' u °'"''' '"' =° f"™lo.r, as 
 
 thought h..ho:ed "it Zlets"' "^^ "-'%; and I 
 flight contraction of hstZ Tn " "'^P'"'"" by a 
 entered, walking as ,sual ?. , '' ^""^ ''''"'"'' '' ^e 
 bide his face as'.ucras poL'L; ""'"^ '"'"''■ "^ 'f «° 
 
 '^e-r^ota^rwiihrtix^^^^^^ 
 
 ---ndhega„tor..he1::!dCa^ 
 ;;Vo„ sen. for „,e, Marshall?" he said. 
 
 -ccess:^. nrar„r.sr 'irr "»• -- 
 
 shock. .. 1 1,„, ,,, some ve'; n tisf! f' ''^'' ^ ^reat 
 our unfortunate ward, MarysJth Th '^"'"^ '"'°'" 
 mystery about it and I hLTlu "'^ " """'e sort of 
 
 e(w it up." • '"" ' '"'P^" 'hat you might help us to 
 
hall, even when 
 urbed. He, like 
 fin Tom. I had 
 hisper, with my 
 " Don't be hard 
 walked slowly 
 
 of us. 
 
 bout sixty-five 
 >Jty of making 
 ture ( ould be. 
 nself, ui.ahad 
 »^.s for shrew . 
 bit of looking 
 1 and women 
 s, therefore, 
 ' for oue, feL 
 frivolous as 
 fie might be. 
 rtily ; and I 
 esence by a 
 brows as he 
 Jde, as if to 
 
 irshall, and 
 tesy to me, 
 le scarcely 
 
 s not very 
 ad a great 
 ews about 
 ne sort of 
 lelp us to 
 
 rRETTY M/SS SMITH. 
 
 if 
 
 Poor Mr. Marshall ! He may have hoped this when he 
 sent for his co-guardian a few minutes before, but he cer- 
 lauily could not be in the same mind now that he had dis- 
 covered the culprit to be his own son. I felt so sorry botli 
 for h,m and for Tom that I looked steadfastly out ol the 
 winuow, for fear those cold, shrewd eyes should reP' y 
 part of the truth in mine. Mr. Ibbetson gave one d 
 
 glance at us all round, and then went cu rubbing h.s eye- 
 glasses :, ,f his whole attention was given to that occupa- 
 
 ; " Let s hear it," he said briefly. 
 
 " I am afraid n. .er you nor I can entirely acquit our- 
 selves of blame ui the matter ; for it seems that since she 
 has been livmg down at the distillery she has been quietly 
 o.s,ng her wits. Now we ought to have gone down there 
 from time to time to see how she was getting on. I have 
 been so busy that it would have been difficult for me to 
 spare the ,me j but you, Iboetson, a comparatively idle 
 man, migl have given the girl a look in." 
 Mr. Ibbetson shook his head without looking up 
 " Not much use for me to go," he sukI drily. - Never 
 knew Mary Smith had any wits : shouldn't have noticed 
 the loss of them." 
 
 I. in my seat at the window, moved impatiently. Mr 
 bbetson noticed this, as he noticed everything; but hJ 
 did not look up. ^ 
 
 Marshall, turning round kindly towards me. " It is she 
 
 who found out poor Mary's case, and it is from her thu 
 
 you must hear all about it. You know Georgie, I think ? " 
 
 Yes, said Mr. Ibbetson, in a tone which plainly said 
 
 hat the acquaintance gave him no pleasure. He wheeled 
 
 teJi the story? Begin then." 
 
 .vlrT'^^' ^^^^'% "'"'^ "^'■''''"' ^"d miserable t' an I had 
 ever done in my life before. However I may t.y to tone 
 
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88 
 
 rRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 down my narrative, I felt sure that he u-ould pierce to the 
 truth It was in vain that I made the recital as bare as 
 possible : by adroit and unexpected questions he ferreted 
 out every mc.dent, excepting, of course, that of the glove 
 ^Vhen I had finished he remained quite silent, making no 
 comment, until Mr. Marshall spoke to him, 
 
 " Well, what do you think of it all? " 
 
 " It doesn't much matter what I think, until I think I 
 kno. what scoundrel is at the bottom of this," answered 
 Ml. Ibbetson quietly. 
 
 Then he got up as if to go. Mr. Marshall rose too 
 evidently excited. ' 
 
 " Do you mean to take any steps ? " 
 
 - Yes One of us must go down and stay at the house • 
 that will put a stop to this hanky-panky. And as you a J 
 so busy, I suppose it must be I." 
 
 Mr Marshall looked disturbed and glanced at Tom. I 
 t >ougiit he felt li.s son's misdemeanors would stand a poo 
 chance of concealment under that cynical pair of eyes 
 
 You had better let me go down," he said, in a desper- 
 ^.tc sort of tone. -Phere's a woman to be faced and 
 
 busm^'' '"'^ '"^" °^ '^''^ '" ^'-^ 1-" of the 
 - Perhaps I should," returned the other with a grimace 
 of distaste. "But can you go at once? The girl's a fool 
 but that s no reason why we should let a knave profit hy 
 her folb- The matter must be looked into immediately.'' 
 I will go down to-niglu," said Mr. Marshall, to my 
 great relief. " It's an awful sacrifice of my time to get 
 away just now, but I feel so guilty at my share in neglect- 
 ing her, Jiat I shall go, whatever it costs." 
 
 I jumped up from my chair with an exclamation of joy 
 ' You'll come to-night, really to-night ? " I asked eagerly 
 " Really to-night." said Mr. Marshall decidedly "And 
 now, my dear, you must be. off; for I have a lot of work 
 to do before I can get away." 
 
PKF.rry a//ss swt//. 
 
 S<7 
 
 I pierce to the 
 tal as bare as 
 )ns he ferreted 
 t of the glove. 
 It, making no 
 
 ntil I think I 
 is," answered 
 
 lall 
 
 rose too, 
 
 Lt the house ; 
 id as you are 
 
 1 at Tom. I 
 stand a poor 
 ■ of eyes. 
 
 ill a desjjer- 
 - faced and 
 
 part of tiie 
 
 h a grimace 
 girl's a fool, 
 vc profit by 
 mediately." 
 hall, to my 
 time to get 
 in neglect- 
 
 :ion of joy. 
 ed eagerly, 
 ly. " And 
 ot of work 
 
 He shook me warmly by both hai.ds, and-l went out of 
 the office nearly us sorry for him as for Tom, who ran down 
 the stairs after mc and caught me at the bottom. He had 
 stood by quite silently while 1 told my story for the second 
 time. I looked up into iiis face timidly, as if lo ask mutely 
 if I had not done the best 1 could for him. 1 think he 
 understood, for his eyes looked mf)ist, and he spoke tome 
 in a gentler tone than I had ever before heard him use. 
 He seemed more contrite, more cast down than one would 
 have thought possible in a man capable of such conduct 
 as he had just confessed to. 
 
 "Will you let me take you somewhere to lunch, 
 Georgie ? " 
 
 I hesitated. * I wanted to go with him dreadfully, but I 
 was rather afraid, if I saw too much of him just then in his 
 penitent mood, that I might condone too much and too 
 quickly. The dog-cart standing outside caught my eye. 
 •' You have an appointment," I said hastily. 
 " What's an appointment when a girl is concerned? And 
 you, of all girls," said he, rather more adoringly than I 
 liked. 
 For Mr. Ibbetson was close behind us on the stairs. 
 " I'll sena the dog-cart away," raid Tom, and he ran out 
 of the door and down the steps. I blushed crimson with 
 shame and a kind of terror, for Mr. Ibbetson stopped and 
 looked straight at me for a couple of seconds. 
 
 " Do you know who is at the bottom of this business ? " 
 he asked abruptly. 
 
 " I— Oh, no, no. How should I ? How " 
 
 '• That will do," said the old man drily, tightening his 
 lips as if in disdain. " But you wont be able to shield 
 anybody long, my good girl, for J have a capital scent for 
 a rogue." 
 
90 
 
 fiRETTY Mias mmt. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 1 WAS so much shocked by the threat contained in the old 
 awyer's words that when Ton, a moment late, ret n^ed 
 o say that ho had dismissed his dog-cart .nd ;as ready 
 
 coldlv .sT ^°,^"'"'^^^^".^ ^'— -d out an excuse as 
 coldly as I could, trying ,n this weak way to put Mr Ib- 
 betson off the scent of my liking for him. But all the while 
 I felt that the cold eyes read my real feelings under eve. v 
 pretence and I ran off, miserable and shanie-faced, on my 
 way to the station. ^ 
 
 Perhaps he shared my w,sh to trick Mr. Ibbetson by a 
 show of md.fference. At any rate I lost two trains on pur^ 
 pose wuhout Ins catching me up, and a last despai ^ng 
 ook .u> and down the platform as I got into the third 
 showed me no sign of him. 
 
 snould have thought myself incapable of feeling a.v 
 .^. .e .nocks that day; but when a hoarse voice called to 
 
 "IxrlTr T J^'''^'""^ ^^'''"' ^''''' ' -^'''^rted and 
 Hl'rTT' f"' ' ""^S"'^"^ ^'--'■- - that of 
 "'to 'v ""; ' '^' '■""«^"^" '■" -y --tions concern- 
 ing Tom. Yet Hilary was in.plicated too, I was sure, for 
 he knew the woman. 
 
 " Don't go in yet, don't go in," he pleaded, coming to 
 my side and speaking with great earnestness. - I knew 
 you had gone up to town, and I have been waiting about 
 all day for your return. I must speak to you, I must I 
 am miserable, almost mad." 
 
 Indeed his appearance confirmed these words. His 
 handsome face was haggard and thin, his eyes v.ere wild, 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 9« 
 
 ed in the old 
 ter, returned 
 d was ready 
 1 excuse as 
 put Mr. Ib- 
 all the while 
 under eveiy 
 iced, on my 
 
 ? would do. 
 »etson by a 
 ains on pur- 
 despai;ing 
 3 the third 
 
 Peehng ai:y 
 :e called tu 
 tarted and 
 as that of 
 IS concern- 
 is sure, for 
 
 coming to 
 
 . " I knew 
 
 ting about 
 
 must. I 
 
 :ds. His 
 ^'sre wild; 
 
 his manner was restless and desperate. I turned back into 
 the road with him, half-reluctant, half-anxious to hear what 
 he had to say for himself 
 
 " You are Mary's friend ; perhaps you understand her," 
 he began at once. " Tell me what her treatment of me 
 means then. She has no right to behave to me like this. 
 I write to her ; my letters are returned. I call ; she re- 
 fuses to see me. What am I to think? What does it mean ? " 
 
 " I suppose it means that she wants to break off her 
 engagement with you " I began. 
 
 He interrupted me fiercely. 
 
 " She has no right to do it, she shall not do it," he burst 
 out passionately. "What has she to complain of? I 
 worship her ; she is never out of my thoughts. She is my 
 idivil, with all her little faults and caprices. As I loved her 
 on the night I first saw her so I love her still ; it is an in- 
 fatuation if you like ; but there is no denying it, nor rea- 
 soning with it. I adore her, and I will not be flung aside 
 like a cast-off glove without explanation or reason." 
 
 He seemed so passionately in earnest that my wits were 
 shaken, and I asked myself if this apparently desperate 
 lover could really have had a hand in a scheme for turning 
 \\\'?, fiancee' s brain. And if so, what could his object be? 
 But then there was that woman with the long, grey-green 
 eyes ! I had not the courage deliberately to tax him with 
 the acquaintance of this suspicious-looking lady, but I 
 thought I could work round to the subject. 
 
 " You don't seem to understand the state of mind poor 
 Mary is in," I said, looking at him very intently. " She is 
 really scarcely responsible for her actions, owing to a series 
 of frights to which she has been subjec "d." 
 
 Hilary laughed increduously. 
 
 " Of course a girl is never accountable for her conduct 
 when she treats a man badly, it that is what you mean," 
 h« sai4 shortly. " J know that. ,\s for this §tory abcnat 
 
92 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 ghosts, fright 
 
 of 
 
 _ . T whatever it is, I don't believe a wc 
 It. It IS simply an excuse to shake me off." 
 
 " VVell, if a girl likes to break her engagement witi, a 
 nan there is nothmg more to be said, except perhaps to 
 call her a Jilt," said I. 
 
 ''But there is a great deal more to be said," cried Hilary 
 suddenly stopping in front of me and looking down with n 
 savagery which almost frightened me. " She is bound bv 
 every tie of common honor to marry me. She does no't 
 understand that I am a desperate man. She has ruined 
 me ; she is bound to compensate me. She will listen to 
 you, and you can tell her this : if she returns the letter I 
 am going to write to her to-night I will not be put offagain • 
 I will see her. if I have to force my way into her houL" ' 
 I was really frightened, not only by the tone in which he 
 said this, but by some of the words themselves 
 
 ♦; She has ruined you ! What do you mean > " I ex- 
 claimed. 
 
 f...!^' "v^,"^'^ "'^ '"'''''• ^' '''' ^^^''•"g ^-ther con- 
 fused, as ,f he had said more than he intended to say After 
 
 a short pause I began again to take him to task for the 
 way in which he spoke of Mary. He did not at all fulfil 
 my ideal of a lover, I said. 
 
 '' No, I suppose not. Tom Marshall does, no doubt " 
 Tdo„ t knojv whether he meant to speak sarcasticallv, 
 but of course I thought he did ; I was so overwhelmed wit'l 
 anger and shame that I turned abruptly round without 
 another word, and with tears of mortification in my eyes 
 dashed through the gate, by which the porterwas standing! 
 and fled up to the house in a passion of distress 
 
 I had to check my grief when I came in sight of the 
 drawing-room windows, for Mary was looking out for 
 me and ran to meet me. I was glad to see already the 
 
 tern ss '' '" ''' ''"" " '" ^^"'^^'^'^ ^"'^^'^^ ^ '^^is 
 
PRETTY M/s.S S MIT ft. 
 
 eve a word of 
 
 [ement with a 
 >t perhaps to 
 
 cried Hilary, 
 down witli a 
 is bound by 
 ihe does not 
 e has ruined 
 will listen to 
 the letter I 
 Hit off again ; 
 ler house." 
 2 in which ho 
 s. 
 ^an?" I ex- 
 
 ? rather con- 
 osay. After 
 task for the 
 at all fulfil 
 
 10 doubt." 
 ircastically, 
 lelmed with 
 nd without 
 in my eyes, 
 IS standing, 
 
 ight of the 
 ng out for 
 ilready the 
 lied by this 
 
 You have been 
 
 Georgi 
 
 93 
 putting \\»x 
 
 crying, 
 arm affectionately around me. 
 
 "N— no, at least-it's all right," 1 answered inco- 
 herently. " Your Uncle Charles is coming here this even- 
 ing, and he's going to find out who has been frightening 
 you, and he won't go away until he has found everything 
 out." ^ 
 
 " I'm so glad," whispered the girl, though a shade fell 
 over her face even at this reference to the frights she had 
 experienced. " Oh, Georgie, I don't know what to say to 
 you ! I have begun to live again since you came. You 
 see, they all look upon me as such a fanciful creature that 
 they wouldn't pay any attention to what I told them. I 
 wanted Uncle Charles to come down here, but he wrote to 
 say he was too busy ; then I went up to see him, and he 
 roared with laughter when I told him about the light going 
 out m my room,— and— and the things flying about in it." 
 Her voice sank to a hoarse whisper on the last words, 
 and she glanced furtively from side to side at the shrubs 
 and the overhanging trees of the avenue, as if in the half- 
 light she was afraid of seeing sometliing uncanny. 
 
 Mr. Marshall had told me that he should not be able to 
 arrive until late, but Mary began to get very anxious when 
 duiner, which she had put off, had to be eaten without 
 Iiim. It was not ur just past nine o'clock that he drove 
 up in a cab. I not. then what a strong effect the dis- 
 closures of the mon., j had had upon him; he looked 
 haggard, uneasy, and ill. He greeted us both in his usual 
 affectionate manner, but it was easy to see that it was only 
 by an effort that he spoke to us with his accustomed bright- 
 ness. When Mary, who was in a highly excited state, and 
 anxious to impress upon him the truth of the experiences 
 she had suffered, clung to his arm and tried to draw him 
 away for a private talk with her, he disengaged himself 
 luirriedly, with a sort of shrinking, as if he himself bore 
 part of the disgrace of his son's delinquencies, 
 
94 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 .11 ;. 
 
 I- 
 
 " Yes, yes, I know," he said hastily. " Georgie has told 
 me everything. I feel I have to ask your forgiveness, 
 child, for not having listened to you when you told me the 
 same story. But you know we always looked upon you 
 as a little feather-brain, and so you had to wait until 
 sensible Georgie came to confirm your words." 
 
 Mr. Marshall did not once look at her as he spoke, and 
 then he put his hand through my arm and walked with me 
 to the window, not leaving Mary time to answer. I felt 
 very sorry to see him take the matter so much to heart, 
 although it was only what I had expected of him. 
 
 •' Dear, Mr. Marshall," I said, as he stepped with me out 
 on to the lawn, complaining that it was very hot indoors, 
 "indeed you must not worry yourself so much about this.' 
 Mary is less ill than I thought ; already now that she has 
 her friends about her she seems to be getting all right 
 again. Do you know, I think there is some one at least 
 as much to blame as — as poor Tom ! " 
 Mr. Marshall started. 
 
 " Well," said he after a pause, " and who is that ? " 
 " Hilary Gold." 
 
 He seemed very much surprised at this answer. 
 " Hilary ! " he echoed. '< What can he have to do with 
 it ? How can it be to his interest to frighten the girl out 
 of her wits." 
 
 " I don't know, unless he is mean enough to revenge 
 himself in that way upon her for refusing to see him or to 
 answer his letters. That is what he complains of. And, 
 Mr. Marshall—" I hesitated; "Hilary knows something 
 about that woman who seems to haunt the place. You 
 know I have seen him meet her twice." 
 Mr. Marshall looked angry and disturbed. 
 " I saw Hilary two hours ago outside the gales," I said. 
 " But of course I did not like to say anything about 
 this woman to hjn], It is such ^ cjelicafe matter that I 
 
rgie has told 
 forgiveness, 
 I told me the 
 d upon you 
 3 wait until 
 
 : spoke, and 
 ied with me 
 swer, I felt 
 ch to heart, 
 ini. 
 
 with me out 
 hot indoors, 
 about this, 
 hat she has 
 ig all right 
 Dne at least 
 
 that ? " 
 
 i^er, 
 
 ; to do with 
 
 the girl out 
 
 to revenge 
 e him or to 
 3 of. And, 
 something 
 lace. You 
 
 2s," I said, 
 hing about 
 tter that I 
 
 PRETTY MrSS SMlTIf. 55 
 
 thought it best to leave it to you. Who was this man she 
 met in the attic.? And what has she to do with Hilary? 
 If only tlie woman would come again while you are here, 
 you might be able to uiake her tell something." 
 
 But Mr. Marshall looke I as if this was the last thing he 
 should wish ; indeed it was a delicate matter. We had by 
 this time walked the whole length of the garden, and were 
 standing under the boundary wall by the bridge. It was 
 almost dark ; only faint gleams of dying light from the 
 west came to us through the branches of the fruit-trees, 
 which grew thickly about us. 
 
 " Come," said Mr. Marshall suddenly, « it is time to go 
 in ; it's getting cold." 
 
 I saw that he was shivering, yet it seemed to me quite 
 warm still. 
 
 ^'You arc ill," said I anxiously. '-'You have let this 
 business distress you too much, and with the worry of your 
 own ])roper work, you will break down under it, if you 
 don't take care." 
 
 For indeed he seemed to be growing livid before my 
 eyes, and he began to hurry me along to the house with 
 nervous steps. I fancied, as I almost ran by his side to 
 keep pace with him hut I heard a noise among the trees 
 on our right, as of son;.- one forcing his way betweei; the 
 branches. Mr. Marshall heard it too, I think, and in the 
 nervous state to which the disclo.sures of the morning had 
 reduced him, it affected him strangely. .Seizing my arm, 
 he began to talk loudly in a tone of forced liveliness as he* 
 drew me along, as far from the trees as possible, on our 
 way to the lawn. But quick as we might be, somebody 
 else was quicker still. 
 
 We had reached the lawn, on which the lamps in the 
 drawing-room were now throwing lines of yellow light, 
 when a figure sprang out from. am.ong the trees and inter- 
 cepted us. 
 
96 
 
 rRETTV MISS SMlTtf. 
 
 It was the woman who was hmmting tlie place the 
 woman with the grey-green eyes. She was breathing 
 heavily, ni a state of great excitement, and she was hold- 
 ing her arms a little bent, with clenched hands, as if she 
 wanted to fall upon us and tear us to pieces. 
 
 Mr. Marshall was, if anything, even more alarmed than 
 1. He stood quite still, uttering almost a moan as the 
 woman stared into his face. I tried to speak to her, to ask 
 her why she burst out upon us like that. But she only 
 tossed her head and laughed at my efforts derisively, with- 
 out even looking at me. 
 
