6 f~SERIAL? U9 STORY ESCAPADE A POST £ MARITAL ROMANCE =? Cyrus Townsend Brady 1 i ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAY WALTERS JS (Copyright, IWB, by W. o. Chapman.) SYNOPSIS. The Escapade opens, not In the ro maneo preceding the marriage of Ellen Slocum, a Puritan miss, and Lord Car rington of England, but in their life after settling in England. The scene is placed, Just following the revolution, in Harring ton castle in England. The Carringtons, after a house party, engaged in a family tilt, caused by jealousy. The attentions of Lord Carrington to Lady Cecily and Lord Strathgate to Lady Carrington com- { jelled tiio latter to vow that she would eave the castle. Preparing to flee. Lady Carrlngton and her chum Deborah, an American girl, met l.ord Strathgate at two a. tn., lie agreeing to see them safely away. He attempted to take her to his castle, but she left him stunned In the road when the carriage met with an ac cident. She and Debbie then struck out for Portsmouth, where she intended to sail for America. Hearing news of Ellen's flight. Lords f'arrington and Seton set out in pursuit. Seton rented a fast vessel and started in pursuit. Strathgate, bleeding from fall, dashed onto Ports mouth, for which Carrlngton, Ellen and Seton were also headed by different routes. Strathgate arrived in Portsmouth In advance of the others, finding that Ellen's ship had sailed before her. Strathgate and Carrlngton each hired a small yacht to pursue the wrong vessel, upon which each supposed Ellen had sailed. Seton overtook the fugitives near Portsmouth, but his craft ran aground, just as capture was Imminent. Ellen won the chase by boarding American vessel and foiling her pursuers. Carrlngton and Strathgate, thrown together by former's ■wrecking of latter's vessel, engaged in an Impromptu duel, neither being hurt. A war vessel, commanded by an admiral friend of Seton, then started out in pur suit of the women fugitives. Seton con fessing love for Debbie. Flagship Britan nia overtook the fugitives during the night. The two women escaped by again taking to the sea in a small boat. Lord Carrington is ordered to sea with his ship but refuses togo until after meeting Strathgate in a duel. They tight in the grounds of Lord Blythedale's castle. Encounter Is watched by Ellen and Deb bie, who have reached land and are in biding. Carrington won a bloody con test at swords from Strathgate, Debbie and Ellen looking on and praying for the latter's husband. Carrington. immedi ately following the duel, was placed un der arrest for refusing to obey his ad miral's orders and Ellen, who had swooned during the duel, awoke to find him cone. CHAPTER XX.—Continued. Lord Ulythedale looked tip as Sir Charles approached. "Hello, Seton," he said. "You know Strathgate, I believe. He and Carring ton have had it out here this morn ing." "1 understand," interrupted Sir Charles. "Well, Strathgate's got it terribly. Dr. Nevinson here has just, succeeded in stanching tl blood. Will you call mv head keeper, you'll find him over beyond the coppice yonder, and we'll have him bring a shutter and take Strathgate up to the house. It'll be touch .and go with him, I'm sure. Demned unpleasant piece of business this and so early in the morning!" "Did you find tho ladies, Seton?" came in weak and faltering tones from Strathgate's pale lips as he recognized Sir Charles bending over him. "No," replied Sir Charles. He hated the man, but he was terribly down and perhaps would soon be quite out and he could not get up the heart to treat him cruelly. He had played the fool, yes, and worse, the knave, but he was paying for it a high price. "No, they were not on that ship. They had got ten away somewhere." "Devilish clever woman, that," fal tered Strathgate, "and beautiful. Car riugton's a damned fool—if he—did— run me through. You're another, Se ton, and —I'm—" Hut what Lord Strathgate was in his own opinion, he did not at that moment reveal, for the effort at speech had been too much for him. With a Bort of ghastly chuckle, he fainted quite away again. "We have no time to lose," said Nevinson, abruptly. "We must get him to the house at once." "111 call the keepers myself," sain Blythedale, who should have done it at first, as he knew where he had posted them. "Fetch me some water, if you will, Sir Charles," exclaimed the doctor! "from the brook yonder! Here's a cup." Sir Charles did as he was bid, and although he went and came in the twinkling of an eye and extended to the surgeon the cup of water desired, he had time while he filled it to pick up something else that, lay by the bank in the soft ooze of the border of the brook. He noticed the foot print of a woman's shoe and by the side of it another little knot of ribbon like that lie wore, a knot of scarlet, the color Mistress Debbie affected and'with which, lie remembered—for he had met Lady Ellen when she came from the ship to England—the dress she wore on the ocean, which she had tin doubtedly assumed for traveling, was trimmed, it matched that other knot of scarlet which he had worn next his heart since he took it from the car riage floor. Ellen and Deborah had escaped! Why wast it. not possible for fortune to have brought them there? His eye swept the scene with the instinct of a trained soldier to whom the habit of seeking cover has become second nature. The coppice! They were there and he would see them; they should not escape him now. He has tily arranged his course. In a few moments Rlythedale came back with his keepers and a shutter from the nearest keeper's house fiver which blankets and comforts had been hastily thrown. With infinite care, they lifted the prostrate, senseless Strathgate upon it and started for the hall. "If you'll forgive me, Ulythedale," said Sir Charles in answer to an in vitation to accompany them, "I have something to think about and 1 shall stay here alone for a few moments." "Oh, very well, suit yourself," re turned