Blind Love

Before he could dismount to knock at the door, a tall man walked up to

him out of the darkness.

"Is that Miles?" the tall man asked.

The groom knew the voice. Iris was even better acquainted with it. She,

too, recognised Lord Harry.

X

There was the Irish lord at the very time when Iris was most patiently

resigned never to see him more, never to think of him as her husband

again--reminding her of the first days of their love, and of their

mutual confession of it! Fear of herself kept her behind the curtain;

while interest in Lord Harry detained her at the window in hiding.

"All well at Rathco?" he asked--mentioning the name of the house in

which Arthur was one of the guests.

"Yes, my lord. Mr. Mountjoy leaves us to-morrow."

"Does he mean to return to the farm?"

"Sorry I am to say it; he does mean that."

"Has he fixed any time, Miles, for starting on his journey?"

Miles instituted a search through his pockets, and accompanied it by an

explanation. Yes, indeed, Master Arthur had fixed a time; he had

written a note to say so to Mistress Lewson, the housekeeper; he had

said, "Drop the note at the farm, on your way to the village." And what

might Miles want at the village, in the dark? Medicine, in a hurry, for

one of his master's horses that was sick and sinking. And, speaking of

that, here, thank God, was the note!

Iris, listening and watching alternately, saw to her surprise the note

intended for Mrs. Lewson handed to Lord Harry. "Am I expected," he

asked jocosely, "to read writing without a light?" Miles produced a

small lantern which was strapped to his groom's belt. "There's parts of

the road not over safe in the dark," he said as he raised the shade

which guarded the light. The wild lord coolly opened the letter, and

read the few careless words which it contained. "To Mrs. Lewson:--Dear

old girl, expect me back to-morrow to dinner at three o'clock. Yours,

ARTHUR."

There was a pause.

"Are there any strangers at Rathco?" Lord Harry asked.

"Two new men," Miles replied, "at work in the grounds."

There was another pause. "How can I protect him?" the young lord said,

partly to himself, partly to Miles. He suspected the two new

men---spies probably who knew of Arthur's proposed journey home, and

who had already reported to their employers the hour at which he would

set out.