 " I shall have justice now," she said. 
 
e place, the 
 IS breathing 
 he was hold- 
 ds, as if she 
 
 PRETTV M[SS SMITH, 
 
 97 
 
 ilarnied than 
 iioan as the 
 o her, to ask 
 !ut sl)e only 
 isivcly, with- 
 
 CH AFTER XV. 
 
 As was to be expected, it was Mr. Marshall who recovered 
 first from the shock of the woman's sudden appearance 
 before us. I saw at once that he, a lawyer, jumped to the 
 conclusion that the lady's errand was the levying of black- 
 mail. He addressed her firmly, but with the utmost 
 courtesy. 
 
 " If it is justice you arc in search of, madam, you could 
 not come to a better person than myself to get it for you. 
 I am, as this lady will tell you, a lawyer " 
 
 " I don't want to know that," said the won.an sullenly 
 She seemed rather taken aback at finding herself treated 
 with so much courtesy, 1 thought ; andafter starin- in- 
 tently at Mr. Marshall for a few moments, she dropped her 
 eyes uneasily, as she went on in a tone of subdued anger- 
 '•I don't want any fmc words at all; I've heard plenty 
 and they've done me no good. I've been i)romised 
 money, and ifs money I want and must have; and will 
 have too ! " she added with an access of ferocity as she 
 raised her eyes, and glared fust at Mr. Marshall and then 
 at me 
 
 The lawyer took this outburst quite quietly. 
 
 " If," said he, "you can make out a good case— without 
 scandalizing this young lady, mind-" and he laid his hand 
 upon my shoulder-" we will see if something cannot be 
 done towards giving you justice, or money, which you seem 
 to consider the same thing, immediately." 
 
 She hesitated. The lawyer's unemotional yet courteous 
 treatment evidently puzzled her. She seemed to doubt 
 
9* nRETTV A//SS SMlTlt. 
 
 whether to trust these smooth appearances. At last she 
 said shortly, plancing at mc : 
 
 " Why don't you send her away ? " 
 " Hccausc." answered Mr. Marshall, with more asperity 
 ban he had used yet, " this lady has been very much alarmed 
 by some extraordinary tricks which you seem to have been 
 
 playmg about ihe place the last day or two " 
 
 She interrupted him with an ironical laugh. 
 - Extraordinary tricks / have been playing, have I ? Not 
 so extraordn.ary as son,c thai have been played by other 
 people, I rather think I " 
 
 I was in agony. She was going to implicate Tom, I felt 
 sure : so d.d Mr. Marshall, whose face suddenly became 
 lull of anxiety as he interrupted her. 
 
 " Well, explain your own share in this business as well as 
 you can ; you need not drag others into it." 
 
 " Oh, I needn't > Thank you. That is satisfactory, at 
 any rate. ' she went on, in the same tone as before 
 
 I wondered, as I noticed the keen, inquiring expression 
 with which she regarded Mr. Marshall's face, whether she 
 knew or guessed that Tom was his son. 
 
 " You have a grievance, we understand, against some- 
 one," said Mr. Marshall as she paused. 
 
 " Ye— es," she answered, glancing at me and then cast- 
 ing down her eyes, as if hesitating whether she would 
 submit to this mterrogatory after all. Apparently she then 
 made up her mind that she would not, for she crossed her 
 arms doggedly and threw back her head. I think she was 
 going to burst out into a passionate tirade, when Mr. Mar- 
 shall hastily stemmed the rising torrent. 
 
 " Remember," he said in a clear, cold voice, like the fall- 
 ling of water drop by drop upon a stone, " that whether or 
 no we do our best to satisfy you now depends on the explan- 
 ation you give this young lady." 
 
 If passion gleamed in one of this woman's eyes, calcula- 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 At last she 
 
 ore asperity 
 iicli alarmed 
 () Iiave been 
 
 ave I ? Not 
 ;c] by other 
 
 Tom, I felt 
 nly became 
 
 isas well as 
 
 ifactory, at 
 re. 
 
 expression 
 hether she 
 
 list some- 
 then cast- 
 >he would 
 y she then 
 ossed her 
 ik she was 
 Mr. Mar- 
 
 e the fall- 
 k'hetlier or 
 le explan- 
 
 >, calcula- 
 
 99 
 
 tion certainly peeped out of the other. After a few mo- 
 ments' thought — 
 
 " What will you do for me ? " she asked briefly. 
 
 "Why, if you will satisfy us who it is that promised you 
 money, I wiU advance you some myself; and, being a law- 
 yer, I shall know how t(j get it repaid." 
 
 " But he hasn't got any, at least he says so. That's his 
 excuse," said the woman slowly, still fixing her cunning eyes 
 upon Mr. Marshall's face. 
 
 " Well, leave that to me to find out. The point with you 
 is that if you answer our questions satisfactorily— mine and 
 this lady's— you will get some lj night." 
 
 The woman smiled, and I really thought I liked her angry 
 looks the best. It was a wicked smile, the smile of a crea- 
 ture without heart or conscience, or so it seemed to me. 
 
 " I have been very badly treated," she began slowly, look- 
 ing away from us on to the lines of light thrown by the 
 lamp on the grass, as if carefully considering the effect of 
 each word she uttered. " I understood that this man would 
 marry me, and I gave up a very good position in that be- 
 lief. Therefore, when he tried to throw me over, it was a 
 good deal more than a question of the affections. Don't 
 you think so? " 
 
 She turned abruptly, even fiercely, to me. 
 " Certainly. If— if it is as you say," I assented rather 
 timidly. 
 
 " I tell you it is, and I could prove it," she burst out, in 
 an almost menacing tone. 
 
 Mr. Marshall hastened to calm her. 
 
 " The lady did not mean to express incredulity, I am 
 sure." 
 
 " Oh no," I agreed quickly, 
 
 She gave a scornful glance at both of us, and went on. 
 
 " So when I found myself thrown over, I took the trouble 
 
 to track him out, and discovered, as I had expected, that 
 
loo 
 
 PRETTY MISS SM/Tfl. 
 
 he had been masquerading under a false name. The »ascal 
 had never meant to marry me at all, of course " 
 
 "Perhaps there was some obstacle," suggested Mr 
 Marshall. 
 
 " Rather," returned the woman, with a sharp glance at 
 hun and a sharp laugh. " Luckily, I had taken care to 
 find out a few things, which gave me a hold upon my gen- 
 tleman. So that he had to promise me money, and as 
 what with his betting and other extravagances, he never 
 had any, ,t was to come out of somebody else's pocket- 
 Miss Smith's." ^ 
 
 I started. Mr. Marshall was still more shocked than J 
 He stared at the woman in speechless horror. She would 
 not meet our eyes, but gave a little chuckling laugh 
 
 '' I thought I should surprise you," she s'aid in a verv 
 soft voice. -^ 
 
 I had recovered my i)ower of speech. 
 "And who is it that has done this.?'" I asked breath- 
 lessly. " Not, surely, Hilary Gold ! " 
 
 The woman said nothing. Possessed by a terrible dread 
 lest after all it should not be Hilary but someone I held 
 dearer, I looked piteously into her face, not daring to put 
 another question. After a few moments of horrible silence 
 Mr. Marshall spoke. His voice was husky, and I thought 
 that he must share my own fear. 
 
 " Won't you answer this young lady ? " he asked very 
 gently, very gravely. " Was the name Hilary Gold ? " 
 
 " That was not the name I knew him by," said she 
 slowly. 
 
 Suspense was growing agonizing. I touched the sleeve 
 of her dress imploringly. 
 
 " Was it "—I could scarcely utter the words, " was it 
 the gentleman you were speaking to on the path by the 
 river this morning ? " 
 
 She looked at Mr Marshall, she looked at me. Then 
 
The lascal 
 
 I) 
 
 Jgested Mr. 
 
 rp glance at 
 ken care to 
 )on my gcn- 
 cy, and as, 
 >, he never 
 's pocket— 
 
 ked than J. 
 She would 
 augh. 
 I in a very 
 
 ed breath- 
 
 rlble dread 
 )ne I held 
 ing to put 
 3le silence 
 I thought 
 
 sked very 
 old?" 
 ' said she 
 
 he sleeve 
 
 "was it 
 th by the 
 
 '• Then 
 
 PRETTY MISR SMITH. 
 
 tot 
 
 she folded her hands tightly together and answered in a 
 clear voice : 
 
 '« Yes." 
 
 I was half relieved, I confess, but still miserable and 
 suspicious, for all the mystery was by no means cleared 
 up, and one could not feel entire confidence in this lady's 
 veracity. 
 
 "But the man who was with you in the attic, whom you 
 spoke to, appealed to, that was not Hilary Gold ! For I 
 saw him." 
 The woman looked at me in some astonishment. 
 " You saw him, you say ? " 
 " Yes." 
 
 "Then you didn't see <piite enough, that's all." 
 She turned from me very unceremoniously, as if she felt 
 that her duty was done, and it was time for her reward. 
 Mr. Marshall also interpreted her action in this manner. 
 By his tone when he next spoke I felt more than ever con- 
 vinced that he had fenred she would implicate his son, for 
 there was in his voice a sound of relief from a great sus- 
 pense. 
 
 "You have been honest and straightforward with us," 
 he said, "and we must keep our bargain with you. I am 
 
 deeply grieved for my ward's conduct to you " 
 
 " Your ward ! " interrupted the woman sharply. 
 " Yes. I regret to say that Hilary Gold is my ward/' 
 he went on hastily. " I say I am sorry for his conduct to 
 you, and I will myself take him to task about it, though it 
 is, as you see, a delicate matter." 
 " Very," she threw in drily. 
 
 "In the meantime," went on Mr. Marshall without heed- 
 ing her, " I must keep my promise to lend you what money 
 you immediately want. How much will that be > " 
 "Fifty pounds," she answered promptly. 
 Mr. Marshall raised his eyebrows. 
 
I 
 
 Wi 
 
 I02 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 I am afraid you are right, and it will be a long time 
 before I get that sum back from poor Hilary Gold," said he 
 
 I must go and see if I have brought my cheque-book : I 
 have some notes here," and he took out his pocket-boik, 
 
 but— not enough." ' 
 
 He was proceeding to enter the house ; but the woman, 
 n whose eyes cup.duy had begun to gleam more brighti; 
 than revenge, detained him with a strong grip 
 
 " Send the young lady," she said quietly. « I don't know 
 you, you see ; and as the gentleman is your ward, I don't 
 know whether I should be wise to trust you " 
 
 Mr. Marshall and I were both amused at this. I smiled 
 at him, and he smiled back at me, as he said • 
 
 "T'^ke tl>is key, Georgie, and open my writing-case. 
 Look in all the pockets. If you find a cheque bookfbring 
 
 l^T^ T " r '"' "'• '' "°^' ^° ^° Mary, ai^d ask 
 he to lend me fifty pounds, and to make the cheque pay- 
 able to— What name shall I say?" 
 And he turned to the woman. 
 " Dora Selton." 
 
 I ran into the house and up to Mr. Marshall's room 
 and found the writing-case in his portmanteau. But there 
 was no cheque-book in it, nothing but letters and papers • 
 so I ran downstairs and asked Mary for the fifty pounds' 
 as I had been told to do. Mary showed no curiosity to 
 learn what it was for, but as soon as I said that Mr. Mar- 
 shall wanted it she gave me twenty pounds in gold and a 
 cheque for thirty more. Even the woman's name seemed 
 to rouse no interest in her deadened mind. All she seemed 
 anxious about was that she should not betray stupidity hv 
 making a mistake in writing out the cheque. 
 
 "Is that right, Georgie, is that right ? " she asked, as she 
 handed me the strip of paper, raising her blue eyes to my 
 face With that helpless, pleading look now so common with 
 
•^. if 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 a long time 
 Id," said he. 
 [ue-book ; I 
 ocket-book, 
 
 the woman, 
 are brightly 
 
 don't know 
 ud, I don't 
 
 s. I smiled 
 
 riting-case. 
 )ook, bring 
 •y, and ask 
 heque jjay- 
 
 ill's room, 
 But there 
 id papers ; 
 y pounds, 
 iriosity to 
 Mr. Mar- 
 old and a 
 le seemed 
 le seemed 
 ipidity by 
 
 ed, as she 
 ^es to my 
 mon with 
 
 103 
 
 )rc- 
 
 " Yes, quite right, dear," I answered, kissing he 
 head in rather a shame-faced way as I left her. 
 
 For it was exceedingly repugnant to my feelings to have 
 to take her money to satisfy this other woman, even as a loan 
 to Mr. Marshall. I wished he had not set me this task, 
 but of course it was not for me to gainsay him, 
 
 I had found Mary in the inner drawing-room ; so, not 
 wishing to pass again through the outer one, where Mrs. 
 Camden was, I opened the nearest of the French windows, 
 which was seldom used, and burst out on to the garden- 
 path, brushing past a clump of evergreens which grew 
 right up against the window. To my great fright, I almost 
 fell against a man in hiding among them. Suppressing a 
 scream, and determined not to let him go without knowing 
 who it was, I dragged him out — for he was a little man — 
 into what faint light there was from the lamp rays. It was 
 Hopkins. 
 
 "'Ere, 'old 'ard, missis," said he in a low voice, "I 
 ain't a-burgling. If I like to do a little spying as well as 
 you, I s'pose there ain't no call to kick up a shindy." 
 
 " Oh, if it's only you," I said disdainfully, '' it's all right 
 of course. Stop," I went on suddenly, though indeed he 
 was not attempting to move. " Mr. Marshall is here, and 
 he might like to ask you a few questions." 
 
 Away at the other end of the lawn, well under the trees, 
 so that it was only by straining my eyes I could distinguish 
 them, were the two persons I had left. 
 
 "Ah, he might, mightn't he? " answered Hopkins drily. 
 " Why shouldn't he have a turn at the pump, eh ? " 
 
 Without answering this vague question, I ran across the 
 lawn and put the money silently into Mr. Marshall's hands. 
 The woman took it greedily, not paying much heed, I 
 thought, to a few words of advice from Mr. Marshall, who 
 particularly warned her against appearing in this part of 
 the world again. 
 
ro4 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 "Mind I've befriended you this time, because I admit 
 hat you have not been well treated," he conduded ''^ 
 ]r^. that we have now done' as Tcrt ^ hav" 
 any right to expect— for after all mv ward i« , „L. 
 and t would have do„e you very littfe ^cod to CvT"' 
 -» .,Ie you must see yourself the impropriety ontLr 
 
 Oh, I quite understand how the case l,-^<= •' , 
 
 •he woman in ,,er hardest tone of mocke;.fI;n;;'r' 
 oate your motives only a little less than [do your moTv 
 Good-even,ng And good-evening, madam." '^• 
 
 She turned from the one to the other wiih -a , , 
 
 ^:r:Lno-:^t;x:^H 
 
 warned against doing sS-frr:.*^"-- '""'' "= 
 
 youug fe„ow should bring' ZZ .tjS 'stVo; 
 ^ar Td'sllri'df f .""' "^ '" ""^ beenlctaga h 
 tholht fw '"r-'"''"''' '"''■ ''""'^-J -.d hagg"rd I 
 
 n.ent among .he shrubs 2:2:^^71^: ^^ ' '"-'■ 
 I am nervous to-night," he said hoarsely " I f,,,.: . 
 I saw a face thrust on. from between the evergreens - 
 
 "I. Tnirht^Y-h' ■"'■" ''- I Wi.ed'reass wngly 
 ic IS tne night-watchman at the distillerv t fi , 
 
 till to-morrow morning " °" 
 
 / aiDjjie nora m answer^ but 
 
 Icane 
 inotic 
 Mars 
 iumsi 
 to si> 
 liii 
 inani 
 man, 
 own 
 calls, 
 any 1 
 
 
PR Err Y MISS SMITH. 
 
 »os 
 
 leaned on my aim so heavily that I got frightened, and 
 motioning to Hopkins with my hand to go away, hurried Mr- 
 Marshall into the house.. A«j soon as I had seen him seat 
 liimsclf, in an attitude of intense weariness, I ran out again 
 to sjiCak to Hopkins. 
 
 Hut I was too laic. Chuckling to himself in a mocking 
 manner like a liitle wiry imp of mischief, the night-watch- 
 man, lantern in hand, was vaulting over the wall into his 
 own domain, and vouchsafed no word in answer to my 
 calls, screeching out instead, in a cracked voice without 
 any trace of melody : 
 
 •* For— or he's a jolly gootl fellow, for he's a jolly good fe — hellow ; 
 For— or he's a jolly good fe — hellow, which no^body can deny." 
 
 
lOtf 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 a^lTuT "" P^' m'"''!? ^''^ ^^'"^^ "^°^^ unco,.fortabiy by 
 fnfl. ; P°°; Mrs. Camden, who felt that this sudd-n 
 influx of fr.ends of Mary's was a tacit reproach to he 
 guard.ansh,p, was cold and distant to me a ternateh 
 d.gmfied and humble to Mr. Marshall. H S,! " 
 v.de„ y .orn out by fatigue and anxiety, which h^ ' 
 
 iabLll H r^ '" ' '°"^' gaiety quite unlike his 
 habuua, cheerfulness. Mary, in whose mental condition 
 the improvement seemed to show hour by hour w.s de 
 pressed by her uncle's manner, and also by^ertl :^^ g ." 
 
 ZstfririoT ^'^^'^ ''' -''-' '^ -' -^^ - "^y 
 
 J!.nV'l" ^"'" '" '^' "'^"'"^^^ ^ ''^' shutting up the 
 l^ano, after havmg had my efforts to wile away the nelan 
 choly o the assemblage by music very much " at upo "" 
 Suddenly I felt Mary's hand upon my shoulder, ad Ck- 
 ■ng round wth a start I saw that her great blue eyes were 
 bright w.th excitement, and that the dull and dangeTou 
 
 ti^/t s::' ''' '''''-'' '"^ ^° -^'' -^ ^°— ^- ::: 
 
 " Georgie" she whispered. " Come into my room when 
 we go upstairs, I want to speak to you " 
 When therefore, we all separated for the night, I tapped 
 
 Zl f .. ,^'^5'"^ •''" '" ^"•'^'^'y' ^"d ^h"t t'^e door with 
 one of the old, frightened glances around. I put my a rn 
 reassuringly round her waist ^ 
 
 be'i^"":/':;;'" T,:':t'""''""'' " ^°" '^^^ "°""°« '° 
 
 --_ Qi now. 1 lie person or persons who played you 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 \ot 
 
 fortabiy by 
 lis sudden 
 ich to her 
 alternately 
 imself was 
 he in vain 
 inlike his 
 condition 
 r, was de- 
 in misgiv- 
 ich to my 
 
 g up the 
 le melan- 
 U upon." 
 ind look- 
 yes were 
 iJigerous 
 -for the 
 
 )ni when 
 
 ■ tapped 
 my own 
 )or with 
 my arm 
 
 hing to 
 'ed you 
 
 those cruel tricks won't try them while Mr, Marshall is 
 about, you may be quite sure." 
 
 After Tom's confession, of course I had the best possi- 
 ble reason to believe that we were safe from anymore 
 nocturnal frights, and my confidence gave her courage. 
 Recovering a calmer manner, she told me what was 
 troubling her. 
 
 " Do you know, Georgie," she said in a low voice, " 1 
 am afraid I have been treating poor Hilary very badly.'* 
 
 What could I say ? How could I sympathize with her, 
 having such good reason to fear that he had been treated 
 by us all a great deal too well ? On the other hand, I 
 dared not, in her present excitable state and without con- 
 sulting Mr. Marshall, add to her trouble by any hint of my 
 own knowledge or suspicions. I could only listen while 
 she went on with great earnestness : 
 
 " I know he has been irritable with me ; but then, as he 
 says, it is a very difficult position for a man without money 
 — that oifianci to a girl as well off as I. And then Uncle 
 Charles seemed to doubt him, and that made me doubtful 
 and suspicious. And then these frights came, and he 
 wouldn't believe them, and laughed at me. So then I 
 wouldn't see him ; and because he wrote in what I thought 
 a jeering tone I sent back his letters. And presently, as I 
 grew more frightened and suspicious, I refused to see him 
 at all, and he sent me rude and angry letters. Some I 
 read, and some I sent back ; but still I wouldn't see him. 
 But now, Georgie, that you and Uncle Charles are here, 
 and I am safe and more like my old self once more, I feel 
 that I may have been too hard upon him. My love for 
 him seems to come back, and I know— I am sure that 1 
 have wronged him by my capricious treatment and my 
 hard thoughts. Oh, Georgie, I am sure of it, and I must 
 see him. at once to tell him so." 
 I did not know how to meet her eyes, which were trying 
 
lo8 
 
 to look into 
 
 ttiine witii . wistful brightness that told 
 
 of 
 
 returning } 
 
 and onenprl \i ti . * n'snea lo tJie door 
 
 I broke .way fro,,, Ma,.y, ,vi,o wt d , av^'d .Xe' 
 
 ceSd""" T "■■• .""""""''^ "'" ="" "o^'" 1« ^ entirely 
 
 fain, light fro,„ .„e eorddor si.fed .t ^h.t a stlT. 
 ...ached to the leg of each ; and even .sled "v" 
 hem draw,, „p <,„;„,„, „„, ^^ J"^ =a v 
 
 "g, through the .quare ventilator overhead. At the a„,e 
 my ears. Stirely, surely, ,t was Hopkins' voice i 
 
 Ll""a^S'' %Tf .■." \^°<^i -0 evidently verv 
 "" "" "^^ "'' '"'" "«>« Mf' Alarshal), whose clothes 
 
PRETTY MISS SMIl^r. 
 
