Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

OUR SERIAL STORY.
“THE SILENT BAR.”
CHAPTER VI— (Continued).
Dy Grace Garfield.
Sybella rose from her seat and walked
to' the wardrobe. So looked into it and
touched the gowns there one after
another. They were all lovely-gowns,
and all suitable enough to her own
youth and good looks. But— they were
not ‘here.
“ I prefer my own alothes," she said,
looking at the woman, her.face a little
pale’. “I don’t inderstand this. I
should lko to wear my pink tea-gown.
Please inquire. I’ve got into the wrong
roolu, I think, andtnese things belong
to some other lady.” . .
“They are madame's," repented tlie
woman, her lips tightening. “Madame
will please allow me to dress her. Then
she can speak to mousieur:" :
Sybella was suddenly frightened.
What did it all mean: if Anbrey had :
allowed them to take her into some I
other room, surely he would rot permit I
them to make laoc wear anociter woman's I
things! ' . i
But she saw it was nseless to protect ;
at prent, and in silence allowed Marie
to, slip a pretty gown over her head and
to fasten ib round her alim soung figure.
It fitted fairty well, but the real owner
was not quite so slim as she. was. When
she was dresd ’Sybella went to the will
dow, over which tho laeo curtains hung
straight down, hiding the view.
“Do we see the sea from here?" tho
asked, pulling them aside.
“The sea, madame," asked Marie, in,
nieer astonishment, -"Thers is no sea."
Sybella fouid!herselt looking: out at:
st reels and eirlinney-piis andn drizzling
rain. The room in which she was plucd
high in a tail building, n-d. though a
bakpuy ran round, the window, there
were heavy bars to the window itseif
that prevented the girlIrom steppjug.
(Hit., She retiued an astonished and
half-frightened face on Marie. .
... But— where, am 1? This is notIttih
moutl,” she said.
“I will toll mousieur that you i are'
realy to seo him,” Marie said, without
answering, the question; " and—I would
not alter the arrangement of the cur
tains; I think," she added, pointedly. '
Sybella dropped them ard went buck
to the chair. She sat here, frightened,
and anxious, till she heard the door
open. Then she looked up quickyt She
rose to her foot,, her heart standing still
in her bosom. The anan who entered was
not. Aubrey at. all. He was a man she
did not know, and he was old and white
haired, ard lie had cruel,, dark eyed,
thabeyed her with malignanco.
“ But—jho ar you?" she faltered,
wildly. “I don’t understand whero I
"Yon shall understand," he .replied.
” Pray sit down?’ . ■
Ho smiled and bowed ooumcouy, and
Sybola, though she lated him realised
that this was at lonsta man, who in
tho great world, would bear the name of
geutleman. She sit down, trembling
very mudls.
“Now, toll mo what is the last thing
you remember," said the man, folding
his hards and looking at her with u
smile. .
For a moment a wild terror swept
over Sybella. Slie believed herself shut
up in tin asylum, and th is. man was a
doctor, trying to find out how muchahe
know of her past life. ...
“I'm not mad," 'sho cried out, widy?
fiercely, "I'm quite sano!" :
( Of course you are,' said the man,
emiling. I only wanted to see 'if you
remembered the ciroumstances of our—
mcoting.” ' ’ .
’Again Sy Bella’s heart stood still. I ve
never "seen you in my life,", she.said.
fnintiyt t, 2* ‘ .
' Well, do you remember running un
der a motor?" said the man, with an im
patient lttle smile, as if he wished to
oo1 to the heart of. the matter. " You
wore ini‘a lane,' and—wo came round the
cornr.”” .. ..
‘Oh, yes, I remember that, cried
Syballa, quickly. ' •
“ You rin into us,” said the man,
scowling.. “Wef picked you up uncon
scious, und wot knowing who you were;
brought you. along. ′ Now do you under-.
"Oli, yes. • Tank you very much, .
faltered Sybella. I’m ’ quite all right
now, and I’m afraid my husband—..
The man raised’his eyebrows. ‘You
don’t intend to go back to your husband,
doyou”honeked. . . . .
“I—I want to—see ham," eadd the girl
unlappily. . •:
I think you are safer here, said
the man, very drzy, looking forward
and looking into We girl’s eyes. .C
guessed who you were, and—the police
are looking for you!" ... ....
“Oh, no, no !′ cried the giw» wildly.
“It was a mistake. T never meant to
"They don’t inquire about tlat.
You’re• safe where you are," said tho
maw. " And you will stay here for the
present, because—well, because it hap
pens' to suit ino,” he went on, Brutally,;!
“In ary case, I should not have allowed
you to go just now. : It suits mo that
you should stay where you are and—pans
as my wife." .: ... .
!'Pass as your wife?’' cried Sybella, in
horror.: "But I’m married."*- 2
"Don't he a fool," said the man, short
ly. Evidently temper was not his strong
point. "All you need to do is to stay
here and let the publio think that you
are my wife, it anits nie that you
should, and, as a matter of fact, you
have lui option. You are, in plain words,
my prisoner."
- Sybella started to her foot, hor color
rising. “ Yonr prisoner?" she cried.
“ My prisoner,” he repented, coldly.
"You will have three rood rooms to
live in, good food, pretty frocka I’m
glad to see my wile’s dresses lit you so
nearly. You .will enjoy wearing frocks
like these. I’m sure. I'm sorry there is
no one to admire them.”
"What on earth should make you
think I shall enjoy wearing frooks that
don’t lit me?" cried Sybella, shamply:
"I think you’re mad."
"Not in the least, I asatiro you. I’ve
an excellent reason for all I do.” He
smiled ‘haggardly, and Sybella shrank'
back from him, for when he smiled she
felt him loathsome, "Ah for you, he went
on, icily, frowning as he saw.her shrink
ing gesture, "you should be very grate
fur, my good woman. You’re in a very
unpleasait position. You see that?”
"I know," she faltered, faintly ; " but
I could explain."
" Explanations don’t go far with (he
police," ho said, grimly. "You’re far
better off hero than you could possibly
be outside. No one knows where you
are, and no one will know. My wife is
—away.” His face altered horribly,
again, and again Sybella drew baok.
" While she is away, I wish the world
to believe that she is here with me. I
have givewit ont that you are not well.’
You will stay where-you are, well cared
lor, well attended to—surely not a hard
thing to ask?"
" But my,, father— my, lusband!” ‘sho
said, faintly. ‘ If I write to them—
" Nonsens ! t he maid burtly. " Would
you lriigthe police downon you? Tley
must not know where you l are; they
must be as ignorant as the rest of ine
world. Tha paper says you have dis
appeared." :
"Oh, is it in to paper?’ she cried,
inneute distress, her face fluming.
"Yes, it's in the paper," hefsaid, grim
ly, "So, you’ser, you’re safer here."
"Lob mo write, a line," she. pleadad.
"I won’t my. where Iumd-Lonly inat 1
am rafe.S Only (hut! Yoi. shall oce the
letter," I
He shook his head as he rose. "You
can’t do it," he said. "Now, let me
have ro nonsonse. • Consider your-eli
fortunate to be hero at all,, and'not in a
prion cell." .
He swung out with the words, and the
girl ran after him. -.But' beyond her
door wus another, one, a baize one, and
that was securely fastened from (ho out
side. She ran back to her room, The
.windows wore barred, and the other
roomi into which she looked were barred
too. There was no doubt about it—she
was a prisonerI . J
(To bo Continued). j
$