Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 72: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

66 ROSE MORTIMER ; OR, a At length even Rose’s courage was exhausted. She rose from her reclining position stiffened in the back—and, wonderful chance !—her foot touched the identical object upon the floor which had been the cause of so much patient search and trouble. Its transition from the floor to the lock was the work of an instant. ~The lock was turned, and she stood in the passage. Still a little dificulty remained. She would, if possible, destroy all traces of her flight. For this purpose she had brought her male attire with her. Had the girl not been disturbed by that unfortunate accident no other precaution would have perhaps been necessary. As it was, Rose well judged that she would make known at once the abstraction of her clothing, coupl- ing it with the strange noise which had awakened her so rudely. / Mr. Wharton would at once divine the whole mys- tery, and pursuit would become an easy matter. To throw them off the scent, therefore, more com- pletely, the chambermaid must be left in the dark as to the midnight robbery of her garments. Rose accordingly removed the key, and locked the door upon the exterior. This accomplished without noise, she pushed the key under the door some little distance. And now once more to resume her interrupted flieht. The hall door was gained and passed, and she hurried into the grounds. Barely had she left the door ere a sound caused her to stop short in the utmost consternation. The alarm bell of the mansion was ringing vio- lently ! CHAPTER XXVII. FLIGHT — THE POOL—PURSUIT—THE PRESUMED SUICIDE — A COMPACT OF BLOOD — DEYVILLE’S DOOM—ROSE ESCAPES—THE LONE HOUSE ON THE MOOR~—A MISTAKE—DANGER AHEAD, For aninstant Rose Mortimer paused irresolute, holding her breath. Her heart stood still. A renewed pealing of the bell, however, more loudly than before, brought her to her senses. With a start, she hurried on like a frightened deer. Presently she arrived at a small piece of water, wild and picturesque, but whose beauty had no charm for in her present critical position. However, it served to Jog her memory upon an im- portant point. The suit of clothes which she yet carried with her had to be disposed of. Yes. Thus would all traces of her flight be de- stroyed. She hastily gathered up some heavy stones and put them in the pockets of the coat and trowsers. Then, with a handkerchief,-she fastened them to- ther, and cast them into the water. The stones which she put into the hat unfortu- nately fell out as she threw it frcm her, and the hat floated ! This was a misfortune not to be remedied she deemed. Future events, however, will show whether this could really be regarded in such a light. No time now remained to attend to so trifling an occurrence, and once more she hurried onwards. The pool was not quite passed when Rose, to her ee eee Lin... GOmMmicodosd dismay, caught the sounds of voices at no great dis- tance, shouting apparently to some one following. It needed no very quick ear to detect the well-re- membered tones of Maurice Wharton. ““Come on,” he cried, now quite close at hand. ‘This is the direction I am sure. He could never have got round the road,”’ Rose was now in sad trouble. Her pursuers were certainly more fleet of foot than herself. ; Added to this, her movements were greatly im- peded by the ill-fitting dress which she had abstracted from the bedroom of the chambermaid. She began to regret that she had paused to change her garments. Had she hurried on when first she left the house, she would have been safe from all danger of recapture now. Moreover, the other apparel was far more fayour- able for her hurried movements. Time pressed. In a minute more they would be by the pool, and she would inevitably be discovered. Fear seemed to paralyse her movements now that she had the greatest need of courage and support. She could not move. A bush only screened her from the view of any one at the further side of the pool. Poor girl! she must certainly be wedded to mis- fortune and suffering, for her life of late had been but one continued career of unhappiness. Maurice Wharton now appeared running up ina very excited state. Then he paused and turned to call impatiently to Mr. Wharton, whose older limbs could not keep pace with the fire and energy of his son. ““Come, come, father,’’ cried Maurice, “she has passed by here—I am sure of it.” “‘T know it,”’ cried Mr. Wharton, in answer from a short distance in the rear. ‘‘I can see traces of her progress yet.” ‘Yes, yes—and see here are marks—foot-prints upon the bank of the pool.”’ Rose trembled violently. ‘* Hurry on, then, boy,’’ cried Mr. Wharton. ‘‘ Wait not forme. On, on!”’’ But Maurice Wharton, instead of obeying his fa- ther’s injunction, only gave a cry of mingled alarm and amazement. ** Great Heavens !”’ c “What now?’ cried Mr. Wharton, just arriving upon the scene. “See,” cried the young man, pointing to the centre of the pool. Rose could not see, but she divined what was the object of this speech. That unfortunate hat ! **T see,’ said Mr. Wharton, “ but what is it ?” A hat? ‘¢ Whose ?”’ ‘‘Hers. Rose’s, doubtless.” ** Well, then, she has passed here—eh ?” ** Nay, I think not.” * What do you mean ?” **T mean,’”’ said Maurice Wharton, in a still solemn tone of voice, ‘that Rose Mortimer has been driven to self-destruction !”’ The subject of his speech turned all over in a cold perspiration. ‘ The idea of having slain herself was terrible to ear. ‘* What, do you mean to say that she has committed suicide ?”” demanded Mr. Wharton. ‘1 ‘ST Mot?’ ““ How shocking !” Mr. Wharton said ‘‘ How shocking !”” asif he had Sor SOTAAF