 109 
 
 hat told of 
 
 K coherent 
 to nothing, 
 lan's voice. 
 ) the door 
 f sound as 
 
 He is in a 
 t me go ! " 
 ained me, 
 occupied, 
 iiside still 
 me, how- 
 X getting 
 oom and 
 to batter 
 of a ftv/ 
 
 entirely 
 or, with 
 
 I knew 
 !n great 
 th their 
 as they 
 low the 
 ing was 
 1, I saw 
 flutter- 
 e same 
 e upon 
 
 of the 
 r very 
 :lothes 
 
 1 had soaked through and through- with cold water in my 
 attempts to bring him back to consciousness, was recover- 
 ing. We gave him some brandy, and Mrs. Camden and I 
 stayed with him until he was himself again. But tiie 
 natural color never came back to his face ; I was almost 
 afraid to leave him, lest he should die in the night. For 
 the paltry trick had had an even more startling effect upon 
 him than it had had upon his fragile niece. 
 
 " You won't laugh at poor Mary now, will you ? " I said, 
 when he had declared himself " all right again." 
 
 Strong man as he was, he shuddered. 
 
 " No, indeed," he said, " I_I_we won't talk about 
 it." 
 
 When at last we left him, he had the room bright with a 
 whole forest of candles, and said that he should sit up 
 reading until it was daylight. I was in such a bewildered 
 state of mind, that when I came out of his room I turned 
 to the right instead of to the left, and walked on until I 
 found myself close to the door which divided the house 
 proper from the distillery stores. There I suddenly stopped 
 with a cry. 
 
 The door was ajar, and peeping through was the little 
 impish face of the night-watchman, wearing a curious ex- 
 pression. I drew a long breath and stopped him as he 
 was trying to draw back. 
 
 "You, it must be >w/, who are at the bottom of all this ! 
 It WAS your laugh I heard ! " I cried breathlessly. 
 
 And at the same moment I perceived that his hands were 
 torn and scratched, and that there were a few loose fea- 
 thers on his clothes. 
 
 " Well," said he, " you'd better have me took up then ! " 
 
 And with a straight stare, half-quizzical, half-defiant, 
 which I could not understand, he shut himself into his own 
 domain. 
 
■ M 
 
 fKETTY A//SS iMr/f. 
 
 CHAPTER XVri. 
 
 ^vcl Is 1 had so recently taken jiait in, I felt that ! 
 
 hT'u^ , ■"■'*' "°l*"'" ">■ "■• ••'» i' "ow appeared 
 
 r-/ ■ 7 T*^'" "■= "iSlXlylistnthances? WaTit' 
 c. y , „„ „,,<, Had engaged hi™ in this wieked l>.„i„e,V 
 If »". how was ,1 that it had not been stopped si ,ee L 
 xposure of the day before i- And wity, for U e fir i„,e 
 
 There was no satisfactory answer forthcoming to any of 
 thc,e quest,o„s, and it was with a heavy heart th.t I L, 
 
 Tlu.l , '■'■■"'" '"•''■ •'' '■'•'"'■'"I' ■•■"iraation which 
 
 ;^-.;;won,dyr,,p:L:i:r,,;r;:ertr^^^ 
 
 Mary ad n,e afterwards, if we would „otn,indthe trou'bl 
 
 £s:d?:t-:,f:rs-td;;:-r-::- 
 
 I_vc »„,„eth,„g to show you-„r at leas, sfn,et^C To ll^i 
 
 pock«tleUefwrH°, "" "'"'°"'-""' •°'"' ~" °f her 
 co,™„ , ! ''■ ' ""' '"' "f Po^einous length Of 
 
 course I guessed at once that i, was fron, Htlary. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 Ill 
 
 nbered the 
 It that the 
 3wn brain, 
 appeared, 
 ? Was it 
 business ? 
 since the 
 first time, 
 d that vic- 
 
 : to any of 
 
 I at I went 
 >vas somc- 
 
 II and her 
 311 which 
 vhich she 
 •\vn word 
 ad to st-e 
 e trouble 
 
 up. 
 iving the 
 
 to send 
 resent ly, 
 g to tell 
 
 of her 
 ;th. Of 
 
 "The poor fellow is so miserable," said Mary, with 
 tears in her eyes. " He begs me to let him come here and 
 see me, and says he has a right to come ; which after all is 
 true, you know, since I never formally broke it off with him. 
 He reproaches me for having let anyone come between us ; 
 I suppose he means you, Georgia, so I want to see him to 
 tell him he is wrong. And he says this is the last appeal 
 his pri— ide will let him make, Georgie," she continued, 
 breaking down into sobs ; " and that if I reject it he 
 will go abroad again ; for although he 1— loves me just as 
 m— m— much as ever, he ca— an't, in his position, humble 
 himself any more," 
 
 " Young men always write like that, if they can't have any 
 —everything their own way," said I, in the tone of one who 
 had bales of such letters stored up as evidence of the value 
 set upon her charms, " I shouldn't answer him, Mary, 
 until you have consulted Mr. Marshall." 
 
 " But I know that Uncle Charles doesn't approve of our 
 engagement, so he is not likely to be kind ! " pleaded poor 
 Mary. 
 
 Indeed, knowing what I knew, I did not think he was, 
 and I was very much afraid that we should have great 
 difficulty in persuading her to give Hilary up, whatever 
 we might succeed in proving against him. For, like many 
 other sweet and apparently yielding women, Mary could 
 be even more obstinate than people of stronger judgment. 
 
 We found Mr, Marshall in his dressmggown, writing in 
 an armchair by the window. He looked very ill, and in 
 reply to our reproaches for getting up at all, he said, with a 
 weary sort of smile, that he was not going to turn invalid 
 imtil he was forced to do so. But he consented to our 
 sending for a doctor, although he peremptorily refused to 
 let us communicate with his wife. 
 
 It was with m.-inifest reluctance that Mary introduced 
 the subject of Hilary and his appealing letter. Mr. Mar- 
 
 ifl 
 
113 
 
 PKHTIY Misa .SMITH. 
 
 shall and I exch.inged gla 
 
 ••> warning ,o „n„ To dcnl g^n^i, iaht;; ' '"f .'""-.y 
 
 »«ai., -t:;, :;j; ■:;: ;:.:-;t,';;:;':::r'' -•'^ "- 
 
 C..I. ,.o»i,ion. r don't dc„; ,lu" v , , '"'' *'"• 
 
 !-.» of Hilar, ,v„ich r's :; d iv "Li,,::; '?"/'■ 
 
 matters go any f„„|,cr bctvvea, voi, I " •"'l'"'-'' '"'f"''-- 
 recon,mend-i„deed I be. Tou ^ ' 1, , „ "'' """S''' 
 -e .a„i, I an, .Me to g.^lb:^.^;,::..'"""'-^ ™' '^^ ""^ 
 
 pair Of blue eyes looki,^ ™ r, !? !' '" ""!" " "•■'"''•■'■ 
 reassuringly. ' ^™' ^""ercd her uncle 
 
 But Mary was not easy to convincL- v.r, 
 made an excuse to leave xL „ ''"r"" '^'"^ "^fy soon 
 
 for the doctor, Idd"!- a trf^.f'T""-' ""' '""^' »^'"' 
 breath fl,.. i ^ ^'^'''^^"' Protest below her 
 
 ^rea h that she was not allowed to do as she likerlTn 
 own house. I sunncsed th-.^ <k„ i a ^ '" '*^'" 
 
 Hilary. M.- Mar h! ilnlt H "'^ ^'""'' "'^ ^" ^^^'^^ »" 
 / lui. Marshall looked grave and worried 
 
 victio . ■ N, . j,3, ,, Y°^smk, lie said with con- 
 
 ^" .. has a large balance at her banker'- fi . 
 
 slie can draw upon at any time Itwn. ^l^'^f^^"-'- that 
 
 foolishofmybrotherTomCUrsVtrr Tr^."^ 
 tation may have been too strong for^^u ' Gold T'" 
 IS as open-handed as the sun." ^ ^^'■>' 
 
 "Yes, that is true," said T uneasily. - Vow th.f T 1 
 achanceofspeakingtoyoualone,iMa'h:,i;n^^^^ 
 
PRETTY MIS.S SMIT/f. 
 
 "3 
 
 iisk you a question aliout last nigh- I met Hopkins, the 
 wa chman, when I lefi y<uir room. He was peering in 
 through the door that leads to the works, and I n sure I 
 heard his laugh up above our heads " — and I glaii' ed at 
 the ventilator — " when we came and found you here. Do 
 you think it was he who i>laycd all those tricks on Marv > 
 Of course at suniebody else's instigation." 
 
 At my first menuon of this subject Mr. Marsii had 
 giown livid; and I would have stopped, i»erceivi :j my 
 indiscretion, but that he made me a sign to t,o on. 
 
 " 1 can't tell," he said *' I have not seen the man y i, 
 you know. When I do, I dare say I shall be able to nn 
 a fairly good guess as t( whether the fellow is hone 
 not." 
 
 " And you will be able to get the truth out of him abc 
 the man I saw, whom he i -.clares to be a detective, 
 believe if we got hold of him the whole mystery would b 
 cleared up— about the woman and all. I don't like tht- 
 luok of that woman a bit, ai/d I don't belie\ ;• half she 
 says. The way to get to the truth, as far a;, she is con 
 cerned, would be to bring he face to face with Hilary 
 Gold." 
 
 Mr. Marshall had no time to reply to this suggestion, as 
 at that moment Mrs. Camden h rself knocked at the door 
 and brought in the doctor, whob- brougham we had seen 
 come up the avenue. He did lot stay very long. He 
 declared that his patient was sur -ring from the effects of 
 mental overstrain and nervous lock, and advised him 
 to give up all thoughts of busines for a time, and if pos- 
 sible to go away for a thorough change of climate and sur- 
 roundings. 
 
 " You are thoroughly run down, ' he pronounced as he 
 rose to go. " Just now I noticed ti at the mere sight of a 
 person crossing the garden path start ed you and made you 
 change color." 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 E" 
 
114 
 
 rKErry miss smith. 
 
 Mr. Marsl,all, whose eye had been wandering on. of 
 TZZT "'"""' ->0 -8" glance, .nrned qnickly.o 
 
 said wu,::' i:':;!" """ "^ ""^^="""« -"^ ''"'^--'" -= 
 
 nJ;!,;?i '"''"">■'="'"■'' ••'8'-''"8'-""S search. 
 
 ngy on, of ,v,ndow. I |,ad perceived .he canse, and it 
 ..onbled me as mnch as i.didhhn. Treading can,i«,sly in 
 and on. among ,i,e irees and shrubs, hann.ing.he place a 
 she had haumed i. ,he day before, was chf mys.er.ou 
 
 rro:a;i'r«''^-^'""^---"''°'>-^''«'™^--e 
 
 I lef. .he room with the doctor, determined to approach 
 the woman myself Bn. either she did no. wish .i be ,p 
 preached or she had re.rea.ed into some corner whenie 
 he could not see me, for I wandered about .he garden 
 for nearly half.an-ho,.r without catching another gUmp 
 of her Gtvmg up .he search at last, I left the grounds 
 of he house and entered the distillery-yard, and pas ed 
 
 works Hopkms would be away at his lodgings a. this 
 nne I knew; which w.as all the better for m'y fnves.ig ! 
 tmns. r ran up the ,ron staircase, and passed through the 
 long storerooms to the attics above the house 
 
 .,lls,"''fn™""1' ''•■'"""=' "P *<= ''"^<'" ^•■••ircase and 
 almos fal^n to the dusty floor in my eagerness, when I 
 caugh stght of a row of objects hanging in ,he a r before 
 me w^nch solved one part of the mystery of .he ,r cks 
 pl^ed upon Mary. There were .he dead bodies f e fh 
 large owls, wh.ch were suspended from side .o side of fl" 
 w,de a..,c by a cord which was passed round .heir neck 
 Helpless and harmless as .hey were now, I shuddered as i 
 
 tenngs had had upon me, upon poor Mary, andeven upon 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 i»5 
 
 ring out of 
 3 quickly to 
 
 akness," he 
 
 nd in farc- 
 ing search- 
 ise, and it 
 utiously in 
 le place as 
 mysterious 
 1 her name 
 
 ' approach 
 to be ap- 
 2r whence 
 lie garden 
 r gh'mpse 
 J grounds 
 id passed 
 into the 
 gs at this 
 investiga- 
 rough the 
 
 case and 
 5, when I 
 lir before 
 he tricks 
 ' of eight 
 de of the 
 ir necks. 
 :red as I 
 ind fliit- 
 en upon 
 
 a hard-headed lawyer like Mr. Marshall. Then I heaved 
 a sigh of relief, for this was ocular demonstration that the 
 trick had been played for the last time. But the mystery 
 surrounding the i>erpetrator remained as profound as ever. 
 
 I crept down the staircase again with my teeth chatter- 
 ing although it was a hot summer day. The thought that 
 there was only one person about in whom I could confide, 
 and that he was so ill that it was selfish to trouble him with 
 confidences, gave me a sickening feeling of responsibility. 
 When I got back to the house, I was more sorry than sur- 
 prised to find Mary's manner changed towards me. With 
 some shrewdness, she had conceived the idea that I shared 
 Mr. Marshall's distrust of Hilary, and was not likely to 
 sympathize with her reviving feelings of affection towards 
 him. So the day passed very uncomfortably, Mary not 
 confiding to me whether she had answered Hilary's letter. 
 She was too much annoyed with her uncle to do more than 
 pay him another fleeting visit, while Mrs. Camden and I 
 spent the whole afternoon with him, reading the papers and 
 trying to distract his thoughts by lively conversation. 
 However, through all her petulance I saw that Mary was 
 better ; even the emotions of anger and mortification were 
 welcome after that dangerous apathy of a few days ago. 
 
 I was sorry to find, when tea was brought into the draw- 
 ing-room that afternoon, that Mary's indignation was still 
 too warm to let her join us. I saw nothing of her for the 
 next two hours, and then, as the first bell had rung for din- 
 ner, I asked Emily, whom I met on the stairs, what had 
 become of her mistress, 
 
 " She went out into the grounds, ma'am, about half-an- 
 hour ago," said the maid, in the distant tone with which 
 she still emphasized her disapproval of the subterfuge by 
 which I had at first gained a footing in the house. " I 
 don't think she vvill be in to dinner." 
 
 " Not in to dinner ! " I echoed in vague alarm. " Did 
 she say she was going out, then? " 
 
rtff 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITir. 
 
 - A \J ^T °^ °"' P^^^te boats ! " 
 
 .h"lkMisss3mr,V '"°'''' *^''"^'^"^- "And I 
 
 me a Ji.tle wM Jot, T T""' '° «° "'" ' "■<" ''"e sen. 
 
 "A cheoue -r, ^f' '^''ange for a cheque for her.' 
 
J'JLETTY M/SS SMITH. 
 
 If; 
 
 :ce of intel- 
 
 iv.is talking 
 tlien they 
 
 check silk 
 
 'g satisfac- 
 "And I 
 )r she sent 
 for her.' 
 uch ? " 
 
 c at heart 
 ate, gene- 
 ids of the 
 : physical 
 'Chosen? 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 I COULD do nothing, that was the worst of it. If I had 
 known Hilary Gold's address, I think I should have posted 
 off thither at once, and risked bringing everybody's male- 
 dictions down on my head for an interfering busybody. 
 But I did not. Restless and unhappy, I went into the 
 drawing-room, instead of dressing for dinner, and hunted 
 about for an explanatory note which I thought perhaps 
 Mary might have left for me. But she had been too deep- 
 ly offended with me for that. 
 
 While I was searching, the door-bell rang, and I started 
 up with my heart beating fast. I guessed who the visitor 
 was, for Mr. Marshall had said that his son would come 
 that evening, to bring a report of the business transacted 
 during the day, I had had many battles with myself since 
 Tom's confession the day before, but they always resolved 
 themselves into a ridiculous hunt for extenuating circum- 
 stances on the culprit's behalf I loved him ; there was an 
 end of the matter. Whatever he might do would not alter 
 that fact ; his guilt would only lower me in my own esti- 
 mation for caring for such a creature, it would not kill my 
 feeling for him. But I meant to fight against this convic- 
 tion, and not to let him see that my heart was softer than 
 my conscience. 
 
 I must have something to do, something to occupy me 
 in case I should have to keep up a conversation with him ; 
 so that I should not have to look at him much, and could 
 fill up the pauses conveniently. I rushed across to tlie 
 piano, therefore, and turning the whole contents of the 
 canterbury out on to the floor, busied myself in sorting 
 the music, Unluckily, only that I did not know it, Turn 
 
 li 
 
iiS 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 had come quietly to the open door unannounced, and had 
 the meanness to watch the whole manoeuvre. 
 
 The first intimation I had of his presence was an arm put 
 round my waist as I sat on the floor. I had overdone my 
 part altogether, making such a noise of rustling and leaf- 
 turnmg that I had not even heard him come into the room 
 I tried to disengage myself, with an affectation of coldness 
 and anger; but Tom was not so easily taken in, and ho 
 resisted all my efforts to rise, and .spoke in such a humble 
 pleading voice that I was touched in spite of myself 
 
 " Don't snap and scratch, Georgie dear," he said plain- 
 tively. " Why be so hard and unkind to your future hus- 
 band—and just when he is in low spirits too ' " 
 
 ;;F"ture husband ! " I echoed, gasping for breath. 
 What do you mean, Tom .? " 
 
 " Why, that I've quite made up my mind to carry out the 
 threat I have held over you so long, and marry you I 
 was touched yesterday, Georgie, by the way you spoke of 
 me and took my part, and I made up my mind there and 
 then that I couldn't do better." 
 
 This piece of impertinence made me furious. I managed 
 to release myself by a great effort, and standing up 
 towered over him as he still remained on the floor at mJ 
 feet. ^ 
 
 "And you really think," I sa.j, throwing all the digni- 
 fied sarcasm I could muster into my voice, " that after all 
 the disgraceful meanness and cruelty you confessed lo 
 yesterday, you have only to throw the handker hief in my 
 direction for me to seize it with rapturous gratitude ? " 
 
 He had curled himself comfortably on the carpet and 
 was nursing one knee. He did not hurry himself to 
 answer; and when he did, it was in sententious tones, 
 looking at the music-stool instead of at me. 
 
 "There are more women than men in the world— at 
 Jeast in England," he said, "so there is no doubt that ma- 
 
VRETTV MISS SMITH. 
 
 119 
 
 :ed, and had 
 
 5 an arm jiut 
 verdone my 
 ng and leaf- 
 to the room, 
 of coldness 
 in, and he 
 b a humble, 
 lyself. 
 said plain- 
 future hus- 
 
 for breath. 
 
 my out the 
 
 ry you. I 
 
 u spoke of 
 
 there and 
 
 I managed 
 nding up, 
 3or at my 
 
 the digni- 
 it after all 
 fessed to 
 lief in my 
 ide ? " 
 rpet, and 
 imself to 
 us tones, 
 
 vorld — at 
 that ma- 
 
 trimonially I belong to the more valuable sex of the two. 
 Surely it is better, then, to take a husband who may be 
 ' stained with a crime,' as the novelists would say, than lo 
 run the risk of not having one at all ! Consider the matter 
 calmly, and I'm sure you will agree with me." 
 
 My spirits were rising while he spoke. I was used to 
 Tom; and it seemed to me that, since he was able to talk 
 in just the old way, l«s conscience could not be very 
 heavily burdened. 
 
 " Tom," I burst out with that sudden flitting away from 
 the subject of matrimony which was a common feature of 
 our intercourse, " I don't believe you had much to do with 
 those shameful tricks after all." 
 
 " That's right," said he composedly, with a face like a 
 wall, " cultivate that beautiful, blind, trusting confidence 
 in the f:ice of proof ; it will be very useful when I want to 
 stay late at the club, and call it * visiting a sick-friend. ' " 
 
 " For," I went on, not heeding his comments, " if it had 
 been you who worked that trick, it would not have been 
 l»layed again last night, and on your own father ! " 
 
 " What ? " cried Tom, utterly taken aback, while I 
 laughed in triumph. 
 
 But the next moment my heart sank again, for his utter 
 bewilderment seemed to suggest that the trick had been 
 played for the first time without him. I turned away, full 
 of doubt and misery. 
 
 " You wish to see your father," I said coldly. 
 
 But Tom interrupted me before I could get any further. 
 
 " No, I don't," he answered shortly. 
 
 And again I was distressed by this sign of an uneasy 
 conscience. 
 
 " You can take him these papers, ana this note ; it tells 
 him all we have done during the day." 
 
 ** Don't you want to know where he is, why he is not 
 about?" asked I, surprised. Without waiting for an 
 
120 
 
 PRETTY Mrss SM/T/r. 
 
