Part 43 (1/2)
They must have set upon her, tied her fast, and carried her down”
”Must, h, impatiently ”You were not here”
”No, boy, but it tells its own tale Arthur was dressed as if for a holiday, and the other fool too”
”But what did it mean?” said Rob, hoarsely; ”suspicion--an effort to find out--or robbery?”
”Robbery, irls' jewellery”
”Yes, that's it,” said Jalary Curse them! They had all the professional tools Well, they won't want them any more”
Marion started, and Chester passed his ar like light was beginning to dawn upon her--a light which grew clearer as the thought of the butler asking leave for him and the footentle at breakfast, and now--
The light was growing hard, clear and ghastly
”Now, then,” said Jah, sharply, ”let's look the position in the face Everything turns upon whether anyone knows beside ourselves that the hounds ca,” assented the voice which puzzled Chester still
”Would anyone know?”
”Is it likely?” said Jalarious expedition; they began by half killing the poor old aunt, and they were trapped trying to blow open the iron door Is it probable that they would tell anyone they were co here?”
”No; absurd,” said Dennis, shortly
”But still--”
”Will you hold your tongue, Rob?” cried his cousin ”Do you think they would have spoken?”
”No”
”Then we're safe in that direction,” continued Jah ”The next question is, then, did anyone who knew them see them come to the house? The odds are a ood care that their faces were not seen as they stood waiting Besides, where does the inquiry begin? Down yonder We were away; they ask for a holiday of ives them leave; and they come away and do not return Their relatives, if the poor devils have any, may make inquiry, but it is doubtful I daresay we shall find that the scoundrels have been plundering us, and at the worst we could prove this There it is in a nut-shell They have disappeared like hundreds more, and the world will never be any wiser”
A chill of horror ran through Chester as he listened to all this, and he was conscious that his co more heavily upon his arrowing broader and clearer now, and as he grasped the fact that he was beingas he did the character of one of theA fewhimself up for a sharp encounter with the relatives who had, as it were, surprised thery words, there hs would not dare to proceed farther Now hts went towards the fireplace as he felt that the necessity ht arise for hiainst four
His heart beat fast, but s of alarm which would assail the stoutest in such a position, he felt thrill after thrill of delight For Marion clungto his protection, and he ht
His thoughts cahtened round his coerly for the next utterances of those ere grouped together soh, after a pause, ”what have you all to say to that?”
CHAPTER THIRTY
LOVE IS MASTER
There was another pause, as if each of the other three waited for his coin