Newspaper Page Text
The Atlanta Georgian
and News
SUNDAY
READING 1
With Saturday
’a Georgian of 1
May 2
5,1907.
SUNDAY READING
With Saturday’s Georgian of
May 25, 1907.
VOL. V. NO. 279.
ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, MAY 25,1907. PRICE: & tOSSI Z c ffl
THE GHOST OF LOCHRAIN CASTLE
A Thrilling Novel of Love, Intrigue, Tragedy and the Mystery of a Famous Diamond
By MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON
Author of “The Lightning Conductor,'
etc., etc.
Illustrated by
GEORGE KERR and A. NANKIVELL.
CHAPTER II.
The Room In the Tower.
Elspeth had only just time to be Im
pressed with the magnificence of the
great stonc-p^ured hall, with its vast
fireplace. Its tapestries and Its ancient
armor, when she was led down a con
necting corridor Into a small room
where she found herself In Mr. Mc
Gowan's presence.
He was a clever-looklng. inlddle-
aged man, evidently a gentleman, with
a worried, over-worked air. and such
kind eyes that Elspeth did not wonder
the millionaire had liked and wished to
help him In his ambitious venture.
■'But you are a mere child,” was his
first exclamation on seeing the new
stenographer. Still he did not seem
wholly disappointed in her appearance,
Elspeth could not help thinking, and
when, to prove what she could do. she
had taken down a few rapidly dictated
sentences, without an instant's delay or
hesitation, he expressed himself satis
fied. *
"You will do very well. Miss Dean,
he said pleasantly. "Tomorrow morn
ing your work will begin. What re
mains of today you will have to your
self: but somo time this evening, when
you are rested after your Journey, I
should like you to come here again, to
learn what your work Is to be."
"I am not tired," said Elspeth light
ly. "I should be glad to hear every
thing now, unless you prefer”
"That will bo better. If you are equal
to It. Well, from 9 In the morning till
10:10 I shall be obliged If you will bo at
my disposal here, to answer letters,
os Mr. Grant Is engaged then, and can
only help mo In the evening, srom
10:20 until 12:30 I have promised your
services to Mr. Kenrith, who has ar
rived today; that Is, I wired him I
would have an elllclcnt stenojfrapllor
to work with him, which was the prin
cipal reason why I wanted you In such
a hurry." . , ...
“I beg your pardon, may I come in.
asked a voice at the door, which was
slightly ajar. It was a man’s voice,
and spoke with a marked American ac-
VC "Como In. Mr. Trowbridgo." replied
the manager politely, and a person of
striking appearance entered; a man of
thirty-two or three, perhaps, tall, clean-
shaved, with thick, fair hair parted in
the middle, dark brows, and black-
lashed, narrow, yet bold, gray eyM. Hj
wu handsome, exceedingly well dressed
with an air of wealth and prosperity
which wu almoet aggressive. His
glanco dwelt for a few second* with
flattering admiration upon shabby Utile
Klapeth, yet the girl wan ungrateful
enough not to like the newcomer.
"So sorry to Interrupt, but I m bad
ly In need of your help, Mr. McGosran,
said he. laughing In a friendly way.
“I'm a busy man, and can t let fvery-
thlng slide, even up here, while lm
taking a vacation. My correspondence
has run miles ahead of me. ' an you
recommend anybody In the neighbor
hood who con write pretty well from
dictation?" ... . ,,
"This young lady will be able to
help you, I think. She baa Just come
to act as my secretary, but I can spare
her for some hours a day to gue«_t» of
Urn hotel, who want her services.
"What an odd coincidence, and a
lucky onn for me. Introduce me.
please," said Mr. Trowbridge; and the
stenographer should have been more
than ever flattgrej thus to be Intention
ally (no doubt (bat It was intentional
ly) raised to a footing of social equal
ity by a young and handsome man,
evidently a person of Importance In me
world. .
Mr. McGowan obeyed, and Mr. Trow
bridge made himself agreeable to MWs
Doan, looking at her with an
slon w hich seemed to say, ^Vhat a sur
prising thing to find such a pretty gtri
In your position. I admire you ^Im
mensely. and want you to like me.
Still, Elspeth did not like him.
‘There's something that doesn t ring
true,” she said to herselt And she
did not believe that It was a co|n«-
dence that Mr. Trowbridgo had hap
pened to ask for a secretary, at the
very moment when she had amveo.
She had an Idea that he bad come to
Mr. McGowan’s door with some otner
object, that he had overheard a w®™
or two of the conversation, and hod
taken hla cue from It SHU, even If
ahe were right la the eurmlee she bad
Dnwi by Krsok A- NanklvelJ^ p #rton of striking Appearance Opened the Door.
to remind herself there was no great
hLmi in what Mr. Trowbridge had
done. Probably the man must want
help with his correspondence, .for she
.... not such a radiant beauty that
ho should Invent a need solely as an
excuse for enjoying her society for an
hour each day. Such things might
happen In novelettes, but “?**“"*'
life; and In any case Mr. Trowbrii.go
through^the* cr£Sc*of TS* d<T be'fore
sgS.“uas°?»™ r «rt£re
ZXJ*? Stott*?*? 8h% n w«
S'gdfto hu“rivato sluing room from
« o'cTack till 1 each evening. ^h»t
time’s to be mine from now, he said.
"U some toys I shouldn’t need you.
JLitvoa don’t mind I’D lend you
friend* loU of.people, ladle* es-
rwriaUy would be only too thankful to
reta fewnotes written for them whUo
fhiv resting on their sofsa be
tween ten and dinner; but I don’t be-
SETVThaU be able to spare you
^Mrfrrowbrldge was to pay the man
agement seven shillings and sixpence
an hour for the privilege of Min
Dean’a assistance, and Elspeth began
to see that It was not entirely from
moUves of philanthropy that the guests
of Loch rain Castle Hydro were to be
supplied with the services of a stenog
rapher. The appointments already
made for her would put seventeen shil
lings and sixpence dally, except on
Sundays, Into the pockets of the man
agement, and doubtless It would event
ually work out to more. In this way.
Ur. McGowan would get all the help
he had from her for nothing, white
the hotel made money out of the ar
rangement besides. But this did not
matter to the girl Bbs wsa mors than
satisfied with her two guineas a week,
her beautiful surroundings, and the
prospect of an Interesting and exctUng
Ufa.
"Mr. Trowbridge Is on American mil
lionaire." explained the manager, when
ha and Elspeth were alone together
again. "He’a only been hore a few
toys, but he has already made himself
very popular—a man with a magnetic
way, just goes about and talks to peo
ple; when they've known him ten min.
utes they feel as If It might have been
ten years. All the ladles like him.
especially a certain countess; and If,
aa he aaya, he lends you to some of hla
friends, at his expense, you'll probably
get a good deal of amusement out of
your Job. You will know more than
anyone else In the hotel about Mr.
Trowbridge's flirtations, and I prophesy
that hour between tea and dinner won’t
be dull. Mr. Kenrith Is also a mil
lionaire, as you know, I suppose; but
he Is a very different sort of man. Us
doesn’t go In for nonsense, and your
work with him will be work."
“You seem to have plenty of million
aires." said Ktapeth.
Mr. McGowan smiled. "We are fash
ionable and successful," said he con
tentedly. "I havo sometimes thought,
since our season began, what a rich
haul Jewel thieves could make If"—he
checked himself and frowned, as if an
noyed at his own garrulousncsa with a
girl who was, after all. a stranger.
"But." he added more elowly. "we're
Continued on Next Paget