 ;endro„hedoC.„.t;::';:^''"fZij';,;,-^=<'- 
 
 brought tin, !bo« V '"^ ''°'"' <^™*,ct has 
 
 weren't y'uV" ""' ""™^^ f""" °f yourfather, 
 
 fault of the prodigalson°ie t,^ " '" 'Vuleall the 
 sneer i„ his tone Th7n'u """' ''' '"'^'-'gfoeable 
 
 floor. .. Wher"; All';;'.'' "'""' '"^ ^"■"'•••■">' "•"« "« 
 My face fell. 
 
 be;:r'e-;o:"'r:™:°"iaf„";;::",' t;,-":"; -" "°'""^- 
 
 Hilarv Rnt .] / 'ifraicl— I ihu,k she went to sec 
 
 .-^go wo ';T:;;rri' 'ir ^™"' """ "''' '^ '"« "> 
 
 -seve„,„ L;,:4''r^^ 
 
 Case. «oU the r:::';:tole,.''"^''™' ""''«"■'■ 
 He was already at tlie door. 
 " I don't know. AVon't vm, i^f 
 
 ».ar^t^:.;::r;::. ,;—,;:- ^-■" -■'"-" 
 
 .l.e^^fhe"::,""" ;;■■"■ "".""'^'- "^' ""s'-'-vedone i„ 
 
 I entrusted the papers for TV ar^ nil "l '''t ""°"' 
 >""e landing-stage' h, plen./of'J- f ;:" ™f ="'= 
 was ioohng ,n„ody and anxious, and he spoke e, li t e" 
 
PRETTV MISS SM/T/r. 
 
 t2f 
 
 looked rather 
 
 n ; we had to 
 
 think, Tom," 
 
 a h"ttle moral 
 
 conduct has 
 
 f your father, 
 
 mgled voice, 
 t quite all the 
 disagreeable 
 Illy from the 
 
 II hour ago, 
 ^veiit to see 
 t is tliat the 
 y went witli 
 I Mary had 
 
 of having 
 ni took tJie 
 
 e said con- 
 ■ and give 
 
 up I shall 
 
 e done in 
 ■ girl new, 
 , to whom 
 ached the 
 rt. lorn . 
 ery little. 
 
 " It is up the river they have gone, not down," I said 
 briefly. "I asked Emily, who saw them start." 
 
 Tom received this intelligence with evident uneasiness, 
 and gave the ordtr lo proceed slowly. It was rapidly 
 growing dark, and we had to keep a sharp look-out for the 
 little skiff— he on one side of ihe launch, and I on the 
 other. 
 
 '' They won't have got very far, I expect," said Tom ; 
 "the tide is running out fast, and besides— the river is 
 lonelier about here than it is higher u])." 
 
 What did he fear then.? Did he know more about this 
 Dora Selton, her character and motives, than he pretended ? 
 I dared not ask him; for his face had clouded over with 
 anxiety and suspicion which made him so unlike the Tom 
 I knew that he seemed like a stranger. 
 
 We were on that wide reach of water, with flat shores, 
 that is between Wandsworth and Putney. It is little fre- 
 quented by pleasure-boats of the better sort; but the 'owl 
 of the 'Arry from the four-oared tub he is doing his best 
 to overturn frequently echoes in the trees of Hurlingham 
 on the right bank. We passed the black hulks of a few 
 barges coming down with the tide ; except for these the 
 river was deserted. ^I'he line of slime and mud left by the 
 out-running tide was growing wider on each side ; the night 
 shadows on the grey water were getting blacker ; the air of 
 this reach, always dreary, was more desolate than usual. 
 
 Suddenly I thought I lieard a faint cry, and I shuddered. 
 Tom, who heard it too, after a moment's thought, gave 
 directions to steam quickly to the left bank, which at this 
 point was a mere waste of mud and barren, broken ground. 
 Slackening speed when we were close on shore, he seized 
 his opportunity, and regardless of the mud into which he 
 at once sank ankle-deep, he scrambled on to firmer ground, 
 and ran quickly along the bank. 
 
 I then perceived, a little way ahead of us, the skiff, of 
 which we were in search, buried deep in the mud. There 
 
 ET 
 
t3i 
 
 PkETTY MISS SMITir. 
 
 were wo figures ,n it, the one standing, the other sitting; 
 
 vh ll f r", ' ^^^"^ ^'°"'^ "°^ '^'■^^'■"S^'^h which wL 
 wh,ch. As I leaned over the bow of tl,e launch, straining 
 my eyes in the gloom, there was another low cry. Getting 
 accustomed to the darkness, and the launch being by this 
 time nearer to the smaller boat, i was .ble to see that the 
 sittmg figure was Mary, who was crouching down on the 
 seat, while leaning over her was the woman Dora Selton 
 The latter sprang erect as Tom came near, and, leaping oui 
 into the mud, made for the firm ground of the bank. After 
 a short chase on the level ground, he came up with her and 
 by that time we had drifted near enough for me to notice 
 a very curious thing. 
 
 Just as Tom seized the woman's arm with no gentle 
 hand, she turned round upon him like an animal brought 
 to bay, and uttered half-a-dozen words in a tone the fierce- 
 ness of which struck me even at a distance too great for me 
 to distinguish the words. 
 
 I saw Tom stagger back as if he had been struck, and 
 the woman, without further hindrance on his part, walk 
 
 What could she liave said to him ? 
 
PRETl'Y MISS SMITH. 
 
 tlier silting; 
 li wliich was 
 :h, straining 
 y. Getting 
 -ing by tliis 
 3ee that the 
 own on the 
 )oia Selton. 
 leaping out 
 ink. After 
 ith her, and 
 s to notice 
 
 no gentle 
 al brought 
 
 the fierce- 
 rcat for me 
 
 truck, and 
 part, walk 
 
 123 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 For some minutes after the woman had left him, walking 
 quickly away over the waste ground in the direction of the 
 nearest railway station, Tom remained standing as if turned 
 to stone. Then he turned slowly, as if he did not know where 
 he was, and seeming to collect his scattered wits by an effort 
 made his way back to the skiff, on the seat of which Mary 
 was still crouching. We were close up by the little boat by 
 this time ; indeed I had called to the girl, but had received 
 no answer. Tom got into the skiff, his boots heavy with 
 black mud, in a mechanical sort of manner, and tried at first, 
 without speaking, to push off into the stream. Mary had 
 started up on hearing his approach, but to my surprise he 
 had taken no notice of her. He seemed to have received 
 some overwhelming shock. 
 
 Finding all his efforts to dislodge the skiff useless, he got 
 the men on the launch to help him with a rope. I noticed 
 that his voice was hoarse and changed, with quite a new- 
 peremptory harshness in his tone. He directed the cap- 
 tain to return home with me, and taking up the sculls of 
 the skiff, proceeded to follow "us, still without a word to 
 Mary. 
 
 It was a dreary procession back along the grey water, 
 a mystery hanging over us all which showed a different 
 side to each of us. Although the launch went slowly, of 
 course it got back first, and I waited for the others on the 
 landing-stage, shivering less with cold than with sick, name- 
 less fears. When the skiff arrived, I held out my hand 
 eagerly to help Mary to land. She raised her head, which 
 had been bent in her hands, and I saw by what faint light 
 was left that a change had come over her too, almost as 
 
 g=?f W 
 
tJ4 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 great as that 1 had perceived iii Tom. The sweetness had 
 gone out of her face, which was clouded by black doubt 
 «u«i,.cion, and even anger-quite a new feeling fur my 
 gentle Mary. She thanked n,e in a hard, perfui.ctory tone 
 |ts If some late experience had soured her feelings even to 
 
 ml tr'',V'""r"'" '''' '" ^'° '^ ^"""^^ '•-" ^-"«- 
 •iiKl wailed for her cousin. 
 
 uv. ". Jr";,' ^ f''"'^ '" ''" '''^''-''' '"'"■''l^^''"' '^^^^^^^ not to be 
 
 tvim I . T "^' '" ^"■"'- " '"'^^^ ^^^^'-^ y"" ^°»»d out ■> 
 What did J„j woman say to you ? Who is she ? " 
 
 He turned sharply to me with a white face looking older 
 llian his own father. 
 
 "' know- nothing abcut her," he answered rudely "Ask 
 I'-'t «.rl with a nod in the direction of Mary. '< Ask her 
 I ".'y ; don t you hear.> " he repeated quite savagely, as I 
 ■stood motionless. *» ^' 
 
 Mechanically I walked after Mary, he following. 
 Mary," I asked in a tremulous voice, when I came up 
 -thher, -Svhoisthat woman who was with you Tn't;;: 
 
 Looking back at Tom, I saw that he was waitin? for her 
 answer with an interest, an anxiety, even stronger than my 
 
 "Ask Hilary Gold." said Mary, coldly and haughtily 
 onrl ,'".T''^''f'^''' '^''' ''^^y °f'^^^^ would have 
 tion and to keep his face turned away as she uttered it. 
 
 Wo all entered the house in silence, and found poor Mrs 
 Cainden fluttering about in a great state of anxLy as to 
 wha had become of us. Mr. Marshall had sent again and 
 ^. . to ask where we had gone and whether we had 
 re turned, she said. At these words Tom turned round 
 
 * I must see my father," he said. 
 
 ''1 think you had better not to-night, if you have any- 
 tlung of an cxcumg ur disturbing nature to impart to him," 
 
 
PKETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 ««5 
 
 ietuess had 
 lack doubi, 
 ng for my 
 iclory tone 
 igs even to 
 the ]ioiise, 
 
 i not to be 
 ound out? 
 
 king older 
 
 ;ly. "Ask 
 
 * Ask her, 
 tgely, as I 
 
 came up 
 ou in the 
 
 g for her 
 
 • than my 
 
 ghtily. 
 uld have 
 ly inten- 
 ed it. 
 3or Mrs. 
 ty as to 
 ;ain and 
 we had 
 Dund. 
 
 ivc any- 
 o him," 
 
 
 said Mrs. Camden, noticing the expression on the young 
 man's face. 
 
 " I have to ask his advice on a very important matter, 
 that's all. But I must sec him. Which room is he in ? " 
 
 He was walking towards the stairs. Mrs. Camden 
 directed him with manifest reluctance. I tried to calm her 
 fears by assuring her that Tom was by no means the silly 
 young man she thought him, who would disturb an invalid 
 unnecessarily, but I myself felt uneasy, remembering the 
 manner in which the occurrences of the day before had 
 preyed upon the hard-worked lawyer. 
 
 Tom was in his father's room by the time I went upstairs 
 to take my hat off. I was two rooms away, but all the 
 windows were open, and in a few moments I caught tones 
 of passionate excitement issuing fiom the apartment where 
 father and son were conversing. Suspense, anxiety made 
 my ears sharp. Without trying, though scarcely without 
 wishing to hear, I presently caught fragments of speech. 
 Both speakers were greatly excited, sometimes to the point 
 of speaking at the same time. The father's tone was one 
 of reproach, that of the son was alternately sullen and 
 entreating. 
 
 " My son, my own son ! How could I expect it of you ! " 
 said Mr. Marshall's voice. 
 
 And there followed a heated discussion throughout which 
 both voices sank lower. It was Tom whose words I caught 
 next, spoken in a tone of recklessness and passion. 
 
 " What's the use of wasting time in talk ? It's all found 
 out ; or what is not known yet may be known any minute. 
 You don't suppose that woman would keep a man's couii- 
 sel a minute longer than suits her purpose. We had better 
 go abroad, the whole lot ; we're done for here." 
 
 His voice had gradually risen so high that every word of 
 this speech came tome quite clearly. Ashamed of playing 
 eavesdropper, I now rose cjuickly from the chair on which 
 
ISC 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 it 
 
 I had sunk down when I heard Mr. Marshall, wih a sharp 
 reproof to his son for imprudence, close his window. As 
 I opened my door, that of Mr. Marshall's room was flung 
 open, and Tom appeared. He guessed that I had overheard 
 somethmg, but with a keen glance he withdrew again into 
 his father's apartment, saying simply : 
 " It's Georgie." 
 
 Downstairs I found Mary in the drawing-room, pretend- 
 ing to read in order to avoid the questions of Mrs. Cam- 
 den, who was exceedingly hurt because nobodv took her 
 into his confidence regarding the interesting things which 
 she felt were going on around her. As a consequence she- 
 was exceedingly dignified that evening, and we were forced 
 to hear more than usual about " my dear friend the Mar- 
 chioness of Silvcrtown " and " that charming man Lord 
 Shocburyness." After a miserable twenty minutes during 
 which Mrs. Camden tried to snub me, and I in vain tried to 
 rouse Mary's attention, I heard Tom's footstep on the 
 stairs, and thoughtlessly sprang to my feet. Mrs. Camden 
 gave an icy little laugh. 
 
 " In the set I have been accustomed to mix with " she 
 said with emphasis, " it was understood that for a young 
 girl to show emotion on the approach of a young man 
 betrayed the manners of the kitchen." 
 
 " In my set," I retorted with more emphasis still " we 
 know nothing about the kitchen, nor do we trouble our- 
 selves about its manners." 
 
 I didn't want to be rude to the poor old thing, but I was 
 reahy tired of being sat upon. She was on the verge of 
 hysterics as, in spite of her comments, I hurried out of the 
 room. 
 
 Tom was by this time standing at the foot of the stairs 
 with his hat in his hand. He turned to me with a hard 
 stern face. ' 
 
 " Oh," he exclaimed. " I want to speak to you. Come 
 into the dining-room, we shall escape the women," 
 
VI 'h a sharp 
 ndow. As 
 n was flung 
 d overheard 
 ' again into 
 
 in, pretend- 
 Mrs. Cam- 
 y took her 
 ings which 
 Cliicnce slie 
 i-ere forced 
 i the Mar- 
 man Lord 
 ites during 
 lin tried to 
 2p on the 
 !. Camden 
 
 ^vith," she 
 r a young 
 »ung man 
 
 5till, "we 
 uble our- 
 
 but I was 
 
 verge of 
 
 3ut of the 
 
 the stairs 
 I a hard, 
 
 . Come 
 
 PRETTY MfSS S.y/Tir. 
 
 117 
 
 i 
 
 I followed him into ilic long apartment wliich, with its 
 dark family portraits and iicavy mahogany furniture, always 
 seemed to nic hare and dreary. A glinnncr of gas was 
 left in the chandelier, just encnigii to make ihc eyes on the 
 canvasses blink at y«)ii. 
 
 " Now then," he said abruptly. '" Vou were eavesdrop- 
 ping upstairs just now ; what was it you heard ? ' 
 
 " Tom," I remonstrated tearfully, " how can you accuse 
 me of such a thing 1 Do you really think I would conde- 
 scend to listen at doors? " 
 
 " Well, you listened to private conversation that you 
 knew was not intended for you. I know by the guilty look 
 on your face when I caught you at the door," he continued 
 harshly. 
 
 ' Guilty look ! " I echoed fiercely, raising my head and 
 looking full in his face. " Indeed, Tom, I think it would 
 be well if nobody in the house had a greater reason to look 
 guilty than I." 
 
 It was an ungenerous taunt, but I was stung to the quick 
 by the tone he was taking with mc, as if I had been an 
 enemy anxious to use any knowledge I might have to his 
 harm. To my utter surprise and consternation, instead of 
 reproaching or even answering mc, he turned away with- 
 out one word, and sinking upon one of the heavy mahogany 
 chairs that still stood near the table, laid his head upon 
 liis arms, and fairly sobbed. It was so utterly unlike 
 self-contained, cynical Tom to give way like this, that for 
 a few moments I was too much startled to go near him. 
 Then I crept up in very humble, slave-like fashion, and 
 ventured, oh so gently, to touch his sleeve. In the old 
 fiishioned household where I had been brought up, the 
 great superiority of the male sex was never seriously ques- 
 tioned, and to see one of the mighty beings humiliated 
 like this was to me a most painful and confusing thing. 
 
 " Tom," I whispered huskily, " Tom, don't go on like 
 
 1 1 
 
12$ 
 
 PRETTY .)f/SS SMITH. 
 
 that ! As if I meant to say anything lo hurt 
 you don't know how miserable it makes me to i 
 happy. Tom, dear, dear Tom, do say you forg 
 
 you ! Oh, 
 me to see vou un- 
 
 I had d 
 
 ne mc. 
 
 Irawn a little nearer, and he suddenly raised his 
 head and transferred it from the table to my shoulder. At 
 first I was rather frightened by this demonstration, and 
 inclined to draw back. But becoming rapidly used to the 
 burden, and recognizing the honor of it, I soon, from sim- 
 ply supporting the jirecious freight, took courage to advance 
 as far as stroking the disordered hair of my condescending 
 admirer. 
 
 " Go on," said he peremptorily, as, overcome by modest 
 diffidence, I withdrew my hand. " Go on," he repeated, 
 "you may stroke my hair as long as you like. I don't 
 mind a bit ; I may say I like it." 
 
 "How good of you!" I murmured, ironically, I am 
 afraid. For surely my meekness deserved a show of meek- 
 ness in return. 
 Still Tom never raised his head. 
 
 " What did you hear ? " he asked after a few minutes, 
 in a stifled voice. 
 
 " I— I heard you say, you— you must all go away — 
 abroad ! " I wailed out plaintively. " Oh. you won't, Tom, 
 will you ? I don't understand what you have done, or ' 
 what all this mystery is about the woman, and Hilary, and 
 you, and poor Mary's money. But surely you can live 
 through it— already you are sorry, and— and— if you go 
 
 away, Tom, I— I shan't know— ow what to do— o ! " 
 
 " Vou'll marry some other fellow, of course," said Tom, 
 still with his head buried, putting out first one arm and 
 then the other until they met round my shoulders. 
 
 " Well, but, Tom," I suggested after a moment's i)auso, 
 " what would the other fellow say if he saw me now? " 
 
 "Wait till he turns up, it will be time enough to bother 
 our heads about him then, won't it ? " 
 
PRETTY MISS SMfTTT. 
 
 tig 
 
 you ! Oh, 
 see you un- 
 ;ive me." 
 y raised his 
 loulder. At 
 ration, and 
 used to the 
 I, from sim- 
 
 to advance 
 descending 
 
 by modest 
 2 repeated, 
 e. I don't 
 
 ally, I am 
 \v of meek- 
 
 <v minutes, 
 
 JO away — 
 on't, Tom, 
 : done, or 
 [ilary, and 
 I can live 
 -if you go 
 -0— ! " 
 said Tom, 
 arm and 
 
 I'S. 
 
 t's pause, 
 low ? " 
 to bother 
 
 '* Ye — es, perhaps. Only, Tom, you must promise not to 
 go away ! " 
 
 Suddenly he started up, and stared into my face in a 
 way that frightened me. 
 
 " Go away ! Yes, yes, I must. The disgrace is too much 
 to bear." 
 
 " Well then, let me go too — o — o." 
 
 Tom's expression changed as lie looked at me. 
 
 *' You're a good girl, Georgie," he said in a husky voice. 
 " Perhaps I will — if — if things don't turn out quite as badly 
 as I expect," he added dubiously. 
 
 Suddenly he turned his face towards the door and signed 
 to me to keep silence. Then I heard uncertain, hesitating 
 footsteps outside. Tom crossed the room softly and threw 
 open the door. 
 
 Mary was standing outside, with a wild, but determined 
 look on her pale face. She had a letter in her hand. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Tom looked relieved when lie saw who it was, 
 
 " Hallo, Mary," he exclaimed. " Wandering about like 
 a ghost ! Wliy, what's the matter ? " 
 
 She hesitated a moment, looking down, and then glan- 
 cing, in a cold, suspicious manner, from him to me. 
 
 " I want this letter posted, and I don't know whom to 
 trust." 
 
 *' Letter ! Oh, Mary, whom is it for ? " cried I entreat- 
 ingly. : 
 
 She answered at once, in a firmer voice : 
 
 " Hilary Gold. I have told him to come here to-morrow, 
 I must see him, speak with him ; I must have all this mys- 
 tery made clear. He can do it. So I have told him to 
 come." 
 
 Tom was evidently much disturbed. I could tell this by 
 the twitching of his face and the movements of his hands. 
 Mary looked at him keenly, and then abruptly began to 
 walk away towards the front-door. 
 
 " Where are you going ? I will post your letter," said 
 he. 
 
 She shook her head with a little suspicious laugh. 
 
 " No, no, I will go out with it myself. I have been 
 trustful too long." 
 
 She quickened her pace, and had her hand upon the 
 door when Tom, shaking with suppressed excitement, 
 crossed the hall hastily, and stood with his back against it, 
 thus forcibly detaining her. 
 
 '• Wait," said he hoarsely. " You don't know what 
 you^re doing. If you care for Hilary, think how your sus- 
 picions will pain him." 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 '31 
 
 about like 
 
 then glan- 
 ne. 
 whom to 
 
 I entreat- 
 
 )-morrow, 
 this niys- 
 (1 him to 
 
 !ll this by 
 
 lis hands. 
 
 began to 
 
 ter," said 
 
 ive been 
 
 ipon the 
 :itement, 
 gainst it, 
 
 o\v what 
 ^'our BUS- 
 
 . 
 
 Mary laughed with quite a new tone of harshness. 
 
 " If my suspicions are true, he deserves to be pained. If 
 they are not, and I don't believe they are," she went on 
 wistfully, " he will be delighted to have them cleared up, 
 and we shall all be happy again." 
 
 Tom evidently did not share this view. 
 
