CHAPTER XIII.

It is astounding to view the smallest article through a magnifying

glass; how large and lustrous an atom of silver appears; how fat and

fair the withered finger seems; how monstrously mighty an orange; how

immeasurably great the football of youth; but these are as nought when

the naked eye beholds the boulder of barred strength--a mountain of

mystery.

The usual hour for arousing the inmates of Dunfern Mansion was

designated by the ringing of a bell, constructed at the back part of the

building, and connected by means of a wire with the room of the footman,

whose duty it was to ring fully three minutes every morning at the hour

of seven o'clock in winter and six in summer.

On Christmas morning, only a short time after Lady Dunfern's escape was

effected, it rang somewhat later, arousing from sleep all the servants,

with the exception of Marjory Mason, who failed entirely to put in an

appearance, even when called thrice by Rachel. However, believing that

she was still fast asleep, Rachel ceased to further call on her until

after serving her ladyship's breakfast.

On this festive day the breakfast served in the servants' spacious hall

was a sumptuous repast, truly, and required longer time to prepare than

was customary. This being so, evidently delayed the housekeeper a

considerable time in attending to the wants of her mistress, whose

breakfast was always punctually served at nine o'clock. This rule was

violated to the extent of about half an hour on the memorable morning of

Lady Dunfern's flight.

Sir John breakfasted at fifteen minutes after nine, and looked both

careworn and sad, intimating to Rachel his inability to sleep the

previous night. Ordering her to prepare a dainty dish for Lady Dunfern,

he proceeded to read the daily paper, that had been so customary for

years. Rachel, hastily executing her master's orders, and having all in

readiness for her mistress, hurried to her room for the key. Sharply

telling the usual maid to follow her with the tray, she wended her way

towards the door that twice had been locked since her last visit.

Unlocking it, turning the handle and pushing it open, she took from the

servant the tray, as was her custom, by strict orders of her master,

never allowing the maid further than the door.

Depositing it upon the table, she swiftly turned to the door, and

locking it from within, began to gaze around for Lady Dunfern, who

sometimes breakfasted in bed. Moving in its direction with tray in hand,

no Lady Dunfern appeared! The bed remained unused since she settled it

the previous day. Wildly shouting with momentary pain, Rachel let fall

the tray, smashing the china, &c., and thickly spotting the matting in

some places with its contents. In deep despair she cast one delirious

stare around the room, but all to no effect. Heaven help me! has she

fled? Oh, what!--what shall I do? Thinking that she might have hidden

under the couch of rest, she threw herself on the floor to try and catch

only a glance of her hidden form, but was disappointed once more.

Running to the door and frantically opening it, she ran to Marjory's

room. Failing to be admitted, she hurried down to acquaint some of the

men, who attempted to open Marjory's door, but all their masculine

efforts to arouse her were futile. What was there left to be done, save

to acquaint Sir John of the matter. Agitated did Rachel enter without

signifying her approach to her master, who sat in silence. "Oh, sir,"

cried she, drowned in tears, and uttered in broken accents the words,

"Your wife has escaped--she is not in her room!" "What!" gasped Sir

John. "It cannot be!"

Following Rachel to the room of terror he found her information too

true. "How on earth has this happened?" asked the horrified husband.

"Had you the key?" he fiercely asked of Rachel. Ever ready to substitute

the truth with a lie, where the former especially would convict her, she

replied, with a stamp of her foot, "that it never was out of her drawer

of safe deposit." Thinking probably she may have trifled with the

window, Sir John moved forward, and the wrap never being removed, he

thought it had not in any way been tampered with until Rachel espied the

corner pane. "Ah!" said she, "this is the clue to her cursed craft. This

must have had something to do with her escape." Then the thought of

Marjory's room being still closed to view she fancied might have

something also to do with the mysterious and marvellous mark of

ingenious intrigue.

Both Sir John and Rachel tottered to Marjory's door, and demanding it to

be broken open, Sir John entered to be further astonished at her

absence, to be sure. On her bed she cannot have lain the previous night,

which was proof positive that she was an announced accomplice. But the

mystery had yet to be solved as to the action of their flight. Guilt

took strong hold on Rachel. She knew the key was always kept in a drawer

in her own room, which drawer was constantly kept locked by her and the

key hidden inside the little clock that ticked so gently on the

mantel-piece in her room; but on second thought, she was so busily

engaged during the Christmas season that actually she forgot to lock the

drawer the whole week. Never dreaming that this overlook on her part was

so cleverly taken notice of by her who not alone committed the

ruffianous act, but caused all the blame to be thrown on the party in

charge. The housekeeper, who felt sadly and very much annoyed about the

affair, grasped the whole thing--first, she thought of Marjory's

professed illness the evening previous, then how she tried her door

before going to bed, and in this attempt to enter was unsuccessful, and

that very morning there was no answer, and, finally, she was missing as

well as Lady Dunfern. The well-arranged plot pictured itself in a most

vivid manner to her who in one respect, regarding the key's safety, was

entirely to blame.

