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2 THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY, JUNE 1,. 1007. THE GHOST OF LOCHRAIN CASTLE-Continued untnrj revelation. “I beg your par don." she raid briskly, "I'm afraid I stepped on your dress, and pulled you back. I'm so sorry, I do hope I haven't broke any stitches." With a start, Lady Hilary Vane looked round, and her eyes met Els peth’*, first with surprise, then recog nition, then gratitude. The understand ing of what the stranger had done for her, and why, was so clear In that lovely look that the young stenogra pher felt herself blushing. She also felt extraordinarily pleasrd that she had been able to do even so small a thing for tills girl, and wished she might have the cliauce to do more, much more. "I—why, I believe you must have touched my dress, but It Is nothing at all,” answered Lady Hilary, quickly re covering self-control like a brave glrL "You were trying to pass. How stupid of me to get in the way. Good morn ing, Lady Ardclllfe; goad morning, Countess; I was Just on my way to send off some letters.” "She felt sbe couldn't bear to go on with the conversation, whatever It was," thought Elspeth, who could not help wondering what had been said nbout I .tidy Hilary Vane's friend Cap tain Oxford, which had mode her start back as If she would fall. Now, the two girls were going down almost side by side, but Klspcth did not speak, or glance at the other. She was the Inferior, and It was not her place to remember that there had been a meeting before. Lady Hilary, how ever, chose to remember, and address ed Elspeth, who was hurrying on slightly ahead. "You were In the railway carriage with us yesterday," she said. In a voice us sweet as her face. "Yes," Elspeth answered. And then, lest the girl of high degree should mis take her for an equal, and regret con descension when she knew the truth— "I have come here to be secretary and stenographer for the manager, Mr. Me Oowan.” "Oh, have you? I think that must be very Interesting work,” said I<ady Hil ary, on the same step with Elspeth now. "You must be very clever to get such a good engagement, and be Independent, while you're so young. 1 quite envy you. I should love to be able to make my own living.” Elspeth laughed a little. "I don't think, if you had to, you would like It much, really." "Oh, I would. You don't know. Isn't as If we were rich. But—there Is something I want pi say to you, though It seems rather odd, saying It to a stranger. You were very kind to me lust now, end saved me .from—from great mortification. I understand that you must have noticed what we were saying In the train yesterday—quite In advertently, of course—otherwise you wouldn't have been so quick and sym pathetic In coming to my rescue." "I hardly know what did make me do It," said Elspeth. "I think It was just—a kind of Instinct." "Well, anyway. 1 thank you. 1 wouldn't for a great deal have had Lady Ardcllffe gossiping about me, and say ing that I almost fell when 1 heard that It was Captain Oxford who was hurt Inst night. She Isn't malicious, but site gossips about such things, because she's rather silly uml sentimental; and as for Countess Itudepolskof, I don't know her at all. lardy Ardcllffe hud just Intro iluced me as they were coming up from their "beuuly baths,” as they call them. Hut somehow, I don't much mind you having seen me. for I feel that, if we were to know each other, I should like you very much.” "I should love you,” exclaimed Els- peth. Impulsively, "and If there should ■ nine a time when 1 really could do something for you—a big thing I mean —you don't know how gladly I'd do it.” "Thank you. I believe you would," nnswered the other girt, holding out her hand. "I would come to you, If I needed anything you could do—oh, uut already there's something. You say you arc Mr. McGowan's secretary. Then Iierhnp* you know all about this sttungc affair uf Captuln Oxfortl—whether It's true, as Lady Ardcllffe would have had me believe, that he was hurt seriously last night. At first she told me the story, and didn't say who was the hero of It. It was only just as you cqpie that she said It was Captain Oxford.” “I don't know anything yet, but I'll find out, and let you know us quickly as I can." said Elspeth. “I'm on my way to Mr. McGowan's room now, to begin work. I'm not sure If I can ask him questions, but If 1 see Mr. Grant, I'm certain he’ll tell me. In any case. If you can wait in the big hall for a few minutes, I’ll make some excuse to come out, even If I've no news. If I've learned anything I'll write It on a piece of paper; If I haven’t I’ll write the one word ‘noth ing,’ und do better next time. I’ll pass you and say, 'Here Is the memorandum you asked for.’"' By this time, the two girls had ar rived In the great hall, which was al most deserted at this hour, except for a few men reading their letters or morn ing papers. They separated without nnother word, but Elspcth's mind was busy. What gras the "strange affair of Captain Oxford," which hail oc curred laat night, but of which ahe knew nothing? He hod been hurt, Imdy Hilary said. Could