 " Look here," said he at last, " you can see that this is an 
 important step you are going to take, accusing a man of 
 very serious things. You must take somebody's advice. 
 Will you take my father's ? " 
 
 She stared for a few moments thoughtfully before her. 
 
 " Yes," she said at last slowly. " I don't mind hearing 
 what Uncle Charles has to say." 
 
 Mary could not judge as well as I could the great relief 
 this decision afforded Tom. He sprang away from the 
 door, dragging Mary towards the staircase. I followed as 
 a matter of course. 
 
 We found Mr. Marshall writing at the table which had 
 been brought in for the purpose. He looked up with 
 rather a wan smile, as we entered, and seemed to ask us 
 with his eyes, before he spoke, what fresh trouble we had 
 brought for his consideration. 
 
 " Well ! " and he looked from one to the other. 
 
 " Uncle," began Mary, in a resolute tone which told how 
 fast she was recovering her health of mind, " I want to 
 write to Hilary. I want to see him, to ask him questions, 
 if possible to confront him with Miss Selton. Tom and 
 Georgie want to prevent my seeing him. But I cannot 
 rest until I have done so. Am I not right ? " 
 
 Mr. Marshall leaned back in his chair, and softly taj)- 
 ping the fingers of his left hand against those of his right, 
 sat considering for a few moments, just as he did when a 
 client brought him a difficult case. 
 
 " I think you are right," he pronounced at last in a judi- 
 gi^l tone " It is only fair to the young man himself; and 
 
 :li 
 
'3= 
 
 PRETTY MISS SM/Tff. 
 
 although it must necessarily be painful to both of you, I 
 don't see how we can all be comfortable again until eve'ry- 
 thmg IS explained. Write to him yourself, telling him to 
 come." 
 
 " I have written." And Mary produced her letter. " I 
 meant to give it to Tom, but I am afraid he wouldn't post 
 it." ^ 
 
 "Go and post it yourself then," said Jier uncle, simply. 
 
 Without another word Mary turned to obey with alac- 
 rity. Tom looked at his father with an anxious face. I 
 thought he perhaps wanted to exchange a few words with 
 Mr. Marshall before taking his leave for the night, so I 
 followed Maiy out of the room, leaving father and son 
 together. Tom, however, after a hurried good-night, ran 
 out after me, as if his guilty conscience would not allow him 
 to wait for another paternal lecture. 
 
 We all three got down into the hall together; and Mary 
 seizing a garden hat, ran off with her le cer, while Tom and 
 I lingered at the front door. Instead of indulging me with 
 a few affectionate words, as I had hoped and indeed ex- 
 pected, he peered out into the darkness, watching his 
 cousin's light dress flitting down the drive. 
 
 " You will look after her well. And— you will not leave 
 her alone to-night 7 " he said in a curious, guilty sort of 
 voice. 
 
 ;' I always stay with her up to the last," I answered, sur- 
 prised and anxious. 
 
 " Up to the last won't do," said Tom rudely. ^^ You've 
 got to stay with her ail night, and-and behave like a wise 
 girl if you can." 
 
 With this enigmatical farewell, and without so much as 
 another look at me, Tom darted down the drive and I saw 
 no more of him that night. 
 
 I remained standing like a statue where he had left me 
 for soni? minutes, u prey to the deepest ankiety, on hh 
 
 I 
 
 / 
 
PRETTY MISS !^MrTt!. 
 
 »33 
 
 of you, I 
 mtil every- 
 ng him to 
 
 etter. " I 
 ildn't post 
 
 2, simply, 
 with alac- 
 s face. I 
 ords with 
 ight, so I 
 and son 
 night, ran 
 allow him 
 
 nd Mary, 
 Tom and 
 me with 
 deed ex- 
 :hing his 
 
 not leave 
 y sort of 
 
 ired, sur- 
 
 " You've 
 :e a wise 
 
 much as 
 nd I saw 
 
 left me 
 , on hiji 
 
 account as well as on Mary's. I could not understand him. 
 Since this painful discovery about Mary, he had seemed, in 
 spite of his acknowledged guilt, to have assumed a new man- 
 liness and responsibility. Had he, I asked myself, engaged 
 himself so deeply in a shameful conspiracy that he could 
 not draw back, and could only seek to palliate his offence 
 by secretly undoing with one hand what he did openly with 
 the other. It was a terrible suspicion to entertain of the 
 man I loved, and I shuddered as these doubts would flash 
 into my mind. I was staring out into the darkness, listen- 
 ing to Tom's retreating footsteps and watching for Mary's 
 return, when I perceived on the left, close to the edge of 
 the lawn, a figure which I took for hers. It lingered, how- 
 ever, instead of coming to the house. 
 
 "Mary!" I cried. And then, as she did not come, I 
 stepped down upon the path and called again. 
 
 Instead of answering, the woman glided away quickly 
 behind the evergreens, and I recognized with a shiver that 
 it was not Mary at all, but Dora Selton. 
 
 Had Tom seen her? Or hid lie only guessed that she 
 would be haunting the place again that night? I could 
 not tell ; but the reason of his warning now seemed clear. 
 Seeing that on the sound of my voice she must have gone 
 down the drive, I gave chase, examining the trees and ever- 
 greens on the left all the way along as I went, and fancying 
 that from time to time I heard a rustle or caught a glimpse 
 of a skirt. I passed Mary, returning hurriedly from the 
 post. In reply to my questions she said that a woman had 
 passed out of the gate as she came in. She had not noticed 
 her particularly, supposing her to be a friend of one of the 
 servants. I did not tell her my suspicion, but Mary watched 
 me curiously as I left her and passed out through the dis- 
 tillery-yard and asked the man on duty at the door if he had 
 seen a woman pass. He said, " No," and looked at me 
 suspiciously j but he called Hopkins at my request. The 
 
 BBB 
 
»34 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 me very surlily what 
 
 night-watchman, who now held me in 
 
 wanted, 
 said entreatingly, 
 strange woman 
 
 much disfavor, asked 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 want you 
 out to-niglit. That 
 
 IS 
 
 again. 
 
 to be on the look- 
 about the idI .ce 
 
 " You're all strange women about 'ere, it seems to me,'' 
 said lie drily. " As to being on the look-out, p'raps I'm 
 more on the look-out already than you think for." 
 
 And his little eyes gave me such a shrewd glance that it 
 struck me more forcibly than ever that he knew at least as 
 much about the mystery as any one 
 
 " What's become of your detective ? " I asked quietly 
 
 "He's all right." 
 
 " He comes here still ? " 
 
 "Reg'lar." 
 
 But Mr. Hopkins was keeping something back, I felt 
 sure. However, as it was waste of time to try to worm out 
 of the clever little Cockney anything he wished to keep to 
 himself, I had to withdraw reluctantly, feeling that I had 
 done all I could in putting him on his guard. 
 
 The distillery, with its wilderness of sheds and out-build- 
 ings, had so many nooks and corners where a person might 
 lie hidden for whole days undiscovered, that it was with 
 many misgivings, many glances to left and right among the 
 great pyramids of casks and barrels that lined the yard, 
 that I went back to the house, where Mary and Mrs. 
 Camden were only waiting for my return to go to bed. 
 
 Full of Tom's fears and my own, I did not go to bed, but 
 slipping upstairs before the others, hid my-.elf in the large 
 wardrobe in Mary's room. I felt like an idiot when Mary 
 came up and retired to bed without any suspicion of my 
 intrusion. For I was dreadfully tired, and no change of my 
 cramped position made me at all comfortable. Presently 
 I heard, by her regular breathing, that she was asleep ; and 
 feeling cold, cross, and ashamed of my escapade, I was 
 
 
PRETTY M/SS' SMITH. 
 
 I3S 
 
 Ivor, asked 
 
 1 the look- 
 the jdI .ce 
 
 "ns to me,'» 
 )'raps I'm 
 
 ice that it 
 at least as 
 
 i quietly. 
 
 debating whether I should not creep out quietly and go to 
 my own room, when a faint noise of the door-handle made 
 me hold my breath. A little more soft fumbling, and I 
 knew that some person had entered the room. 
 
 Should I leap out and seize the intruder ? Should I keep 
 quiet and see what happened ? I decided on the latter 
 course, for the mean reason that I was afraid— though of 
 what 1 scarcely knew. 
 
 Someone was moving about very softly in the darkness ; 
 for Mary's night-light was not burning, as usual, by her 
 bedside. Then I heard, as I held my breath, a hand 
 stealthily drawing back the bed-clothes. 
 
 ick, I felt 
 worm out 
 keep to 
 hat I had 
 
 out-build- 
 son might 
 was with 
 mong the 
 the yard, 
 md Mrs. 
 bed. 
 bed, but 
 the large 
 len Mary 
 )n of my 
 ige of my 
 Presently 
 ?ep ; and 
 e, I was 
 
 ■ n w iwfJTfit'jnB 
 
136 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 For the first moment I was as if paralyzed with horror : 
 the next I shd out of my hiding-place and crept with leaden 
 feet across the room. I did not scream, however, or 
 utter a word Groping my way in the direction of the bed 
 where Mary lay, I put out my hands before me in the dark- 
 ness, expecting to catch the intruder; but I touched 
 nothing until I came in contact with the bed itself. \t that 
 moment I heard the door close softly. 
 The intruder had escaped. 
 
 Had my footsteps, soft as they were, been heard ? And 
 had my presence saved Mary from some great danger ? I 
 found my way to the shelf on the wall where a box of 
 matches was kept, and struck a light. As I did so, a pecu- 
 liar, sickly smell came to my nostrils, M'hich, although I 
 did not recognize it, I knew must be that of some drug. 
 I ht a candle which I found close to my hand, and held 
 It up over the bed. 
 
 wh^JhT Tn '^"'"? "^' ^''^ "" ^^^r^^i^o.. on her face 
 which I shall never forget ; it was so wild, so horror-struck. 
 In her hands she held a towel, on which her eyes now f»ll 
 I tried to take it from her, but she snatched it back, with 
 a laugh which seemed nearer to madness than any sign I 
 had yet seen in her. Then she turned towards me, and 
 thrusting out her hands as if to guard against my approach, 
 glared at me with unmistakeable terror and abhorrence 
 
 "Mary, don't look at me like that, for Heaven's sake, 
 don t I cried hoarsely. '^ What is that in your hand > 
 Is It chloroform } Did they try to suffocate vou ? " 
 
 « They I They ! You don't know who did it, I sun- 
 pose ! No, of course not.' 
 
 I 
 
 
I 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 137 
 
 
 And with anoiher high-piiched, maniac's laugh, she 
 threw the cloth she held up in the air. As it fell, it filled 
 the air with the same heavy, sickly perfume I had already 
 
 noticed. 
 
 "Indeed I don't. Oh, Mary, do you? Weren't you 
 
 asleej) ? " 
 
 " U'nfortunalcly. no." 
 
 " Who was it? Indeed, indeed 1 don't know anything 
 
 about it." 
 
 She turned upon me with sudden sternness. 
 
 ♦' What were you doing in my room then ? " 
 
 Great heaven ! Did slie suspecl mc ! Her great blue 
 eyes seemed to bl;i/x- ;ind flash luridly as she bent her head 
 forward to peer into my face with fierce, unconcealed sus- 
 picion. 
 
 I stammered and fell back in my horror. 
 
 "Mary, is it you? Are you yourself?" I whispered 
 huskily, as soon as I could speak clearly. •' Do you need 
 to be told lliat I love you like my own sister, and that I 
 could do nothing but good to you ? " 
 
 " But how about this ? T fell it on my face, stifling me. 
 And I knew whose hand put it there." 
 
 Again slie fixed her eyes upon me with such an unmis- 
 takeable implication of guilt that I broke down. After all 
 my anxiety, all my solicitude, it was too much. I burst 
 into hysterical sobbing as I fell upon the little cretonne- 
 covered sofa. In a few moments I felt a gentle hand on 
 my shoulder, and then Mary's two arms, as lovingly as ever, 
 put round my neck. 
 
 " Don't cry, Georgie, my dear," she whispered softly i 
 " I was mad, you are right ; that stuff got into my heaci 
 and poisoned me. But look up, sec I am quite my.seU 
 again." 
 
 I did look up, and I saw that her face was drawn and 
 pale, with the shadow cast by a great horror still upon il, 
 
»38 
 
 PRETTY MIS^ SMITH. 
 
 but With the fierceness all gone. It vas Mary, my own 
 poor haunted Mary again. ^ ' 
 
 "Tell me, Mary, what did you fancy? Who did you 
 thmk It was ? " I whispered. ^ 
 
 Shf It Tu'Z ^""} °'" ''''^ ''°'"'""'' ^^^^P^ °^^r '^^r face, 
 bhc shuddered and almost shook mc. 
 
 " Don't ask me, don't ta'k about :,,'• she rattled out 
 hoarsely. " It was a nightmare, a hideous fancy, that was 
 
 *ul r^ "^'; """^ "°'''"^ ^''' '■°°"^' ^°°^ "P the cloth from 
 he bed It was a thick towel, which had been folded and 
 saturated with chloroform. 
 
 " We must talk about it," said I, « for somebody must 
 
 have dene .t. Didn't you hear the door-handle turned ? '' 
 
 No," answered Mary. 
 
 I felt sick at heart. I could no longer have any doubt 
 
 hand " ^"*^^^^/^^"^y °f f-g'^t, she had fancied it las my 
 
 hand that put the cloth over her face. Of course therl 
 
 wild fancy, entirely excusable in a girl who had found 
 
 a ady ban.shed U .o the four winds, I could not doubt. 
 
 fa Id.lf '\r'' ""P^^^^^"t impression behind, and 
 ra.seda cloud between u. across which we looked at each 
 other with bcdimmed eyes. 
 
 I iiisisted on passing the rest of the night upon the sofa 
 I had a very well-defined thought in my mind. The would- 
 De crmimal would certainly not wish the crime to be dis- 
 covered, and would therefore in all probability return 
 before mornmg to find out whether the victim was dead 
 and to remove the implicating cloth. But the mornin.^ 
 broke, and st.ll no one came. Mary had fallen asleep, and 
 I my elf was at last dozing, when my ears, more on the 
 alert than usual, again caught a sound outside the door 
 J leaped up half asleep as I was, rushed to the door, threw 
 
PkETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 i^ 
 
 , my own, 
 
 > did you 
 
 her face. 
 
 ittlcd out 
 ', that was 
 
 loth from 
 aided and 
 
 ody must 
 urned ? " 
 
 ny doubt 
 t was my 
 se there 
 IS a mere 
 d found 
 son had 
 t doubt, 
 nd, and 
 at each 
 
 he sofa. 
 ; would- 
 
 > be dis- 
 return 
 
 s dead, 
 norning 
 ep, and 
 on the 
 t door. 
 •, threw 
 
 it open, and confronted not my supposed murderess, but 
 — Mr. Marshall. 
 
 He staggered back in evident consternation at my on- 
 slaught. 
 
 " Georgie ! You ! Why. Why, what's the matter ? " 
 stammered he. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Marshall," I cried, " I didn't know it was 
 you. We have had a most dreadful night." 
 
 " Dreadful night ! Why, what has been the matter ? " 
 
 " Somebody has tried to suffocate Mary with chloro* 
 form." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 •' It is true, indeed it is. A towel, saturated with the 
 stuff, was thrown over her face. Oh ! " I went on with an 
 expression of disgust, " I seem to smell it still. Why," 1 
 exclaimed suddenly, struck with the knowledge that this 
 was more than fancy. " It is on your clothes too — that 
 smell ! Did the woman get into your room also ? " 
 
 Mr. Marshall started, and looked at me inquiringly. 
 
 " Someone did," he tnswered in a troubled voice. " I 
 distinctly heard footsteps by my bedside. But then I lost 
 consciousness and I don't know what happened. I slept 
 heavily and woke up with a headache, and supposed I 
 must have suffered from nightmare. But the fancy that 
 somebody had been in my room was so strong thi"t I was 
 impelled to come and see if Mary was all right. It must 
 have been only a fancy, though, for my door was locked." 
 
 «' That is nothing," said I, " so was Mary's. Oh, Mr. 
 Marshall," I went on with decision, " there must be no 
 more of this. You must take Mary away at once — to-day, 
 at all risks. Even with her dearest and most devoted 
 friends about her we cannot protect her properly, you see. 
 This house, with the nooks and hiding places in the dis- 
 tillery, is not safe for her. We don't want to call in the 
 police." 
 
t40 
 
 PRETTY MISS SAf/T//. 
 
 " No, that wouldn't do. Vo„ arc rig In ; we must take 
 her away as early in the day as we can. We don't want 
 to have a scene with Hilary first." 
 
 " No," cried I, struck with a new idea. " Of course he 
 would want luT to stay, l,ecause if she goes away she for- 
 feits her money." 
 
 " Only if she /hes away," corrected Mr. Marshall '-a 
 Visit for her health's sake to the seaside, for instance, 
 wouldn t count against her." 
 
 ^' Mr. Marshall.," I burst out suddenly, after a minute's 
 reflection. " Do you know I think more strongly that 
 Mary had better .see Hilary before she goes " 
 
 " Do you ? Why ? ' 
 
 ''I am more and more inclined to believe that he is not 
 half so guilty as we imagine." 
 
 " But the woman " 
 
 "JVell, I suppose he must have been fond of her once, 
 but I don t believe he cares for her now. That is what 
 makes her greedy and dangerous. And yet," a fresh doubt 
 crossed my mind, "why should she want to kill Mary' 
 she only cares for money-and she gives one that impres- 
 sion, doesn't she .'-it is to her advantage for Hilary to 
 become rich by marrying Mary." 
 
 "Perhaps," suggested the solicitor thoughfullv, "Gold 
 has induced Mary to make some foolish will in his favor " 
 
 I drew a long breath. Hilary had certainly more than 
 half suggested, in his last interview with me, that he con- 
 sidered Mary to be under monetary obligations to him 
 Mary s voice, from inside her room, startled us both at this 
 point. I nodded to Mr. Marshall, and went back into the 
 bedroom, feeling rather guilty, as if we had been conspiring 
 about her. Mary's look and manner as she greeted mc 
 strengthened this impression. She was sitting up in bed 
 with her armr. folded, with the same altogether unacrus- 
 tomed expression of stemne.ss and suspicion which I bad 
 seen on her face on the previous night. 
 
PKETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 HI 
 
 must take 
 lon't want 
 
 course he 
 ly she for- 
 
 ishall, •• a 
 instance, 
 
 I minute's 
 ngly that 
 
 he is not 
 
 her once, 
 It is what 
 ;sh doubt 
 Vlary ? 
 t Itnpres- 
 FTilary to 
 
 . "Gold 
 is favor." 
 lore tlinn 
 t he con- 
 to hini. 
 th at this 
 into the 
 inspiring 
 cted me 
 ) in bed, 
 maccus- 
 :h I had 
 
 
 " Was thai my uncle talking to you?" she asked. 
 
 " Yes,'' I hesitated. " Someone got into his room too, 
 he thinks," I went on in a low voice. 
 
 Mary flashed at me a look of keen suspicion. I wished, 
 with a great pang, that I had not been so communicntive, 
 for it was evident that these words of mine had roused 
 afresh her cruel doubts of me. 1 was too much hurt to 
 trust myself to another word on this subject ; with a little 
 quaver in my voice I said I would go and get ready for 
 breakfast. 
 
 As I hurried to my room I decided that I would go back 
 home that morning. I could be of little use to her now 
 that she had once lost faith in me ; I must trust to time to 
 teach her again what she seemed to liave forgotten, how 
 honestly and loyally I was her friend. 
 
 Mr. Marshall appeared that uiorning at the breakfast 
 table. He looked haggard and ill, and I reproached him 
 for coming down, but Mary accepted his presence with her 
 new customary apath^ He spoke to Mary gravely about 
 her adventure of the night, but she only g.xve a little hard 
 laugh and said that women with money must expect these 
 adventures. This new harshness in a girl who had always 
 been so gentle was a great trouble to me, although I could 
 not be surprised by it. I began to feel a diffidence eve a 
 about suggesting her going away, but it had to be done, 
 and so, when breakfast was half over, I made a " rush at 
 
 it." 
 
 '« Don'l you think, Mary, that it would be wiser of you to 
 go away somewhere for a little while, until you have got over 
 the effects of the horrible frights you have had lately ? " 
 
 .She turned round towards me very slowly, with the air 
 of a princess. 
 
 <' I shall never get over them," she said quietly ; " they 
 have changed my whole view of life, and of my friends." 
 
 Again she would not let me off— a cruel emphasis on the 
 word " friends." 
 
 1! 
 

 142 
 
 PRETTY MISS SAflTff. 
 
 fZ^' ^°' '^' .^"r"^ '''''' '° S° ^^''^y' ^'^y- 1 never do any. 
 thi^ng w,se, and I am not going to belie my character for 
 
 Irmme"'' """ ' ^'"" ^'^^ ''''' ""^" ^'^^ ^^ °^ ''- 
 A blank silence fell upon everybody at the table, 
 rh.scalm decision on the part of a girl whose chief hold 
 upon o.. esteem had been her yielding lovableness over 
 whelmed us w.th astonishment. For the first time, Mary 
 
 lufde Th ""^' " "'^'^"^ ^" ^- -" '^-"-^ and 
 
 guide 9f her own actions. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 143 
 
 er doany- 
 racter for 
 nd of the 
 
 lie. 
 
 chiefhold 
 less over- 
 ne, Mary 
 )use, and 
 
 CHAPTER XXIL 
 
 After the first moment of surprise I felt a sensation of 
 intense relief at this new attitude of Mary's, accompanied 
 by a feeling of comfort and hopefulness such as I had not 
 experienced since my arrival under her roof. From a 
 puppet she had become a reasoning being, determined to 
 hold her own ; and the change, while its suddenness puzzled 
 me, was evidently greatly for the better. 
 
