The Mystery of the Clasped Hands

eriod he had seen a good deal of pretty Miss Molly Devereux, who, faithful to the promise she had given him, had shown him a large amount of the country, with th

work, imperilled his neck, and, as his mother remarked, ran an almost daily risk of coming to an early grave thro

pretended to be. “When you first came home from abroad, you declared that the hunting would never possess

twinkle in her eyes. “Besides, Godfrey has taken such a liking to Sir Geor

it could not, he had never been able to screw up his courage sufficiently to broach the subject to her. Finding that he had a rival in the field, however, had given him a fillip, and, in consequence, relations between the two young men were as strained as it was possible for them to be, and yet to allow them to remain on speaking terms. Whether the young lady herself was aware of this is

greed with the sage in question. The uncertainty of knowing whether he was loved or not, was making a different man of him. In days that seemed as far removed from the present as if a gulf of centuries lay between, he had been a happy-go-lucky, easy-going fellow, taking the world as he found it, and

lf; “and if she won’t have me, I’ll cut the whole show and go abroad.

sionately, in the silent watches of the night, it seemed a small thing to do. He had only to get her alone, to take her hand, if he could manage to obtain possession of it, and then to make his passion known, and ask her to be his wife. Any one could do that, and he had the best of reasons, when he looked ro

ster, one morning at breakfast. “Molly wants me to go, but I fear it will

eplied, as if he had not thoug

old friend and schoolfellow, James Bradford, to wit, had returned from America, en route to the Continent, and the inference was that if they did not lunch together, they would be scarcely likely to meet again for some considerable time. What, therefore, was

he would take it as seriously as he is

hter replied some

w what she in

Mr. James Bradford, he did not appear to derive such a vast amount of satisfaction

club. “He fidgeted about all the time we were at lunch, and examined his watch at least twice in every five

wich, hence his reason for going to the station at that hour. As the time approached for that train to leave, he grew more and more nervous, and when the train itself at length backed into the station to take up its passengers, his anxiety became almost pitiable to watch. Placing himself near the bookstall, he scrutinized every passenger who approached him. At last he became aware of two figures, who were making their way leisurely along the platform in search of an empty carriage. One was Lady Devereu

unexpected meeting!” Then, having saluted the younger lady, he

en obliged to put up with each other’s company since the early mor

odfrey remarked, “and he invited me to lunch with

n; on this particular occasion she had made up her mind not to be gracious to the poor young man, and when he endea

a specimen of the human race as could have been found in England that day. When Detwich was reached, he saw the two ladies to their carriage, and bade them good-bye. Then, mounting to

” inquired his mother, as she gave him

swered, though his loo

other day, to go back to live in Lo

ces on earth,” he replied, stirring his tea as th

ou knew while you were in

don’t care a scrap

off for Japan. So strong, however, was the chain which bound him, that, on second thoughts, he came to the conclusion that he would postpone his departure until after the meet at the Churley cross roads on the following Monday. In consequence he spent a miserable Saturday, and it was not until he came out of church on Su

n, after they had passed outside and the usual commonplaces had been ex

ally meant was: “Do you think we shall be able to hunt to-

s of frost early in the morning, but he

e?” she said, as they passed through

old Benbow doesn’t break his neck

d said too much, she devoted her conversation during the rest of the w

ven of delight; and I venture to think that if any one had been foolish enough to suggest

s internal economy forever and a day. Before he retired to rest, he took careful stock of the heavens, and was relieved to find that there was no sign of frost in the air. Next morning he was up betimes, took

quickly dispersed by the sunshine. A pleasant breeze was driving the clouds across the sky, throwing delightful shadows upon the meadows, and crisping the surface of the river as he passed over the old stone bridge. When he reached the cross roads he had still some ten minutes in hand; but as there were several others

lutations. “We could scarcely have a better. Strangely enough, as I was sayin

his daughter, when the latter had remarked upon the strange

animal in question. There was a nasty flicker in the horse’s eyes, of which, to Godfrey’s thinking, he showed a great deal

le impression. “They tell me he won a decent steeplechase last season; and Seth Warton, of whom I

ould wish,” said Godfrey; and at that moment t

“I hear good reports in that direction. A new horse, Miss

looks, the animal in question made as if he would rear

” he said to himself. “Heaven

ve was being made in the direction of the Spinney. Godfrey settled himself down by Miss Devereux’s side, leaving the old g

I don’t altogether care about the look of that horse. I should say, from his appearance, handsome as it is,

k we understand each other perfectly. He hasn’t been with hounds for some time, and

inued. “In the meantime I can not help

she said. “If that is a challenge we will see. Now, l

could have counted twenty, the hounds were out of cover and streaming away in the dir

ux; and the words had scarcely left her lips when the chestnut

pull her arms out, if he doesn’t do any

esire was to run Master Reynard to earth before he could get into the next field. Godfrey’s own horse, to use a phrase that his mother could never understand, “was going strong,” but he could not live in the same county with the chestnut. In spite of Miss Devereux’s undoubted skill in the saddle, the horse was gradually becoming the master. At the third fence, an ugly-looking post and rail, with a bad approach, he t

de along some half-a-dozen lengths behind the other. “She

ng was a large one; but the chestnut was going at such a pace that he very soon crossed it. Skirting the wood, he began to descend the hill on the other side. Then he disappeared altogether from view. When Godfrey reached the top of the rise, he scarcely dared to look about him; but when he did so, he saw that the horse had altered his original course, and was

he cried. “God help me to