It poaalbly be that there was any connection between this event and those which had given her a night of wakefulness? The thought seemed absurd, yot Elspeth could not completely banish It .from her head. "I do hope, for I-ady Hi lary's sake, that whatever has hap pened, It's nothing to briny discredit upon Captain Oxford," she sold to her self. "It's certain that he’s come to Lochrain to be near her. apd there's no doubt ah, cares for blm, though her mother Is so anxious to keep them Elspeth had feared that, owing to her. delay with Lady Hilary, she might be late for her appointments with lft, McGowan, but to her relief neither he nor Mr. Grant was In the room when she knocked at the door, which stood slightly ajAr. As it was empty, went In. and a moment or two after Mr. Grant appeared. ”1 hope Mr. McGowan hasn't been wanting me, and gone away?" she asked, when they had exchanged “good-mornings;" Tm live minutes behind time—" 'No, he has not wanted you. I know,” Grant reassured her. "He’s been detained by the doctor, who has come down from the room of a gen tleman—Captain Oxford—who had a queer adventure laat night, and got hurt. Perhaps you've heard about It from one of the servants. It’s all over the house already. You know how these things go.” Elspeth replied that she hod heard nothing, and begged Mr. Grant to tell her what hod happened. "Why. no one knows exactly,” said aront, who was evidently more will ing to be drawn out concerning this story than he bad been regarding the haunted room. "Captain Oxford Is a young officer on leave. I believe there’s same old wound of his, got In the Boer war, that's been bothering him, and he was recommended to come here. Anyway, he arrived yesterday morning, 1 think it was. I don’t know what he was doing out of the house after 11 o'clock last night; for every body goes to bed early here; but be that os It may, he was out, and was shot at—In fact, struck by a bullet In the arm already wounded—the left, fortunately for him. He says he had a struggle with a man In the dark and that, though tbe fellow—a poacher, suppose hs must have been, and mis took Captain Oxford for a keeper—got clear away. The dog which goes ev erywhere with the captain must have bitten him, the proof being that when they came to the house the collie's mouth was covered with blood.” Elspeth shuddered a little, remem bering the wet rubles that had come drip, dripping through her celling and find splashed upon her book. It was nonsense to connect one affair with the other, she said to herself again, os shq had said before, but the thought was In her mind, and she rejoiced more than before that she had gone through her strange ordeal In silence. ■ ”I really believe there's a mystery of some sort,” Grant was rontinulng la rather a confidential way, and It was all Elspeth could do to keep back the words whleh flashed Into her brain: "If there Is. maybe I shall be the one to find It out.” But that Idea was non sense, too, of course, coming only be cause her nerves were overstrained, and she hastened to ask Mr. Grant a few more questions to which the answers might he of Interest to Lady Hilary. "What kind of mystery do you mean?" she Inquired. "Oh, about Captain Oxford being out at that time, for he seems to avoid saying anything about that part of his adventure, doesn't want it spoken of at all. He Just managed to get to the house, and the night porter called our resident doctor." "Was the wound serious?” asked Els peth. "No. He lost a good deal of blood, but he will be about again in a day or two, the doctor says, with his arm In a sling. The bullet was extracted with out difficulty; It was only n flesh wound, but being on the left side It might easily, If the bullet had entered the body, have proved fatal.” "Strange that a poacher should Are at a .supposed keeper with a bullet, wasn't It?” remarked Elspeth, thought fully. "Yes. That's one of the queer bits of the business, though It will |>robab1y turn out to be simple enough at last. The police are already looking Into It, but Captain Oxford hasn't helped them much so far. Mr. McGowan Is exceed ingly annoyed that such a thing should have liapi>encd here, but. of course, It has nothing to do with the hotel, and Captain Oxford does admit that he on near the part of the estate which still belongs to Lord Lochrain." At this moment the manager himself came In, but announced that he wanted a little conversation with Mr. Grant be fore beginning work with Miss Dean. This gave Elspeth the chance ahe want ed. and scribbling on a bit of paper tbe words, "Not hurt seriously. Will he well In a few days," she slipped out Into the hall to find Lady Hilary. .As ahe had expected, the girl won there, but two or three people were talking with her, and If she saw Els peth she rave no signs of doing so. It was not good form for an employee of the house to linger In the great hall among the guests of the hotel, with no apparent object and Elspeth would have -been at a loss bow to keep her promise to Lady Hilary, hod not Mr. Trowbridge come up and spoken to her with an air of marked cordiality. "I hope you haven't