 In the face of her apparent loss of confidence in me, I 
 avoided any further private conversation with Mr. Marshall, 
 lest she should again fancy that we were conspiring against 
 her. I also took an early opportunity of telling her that it 
 was time for me to go back home ; my father would be 
 wanting me. She received my information as unemotionally 
 as she had taken everything else th?t day, and merely said 
 that she supposed I should not want to go until the fol- 
 lowing morning. This could hardly be construed as the 
 warmest possible invitation to stay, but I was so anxious 
 to learn the results of her forthcoming interview with Hilary 
 that I put my pride in my pocket and said that the next 
 morning would do very well for my departure. 
 
 After the interchange of these few words, the day hung 
 heavily on my hands. Hilary did not come, Mr. Marshall 
 returned early to his room, Mary avoided all of us ; I was 
 quite glad of the companionship of Mrs. Camden, and gave 
 a more sympathetic ear than ever before to the recital of 
 the doings and sayings of her aristocratic " friends." 
 
 Dinner was over early, and as soon as we left the dining- 
 room T hurried round to the distillery, hoping that the 
 revelations I had to make concerning the previous night 
 
144 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITIJ, 
 
 would incline the night-watchman to be less reticent with me 
 than before. It was still almost broad daylight, beinc 
 scarcely eight o'clock, when I came u,)on Harry Hookins 
 Joungmg m the yard with his pipe in his mouth 
 
 *; Mr. Hopkins," I began, - I wish you would trust me 
 a Jittle more than you do." 
 
 briefly ''^^^ ''^ *°''^ ^'' ^'^'' """^ °^ ^^' '"°"*'^' ^"d ^^'fl 
 
 " Trust you > Now, does the missus ? " 
 
 I grew crimson and was inclined to turn away without 
 pursumg my inquiries further ; but Hopkins did not mean 
 to let me off like that. 
 
 " By what I can 'ear of the goings on in the 'ouse, it's 
 all you and Mr. Marshall, you and M- Tom, and the 
 missus out of it all ; just as if she w. , , a child, and 
 not a growed-up woman and her own ...i..us." 
 
 Hopkins was too important a person to be Heated lightlv 
 so I condescended to explain. 
 
 " Don't you know." I said. " that Miss Smith has not 
 been herself lately, owing to the night-frights she has had > 
 It doesn t say much for your watchfulness that anyone was 
 able to get in and give them to her," I went on boldly 
 
 I had entirely given up the idea that Hopkins himself 
 was a party to these tricks. He seemed taken aback by 
 my boldness, and looked at me out of the corners of his 
 small eyes. 
 
 - Who do you think it was gave 'em to her ? " he asked 
 after a pause. 
 
 "Well, that strange woman haH a hand in it, I know " 
 I said decidedly. " And last night, after all I said to you. 
 you let her get in again, and she tried to smother Miss 
 bmith during the night." 
 
 " Did she, though.? " said Hopkins. 
 
 But to do him justice, he began to look very serious 
 
 ••you re sure it was her, I s'pose," he remarked, with 
 another sidelong look. 
 
FRETTY MISS SMITIf. 
 
 >4S 
 
 :einwithme 
 light, being 
 7 HoDkins, 
 
 li. 
 
 lid trust me 
 
 1, and said 
 
 ay without 
 i not mean 
 
 ! 'ouse, it's 
 I, and the 
 child, and 
 
 ted lightly, 
 
 1 has not 
 : has had ? 
 lyone was 
 boldly. 
 s himself 
 aback by 
 :is of his 
 
 he asked 
 
 I know," 
 i to you, 
 her Miss 
 
 ^rious, 
 ;cd, with 
 
 
 '* Why, yes, who else could it be ! ' said 1, with an 
 uncomfortable sensation stealing over me of suspicion of 
 the entire world. 
 
 " And the missus, what does she think ? P'raps she's 
 a-coming for to arsk my opinion too." 
 
 He was looking behind me towards the gate of the yard. 
 Turning my head I saw, \.o my astonishment, that Mary 
 was indeed coming towards us, with the same cold, suspi- 
 cious expression which she had worn all day. Instinctively 
 I fell back a little, and Mary smiled contemptuously as she 
 
 noticed this. 
 
 " You can go on talking," she said drily as she came up. 
 " For I have come about the same subject — ray affairs." 
 
 I saw in the little Cockney watchman's face, as he respect- 
 fully touched his cap, and took his pipe out of his mouth, 
 a look of genuine sympathy which at once gave mc a favor- 
 able insight into his character. 
 
 " There has been a great mystery made about some 
 doings which have taken place here lately," she began. 
 "My household and my friends seem to have sifted it 
 thoroughly : only I have been left in the dark. Perhaps 
 you can throw a little light on it for me too." 
 
 A sort of uncomfortable blush rose in the little man's 
 
 cheek. 
 
 " P'raps I could, ma'am," he said, with his eyes on the 
 ground, " but p'raps I won't. There, that's flat, ain't it ? " 
 
 " Don't you think that, as the mistress, I have a right to 
 know what goes on here ? " 
 
 " Right or no right, ma'am, I ain't a-going to tell you what 
 I knows about this job, not if you was to turn me off to- 
 morrer. I ain't a going to break a lady's 'eart what has 
 been a good mistress to ine, and it would go nigh to break- 
 ing yours if you was to know all I know—or guess," he 
 added in a low voice. 
 
 Mary said nothing more for a few moments. She could 
 
 M 
 
 Id 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITir. 
 
 not fail to be impressed by the sincerity of the man's man- 
 ner. For my part I was miserable, because it seemed to 
 me probable that these hints of his would deepen what I 
 believed to be her suspicions of me. 
 
 " Tell Miss Smith about the woman, tell her there has 
 been a woman about," I pleaded earnestly. 
 Mary looked interested at once. 
 
 "A woman !" she repeated. "The woman I want to 
 see perhaps! Is it a tall, good-looking woman, who 
 dresses quietly ? Is she about now .? " 
 
 " She's sure to be, sure to be," I broke in hastily. " She 
 was here last night, she's always here. And she hides 
 about, so that you either cannot or will not find her." 
 And I turned passionately on Hopkins. 
 " I haven't seen her, I give you my word," grumbled he 
 " But of course I don't say it's easy to keep watch over 
 every nook and cranny in this 'ere big, rambling place " 
 
 "Well!" I said boldly, "you had better keep a watch 
 on the door between the house and the works to-night 
 unless Miss Smith would like to have another attempt made 
 on her life." 
 
 Both my hearers started at this speech. Mary presently 
 held out her hand with a commanding gesture. 
 
 " Give me the key of that door," she said decisively. 
 
 The night watchman detached a key from his bunch and 
 gave 't to her. 
 
 « L can go through to the house by that way now," said 
 she. 
 
 And bidding U3 both good-night in the same cold man- 
 ner, she passed through into the distillery building. Hop- 
 kins slowly followed her as far as the bottom of the stair- 
 case, and stood looking at her with a half-puzzled, half, 
 pitying expression of face. 
 
 Finding myself thus left alone, I returned to th^ houcg 
 as I had come, through the yard and the garden. In the 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 147 
 
 nan's man- 
 
 seemed to 
 
 )en what I 
 
 r there has 
 
 I want to 
 nan, who 
 
 ily. "She 
 she hides 
 her." 
 
 mbled he. 
 'atch over 
 place." 
 > a watch 
 to-night, 
 npt made 
 
 presently 
 
 lively, 
 jnch and 
 
 3W," said 
 
 old rnan- 
 f. Hop- 
 the stair- 
 ed, half- 
 
 le houss 
 In the 
 
 hall I met one of the maids, who told me that Mr. Gold 
 was in the drawing-room. 
 
 " I couldn't find Miss Smith anywhere, ma'am, so I went 
 up and told Mr. Marshall. And he told me to say as Miss 
 Smith was out. But Mr. Gold was very angry when I 
 told him, and he said he had been asked to come by Miss 
 Smith herself, and he should stay till he could see her, if he 
 waited till to-morrow morning. You can hear him now, 
 ma'am, walking up and down." 
 
 At that moment Hilary, hearing the servant's voice, 
 flung open the drawing-room door. His face wore, that 
 savage, black look that anger gives to dark-complexioned 
 people, and I felt quite thankful, as I looked at him, that 
 Mary was out of the way. He gave me a little scowhng 
 bow, but did not speak; he was listening for Mary's 
 
 voice. 
 
 " Mary is not in the house at present," I said coldly. 
 
 «' So I hear. I am waiting until she returns," said he. 
 
 I hesitated, wishing I could think of something to say 
 which would induce him to go away. But he looked too 
 determined to be put o5f, so I turned away and went up- 
 stairs, hoping that he would not see Mary that night. 
 When I reached the first-floor I saw Mary coming quickly 
 through the door which led from the works. She went 
 straight to her own room, and in a few moments came out 
 again, thrusting something into her pocket as she turned 
 again towards the storehouses. 
 
 " Good-night, Mary," said I. 
 
 " Goodnight," she said shortly, without looking at me. 
 And before I could attempt to detain her, she had passed 
 through the door which separated the house from the 
 works" leaving it open behind her. As I stood wondering 
 what she was going to do chere, I heard a man's rapid 
 steps along the corridor, and saw Hilary Gold run past me, 
 following Mary through the doorway. He had evidently 
 
 
t4> 
 
 ' /■nr.ri-y luis!; xMirn. 
 
 been listening on tl,c staircase for Iter voice and at .1,. 
 »ot,nd Of ,t had boldly dashed up in pursuit onfe^ "" 
 
 ^J^called to l„m, .ry,„g ,o detain him ; but he would not 
 
 I was seized suddenly by a paroxysm of nervous friri.t 
 as to what would happen if this lisionat aZ m 
 
 ^noCed a. Mr. MarSs dtj. I wtf/sZ; tr .-^ 
 
 bem^gh. be asleep; and getting no answer I c^'duded 
 
 bat h,s was so. There was nothing for it, therefore b,t 
 
 fcr e r;:: 7 '-^t'""« ^°""« ^'^^^^^^ 
 
 lervent hope that no harm would come of their mtelinff 
 I passed through the long, dim storerooms, when" • afi 
 
 gra n , but they had got far .-ihead of me, and I could see 
 or hear noth.ng of either of them. I s umbledtl o. .^ 
 
 when the send of voices, a man's and a woman's in angry 
 hot atscusstcn, came faintly to n,y ears, Scrambl ngaS 
 
 alarmed to hear, rising above the voices, a loud s>visl,i„„ 
 
 The : ::;;■ r';'';" ' '-■r -- f^™ *e big ™i;, * 
 
 Ihe mashn.g of ,„e malt, which goes on night and div 
 whtle th,s particular process lasts, , -a., now, I kn et n 
 
 plued^e bef ' ^"°™''" '""• '"^ "'^''^ "^ whilh I'a 
 pa led me before, was now mixing the grain with its row, 
 
 of long steel claws. The horrible fancy which 1 ad co 1 
 
 ".to my head when I looked down at L huge tun whe 
 
 w.th redoubled force, now that I felt sure the angry voices 
 came from the tun-room. * '^ 
 
 As I hurried on under the bare rafters, between heaned 
 «P barrels and the huge distilling vessels called w I. h"1, 
 n»- fears grew stronger until, when I tottered into ,h; .'un-' 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 149 
 
 , and at the 
 
 " her. 
 
 If' "'ould not 
 
 Tvous flight 
 angry man 
 te of feeiing 
 orridor and 
 rtly, for ^'oar 
 concluded 
 ;refore, but 
 self, with a 
 ir meeting, 
 len the last 
 ip sacks of 
 t could see 
 d through 
 ig nobody, 
 5, in angry, 
 •ling along 
 )cked and 
 i swishing 
 mash-tun. 
 t and day 
 knew, in 
 1 had ap- 
 i its rows 
 lad come 
 ti when it 
 id to me 
 ry voices 
 
 room itself, I was hardly able to bear without shrieking 
 the sight which met my eyes. 
 
 In the wooden gallery above the huge mash-tun two 
 figures were struggling, almost silently. The roar of the 
 seething mass of grain and water in the yawning vesse. un- 
 derneath drowned the noise of their shuffling feet. Through 
 a dusty sky-light above enough light came for me to 
 distinguish that the two figures bent and swayed together 
 from side to side, now close against the wall, now hanging 
 over the rail. Then stifled, gurgling sounds came from the 
 woman's lips, and I knew that her mouth was gagged by 
 her assailant's hand. 
 
 " Help ! Help ! " I shrieked. " Mary ! Mary ! " 
 I dashed towards the wooden ladder which led to the 
 gallery, and sprang up it like a cat. Only to be too late. 
 As I reached the top rung the man, leaning panting over 
 the gallery rail, stood alone ; and a piercing woman's shriek 
 came up from the great tun beneath, as the great steel 
 teeth threw up torn fragments of the dying woman's 
 clothing. 
 
 1 heaped 
 
 ih-hnrl-g 
 
 the tun- 
 
ISO 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 " Marv ! Mary ! " I wailed out, as I sank on the floor of 
 the gallery, overcome by the awful sound of a woman's 
 death-cry. 
 
 For I knew there was no hope. One glance down into that 
 ossmg, seething liquid, at the rows of shining steel fangs 
 that crossed the great tun from side to side, up and down 
 up and down, never pausing an instant in their work, told 
 me that no human being, falling in there, could live. Mv 
 thoughts now turned to the wretch who had murdered her 
 There he stood, still leaning over the little railing, looking ' 
 down at the body of his already silent victim, and deaf, as 
 It seemed, to my cries. ' 
 
 Suddenly he seemed to remember where he was : and 
 springing erect he turned with a staggering step to;ards 
 the ladder, on the top rung of which I was crouching 
 Murderer ! " I shrieked with all the force of my lungs 
 
 wellh?"f' ''kT "'^^ ^ ^'g^«^' J^-^gi^g -ith the whole 
 weight of my body on one of his arms, in the wild hope of 
 detammg h.m till someone should hear me and come to 
 se.ze him. He did not utter a word, but struggled to free 
 himself from tne, dealing blows on my head and arms with 
 h.s disengaged hand. But I clung on like a leech still 
 uttermg my wild cries, my voice ringing above the s'ound 
 
 ltr/""ir"' '"/'^ *""' ^"^ echoing in the rafters 
 overhead. Then, while I struggled, some sound or some 
 
 movement recaled to me the touch of the man whom I had 
 found m the attics, and whose face I had seen and failed to 
 recognize. 
 
 >wr''r,r"- ^^'^^^'•^you?- I cried frantically. -'Is 
 n Hilarjr Gold? Who js it ? " ■ * 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 *5« 
 
 J the floor of 
 a woman's 
 
 ivvn into that 
 steel fangs 
 • and down, 
 r work, told 
 d live. My 
 irdered her. 
 \^Z, looking 
 nd deaf, as 
 
 2 was j and 
 ep towards 
 iching. 
 f my lungs, 
 the whole 
 ild hope of 
 id come to 
 jled to free 
 arms with 
 leech, still 
 the sound 
 the rafters 
 d or some 
 horn I had 
 d failed to 
 
 call^. "Js 
 
 The man made no answer. Renewing his efforts to free 
 himself with greater violence than ever, he struck me a 
 blow on the head which half stunned me, and then, when 
 I relaxed my hold a little, tore my hands off his arm and 
 flung me down. Luckily for me, we had got further along 
 the gallery during the struggle, so I was not thrown down 
 the ladder, but only on to tlie boards. I heard the man's 
 rapid footsteps as he ran down the steps, and then for a 
 few moments my head got confused, and although I did not 
 faint, I forgot where I was. 
 
 There was a dreadful singing in my ears when at last I 
 staggered up to my feet and remembered the horrible tra- 
 gedy I had just witnessed. I crawled down the wooden 
 steps with tottering feet and aching head ; my brain seemed 
 to be spinning round and round, and everything I touched 
 seemed to be slipping away from me. And all the while 
 one horrible memory possessed me, torturing, maddening 
 me. My Mary was dead, lying there in that hissing, seeth- 
 ing mass a few yards from me. The thought suddenly 
 spurred me on to quicker movement. Groping, blundering 
 on, obliged to stop from time to time to remember which ■ 
 way to turn, I got at last to the top of the iron staircase 
 which led to tiie principal entrance of the distillery. I 
 heard voices below, men's voices, and I saw the gleam of a 
 lantern swinging in somebody's hand. 
 
 " Help ! " I called out feebly, and the voices ceased. 
 "Help!" I repeated. "Come quickly, quickly. Miss 
 Smith — has been — murdered ! " 
 
 There were shouts and the noise of men's footsteps as 
 they raced up the iron staircase, to the rail of which I was 
 clinging, still dizzy and half blind. Hopkins, the night- 
 watchman, was the foremost man. He supported me, say- 
 ing in an agitated voice : 
 
 '• You don't mean it, miss, surely you don't mean it !" 
 " It is true, true. The tun-room— the great tun ! " I 
 gasped. " So, I am all right ; go." 
 
H» 
 
 PRETTY MTSS .'^M/T//. 
 
 Without another word Hopkins and the under watch 
 man who was wuh him left me and ran off. When I had 
 
 IZt^JT:. ' '"^^^' '"^"^' ^^^^ ^--^^^ *he t. n 
 resist' M . "T\' ^'^'^'^ ^^^"■"•^^'''" I <^°"ld "'^t 
 ro . d .^"'T' "k^ '^'■'' other men were there, crowding 
 
 om.d a shapeless object on the floor. Hopkins heard my 
 «ep and, spnngmg at mc, gently led me away. The 
 machn^ery which worked the tun had been stopped, and 
 here was now a dead silence in the place, broken only 
 from t,me to tunc by a hushed, awe-struck whisper from one 
 of the men standing round the dead woman 
 
 Hopkms wouldn't listen to either my questions or my 
 explanations ; I wasn't well enough to talk then, he said ; 
 >t would all have to be examined into to-mornnv 
 
 ''But. Hopkins," said I, "you must tell me one thing 
 n.d any man pass out of the building while you were down- 
 stairs near the door ? " 
 
 He would give me no answer at first, trying to put me 
 off with promises to " talk it out " with me next da^^ fiTt 
 I Misistcd on having just this one reply. 
 
 " Well," he admitted reluctantly, " nobody passed out 
 except just Miss .Smith's intended, Mr. Gold " 
 
 " Ah ! " I almost shrieked. 
 
 " Why, you don't go for to suspect him sure_ly » " said 
 the watchman. ' 
 
 But I said nothing. This information gave one more 
 
 urn to the fantastic kaleidoscope of horrors which had 
 
 shifted before my dazzled eyes since my arrival at the dis- 
 
 quic t Not an inkling of the tragedy had yet reached the 
 household. Mrs. Camden had retired to her room; the 
 servants were all in their own wing. I crept to Mr. Mar- 
 shall's door and knocked, at first softly 
 There was no answer, and I repeated my knock more 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITIt. 
 
 »S3 
 
 under watch 
 When I had 
 irds the tun* 
 I could net 
 ?re, crowding 
 ins heard my 
 away. The 
 topped, and 
 broken only 
 per from one 
 
 tions or my 
 Ml, he said ; 
 w. 
 
 one thing, 
 were down - 
 
 : to put me 
 t day. But 
 
 passed out 
 
 -ly ! " said 
 
 one more 
 which had 
 at the dis- 
 
 ere all was 
 ?ached the 
 room ; the 
 ' Mr. Mar- 
 
 ock more 
 
 loudly, and yet a third and fourth time. At last he an- 
 swered from the bed, in the half-startled, half-stupid tone 
 of one roused suddenly from sleep. 
 
 " Eh ! What ! Wliat is it ? " 
 
 "Come, come ! Something dreadful, horrible has hap- 
 pened," I said in a hissing whisper. 
 
 I heard liiin get out of bed, and in another minute he 
 came to the door in his dressing-gown, evidently not yet 
 half awake. 
 
 " Something happened ! " he echoed sleepily. 
 
 But the next moment he caught sight of my face. 
 
 " Why, child, what is the matter with you ? You've hurt 
 yourself," he said with concern, as I leaned, trembling, 
 against the wall. 
 
 " It isn't that, it isn't that. I don't know how to tell 
 you ! " I stammered. " But oh, you would have to hear 
 to-morrow, and it's bettor you should hear it from me. 
 Poor — Mary " 
 
 I broke down. Mr. Marshall was angrily alert on the 
 instant. 
 
 " You don't mean to say they have been playing those 
 tricks on her again 1 " 
 
 " Oh no, no. Worse, much worse than that ! How can 
 I tell you ? How can I ? " 
 
 Mr. Marshall came a little way out into the corridor. 
 
