The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

& 34 to place herself in the way of invoking protection or assistance. But in order to conceal her de- sign, she said in a careless tone, ‘ Oh, I thought this might be a bye-road; but as I have never travelled it before to-day, ’tis no wonder that I should be mistaken.” Again the man eyed her askance: but he said nothing. The road now went down a gradual descent into a valley, through the bottom of which meandered a stream, which looked like an enor- mous serpent shining like quicksilver beneath the rays of the bright moon. The disguised lady now perceived that the river passed close by the very building which she was keeping in view ; and as the gig approached it still nearer, ‘she con- jectured from the shape and position of the edifice that it must be a water-mill. = “Tt was down there,” said the man, pointing with his whip, “‘ that the young o’oman was mur- dered by her sweetheart three years ago.” “ Murdered ?” ejaculated the lady, with a cold shudder. ‘“Yes—and ever since the old mil] has been shut up-———” ~ a+ & “Shut up?” echoed the lady, her cherished hope suddenly vanishing, and dismay seizing upon her. — 7 = _ “Yes—didn’t I say shut up?” demanded the man, whose tone and démeanour seemed’ to be- come every instant more threatening and sinister. “Well, sir, as Iwas saying, ever since the mill has been shut up the folks say it has beén haunted by! the ghost of the young o’oman whith was so cruelly murdered hy the miller’s man. But ghost or no ghost, it wouldn't preveht me from going into the mill if I wanted to do'so; and whether in the middle of the day or the middle of the night it would be all one to Tim Gaffney.” An ejaculation of mingled astonishment and affright burst from the lips of the disguised lady ; for she instantaneously recollected that this was . | the very name which the old parish clerk had 4 ‘mentioned in a manner that had elicited from her -lips a peal of such musical laughter. A wild terror now seized upon her: her brain appeared to reel: she knew not what course to adopt,— when all in a moment the man pulled in the horse, just as the gig reached the middle of bridge which spanned the stream. . CHAPTER VIIL THE MILL. “What are you going to do ?” asked the lady, in an almost dying voice. “Why, there’s no use in mincing the matter for another moment,” replied Gaffney. ‘‘ You’ve shown so much curiosity about this mill here, that I’m going to treat you to a look at the inside of it.” A cry of terror pealed forth from the lady’s lips —and she made an effort to spring out of the gig’: but it failed, for her arm was instantaneously seized upon by the strong vigorous grasp of Tim Gaffney, who at the same time exclaimed, in a threatening voice and with a terrible oath, ‘If you try to run away, I'll do for you as sure as the THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. miller’s man did for the poor girl in the mill close by [» The unfortunate lady was now paralyzed with horror; and though the ruffian released her arm from the vice-like grasp in which for a few mo- ments he had clutched it, yet she dared not, renew the attempt to save herself by flight; for she saw that she was indeed completely in his power. He coolly drew forth and displayed a brace of pistols, at the same time remarking, ‘‘ Your best plan is to be quiet and dg as you're bid.” ‘“My God! would you murder me?” faltered out the unhappy lady. ‘Tf I'wanted to do it, I shouldn’t have taken the trouble to give you any sort of warning to be quiet,” responded Tim Gaffney: ‘‘but I should have done the business at once.” SPs ‘ Sie é . . | °"He now whistled in a peculiar manner; and the sound, which was very Joud and shrill, pene- trated through the lady’s brain. In a few mo- ments she distinctly ‘heard the sound of a door opéning somewhere about the premises; for the gig had halted close py the old mill, which con- sisting of a mdss of ‘woodwork all tarred over, had a gloomy aiid ominous appearance. The lady now felt convinced that ‘Gaffney was summoning other ruffians to his assistance ; and the dread idea struck her that they might not prove so mer- ciful in respect fo her life as he had proclaimed himself to be. °° "or heaven’s sake, drfve on, or else let me go!” she said in an imploring voice. “Tell me what you require. My purse—my jewel- lery——?) mo “ Hold your tongue, young lady!” exclaimed Gaffney, now for ‘the first time showing by his speech that he was ware of her real sex. ~ At this' moment’ a man was seen crossing a plank which lay abdve a stream branching off from the river; for that plank formed a means of communication betwixt the road and the mill. As this individual emerged from the obscurity, the lady, whose terrified looks were rapidly thrown upon him, perceived that he was a middle-sized, stoutly built fellow, dressed in a velveteen shoot- ing jacket and dark trousers; and he carried a thick stick in his hand. ‘‘Now then, Bill, look alive!” said Gaffney. “‘ There’s one of the fair sex dressed up as a man! Now then, young lady, you get out and follow my friend Bill Bax; and he’ll introduce you into the mill, where I shall have the pleasure of join- ing you as soon as I’ve put the trap into the outhouse———” ‘*'What!—go with him? Into the mill 2” shrieked the lady. ‘No, no! you may kill me first !” . Another terrible oath came from Tim Gaffney’s lips as he exclaimed, “ You shall go, young lady! or else”—and he again produced his pistols. “Take my advice, and don’t have none of your nonsense. I tell you again we don’t want your life: but we want your money—and that we mean to have.” “Then take it! take it!” cried the lady, pre- senting her purse, which she tore forth from her pocket with all the vehemence of nervous haste. ‘No one ever ought to refuse a good offer,” said Bill Bax, as he took the purse from the hand of the disguised lady, whom he had been atten-° tively’ contemplating for the last few minutes ee ee YN Wn) COMO Colin