Sir John, summoning all his men, ordered them to go at once and intimate

to the officers of the law the sudden flight of the miscreants, and to

try and find out their whereabouts; but no trace of them was as yet nigh

at hand.

The deceived husband appeared greatly crushed under such a weight of

sorrow, and wondering whether or not they could be found, or if Oscar

Otwell, he who so often wrote to his wife during her period of

imprisonment, had ought to do with her daring adventure, aided by

Marjory Mason! It is no longer an unsolved problem that Oscar Otwell was

from first to last the chief irritating item of Sir John Dunfern's

unhappiness, and whose supposed underhand communications with Lady

Dunfern were the principal features depicted in this escape.

These letters of Otwell's Sir John still retained, never reaching her

for whom they were intended. Opening his large Davenport that stood

close by, he extracted therefrom all the letters of the vaguish tutor,

and coming to the one received lastly, found it bore the address,

"Chitworth College, Hedley, Berks." This was so much information

regarding the rascal who was the sole means of separating Sir John

Dunfern and his wife.

The husband, paralysed with sorrow, instantly wrote to Doctor

O'Sullivan, the President of the College, who in youthful years was his

most intimate acquaintance, and whose name appeared so often in Oscar's

letters, making the necessary inquiries relative to one of the teaching

staff named "Oscar Otwell."

This he sealed in an envelope, and walked to the village to post it

himself. After two days' rending agony and suspense, he received the

following reply:--

"Chitworth College,

Berks.

"Dear Sir John,

"I am very sorry to inform you that, owing to a grave despondency

which of late troubled Oscar Otwell, one of my able and talented

assistants, I was compelled, though reluctantly, to allow him

either one month's leave of absence or six weeks' if he so

desired, in order to recruit him somewhat. I strongly advised him

to seek a change of air, which I believe he did. I myself, on

receipt of your note, visited his lodgings to ascertain from his

landlady when he was likely to return. She informs me she has

never heard from him since he left, and cannot give the least

clue as to his present quarters. She adds that he took all his

belongings with him.--Trusting you enjoy good health.

"Believe me,

"Very sincerely yours,

"D. O'SULLIVAN,

Pres."

"Merciful Father!" exclaimed Sir John, as he finished reading the

President's note, which he laid on the table. "God strengthen me to bear

this un-Christian-like calamity. Oh, my son, my son! What disgrace shall

this not bring upon you, my child, my all!"

Pacing the floor in profound agony, Sir John rang for his housekeeper to

convey the tidings he had just received. Rachel suspected this

beforehand, but dare not even hint at such a thing to him, who had

already enough to bear. Speaking in terms which shewed manifest symptoms

of sorrow, combined with rage and perplexity, he ordered her for ever

from his service. "You," said he, "are solely to blame. Of this I am

positively convinced, and through that door march, as I never wish again

to set eyes on such a worthless woman." Here Rachel, who was grievously

affected, passed for ever from the presence of him who dared to be

questioned.

Next of all, he ordered the footman, Tom Hepworth, into his room. "You,"

said he, "are well aware of my present calamity, and might I ask of you

how my wife and Marjory Mason effected their escape from below? Had you

not the hall doors locked and likewise all the others?" Replying in the

affirmative, the footman shook like a poplar, knowing well that instead

of having in his room during the hours of repose all the keys of the

various doors which led to the outside, he allowed them to remain where

they were during the day. "Had you all those keys in your own room at

night, according to my orders since Lady Dunfern was obliged to be dealt

with in the manner already described?" demanded Sir John angrily. The

honest-hearted footman, being trapped, frankly acknowledged he had not.

"Go, then," said his master "and seek employment elsewhere. You are no

longer fit to be here. You have neglected to carry out my orders,

therefore you must go." So saying, the sturdy footman bowed and retired.

It no doubt caused Sir John a vast amount of pain to part with two such

helps as Rachel Hyde and Tom Hepworth; but once he formed a resolution,

nothing save death itself would break it.

Terror seized every dependent in the mansion lest Sir John would visit

his anger on each and all in like manner. However, this was not so,

as Rachel and Tom, being longer in his service than any of the others,

caused him to intrust them with the chief care of matters of importance

in preference. And when he found out that they had so carelessly

disobeyed his injunctions, they were then compelled to reap the result.

Tom and Rachel, in less than an hour after their master issued his words

of censure and dismissal, left the beautiful home, of such lengthy

shelter, in which they had shared their help so willingly, to plough the

field of adventure on which they now might wander.