 '•' Good gracious, Georgie, you frighten me," said he. 
 •' Quick, child, has anything happened to her? Where is 
 she ? " 
 
 He made a step forward in the direction of her room. I 
 stopped him with a gesture of depair. 
 
 " Oh no, not in there. She is dead. She has been mur- 
 dered ! " 
 
 "Murdered! Mary!" 
 
 He staggered back, and over his face there came a strange, 
 wild look, as if the thing he heard was utterly pasi com- 
 prehension. 
 
'^4 
 
 VRETTY Ams sMtrn. 
 
 " Yes, yes, it is true, it is true," I gasped out hoarsely 
 "She went through into the distillery, and-someone went 
 after her. I followed, and I heard a struggle~up in the 
 gallery above the great niash-tun. Then there was a shriek 
 and she was thrown in. Oil ! I cannot bear it ! I cannot 
 bear it! I can hear her cry still ! " 
 
 I covered myfacc wiih my hands. Mr. Marshall listened, 
 as still and white as a dead man. 
 
 " Who was it ? ■• he asked at last in a low fearful voice 
 "who— killed her?" 
 
 " Oh. I don't know, I don't know. But—Mr. Marsha. ! 
 —the only man who was seen to leave the distillery after- 
 wards was " 
 
 " Who ? " asked Mr. Marshall, in a harsh, croaking voice, 
 fixing upon me eyes that seemed suddenly on fire with 
 eager anxiety. 
 
 •' Hilary Gold," I whispered. 
 
 " Ah ! " 
 
 He turned away from me, with a strange look on his face 
 which I did not understand. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Marshall, you don't think— do you think " 
 
 I stopped. He passed his hand over his forehead, from 
 which the perspiration was rolling down in great beads. 
 
 " I will see him to-morrow," he said, almost like a man in 
 a dream, slowly, deliberately, in a dull, measured voice " I 
 will leave the house early, before it is light, and I will not 
 rest till I have found and questioned him." 
 
 " But you are not well enough to go ! " 1 objected. " And 
 this dreadful, dreadful thing has made you worse. Besides, 
 of course, if it was he, he would not tell the truth ! " 
 
 " I shall go, all the same," said Mr. Marshall. "He will 
 not be able to deceive ;//<?." 
 
 At that moment there was a sound at the lock of the door 
 from the distillery and Hopkins burst through. But not 
 before Mr. Marshall, with, as I thought, a cowardly fear 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 iJS 
 
 Lit hoarsely, 
 "neone went 
 —up in the 
 <is a shriek, 
 I cannot 
 
 ill listened, 
 
 irful voice 
 
 •. Marsha, ! 
 llery after- 
 
 cing voice, 
 fire with 
 
 >n his face 
 
 [link " 
 
 lead, from 
 beads. 
 : a man in 
 'oice. " I 
 [ will not 
 
 d. "And 
 Besides, 
 ! " 
 
 ' He will 
 
 the door 
 
 But not 
 
 dly fear, 
 
 easy to forgive, of hearing more horrible details thrust upon 
 him, had retreated into his )wn room. The night-watch- 
 man came through, with a look of grave determination on 
 his little wizened face. He knocked sharply at Mr. Mar- 
 shall's door. 
 
 " Mr. Marshall, sir," he said in his dry thread of a voice, 
 *' I want to speak to you. I won't keep you a moment, sir." 
 
 " What is it ? " nsked Mr. Marshall, in a voice which was 
 faint and weak with emotion. " If it is about this awful 
 tragedy concerning my poor niece, spare me just to-niglU." 
 
 " He is ill," I whispered to Hopkins pleadingly. " And 
 the shock has been too much for him." 
 
 But Hopkins spared no one. In exactly (he same dry 
 toiu IS ever, not heeding my supplication, but merely wait- 
 ing imtil I was silent, he went on, with another rap at the 
 door — 
 
 * If you please, sir, it's absolutely necessary that you 
 should see the body." 
 
 I uttered a low cry, and turned away, sick at heart and 
 miserable beyond words. Hopkins, after waiting at Mr. 
 Marshall's door for the answer he failed to get, came up to 
 me and spoke in a voice fuller of kindly feeling for my dis- 
 tress than I could have thought possible in the dry little 
 man. 
 
 " Look 'ere," he said persuasively. " Look 'ere, miss. 
 This is a bad job, but it's got to be gone through with. It 
 ain't no good making no bones about it. There's a lot more 
 impleasantness to come out before we've done with it, so 
 you'd better make up yer v/ind as it won't be no birthday 
 tea-party in the 'ouse for Ihe next fortnight — no, nor yet 
 afterwards for some time to come." 
 
 " But it is of no use making people suffer more than they 
 need, so why should a man who is almost an invalid just 
 now be dragged out to see a horrible sight ? He is going 
 to do the best he can ; to-morrow rnorning he is going tq 
 hunt out " 
 
 Hi 
 
>S6 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 '"Unt out who?" said Hopkins more drily than ever 
 seeing that I stopped. * 
 
 "Someone who may be able to throw some light upon 
 the afifair," said I cautiously, 
 
 It was no business of mine to implicate anybody to a 
 third person without proof. But Hopkins received this 
 speech with an extraordinarily knowing expression break- 
 ing over his face. 
 
 ^^ " Ho ! " said he. And then he added as if to himself, 
 
 And to-morrer's Doncaster races." 
 
 Without another word he turned on his heel and went 
 back quickly into the distillery. 
 
 X thought that he must have gone suddenly mad. 
 
 m 
 
than ever, 
 
 light upon 
 
 body to a 
 eived this 
 ion break- 
 
 o himself, 
 
 and went 
 
 id. 
 
 M 
 
 PRETTY J\//SS SM/I//. 
 
 »57 
 
 /•, 
 
 fvt.. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 I COULD lot go to bed. I hung about the corridor for 
 some time listening and fancying that I heard the voices 
 of the men in the distillery. At last, instead of going to 
 my own room, I crept into that of my poor friend. I left 
 the door open, so that the light from the gas in the corri- 
 dor hueamcd faintly into the lOom, showing me the differ- 
 ent objects on the dressing table which she had last used, 
 the open ivory pin-box, the little tortoiseshell hand mirror. 
 From commonplace they had all become sacred, and I 
 hovered over them with the horror I had felt giving way 
 for the first time to a tender pain which allowed the tears 
 to flow from my eyes. Presently I slid down on to the 
 floor, buried my face in the little sofa, and sobbed with all 
 my heart. 
 
 I sobbed until my head ached unbearably, so that I could 
 scarcely raise it in my hands, and until I was half blind 
 and half deaf. Then I heard the door close. I sprang to 
 my feet, the throbbing pain in my temples causing me to 
 cry out as I did so. 
 
 " Who's there ? " I called aloud. 
 
 For answer I heard a moan m a woman's voice. 
 
 t was not frightened ; I was too miserable to feel any 
 emotion so acute as alarm. I stood quite still, and, listen^ 
 ing intently, asked : 
 
 " Who is it ? " 
 
 Then a light was struck, and I saw a woman's form, 
 candle in hand, coming towards me. 
 
 Then, indeed, terror seized upon me, such terror as I had 
 never before fell in my life, I'or this woman approaching 
 
158 
 
 PRETTY MISS S MIT If. 
 
 me with faltering, unsteady steps, with wide open, wild 
 eyes and breath that came in sobs was Mary, Mary whom 
 I could have sworn that I saw flung over the gallery-rails 
 into the revolving machinery in the tun-room, whose death- 
 cry I believed I had heard, whose mangled body I had 
 caught sight of on the floor. 
 
 I am not superstitious, but I hung back for a itv^ mo- 
 ments, not crying out, but examining every feature of the 
 woman before me with doubtful eyes. At last I stretched 
 out my hand and touched hers, which was icily cold. 
 " Mary," I whispered hoarsely, « is it you, really you ? " 
 " I scarcely know myself," answered the poor girl in a 
 low, broken voice. 
 
 And letting me take the candlestick from her sLe sank 
 upon the sofa. For some minutes we sat together side by 
 side without exchanging another word. Mary seemed be- 
 numbed by some great shock ; while I was too much over- 
 whelmed by the feeling that I had more horrors to hear to 
 enjoy even a feeling of relief at my friend's apparently 
 miraculous escape. 
 
 At last, however, one extraordinary circumstance struck 
 me with sudden force. 
 
 " Your clothes are quite dry ! " I said. 
 
 Mary bent her head in assent and comprehension. 
 
 " It was not I who was thrown in," she said in a dull 
 voice. 
 
 " Not you ! Who was it then ? " 
 
 "Then, with sudden apprehension, I sprang up, drawing 
 a deep breath. 
 
 " The woman ! Dora Selton ! " I gasped out. 
 
 Mary clasped her hands. 
 
 " I was there," she whispered hoarsely. « I could not 
 see, but I heard. I heard you cry out too. I heard you 
 say 'Mary' and I knew what you thought, but I sepm.pd 
 to De paralyzec}, aqd coiilq not call back to yoij. I had 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 e open, wild 
 Mary whom 
 gallery-rails 
 vhose death- 
 body I had 
 
 r a few mo- 
 ature of the 
 I stretched 
 K cold, 
 sally you ? " 
 5or girl in a 
 
 er si.e sank 
 ther side by 
 
 seemed be- 
 much over- 
 J to hear to 
 
 apparently 
 
 xnce struck 
 
 ision. 
 
 d in a dull 
 
 p, drawing 
 
 [ could not 
 
 heard you 
 
 t I seemed 
 
 3t|. I ha4 
 
 »S9 
 
 gone into the works to try to find this poor woman ; you 
 had said she would be there. I knew she could explain a 
 great deal of this mystery if slie would, and I meant to 
 make it worth her while. But when I found her, she was 
 struggling with this man, reproacliing him, threatening 
 iiim. And before I had recovered myself, the end came, 
 and she was killed, and I did not know by whom." 
 
 *' Do you know now? Do you guess?" whispered I 
 into her ear, as she bent down her face upon her hands. 
 
 " I don't know, I don't know ; I don't want to think," 
 she answered vehemently. 
 
 After a long pause I made a hazardous remark. 
 
 " You know — that — Hilary Gold was about? " 
 
 " Yes. He had followed me into the distillery, and in- 
 sisted on speaking to me. I reproached him with caring 
 for this woman, this Dora Selton. and he seemed amazed, 
 and swore solemnly that he had not seen her half a dozen 
 times, and that she had represented herself to him as a 
 friend of mine. He said I had been tricked, and he left 
 me in a passion of indignation, and said that he must see 
 his guardian, Unclr Charles, at once." 
 
 "But he didn't, did he? 
 
 " No, I refused to let him come into the house to make 
 a disturbance at that time of night, and he left me, still 
 furious, vowing that I cared more for the meanest creature 
 in my employment than I did for him." 
 
 " And you don't know where he went then ? " 
 
 " No. I thought he was going out by the distillery 
 entrance." 
 
 " And you don't think ? " 
 
 Mary knew what I meant and she shuddered. 
 
 " I don't know, oh, I don't know. Don't make me 
 think, don't make me guess," 
 
 The poor girl was evidently kept on the rack by her own 
 thoughts ; and I, having nothing encouraging to say to her, 
 just sat by her silently, chafing her cold hands in mine. 
 
i6o 
 
 PRFTTY yrrss smith. 
 
 I slept with her that night, neither of us daring to be 
 left alone. The next morning we overslept ourselves, and 
 when we got downstairs we learned that Mr. Marshall had 
 gone away by an early train. He had left affectionate 
 little notes both for Mary and me, telling her that he should 
 soon be back to enjoy her hosi)itality again, and me that 
 lie was going to sift to the bottom the mystery of the night 
 before. 
 
 From this I guessed more certainly than before in what 
 direction his suspicions pointed. For my own i)art, 1 
 knew that poor Mary's doubts of Hilary were causing her 
 such intolerable torture, that I !und made up m> ,nind to 
 seek him out on my own account, and not to rest until I 
 had heard his version of the story. 
 
 I had learnt Hilary's address from Mary, and was ready 
 to start soon after breakfast, when an unexpected difficulty 
 sprang up. A police-officer came imo the house from the 
 distillery, to continue the inquiries he had begun there, 
 and not only had we to answer fully all his detailed inter- 
 rogations, concerning the events of the previous evenfng, 
 but it was with great difficulty that he was induceu 
 allow me to leave the house at all. However, I got away 
 at last, and reached Hilary's lodgings without incident. 
 Then I was informed by the landlady that Mr. Gold was 
 out. He had gone, she believed, to Doncaster Races. 
 
 I remembered the mysterious mention of Doncaster 
 made by Harry Hopkins the night before. It must be 
 then, as Mr. Marshall had once half hinted to me, that 
 Hilary was a devotee of the race-course, and that this was 
 the explanation of his financial ruin. 
 
 I rMr:)ose it would have seemed to a person of calm 
 miuu K\-c decision of a madwoman that I instantly took. 
 But J as racked with impatience, and could not wait. 1 
 woiild follow him to Doncaster myself, and there, in the 
 midst of his vicious dissipations, I would confront Hilary 
 
PRFTTV Mis<: s^nrtr. 
 
 t6l 
 
 daring to be 
 iiselves, and 
 ^larslmll had 
 affectionate 
 Kit he should 
 and nic that 
 of the night 
 
 fore in what 
 
 •wn j)art, I 
 
 causing her 
 
 in> .nind to 
 
 rest until I 
 
 d was ready 
 ?d difficidty 
 ise from the 
 egun there, 
 tailed inter- 
 us evening, 
 induceu 
 I got away 
 t incident. 
 . Gold was 
 Races, 
 Doncaster 
 [t must be 
 5 me, that 
 xt this was 
 
 'n of calm 
 mtly took. 
 >t wait. I 
 ;re, in the 
 Jnt Hilary 
 
 Gold, and bring him to book. I had been to " The Oaks " 
 and to the Epsom Spring Meeting, driving down comfort- 
 ably in the Marshalls' carriage, so I knew just enough to 
 understand that to make my way about a racecourse by 
 myself would be no easy or pleasant task. But my zeal 
 was so much stronger than my discretion that I did not 
 hesitate to trust to luck and to start on my journey. 
 
 It was by this time getting late in the day, and all the 
 " specials " had gone. So I went up quite comfortably, 
 without any crowding, and should have congratulated my- 
 self upon the fact but for a counterbalancing disadvantage. 
 1 was in a slow train ; and as it drew near Doncaster, 
 having already suffered a delay further south, it was 
 shunted so frequently to make way for returning " specials," 
 that I began to see there was little chance of my meeting 
 Hilary, unless he should have decided to stay in the town 
 for the following day's racing. 
 
 When we reached Doncaster I found the platform 
 crowded with people, noisy, clamorous, red-faced, not over 
 sober and decidedly rough. They were making a rush in 
 a compact body for every train as it ran into the station, 
 and I narrowly escaped being thrown down on my back as 
 I struggled to leave the carriage. It was clear that the 
 races were over for that day, and that my best chance of 
 meeting Hilary lay in waiting about the station ; as I 
 pushed and edged my way through the crowd round to 
 the up-platform and waited by a doorway, where I had a 
 gooH view of the approaching stream. The crowd was 
 pom .ng in rather less thickly as I took up my stand, but 
 before long there was an onrush so thick that I despaired 
 of being able to find out any .' gle person. On they came, 
 walking, running, driving, h' . dusty, vociferous. A swarm 
 of light-coated betting-men dashed through the doors in 
 front of me, forcing me to stand b ck to avoid being 
 knocked down. I could distinguish no one in the ru^ii. 
 
 11 
 
1 65 
 
 PRr.TTY JI//SS SMITH. 
 
 But suddenly, above tie noisy laughter, I heard a voice I 
 knev, loal, ain-ry, a i. ; fierce, crying with savage emphasis : 
 
 " There he is, the s-. oundiel ! " 
 
 It was Hilary Gold's voice ; I could not see him, but I 
 knew he had passed through the doors and I followed 
 with the surging crowd on to the platform. 
 
 .V train for London had just come in ; there was a rush 
 Ml whicl) r ^v,is bon.e forward and almost crushed against 
 the side of a carriage. As I struggled back I caught 
 sight of Hilary. He was some paces behind me in the 
 crowd j and with a face convulsed with rage, he was try- 
 ing to get at one of the group of dust-coated betting men 
 who had entered the station so noisily. I watched him ; 
 1 was so jammedin I could do nothing else. Just as the 
 man he was struggling to reach set his foot on the carriage- 
 step, Hilary seized him by the shoulder and dragged him 
 backwards with a sullenly muttered oath. As the man 
 felt himself dragged back, he turned his head sharply, and 
 stared at his assailant. At that moment I caught sight of 
 his face. 
 
 Grown white in a moment, haggard, wide-eyed, distorted, 
 it was the same face that had turned upon me on the 
 night when I seized Mary's unknown enemy on the dis- 
 tillery staircase. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 163 
 
 d a voice I 
 ; emphasis : 
 
 him, but I 
 I followed 
 
 was a rush 
 led against 
 : I caught 
 me in the 
 le was try- 
 etting men 
 ched him j 
 Fust as the 
 e carriage- 
 agged him 
 s the man 
 arply, and 
 ht sight of 
 
 distorted, 
 ne on the 
 n the dis- 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 I WAS SO overwhelmed by the passionate excitement into 
 which this second sight of the strange man's face threw 
 me, that for a few moments I saw nothing distinctly. The 
 crowd still pushed and surged. In a sort of haze I saw, 
 through the scrambling, fighting throng, half-a-dozen 
 strong men's arms thrust forth from the carriage at the 
 door of which the strange man stood. Someone gave Hilary 
 a great blow in the chest which sent him staggering back- 
 wards, the man whom he had seized was drawn by his 
 friends into the compartment, and the door was closed. 
 A few seconds later the train moved slowly out of the 
 station. 
 
 On to the platform they still poured, shouting, aggressive, 
 jubilant men, weary, downcast, silent men ; the load the 
 train had taken out scarcely seemed to diminish their 
 numbers. I was able to watch Hilary, who stood with 
 a stern and resolute face, evidently hardly conscious 
 of the mob surrounding him. And as I watched, my 
 thoughts concerning him changed, my doubts of him grew 
 weaker. 
 
 One thing was certain ! He had not come to Doncaster 
 that day, as I had supposed, in the callous determination 
 to enjoy a favorite dissipation. If he had even come to 
 drown remorse, he had not succeeded. There was anger, 
 unhappiness, steady resolution in every line of his dark 
 face. His dress, too, was utterly unlike that of the typical 
 racing man— utterly unlike, for instance, that of the man 
 he had seized and who had escaped him. He was in dark, 
 heavy-looking clothes, on V'hich the dust of the road and of 
 
164 
 
 PRETTY Jims SMITH. 
 
 the race-course lay in deep white furrows. When a move- 
 ment in the crowd gave me an opportunity T went up to him 
 and touched his arm. He did not seem to notice me 
 " Mr. Gold," I said. 
 
 He started and looked round. There was no guilt on 
 his face, only a great surprise. 
 
 'I You^here, Miss Oliver ! Not—not alone, surely ! " 
 
 "Yes,"' said I, feeling shy and uncomfortable, and not 
 at all carrying out my part of threatening avenger 
 
 " Why, what on earth Excuse me, but^did you come 
 
 here to meet—to find someone } ' 
 
 " Yes," said I very shyly and meekly. 
 
 "Ah!" No thought of the truth entered his mind 
 evidently. He added very quietly : " So did I " 
 
 There was a pause. The hustling crowd threw us nearer 
 together. I, with my face close under his, looked straight 
 into his eyes. 
 
 " Who was that man ? " I asked abruptly. 
 
 The frown gathered more blackly on the young man's 
 
 "Do you mean to say you don't know.?" said he 
 brusquely. 
 
 I trembled and did not answer. I could hardly tell 
 what the fear was that began to gather round my heart. 
 " No, I don't know who it was." 
 " You have never seen him before, I suppose ? " 
 "Only once." 
 
 Hilary looked down at me with a penetrating expression 
 After a few moments' silence he said quietly : 
 
 " Pray that you may never see him again then " 
 
 I shrank away as far as I could, which was not many 
 paces m that throng. At that moment another surging 
 movement in the crowd anno.uiced the aDproach of a 
 second train for London. Hilary elbowed h.- " ay to mc 
 
 " You had better let me see yoi, back to Vavii," he said 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 165 
 
 n a move- 
 ■ up to him 
 :e me. 
 
 guilt on 
 
 rely ! " 
 
 , and not 
 
 :r. 
 
 you come 
 
 his mind 
 
 us nearer 
 1 straight 
 
 ng man's 
 
 said he 
 
 rdly tell 
 heart. 
 
 )ression. 
 
 ot many 
 
 surging 
 
 :h of a 
 
 I to me. 
 
 he said 
 
 shortly ; " you would not find the return journey by your- 
 self very pleasant, I'm afraid." 
 
 Indeed I was thankful to accept his escort, for the 
 flushed faces and coarse speech of my destined fellow- 
 travelers hadfrightened all the courage out of me. Somehow 
 the' thought that I was receiving a kindness from a sus- 
 pected murderer never crossed my mind. They say that a 
 woman has some mysterious instinct by which she jumps 
 to a right conclusion which it takes a man hours of 
 reasoning to arrive at, I suppose it was that instinct which 
 mad'" me now feel certain that, whoever was the murderer 
 of Dora Selton, it was not Hilary Gold. 
 
