Part 52 (1/2)

There was a pause again

”I can't promise,” came up huskily, in faint smothered tones ”I say, is the door locked as well as bolted?”

”I cannot tell; it is covered with stones Pray, pray proet away”

”I can't prole with self ”I et out”

At that , who rushed up the steps to stand at the top for a few ain

”Won't you help me?”

”To send my poor innocent father to prison,” said Celia in a low voice

”I can't hear you,” came from below

”And I can't tell you,” said Celia to herself ”What shall I do--what shall I do?”

She stole softly up the rugged steps, with her fingers in her ears, in dread lest she should be called upon to listen to the prisoner's piteous appeals for help; and, as soon as she reached the top, she set off running as hard as she could go, to find her father, tell him all, and appeal to him to try and save the poor fellow from the cruel trials he was called upon to bear

Celia could hardly see the direction in which she was going, for her eyes were blinded with tears, and so it was that, when down in the lowest part of the hollow, as she hurried blindly along, she tripped over one of the ainst a block projecting from the steep side of the little valley; and fell, to lie insensible for a time; and when she did co by her, with his head upon her chest, and his eyes looking inquiringly into hers, as if to ask what it all meant

Her head ached, and she felt half stunned still, but she strove to rise to her feet, and sank back with a moan of pain

For a worse trouble had discovered itself: her ankle was badly wrenched, so that she could not stand, and in the solitary place in which she had fallen, it was possible that she ht lie for days and not be found, unless special search was ht came--to tie her handkerchief about Grip's neck, and send him home

The first was easily done, the latter i would irl lay all day in the hot sun, and at last saw that night was co on, and that there was no help

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Celia Grae seen, but she was not so successful as she iined

Jemmy Dadd was an old servant of Far as little as was possible about the far a cart, if he were allowed as s, because it afforded him an opportunity to lean over the sty and watch the pretty creatures eat, while their grunting and squeaking eet enerally fed the horses, too, and watched the up the cows from the cliff pastures he did notbecause he could sit down and rest his head; but to thump a churn and make butter was out of his line

Mrs Shackle complained bitterly to her lord andspoiled, but Farht and day too,” he grunted ”Set one of the women to churn”

In fact, the farmer never found any fault with Jemmy, for the sihts, and as handy a sailor as could be found

Jehed to hiood deal of tirow

When there were no crops growing, he went to see how the grass was getting on, and to do this properly, he put a piece of hard black tobacco in his cheek, and went and lay down on one of the hill-slopes

He was seeing how the grass got on that particularto open the, a

He knew her by the dog, though even at that distance, as she moved almost i by the sea, he would have been sure that it was Sir Risdon's child