The Mystery of Cloomber

ay that as the days and weeks went by I found my attention and my thoughts more

annel. Do what I would, on land or on the water, I would still find myself puzzling over this one question, until it obtained such a hol

cking my brain as to what the secret might be which was shut in by that inscrutable barrier. Yet, with all my conjectures and

peasant or performing some other of the numerous acts of charit

returned, "have you seen

ading. "Not since that memorable evening when the gen

ut your hat on and come

r that something had agi

s the matter? The old Hall is not on fire, surely? Y

, smiling. "But do come out, Jack. I

me. At her request I took my hat and followed her out into the darkness. She led the way along a little footpath over the moor, which brought us to som

ster, pausing at the summi

he summit of the tower, there was not a chink or an aperture which did not send forth a stream of radiance. So dazzling was the effect that for a moment I was persuaded that the hous

ted, and some of them, so far as we could judge, were not even furnished. Through the whole great h

at the sight when I heard a

ear?" I asked, looking

, John, John, take me hom

d pulled at my coat in

d soothingly. "There is nothing

very night? I have heard from others that it is always so. And why does the old man run like a frig

bject of the Heatherstones for fear of exciting her, and she did not recur to it of her own accord. I was convinced, however, from what I had heard from her,

for her extreme agitation, and that it must have derived its importance in her eyes from being o

now that I was right, and that my sister had even more cause than I had mysel

higher than curiosity, but events soon look a turn which associ

asions he brought with him his beautiful sister. The four of us would wander over the moors togethe

o children. It was a keen pleasure to them to escape from their dull fortress,

ht together in sweet, forbidden intercourse. Acquaintance-ship

on is of too personal a nature to be more than touched upon in this statement. Suffice it to say that, within a few weeks of our first meeting

s narrative should degenerate into anything approaching to romance, or that I should lose the thread of the facts which I ha

requent, and that our friends were able sometimes to spend a whole day with us when b

sts and tags of Oriental poems appropriate to the occasion, for we had

r either Gabriel or Mordaunt to get away from the grounds. The old man would even stand on guard, a gloomy and silent sentinel,

ut in the shadow of the trees, or caught a glimpse of his hard, angu

ing features. Who would have believed that this slinking, cowering creature had once been a dashing officer, wh

vigilance, we managed to hold

e removed without difficulty, leaving a broad gap, which gave us the opportunity for many a stolen interview, though they w

, peaceful, and distinct amid the wild, mysterious incidents which were destin

th the smell of the fresh-turned earth. Gabriel was waiting for me under the hawthorn tree outside the gap, and we stood han

nt Throston. From where we stood we could see the smoke of the steam

my arm. "Ah, John, why are we not free to sail away over these wa

leave behind you, dear one?" I asked. "May

ll of us that a man who has played such a distinguished part in the world should skulk from one obscure corner of the country to another, and should defend

he do it, Gabr

danger to be hanging over his head, and that this danger was incurred by him du

he way in which he spoke to me about it one day that h

from me. My poor father is very excited at present. Day and night he is in an agony of ap

ow that?" I as

he habit of locking Mordaunt and myself up in our rooms on that date, so that we have no idea what occurs, but we have always found

for September was drawing to a close. "By the way, dear

the whole house. He walks about a good deal at night, and inspects everything, from the attics right down to the cellars.

aughing. "The maids in these parts are a superstitious class, and their

o make up for any inconvenience to which they may be put. Israel Stakes, the coachman, is the only one who

s no atmosphere for you to live in. Why will you not let me rescue you from it? Why won't you

aggard and pale at

f the night, and within a week we should be settling down again in some wilderness where we might never have a c

man," I remarked. "I have seen a kindly l

trust you never will. It was that strength of will and impatience of opposition which made him such a splendid officer. I assure y

hese nervous

comes more imminent every year. Oh, John, it is terrible to be waiting like this with a sword ove

t simple, God-fearing men, who toil hard at their crafts and bear enmity to no man. Within seven miles of us is a large town, with every civilised appliance for the preservation of order. Ten miles farther there is a garrison quartered, and a telegram would at any ti

over to see him once or twice, but that was merely for some small indispositi

s no danger at all. It must be some strange monomania or

e fact of my brother's hair turning grey an

ry of the general's restlessness and irritability

ssness and irritability, but they have had no such effect upon me. The differe

can put that supposition out of the question. Having done so, what remains? There is absolutely no other theory which could

art as if some sound had fallen upon her ear. As she looked round apprehensi

feature of which was distorted by the most malignant hatred and anger. Finding himself observed, he stepped out and advanced towards us, when I saw that it was none other tha