Show 4 BY BYL L T MEADE AND ROBERT ROBERTy 1 No M 10 The Brotherhood of the Seven Kin KinBY Kings EUSTACE A I 1 1 y i The e Doom Copyright Co PY ri 1906 6 by Y W G Chapman Chapma n t 1 en I y tH t tr trI I 4 The mysterious disappearance ol or ort off t f Mme lIme was war now n w the general l Ii topic of or conversation Her house houe was t f deserted her numerous satellites were were I II not to be found The herself hersell h t had gone as It if it were from the face tace ol ot otI the earth Nearly every detective in InH r I H 1 f London was engaged in her pursuit f Scotland yard had never been more I I agog a g with excitement but day after atter attert 1 t i day pasted and there was not the most 1 3 I remote tidings of ot her capture r A few days before Christmas I had hada hadI hadI I 1 I ll i f a visit from irom rom He found me 1 f pacing up and down dawn my laboratory j i What is the matter matterA he asked i t t i f I i i i I The old story I answered ft I He shook his head 1 f t This wont do Norman you must r 1 tI Ii r turn your attention to something else 1 j ij r I I That is impossible I replied relied rais rals raising J i f it ing haggard eyes to his f I f He came up to me and laid his hand handon W 4 t r I on my shoulder t t 11 You want change Head and you t I must have It I have come In the nick ii t I t I of oC time with an invitation which ought I It 44 l I to suit us both We Wo have been asked f I down do m to rectory to spend l 7 I 4 t til Christmas wIth my old friend the reco rec rector fir f o 1 tor You YO have often otten heard me speak k lt n k of or William WillUm Sherwood He Is one of the thel x i M best belt fell fellows I 1 know Shall I accept the thet theis l is t r invitation for both of or us usI I I r Where is Roke by rectory I asked I iy J t f In Cumberland about thirty miles 11 I 4 i from Laka Windermere a most JOOst plc pic picturesque 1 li 41 f y it quarter We Ve shall have as aa k h t much seclusion as we e like at Sher I r r i 9 woods house and the air is bracing It If 1 4 tIL l 1 we 13 run down next Monday we shall II Idt t ee I be in time for a merry morry Christmas l r i M What do YOU savJI say sav savU sayI U r I agreed to accompany and andr andi i t i the following Monday at an early hour f J tt we started on our Journey Nothing of or 1 R n tit I any moment occurred except that at atone att t one of the large Junctions a 8 party of or j 11 gypsies got into a compart compartment j ment mewl near our own Amongst them 1 tt t r f noticed one woman taller than the rest J It t I t who wore n a shawl so arranged over her herN herI N I ii l i I I head hood as to conceal her face The unus unusual 1 r t 1 J ual pal sight of ot gypsies traveling by train V y t attracted d my attention and I remarked i X on it to Later on I noticed t 1 L I I too to that they were singing and that I t li one vol eo was clear and full and andrich andl A l 1 1 Ti i 1 rich richt rr t 1 At Roke by station the gypsies left teft the train and each of or them carried his hili hisor hisor 1 J H or or her bundle disappearing almost im immediately ImI I mediately into a thick pine forest forestI I 1 hI E Y which stretched away to the left of the thet t little tittle station n The peculiar gait of the tha tall r t tl i woman attracted me and I was wash h f about to mention It to Du flu flue DuJ e J frayer when Sherwood s sudden ap appearance j tt and hurried hospitable greet greeting u p ing put pu it out of my head I The vicarage was six miles from the I c r I t t nearest tation to drive through I rI ri t the bracing air was Invigorating j r f When wo we reached the house we saw sawa sawa i y U a Slen derly made girl girt standing stan ding on the th J i porch She held a lamp tamp in her hand handi handa a t e y and its bright light illuminated each i I i i feature She had dark eyes and a pale t 1 I somewhat nervous face she could not 4 S have been beon more than 18 years of or age i i l i Heere we are Rosaly called out outher irI 43 t her father and cold too after out our 1 1 Journey I hope you have seen to the I I I Fy fires Yes YeM father the house is warm and andI I i f f comfortable was the reply ad I t J l The girl stepped onto the gravel and T held out o t her hand to who I I I i 1 i was an old fr nd turned fie II t t 1 and Introduced me met met t t i i Mr lIr Head Rosaly he said you sf 4 11 Ii I have hae often heard me sneak of him him A t o t I Many times she answered How I 1 j do you Mr Head I am nm very vary glad F ri v i indeed to welcome you here you seem ta 1 quite like an old friend but come In t both of you do you must be bo frozen J She Sho led le d the th e w way ay Into n to the house and i f J t we found foun d ourselves in a spacious and andr i r very lofty hall hallAh halli hally i Ah AIl you are noticing our hall hail said y b p the girl observing the interest in my m mi j i J t face It Is quite one of the features la 4 f of ot but the fact Is this is quite vi an old house houe and was not turned d Into I 11 I a rectory until the beginning of the pre present present i I 4 i sent century I will take you all over ie It tomorrow Now do come Into fath fathers fathI fl e J I J ers eras smoking room roomI I have had tea pre prepared prepared f pared there for you t She turned to the left threw open a aj q j I l 1 heavy