Ulythedale, "but when you've had your thought out, come up to the hall and I'll give you some breakfast and something to drink to take the taste of this demned unpleasant busi ness out of our mouths, and so early in the morning, too! Poor Strath gate!" Seton stood quietly until lie had satisfied himself that the party had got out of sight and sound. Then he turned to the coppice. "Mistress Deborah," he cried softly, approaching the edge. "Lady Ellen!" He listened. He detected a slight whimpering sound and then a sob. "Mistress Deborah, I know your voico," cried Sir Charles forcing his way through the undergrowth regard less of his clothing, and in a moment he was by the side of Mistress Deb bie. Mistress Debbie had been lying upon her face. She lifted herself up on her arms and was staring at Sir Charles as well as she could stars at anvone with the tears streaming down her face. Leaves and bits of mold clung to her person, her eyes were heavy, her face was haggard. It is evidence of the quality of Sir Charles' passion that, even in this guise, he thought her beautiful. He stooped over her instantly, caught her in his arms and drew her to her feet. Mistress Debbie fell against him, clung to him with an as tonishing access of strength and cried the more. In his excitement and rapture at tills delightful contact. Sir Charles did not notice the other darker figure ly ing prone near the spot whence he had plucked his love. As soon as his "My Lord Is Well?" eye fell upon her, he quickly lifted his sweetheart's head and held her from him a little. "Is that Lady Ellen?" he asked. "Yes," said Debbie contritely, "I was so glad to see you, 1 forgot—" "Is she dead?" "Kainted, I think. You see we saw all that terrible battle —" "We must get her out of here at once," said Sir Charles, releasing Deb orah. He stooped down and, although Ellen was no light burden for any man, he picked her up and followed by Debbie forced his way through the coppice onto the sward which had already been the scene of such mem orable events that morning. He laid her gently on the grass, bade Debbie loosen her collar, ran to the brook, came back with a hat full of water and splashed it, manlike, uncere moniously into Ellen's face. Then he drew from his pocket a small flask which he happened to have with him, and forced a few drops of liquor be tween Lady Ellen's pale lips. Then he and Deborah fell to chafing her hands. Presently, with a long sigh Lady Ellen opened her eyes. She stared hard at Seton for a mo ment. and then the color slowly came back into her cheeks. She strove weakly to rise upon her hand and Deb bie slipped her arm behind her and supported her. "Where is my lord?" she asked faintly. "I saw it all. Oh, my God, I saw it all!" "Lord Carrington was not hurt," "I know," faltered Ellen. "Strath gate! How horribly he was punished," she murmured. "We have all suffered, but I must goto my lord now. You have run me down on a lee shore, Sir Charles. Will you take mo to him?" "Dear Lady Carrington," said Sir Charles, tenderly, "I would do so— You must prepare yourself for anoth er shock." This time Pollen sat bolt upright, disdaining Deborah's help and in spite' of her restraining arm. "My lord is well?" she cried in an guished tones. "Perfectly well," said Sir Charles, I "but arrested." "For what? For the du'«l?" CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1908. "Nay, for disobedience of orders, for refusing 1o rejoin his ship, for—" "And he was following me," cried Lady Ellen with a heavenly smile, "he cared more for me than orders, or—" Vnd then the thought of T.ady Ce cily swept inio her mind and clouded her heart. "Madam," said Solon, "believe me he cares more for you than anything under heaven." "And am 1 not to so to him now?" asked Ellen. "1 see how foolish I have been." "If you will forgive me the sugges tion," said Seton, "'tis C'arrington who has played the fool and now he's in a grave situation. Admiral Kep hard is his friend, but he is helpless. My lord must stand a court-martial and 'tis likely togo hard with liim." "What is to be done?" asked Ellen, seeing her new found cup of happiness about to be dashed from her lips. "You must goto the king, tell him the whole story." "Who will take me there?" asked Ellen, after a long pause. "I will," returned Sir Charles. "Think you that having at last run you down, I would allow Mistress Deb bie out of my sight again? Courage, madam, we will appeal to his majesty in person, lie hath a kind heart for all his strange ways', God bless him! We will all go together and appeal to him, but first 1 must get you shelter" —and Sir Charles looked away as he spoke—"and clothes suitable for your sex. We will goto Blythedale hall." "Have they taken Lord Stratligate there?" "Ay," returned Sir Charles,"ln a helpless, fainting condition." "I will never go," said Ellen, de cidedly, "under any roof in which he abides, living or dead." "Very well," said Sir Charle3. "Mis tress Deborah shall stay here with you. I will get a carriage somewhere and we will, goto the next posting station and at the first convenient stopping place the definite arrange ments may be completed." "And you and Debbie, Sir Charles?" queried Ellen. "If Mistress Debbie will accept me," said Sir Charles, bowing ceremonious ly, "I shall be proud to be her hus band." "Oh, Sir Charles," faltered Debbie, rising to her feet and blushing like the crimson ribbon with which her dress was trimmed, "I did not want to run away a bit," she said as Sir Charles, utterly oblivious to Lady Ellen, caught her in his arms. "You found Baxter's 'Saints' Rest' a heavenly volume," says my lady, softly. "May it be peaceful and hap py with you to the last page." "Amen!" assented Sir Charles, cut ting short Debbie's ejaculation in the most approved and delectable way. (TO BE CONTINUED.) THOUGHT HE WANTED SNUFFBOX Suspicion of Piper Not Very Flatter ing to His Grace. At a dinner giv«n by the marquis of Bute, among th