 With great difficulty he got me safely into a compart- 
 ment of the train, and with greater difficulty still secured 
 a place in it for himself. It was a most unpleasant 
 journey back to town. There were eleven passengers in 
 the space intended f('. si.\, and they were chiefly of the 
 kind that only travels first-class when the guards are too 
 busy to be over particu' :• They sang comic songs 
 which I would rather not luae heard; and they talked a 
 curious slang which I was glad I did not understand. 
 Hilary at first kindly tried to make conversation for me, 
 but soon Iiad to give it up amid the babble. Of course wfe 
 could not approach serious subjects until, after a weary, 
 weary while, the train at last steamed into King's Cross 
 Station. It was past ten o'clock. 
 
 In my head had been beating, through all the din and 
 fatigue of the journey , i ; , j . x ; e thought that if I brought Hilary 
 down to Mary's house li.e whole mystery would be cleared 
 lip, and my poor girl's belief in her lover would prove to be 
 justified. Even at the risk of laying bare secrets which I 
 began to dread to touch, there would be a certain good 
 gained in easing Mary's mind and securing her a devoted 
 adherent. So I turned to the young man as soon as we 
 got out of the train, and asked if he would accompany 
 me to Mary's. ^ He hesitated, however. 
 
t66 
 
 tRETTY jl/rsS SAf/r//. 
 
 lill 
 
 " I am sure,' I went hurriedly, " that we have done you 
 some injustice, I especially perhaps." 
 " I know you have," said he shortly. 
 '' ;;«'-'^''»PS you don't know all that happened down at the' 
 
 down w th me now, late as it is, I am sure Mary will see 
 you .nd you can comfort her. My poor girl wants comfort- 
 ing, I assure you, after some scenes she has gone through 
 
 Instead of looking sad or sympathetic at these words, 
 however. Hilary's face became convulsed with rage. He 
 clenched h.s hands, and glared out before him as if at 
 some detested enemy. 
 
 " 1 can't go down with you," he .aid shortly. "I have 
 some busmess to do first." 
 
 " Business ! To-nigJit ? " 
 
 " Yes, to-night, at once. I am going about it now." 
 Let r.j^ go with you," said I. 
 
 He looked down at me . , ' laughed. I don't know 
 Whet or he saw Rua little hn^ering suspicion of h: 
 urged me not to let him out of , sight now that I hid 
 once effected his capture, or w .ether I proposed to be 
 revenged upon me for my evil thoughts Im. Certainly 
 
 von nT' '"''' ""' ^^ '" "''""^ '^ >'°" ^'^'' B"t I warn 
 you that you won't enjoy yourself." 
 
 I was not expecting enjoyment that evening, so I said I 
 would go wuh him, and we got into a hansom I did no! 
 hear ..e direction he gave the driver, but I felt uneasy 
 soon afte, we started, when I found that we were taking 
 the road to Baysw:- ter. "^ 
 
 W^en we drew up at the door of Mr. Marshall's house I 
 began to trem.le so violently that Hilary, turning to me 
 Bharp: suggested leaving me in the cab ^ 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 167 
 
 ave done you 
 
 1 down at the 
 'o\\ will come 
 'lary will see 
 ants comfort- 
 gone through 
 
 these words, 
 h rage. He 
 him as if at 
 
 tly. " I have 
 
 it now." 
 
 don't know 
 :ion of him 
 ' that I had 
 Dosed to be 
 Certainly, 
 tone of his 
 
 But I warn 
 
 so I said I 
 
 I did not 
 
 felt uneasy 
 
 f&xt taking 
 
 i's house, I 
 ing to me 
 
 " No— o," said I with my teeth chattering, and 1 got out 
 clumsily, staggering against the wheel. 
 
 It was now nearly eleven o'clock. 
 
 " Has Mr. Marshall come h'me yet? " asked Hilary of 
 the man-servant who opened the door. 
 
 It was an old servant of the family, and he" shook his 
 head knowingly as he answered — 
 
 "Yes, sir, and he's got his racing humor on." 
 ' " I can't help that. I have to see him on important 
 business." 
 
 " Won't it wait, sir? He's going away for a day or two, 
 and he's in a great hurry, I know." 
 
 " Ah ! " ejaculated Hilary shortly. " I must see him," 
 he added. And he turned to the <'ining rooom door. 
 
 " Won't you go upstair to the drawing-room, sir ? " 
 asked the man. 
 
 " No." 
 
 The idea in Hilary's mind evidently was that if he re- 
 mained so near the front door Mr. Marshall would not be 
 able to get away without seeing him, as, if he was pressed 
 for time, he might try to do. I followed him into the din- 
 ing-room, agitated by a thousand uneasy feelings. 
 
 Mr. Marshall had been at the races ! And this on the 
 day after almost being a witness to a terrible murder ! I 
 could not understand it. 
 
 Hilary and I stood still without looking at each other. 
 The moments dragged on like hours until at last we heard 
 a very s _,ht uoi<« on the staircase outside. Hilary was 
 out in the hall ia a moment. I heard Mr. Marshall's 
 voice. 
 
 " My dear fellow, I really can't stop to talk to you now. 
 
 I've got to catch the midnight express for " . 
 
 " You have something to settle with me first. Come in 
 
 here." 
 
 . Mr, Marshall came in. He was dressed in a travelling 
 
i68 
 
 PRETTY MISS SA/r/77, 
 
 suit, and looked flushed and excited. He caught s.ght of 
 me. ^and held out his hand; he seeded relieted b'y .; 
 
 "Ah. Georgie, you here !" he cried with almost an 
 exaggeratioii of his habitual cheery tones 
 
 H.I.t'w'" '"' 'J'"^' "'^'^'^ ''''' ^°^^ ^"d trembling. 
 H.lary s vo.ce, speakmg .„ hard and resolute tones made 
 Ins guardian turn to him. ^ 
 
 "Vou have no time to waste, you know," he said 
 "better come to business. I had a talk with Mary las; 
 ".gh . the talk you tried to prevent our having •' ^ 
 I prevent ! " ^ 
 
 you no harm. Vou arc lier uncle, md so we must hush 
 
 I listened, thunderstruck, to these .tecusations. 
 Hilary went on. 
 
 "But you shall keep your smug face for the people who 
 don't know you now. You shall not take in these two Tv 
 g.r Is any longer. You used my money on y r vi " a cl 
 told mc you had spent it all on Mary and her girl! 1, wCs 
 and extravagances. You took advantage of'my adm r 
 
 She stood between you and your brother's money vou 
 worked by every devilish means to keep us apart 1^'h 
 wretched woman Dora Selton, of whom you were r^ 
 bt,t cotid not r,d yourself, you promised money if vou; 
 brother's fortune should come to you. And wU., she 
 found out the conditions by which the fortun m^ „ 
 to you, and hung about Mary's house, distrustful daZ 
 
 :anV".he::'"'i'?,"'=^= «■'" *"' " '™^ ""-«'- -'^ 
 
 tame there. I had never seen her in my life until she 
 came up to me a few days ago at the TempL Stat o s M 
 «l>c was a frtend of Miss .Smith's, that she' recognised me 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 169 
 
 as one also, and asking me l.ow she was and what had 
 become of licr. It was a ruse to get Mary's address." 
 
 Mr Marshall seemed to wait for sunicthing more. But 
 Hilary stopped, as if he had come to the end of his in- 
 dictment. 
 
 »' A very circumstantial story, my dear boy, but lackmg 
 confirmalion," he said witli assumed levity. '• I'm sure 
 my little (Icorgic here doesn't think me capable ot all 
 these high crimes and misdemeanors." 
 
 But a horrible suspicion was seizing upon me, stoppmg 
 my breath. Kor as 1 looked at him full in the face, re- 
 turning his anxious look into mine, i fancied 1 saw, lor 
 the first time, in his bland face, a faint but h.dcons re- 
 semblance to the man I had seized upon the non slaucase 
 of the distillery, whom I had seen again at Doncaster 
 
 Station that day. 
 
 At sight of the horror in my face, the terrible resem- 
 blance deepened. The cheeks grew more haggard, the 
 eyes wilder, the lines about the mouth more pinched and 
 drawn. I drew a long, sobbing breath. 
 
 " It was you who played the tricks to frighten Mary 
 
 and send her mad ! " 
 
 As 1 uttered these words, with the shadow of a worse 
 horror creeping over my face, the likeness on Mr. Mar- 
 shall's to the countenance I had twice seen deepened yet 
 again : it became vivid, complete. 
 
 With a piercing shriek I could not restrain I drew back 
 
 shuddering. ^^ 
 
 " Then it was you who murdered Dora Selton ! 
 
170 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH, 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 AND LAST. 
 
 wal tL''"'.''T'".' '■°""" P"=™ ■■"» 'he room- it 
 to .he ,ips, and .een! ^ nab" . ^ troT™^ '°°'; :'"" 
 
 ftrsl. Ke walked, with a step whch even he K """1 
 no agitation, towards the door '" ^^'''''^^^ 
 
 H^r::Cer;:; ToIeavethecountr,p..asked 
 
 MZh^^i in^^re?hi:htrat:t°r7'/^"^ ^^• 
 
 We let him leave the roon th? ""concern. 
 
 for him. '' '^^ ^'^""S men making way 
 
 "Good-bye, Mr. Marsha!!," I whisoered R. . 
 was so weak and low that he d d nT ! ^ "'^ ''°''" 
 
 remorseftd farewell "°' ^""^ "'>' ""^appy, 
 
 by t^tdf toward: h"°"' ;^"' r ^' ^^ -^ -"^^ ^^" 
 
 at each other. '' ''"^^' ^^^ >^°""g "'*-^" 'ooked 
 
 -b7Srt. """^'' "^"^'^^ ^°" ^° '-^- ^o-in there 
 Tom gave almost a sob 
 
 =■>-- ana aoub, HHary gen^^ied " hi: .o\rdor 
 
Pli£TTV MISS SMITH: 
 
 lit 
 
 opened it, and gave liim a light push in the direction of 
 
 the study. , . 
 
 It was too late. Before he could take two steps through 
 the hall we heard the sound we had all deep down in our 
 hearts feared, yet expected to hear. It was not loud, that 
 sound ; it was deadened, muffled, altogether insignificant if 
 one had not known what it implied. 
 
 I don't know quite what happened then to Tom, or to 
 Hilary, or to me. But I heard afterwards that Tom found 
 his father dead in his chair, with a revolver on the floor at 
 his feet. 
 
 It was Hilary who took me away, hurrying me out of 
 the house before Mrs. Marshall and the rest could come 
 round me and ask me questions, as he feared they would 
 do. We traveled down to Battersea, scarcely exchanging 
 a word, except that I tried brokenly to apologize for my 
 doubts of him. He would not hear this. 
 
 " There were cleverer brains than yours or mine working 
 against me, you know," he said. " If Mr. Marshall hadn't 
 been such a slave to gambling, there wouldn't have been a 
 solicitor in London to equal him in ability." 
 
 This was a revelation to me, explaining a great deal that 
 had been obscure before. We did not pursue the subject, 
 and we reached Mary's home with scarcely the interchange 
 of a dozen more words. 
 
 Mary herself let us in. I saw from the first glance she 
 exchanged with her lover, that her last doubts of him were 
 at rest. She held out one hand to him and one to me with 
 a very grave, sad face. 
 
 "I have something to tell you," she began at once, 
 " which will perhaps not surprise you, Hilary, but which 
 will go far to breaking poor Georgie's heart." 
 
173 
 
 I'RF.TTy MfSS SMITH. 
 
 This confirmed my Ijelicf. 
 " Tlicn you know—" I began 
 
 Dora",,':." ' '^""""^'^ """'■ ' *-—""" ™"°'"«1 
 
 We knew it too, she saw tliat. 
 coum.y ?^''" •''' P-esently whispered, ''is he out of the 
 
 There was a long pause. 1 think before Hilary spoke 
 she had guessed the truth. ^ ^ 
 
 •' Ves " he said gently, pressing her hands in In's. <- He 
 isoutofreachofusallnow" 
 
 se'tirJonf "'"' '"'" '" '-"«e very quietly, and pre- 
 sently Hopk.ns came through from the distillery, and 
 
 t^^u^ H 'r7"^--'- ^'-'•' -'-<^ Pe-iss^on to 
 •speak to u . He had seen Hilary and me come in at the 
 
 gae, and had guessed, fron. seeing us walking amicalt 
 Inn s.lently together, that we brought in,portant news. ' 
 When we told hin, what the news was, he spoke out 
 nght^d. thought whicin.ad been hovering unbicl,;:^:^ 
 
 " '^'^"' •"■^«elf ? And a jolly good job too ! There's more 
 han one man about this ere place guessed as it was 'im 
 t alone me ; and it 'ud ha' been sure to ha' leaked out 
 tl- inquest. And a pistol shot is better than a rope 
 only for the credit of the family " ^ ' 
 
 |rhis was irank cynicism, but we could not deny ,he 
 initti ot It. HopKins went on ; 
 '• He took me in for a long time. ',e did. Not havin-^ 
 
 seen«.A^..Marshall,whenhetoldmehewasa : : 
 
 to look after the 'ciseman 1 let hun have the run 7^ 
 
rtiETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 »73 
 
 place o' nights without any questions. But when he was 
 obliged to come down here as Mr. Marshall, although he 
 kept so close, saying he was a hinvalid, I got a squint at 
 him the fust evenin' as cooked his goose." 
 
 '• You never let us know .' " cried I. 
 
 " No, miss, you was too thick with him to Hsten. Be- 
 sides, things would ha' come to a pretty pass when / K-t 
 out anything to hurt the Marshalls. That's all I 'ad to say, 
 ma'am." 
 
 And pulling liis fiont hair respectfully to Mary, and 
 rather less ceremoniously to Hilary and me, the honest 
 little Cockney left us and returned to his own domain. 
 
 One thing more we learnl from Mary. .She had been 
 awake when the chloroformed cloth was thrown over her 
 face, and against the faint light that came through the i)lin(l 
 she had recognized her uncle's figure. The sight had over- 
 whelmed her with horror, had roused her suspicions of 
 other things, and had caused that change in her manner 
 which 1 had attrii)uted to doubts of me. 
 
 it was with a quiet joy in the re-establishment of our 
 mutual confidence amid ail the horror of these discoveries, 
 that Hilary left us, and we retired for the night. 
 
 It was not until the two inquests were overs and we were 
 breathing again with relief that the whole of the circum- 
 stances had not been made publicly known, that Tom 
 came down one evening to see us. 
 
 He .seemed utterly crushed by the blows which had 
 fallen thick and fast on his family. Following his father's 
 suicide had come the discovery that he was financially a 
 ruined man. The extravagant expenses of his passion Vor 
 racing, and gambling of all kinds, had brought him some 
 time since to the verge of bankruptcy, which he had staved 
 off by appropriating the fortune of his ward, Hilarv, and by 
 other more than questionable practises. Mary's' fortune 
 he had not been able to touch, owing to his brother's 
 
t74 
 
 PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 
 astuteness in appointing the lynx-eyed Ibbetson co-trustee. 
 
 "So I am going abroad," Tom ended, in a hard, dry 
 tone, when he had told me these things, as we stood at the 
 window together, looking out upon the river, which looked 
 dreary under a mist of drizzling rain. 
 
 " Oh, Tom ! " I whimpered. 
 
 " Yes," he went on more decidedly than before, " my 
 mother is going back to live with her father, and she takes 
 the younger ones with her. But I can't bear the shame of 
 it. And it's such an awful come-down ; so I'm going." 
 
 "That's all yci\ care about, I suppose, just the 'come- 
 down,' as you call it. It's only vanity after all," said I 
 bitterly. 
 
 I was saying nasty things, but all the while I felt that 
 my heart was breaking. 
 
 " That's all, I suppose," said he drily. 
 
 But I couldn't bear it any longer. 
 
 " Oh, Tom, if you go, you must and shall take me with 
 you," I cried, with the tears trickling fast down my 
 nose. " You won't have any money, and that's where 
 my accomplishments will come in. Think what miserable 
 tarts they'd make you, Tom, in cheap lodgings, and how 
 it would be chop, steak — steak, chop, day after day, and 
 burnt at that ! " I cried, piling up the agony. " And I 
 can darn and sew, and if 1 were to try I believe I could 
 even make men's clothes." 
 
 But the prospect of being dependent on my tailoring 
 brought no joy to Tom. He shook his head as he inter- 
 rupted me. 
 
 " No," he said, obstinately. "You think it's a fine thing 
 to make a sacrifice of yourself, and you'd always be throw- 
 ing it at my head. I shan't take you." 
 
 "Well," said I, " I give you the choice of \ \:l ax one 
 other alternative. You shall either marry ri -^ rnd go 
 j«»s-SStt, or iiiiirry me anu slay at home. 
 
PRETTY MISS SMITH. 
 
 m 
 
 " What ! And face it out, when everybody knows^ 
 everybody must know, that I'm the son of a fraudulent 
 trustee, of a " 
 
 ^"Sh!" said I, putting my hand over his mouth, 
 • everybody knows enough to pity, not to blame you. 
 And If they knew as much as I do-how you took the 
 blame upon yourself of those cruel tricks, when I am cer- 
 tam you had never dreamed of having anything to do with 
 them " 
 
 Tom started. 
 
 " No, that's true." he said. « AVhen you saw that torn 
 glove m my hand I saw by his face that he was at the 
 bottom of ,t. He must have taken my gloves from the 
 hat-stand the night before, instead of his own, and have 
 put them back without noticing or troubling ab< ui their 
 being torn." 
 
 " But it was noble of you to take the blame » " 
 
 " No, it wasn't. I was frightened. I didn't know, when 
 
 I once learnt that, what else he might have been up to. 
 
 And ,t was better I should be blamed than he. You know 
 
 how much I always thought of the gov'no. " 
 
 His^ voice broke ; I took his h.nd and put it round my 
 ioulder. And he never said a word to me for a very 
 
 Jong tmie. ^ 
 
 But he must have been thinking ; for the next thing he 
 said was : — ^ 
 
 "I think we'll live at Richmond to start with. It's a 
 Cockney place, but then it's cheap, and near the river. 
 
 office'" ''°" ' '"''' ^ ''"'^ ^°"^' P""""P '° °'^ Ibbetson's 
 From which speech I gathered several things. The 
 first and supremely important one was that he meant to 
 marry me all the time. And the second was that his 
 father .^ partner had had the discrimination to ofer the 
 young .chow another chance in life. 
 
176 
 
 PRF.TTV MISS SMITH. 
 
 No v/eddings were ever before bo uvjusclikc in llu^ir 
 quietness as Mary's and mine. I was married on a Thurs- 
 day, in brown. And on the following Tuesday, without 
 any carriage, or guests, or presents, jr even a cake, there 
 was celebrated the marriage of the greatest " catch " of 
 that London season— Pretty Miss Smith. 
 
 THE END* 
 
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 is neither lengthy nor involved. It is a simple, prettily told story of 
 love at first sight) with a happy ending, and little to divert the mind of 
 the reader from the hero and heroine. Mrs. Conger's literary style is 
 pleasing, and her production evidences a well cultured mind and a 
 tolerable appreciation of character. Her book will be found very 
 pleasant reading. — "Intelligencer ," Belleville. 
 
 The plot is ingeniously constructed, and its working out (urnishesthe 
 opportunity for some dramatic situations. The heroine, of whose early 
 lifethe title gives us a hint, is a creature all grace and tenderness, a true 
 offspring of the sunny south. The hero is an American, a man ol 
 wealth, and an artist in posse. The other dramatis personce, who play 
 their parts around these central figures, aie mostly Italians or Americans. 
 The great question to be solved is : Who is Merlina ? In supplying the 
 solution, the author takes occasion to introduce us to an obscure but 
 interesting class of people. The denouement of "A Daughter of St. 
 Peter's " is somewhat startling, but we must not impair the readers 
 pleasure by anticipation. We see from tlie advanced sheets that it is 
 dedicated to the Canadian public, to whom we cordially commend it. 
 — Uhe Gazette, Montreal. 
 
 For a first effort, which the authoress in her preface modestly says 
 the novel is. "A Daughter of St. Peter's " must be pronounced a very 
 pro-mising achievement. The plot is well constructed and the story 
 entertaining and well told. The style is light and agreeable, and with 
 a little more experience and facility in novel-writing we may expect 
 Mrs. Conger, if she essays a second trial, to produce a book that will 
 surpass the decided merits of " A Daughter of St. Peter's." — free Press, 
 London. 
 
R'S " 
 
 No. 60. 
 
 ly well told. 
 
 eld of fiction 
 
 hich she tells 
 
 )ld story of 
 
 the mind of 
 
 'lary style is 
 
 mind and a 
 
 found very 
 
 furnishesthe 
 whose early 
 mess, a true 
 :n, a man of 
 a, who play 
 r Americans, 
 applying the 
 obscure but 
 ighter of St . 
 the reader's 
 ;ets that it is 
 :ommend it. 
 
 odestly says 
 inced a very 
 nd the story 
 le, and with 
 may expect 
 )ok that will 
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