heay oak oale door and introduced us into 1 i a L room lined tined with cedar from floor to tot I t i f t ceiling Great logs togs Were burning on the thet 14 t hearth and ten tea had been prepared Miss Sherwood attended to our comforts i and presently left us to enjoy our ouri J i I t 6 i smoke smoker 1 r When she had gone th rector looked T t 4 4 after atter her with affectionate eyes 1 I i What hat a charming charm In girl I could not p r J il help saying saing 1 r I am glad you 3 QU take to her Mr Ir i J Head was his reply I need not say t that she is the light of mv my old eyes eos 1 Rosalya Rosalys mother died a fortnight after t r i her birth and the tho child has been my myone m mj myone j one ewe lamb tamb But I am sorry sorn to say any sayI I she Is sadly delicate and I have had 1 4 a 1 many years of ot anxiety about her Indeed I replied lIed It is true she 1 jt looks pale but I 1 should have lave judged t tiL that she was healthy rather of or the wiry make makeIn In body she is fairly healthy but buthers TT j hers Is a n peculiarly pecullar 1 nervous nen us organism d t She suffers intensely with all sorts of or ori i terrors and her environment is not the theft i 6 ft best for her non She had a shock when young oung I will tell you ou about It later 3 on onE E Soon afterwards and I went f to our respective rooms and when we weme met me in the drawing dra room half hatt an hour houri i later tat r Mss Miss Sherwood In a pretty dress was standing by the hearth Her man manners manners 1 ners were verv very simple and unaffected and although thoroughly girlish were not wanting in dignity dl She was evi evidently evidently evidently S dently well accustomed to receiving her hert t fathers guests and also atso to making 6 them thoroughly at home When wet we t I entered the dining room we were al already already al already ready In a brisk conversation and her 1 young oun voice and soft eyes 1 added much to the of ot the 1 y pleasant scene Towards tho tha end of ot the meal I al allude lude once more to the old house I suppose It is very old I said It has certainly taken me by surprise f you must mst tell me its history I looked full at my young oung hostess as asI asI asi i I spoke To my surprise a shadow im immediately j t mediately flitted over oer her expressive i i F face tace she hesitated and then said slow slowly ly 13 a Every one ne remarks the th house and a IL i little wonder I believe In parts Darts It is over three hundred years ears old Of Ot course 5 ii some of ot the rooms are re modern Fath Father t er em thinks we were in great luck when e It was turned into a rectory but Here she dropped her h r voice and a faint r sigh escaped her lips liDS lipsI lipsI I looked at her again with curiosity The place was spoiled by tho rho ho test last lAs lAste I rector te tor she went wen on He and his family committed so sa many acts of at vandalism van but father haw has done dons his best to toj j store the house bouse to Its ancient appear appearance ance nce You shall see It tomorrow it if 1 you yourA z I km jire rA e really Interested b J i take k deep la mold old houses i IJ t i I s A I answered and this from the little I have hae seen of It is quite to my mind Doubtless you OU have many old legends In connection with it It and If you have a areal areal areal real ghost it will complete the charm charmI I smiled as I spoke but the next in instant Instant instant stant the smile died on my lips A sudden suddon flame of color had rushed Into Miss lIls face leaving it far paler pal r than was natural She dropped her ber napkin and stooped to pick It up As she did so I observed that the rec rector rector rector tor was looking at her anxiously He Immediately burst Into conversation completely turning the tho subject into what I considered a trivial channel A few minutes later the young girl rose and left us to our wine As soon as we were alone Sherwood asked us to draw our chairs to the fire and began to speak I heard what you said to Rosaly Rosalyn Mr Head he began and I 1 am sorry now that I did not warn you There Is Isa isa isa a painful legend connected with this old house and the ghost whom you so laughingly alluded to exists as far as my child Is concerned to a painful de degree degree degree gree Indeed 1 answered I dont believe In the ghost myself he continued but I do believe in the thet I I t Influence of ot a very strong nervous ter tor terror terror over Rosaly If It l you like I will tell you OU the story Nothing could please me better I answered The rector opened a fresh tresh box of cigars handed them to us and began The man who was my predecessor here tere had a scapegrace son who got into serious trouble with a peasant girl girlin girlIn girlin in this forest He Ho took the girl to Lon London London London don and then deserted her She drowned herself The boys father vowed he would never see the lad again but hut the mother pleaded for him and there was vas as a sort of re reconciliation reconciliation reconciliation conciliation He came down to spend Christmas In the house having faith faithfully faithfully fully rully promised to turn over a new leaf leat There were festivities and high mirth On Christmas night the whole fam family famIly family ily retired to bed as usual but soon afterward a scream was