The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

Meee eenpn ene at pl DT TOES én, .aeee eee 44 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Cl dressed at Oaklands. Leachley, the Duke's valet, ‘“ Good heavens, what does all this mean ?"” @%e reported that his master had not as yet returned; claimed a third. . | and expressions of uneasiness passed from lip to “Something dreadful, I fear,” added Leachley, ‘ip. Several domestica meeting each other in the with a shud.ler. hall, were about to decide in which Vifferent “ Disperse yourselves in every direction!” ex- dir-rtions they should issue forth—not merely in claimed Lord Clandon, powerfully ‘exerted. “TI search of their just mistress, but now likewise in will take horse and gallop alung the main roads. search, of their master also, —— when a strange Travers———Travers, I say! Why, the fellow was sound, hike a low continuous moaning howl, here a few moments back!” coming from without, reached their ears. None; ‘Travers was not however in the hgll at this of the doors of the mansion had as yet been ' moment: and Lord Clandon hastened up to his opened: the hall-porter, an old man, having sat , own chamber, where he found his valet. , up so late, had overslept himself. The domestics; The orders he had given to the servants wore listened~the sounds continued —and in a few mo- promptly obeyed: for they scattered themselves in ments they were interrupted by a bark, but low | every direction—some singly, others guing two to- and feeble as the moaning howl itsolf had been. gether. A horse was presently saddled far the use “Tt is a dog!” ejaculated one. of Lord Clandon, who was speedily ready to avail “Tt is Piuto, I am almost certain!” cried ane | himself of it. other The butler and Leachley, the Duke’s own valet, “Let us get the keys from the porter,” ex-, went together on the exciting expedition; and claimed a third: and a general excitement pre- ! they touk the road leading to that hamlet which vailed; for the idea had arisen simultaneously in , the Duke had set out to visit, as he had stated to every mind that there was something wrong—but | the domestics in the midille of the night. It was, what it was, no one could conceive, and no conjec- | as already stated, two miles distant from the man- — ture was volunteored. sion; but Leachley and the butler had not pro- The keys were procured from the hall-porter’s : ceeded above a few hundred yards, when they room: the front door waa opened —and Pluto: heard a dragging nuise and a panting, gaspiuy, crawled painfully into the hall. He was feebly moaning sound bebind. They turned—and beheld ging hie tail, as if in satisfaction at having tho wounded dog. The poor animal, having been thus obtained admittance at last: but he was forgotten in the hall when the domestics disperse! bloodatained in several piaces —and his eyes, in such excitoment at Lord Clandon’s bidding, had usually so bright and intelngont, were glazing as dragged himself forth —for he was not quite so if in death. He carried something in his mouth; : near death as his exhausted condition and glazing and on creeping into the hall, he did no€ sink | eyes had seemed to indicate. down, though evidently in an exhausted, if not a; “ Poor Pluto,” said Leavhloy, caressing the faith- _ dying state—but dragged himeelf painfully from | ful dog. the feet of one domestic to another. He looked | “See how he looks up,” exclaimed the butler, wp at each too, in a sort of piteously entreating | “as if asking us to come on.” manner: it was evident that if the faithful and| ‘ Yes---there is some meaning in those eyes—in intelligent animal had the power of speech, ho | those half moaning, half howling sounds!” would have told some tale. “Let us speed onward,” said the butler. “The poor dog has been wounded,” ejaculated; The dog new kept in advance: it appeared as if several voices; and looks of horror were ex- | he acquired strength as he went on—as if he were changed: for the previous misgiving which had conscious of having some special task to perform, smitten the domestica, appeared all in a moment for which all his best energies were put forth. But to have strengthened into the conviction that still continued that prolonged wailing howl—that there had been some accident or foul play during lugubrious moan which sounded ominous as a the past night, and of which their master was the death-knell itself on the ears of the butler and vietim :—else wherefore had the dog come back | Leachley. Cn ead alone P ° On they went—sod in proportion as they ad- “ ‘But what has he in his mouth P” asked one. ! vanced, Pluto's pace quickened—his moan beaame At this moment Lord Clandon, followed by | more rueful—he kept looking up at the two do- Travers, made his appearance in the ball. ! mestics, as if entrusting them to follow on stil) and “Good heavens! what is the matter?” heex-{not go back. They themselves experienced the claimed, the instant he caught sight of the appaHed sense of men who falt that every step wounded dog, who now sank down in utter ex-. they took was bringing them dearer and nearer to haustion, its eyes closing apparently in death. the solution of some horribia .oystery. Presently * Where is the Duke?” inquired Clandon, as if Pluto dashed forward, round a bend uf the road— amitten with the same terrible idea that had | looked back for an instant to aze whether the men ¢ hui”! « 7 already seized upon the domestics.” were following Lim—and then disappeared from “Oh! my lord, we know not,” responded Lesch- | their view. ley in a mournful voice: “but we dread ” | But a few instants brougkt the butler and “What? the Duke has not returned!” ojacu- Jeachley round that bend—and they at ones lated Clandon. “Ob, my poor uncle!”—~and he descried a dark object on the edge of a pond by seewel violently affected. “ But what is that the road side. Pluto, moaning and whiuing with which has fallen from “Plato's mouth P” . all the plaintiveness of a humap voice, was crouch. “It is a pico» of cloth,” said one of the ser- ing near that object. A few instants more—and wants, stooping duwn and picking it up. the two domestics reached the sp&t. Then what “Ah! evidentuy torn out of @ coat,” ejaculated a frightful spectacle met their view! Their master, another. {the Duke of Maschmont, lay dead before their Premera me me te ye ee ar MO we = | = . eee mem et wet ete eae mm ee wae (