forgotten vour hour with mer* he said, looking at the pretty young typewriter, with the same rather hold air of undisguised odtnlra- ‘ tion she had been half Inclined to re sent yesterday. But as she answered politely, a little coolly, the man’s face changed so suddenly that Elspeth could not help glancing about In surprise, seeking for the cause of such a trans formation. His eyes hod lighted up with some genuine and powerful emo tion, very different from the easy gal lantry of his look when directed at tbe stenographer. A second served to enlighten Els peth. Lady Hilary Vane had turned away from her friends, and was com ing toward them. It was the sight of her unusual and highbred beauty which hod lit the new light In Sir. Trow bridge's eyes. The Sootch girl did not wait for her to come nearer, but advancing a step or two, held out the folded bit of pa per, saying In quite a professional voice: “Here Is the memorandum you wished to have.** Lady Hilary bluahed deliciously, looking lovelier than ever. "Thank you so much,” she murmured, and moved away, burning with anxiety, Elspeth was sure, to learn the con tents of the “memorandum.” At the same Instant, however, Lady Latnbart came into the hall, her eyes darting a keen glance at her daughter, and Els peth could only hope that she had not been In time to see the paper slipped from hand to hand. “Who Is that?" asked Trowbridge In a low hut eager tone, and In this mo ment of sincere feeling It seemed to Elspeth that his accent was different. "Why. I don’t believe he's an Ameri can!" she sold to herself In bewilder ment. “That’s his real way of speak ing, the other Is put on. But why? Why should he pretend to be an Amer ican If he Is not? And Mr. McGowan says he is a millionaire, so he can't have any reason to pretend things, like people who are hard up and un known." ” All this flashed through the girl's head In the fraction of a second, and she answered, without seeming lies na tion; "That Is Lady Hilary Vane." “By Jove! so that is Lady Hilary!” exclaimed Trowbridge, and Elspeth knew from the tone that this was not tbe flrst time he had heard the name. "She Is a "great beauty.” "Yes,” assented the typewriter. 'T think I must go to Mr. McGowan now, Mr. Trowbridge. I won’t forget—’’ “Walt a minute, please," urged the other. “Do you know Lady Hilary?" "Not at nil." Elspeth replied prompt ly, "except that I was able to do her a very small favor In the way of my work." "All the same, she likes you. Her eyes showed that," said Trowbridge reflectively. "You can moke a friend of the girl If you like, I would bet," His accent was strongly American once more. Elspeth laughed. "I am afraid that won't come In the way of my work. She U the daughter of a countess, and I—am Mr. McGowan's secretary.** With this, and a civil nod, which excused herself from Mr. Trowbridge’s socie ty, ahe moved away. Continued in Next Saturday's Georgian. Cardinal Merry del Val, who came so prominently to tbe front daring tbe French church dispute, shows his modernity by playing an excellent game of golf, as well as by his ability to send a rifle ballet throngs. a 10-cent piece at 20 yards. Presidential Inangural festivities have Won the rule In South America In the last fow months. Brasil has Installed a $Wef executive with due pomp and ceremony, and tbe two Hwltserlands of South Amcr* lea—Bolivia and Paraguay-have likewise provided themselvra with new administra tive heads. Jacobs 9 Prescriptions There is more to the proper filling of a prescription than is appar ent at first glance. The success of the physician, the health, the very life of the patient is dependent upon the care and judgment of the com pounder, and the quality of the material he uses. Accuracy is everything, and the pharmaceutical chemist must give his entire mind and thought to this one particular line, if he it to give the best that is in him. * Jacobs’ Prescription Department . ha* prepared for this contingency, and in this department maintain* four expert pharmacists who devote their entire time to the filling of prescrip- tionx. They have no other duty and no other thought, and their experi ence, coupled with the uee of the moet complete laboratory of drugs and chemicale in the United Statea, supervised by the tame executives whose care has been the cause of our success, assures both physician and pa tient Accurate Service—Fresh Drugs Reasonable Charges In building up this unusual establishment we have borne in mind that the rudiments of the druggist's success is the proper dispensation of drugs. Our service it prompt We maintain a messenger service that will call for and deliver, your order. Jacobs’ Pharmacy 6-8-10 Marietta Street. 23 Whitehall Street. $11.25 RICHMOND, Yi.aajLfl1.2g via Southern Railway Tickets on sale May 26 to 30th; limited June 11. Extension of final limit can bo had until July 6, 1907. TWO TRAINS DAILY. Lv. Atlanta 18:15 noon 12:15 midnight Ar. Richmond 6:56 a. m. 8:40 p. m. Through Pullman Sleeping Cara Atlanta to Richmond. Phone* 142 and 2199. Ticket Office, - Ticket Office, - • - - No. 1 Peachtree Street • • • New Terminal Station Phone 4900.