heard Issuing horn fr om the room where the young man slept the West Room it is called By Bythe Bythe Bythe the way It is the one you are to occupy occupy occupy py The rector rushed Into the room and to his horror and sur surprise surprise surprise prise found the unfortunate young oung man dead stabbed to the heart There was naturally great excitement and alarm more mort particularly when It was discovered that a well veil known herb wo woman woman woman man the mother moth r of the girl whom the young man had haI to London had been seen haunting the place Rumor went so far as to say that she had en entered entEred entered the hoise hOIRe by b a secret passage known only to herself Her name was Mother Heriot and she was regarded by the villagers a lJ as a sort of ot witch This woman was arrested on suspicion but nothing was definitely proved against her and no trial took plate place Six weeks later she was found dead In her hut but huton huton buton on Grey Tor and since e then the rumor Is that she haunts haurUs the rectory on each Christmas night entering the house through the secret passage which we wenone wenone wenone none of us can discover This story is rife In the house houte and I suppose Rosaly heard It from her old nurse Certain itis it itis is that when she was about 8 years old she was found on Christmas night screaming violently and declaring that she had seen en the who en entered entered entered her room and nd bent down over her Since then her nerves have never been the same Each Christmas as It comes around Is a Ii time of mental terror to her although she tries hard to struggle struggle struggle gle against her fears On her account I shall be glad when wh n Christmas Is over I do my best to make It cheerful but I Ican Ican Ican can see that she dreads drea it terribly What hat about the secret passage I interrupted Ah I have something curious to tell teU you ou about that said the old rec rector rector rector tor rising as he spoke There Is not the least doubt that it exists It Is said to fo have been made madl at the time of or orthe the Monmouth rebellion and Is sup supposed supposed supposed posed to be connected with the church churchyard churchyard churchyard yard about 00 yards ards away but al although although although though we have searched and have even had experts down to look took into the matter we have never been 1 cen able to get the slightest clue to its whereabouts My lIY Impression Is that it was bricked up long ago and that whoever committed the murder entered the house by some other means meana Be that as it may the passage cannot be found and we have long ceased to trouble ourselves about it But have you no clue lue whatever to Its whereabouts I asked Nothing which I 1 can call a clue My belief bellet is that we shall have hae lo to pull down the old pile pie before we find the passage I 1 should like Uke to search for tor it it I 1 said Impulsively Impulsive these sort sor of ot things In Interest interest interest terest me Immensely I could give you a sort of ot key Head If that would be any use said Sherwood It Is In an old book As he spoke crossed the room took a book bound b und In vellum with sil sli silver silver sliver ver clasps from a locked bookcase and opening it laid it before me meThis meThis meThis This book contains a history of or he continued Can you read I replied that I could He then turned a page and pointed to some rhymed words More than one expert has puzzled over these tines he continued Read for yourself I read aloud slowly When the Yew Tew and Star Draw it twenty cubits line tine Wait Walt until the saintly lips Ups Shall the belfry spire eclipse Cubits eight across the first fi st There shall lie the th tomb And yop have bave never succeeded in solving this I continued Wo have often otten tried but never with success The legend runs that the pass passage passage passage age goes into the churchyard and has hasa a connection with one of the old vaults but I know nothing more Shall we Join Rosaly In the drawing room May I copy this old rhyme first I asked My host looked at me curiously then he nodded I took a memorandum book from my pocket and scribbled down the words Mr Sherwood then locked located up the book in its accustomed place and we left the subject of the secret pass passage passage passage age and the ghost to enjoy the rest of ot the evening in a more everYday man manner manner manner ner nerThe The Th next morning Christmas eve was damp and chill chili for Cor a thaw had set setIn setIn setin In during the night Miss Sherwood asked and me to help her with the church decorations and we spent a busy morning in the very old Norman church Just at the back of the vicarage When we left it f on our way home homo to lunch I 1 could not help looking round the churchyard with Interest Where Whore was the tomb Into which the secret passage ran ran As I could not pot talk tall however on the subject Miss Sherwood I 1 resolved at least for the present pre ent to banish It from my mind A sense of ot strong depression was r as sUU toning jl fin me M fit j w r III r sit T herself seemed to pervade the theair theair theair air The day Is brightening said Rosa Rosaly Rosaly Rosaly ly turning her eyes on my face as we were entering the house suppose we wego wego wego go for |