Jasper's Folly.

nofc retired to rest . I partly tohl her the substance of the conversation that hatl taken placo in the smoking-room . She expressed surprise afc its purport , I tohl her thafc under fhe circumstances I shonld have to terminate Travers ' s engagement . To this she agreed . "' It may seem at the first sight ungrateful , not to say unkind , ' I remarked , 'but the boy ' s mind , intellectual Ihough it is , may be

warped by a stronger onc . Travers has been an excellent tutor , but if insanity develops itself , as Daley foreshadows , one cannot tell , what mig ht , happen . Ranulp h ' s future ami happiness arc dear to both of as . I regret that I did not send him a year or two ago to a pnblic school . I am afraid that wc shall have some difficulty with him when he hoars of onr intentions . '

"My wife then said : 'For some time past I have noticed the influence that Travers has exorcised over Ranulph . He appears to bo gifted with thc powers of fascination . This attribute of his has been noticed by others . To-night his strange behaviour has thoroughly unnerved me , and after what Doctor Daley has said 1 shall not bo happy whilst Travers remains in the house . If his mind becomes suddenly and permanently unhinged there i . s no knowing what phase of madness might bo developed .

" To my surprise she started to her feet , and , rushing fo the window curtains , sho peered behind them . " ' What is thc matter Y' I asked in alarm . " ' Chide me for being foolish , ' she returned and forced a smile . 'A feeling of apprehension took possession of mc just now , ' she continued , ' that some one was hiding in the room . I fancied that I saw thc curtains move . '

"' Tho effects , my dear , of the night air stealing through the curtains . Nothing more serious , ' I said . 'I am afraid that the storm has affected 3 * our nervous system , ' I suggested as I walked towards the casement . "' Hark ! what is that , ' she cried in terror , and her checks lost their colour .

" ' I heard nothing , my love , ' I said , reassuringly as I took her in my arms . ' It is a case of nerves , and you must consult Daley in fche morning . What was it that star-tied you the second time ? ' I enquired . '" I fancied I heard some one muttering and at the same time a strange numbness stole over mc ' " ' [ heard nothing , Ethel , ' I said .

" I took a taper from the ( alile ami , ilartini ? to the iloor , I Hunt ; it open . " "' That may be , ' she returned , ' but you were at , the window . ' "To humour her I then asked ' Wheic did the sounds appear fo come from Y ' " ' The passage , ' she answered .

" 1 took a taper from the table and darting fo lhe door I flung it open and holding the light on high glanced right and left . There was nn one about . I did not think that there would be . I merel y opened the door to calm my wife ' s fears . My action had the desired effect as her terror and her si range feelings passed away .

" At breakfast next morning every one appeared fo be in a normal co'iditiou and neither thc storm of the previous night nor the tutor ' s behaviour was mentioned . I may add that Travers was invaria / il y an earl y riser and breakfasted alone . We saw him at lunch and he appeared to be in the best of health and spirits . I heard from my wife later thafc he had lendered an apology to the ladies before they left the Hall . Onr daily life was uneventful , lianulph generall y pursued his studies with ( he ( tt ( or from ten o ' clock a . m . to one . p . m .

Jasper's Folly.

and from two o ' clock to four iu thc afternoon . My wife and I would drive out and return in time for lunch . Onr boy after his studios were finished for the day would be left to his own devices . Swimming and angling ^ , y Jus chief relaxations in the summer . "On the day of black misfortune my wife and I lunched alone , and afterwards I took a stroll in fcho park . It was a glorious

afternoon , tho sky was cloudless and fche rays of fcho bri ght sun wero tempered by a balmy breeze . The rain of the previous night had freshened up thc trees , the hedges and thc sward . As I walked along drawing in huge draughts of the sweet air , my spirits rose , and as my eyes took in the beauties of the smiling landscape I thanked Providence for the blessings that had been showered upon me .

" My lot in life had indeed been cast iu pleasant places . M y agreeable reverie was interrupted by seeing one of the stable lads running in an agitated manner towards a keeper ' s cottage . Hc saw mo and at once altered his course and came panting towards me . " ' Oh ! sir—sir—sir , ' he stammered , ' some one has been bathih in the Black Copse Pool aud is drowned !' " ' How do you know that ? ' I demanded .

lh' clothes aro lyin' by thc side of thc pool and I saw somethin' white under thc water . It gave me a fri g ht , and I ran away . ' " ' Go to the cottage and get a boat-hook and bring it on to me at the pool , ' I said . 'If Radlcy the keeper be in tell him to bring a blanket and some brandy . If he bo out ask his wife to lefc you have the things . Life may nofc be extinct , ' " The boy flew to execute my bidding and I hastened to the scene of the disaster . Tho lad ' s statement was correct . On the far side of

" I eonlil see the form ot a hoily beneath the water , a few yards from ( ho hank . " the pool I saw some wearing apparel lying neatl y folded , and I could see the form ofa body beneath the water , a few yards from the bank . 1 was about , to divest myself of my outer garments as a preliminary

to wading and swimming out to the object when thc boy appeared bearing the boat-hook . The poo ! was of somo extent and t had a boat always moored there for the purposes of pleasure and sport . Thc oars and boat-hook were always kept when not in use at Radley ' s col tage .

"The boy and I entered the boat anil pushed off te > where the body was . Whilst the lad steadied the boat I leant over , and , placiii" * my arms around the form which was lying face downwards , I lifted ifc up . (! rcat Goel ! it was thc nude body of my poor son . Strom' man as I was I shrieked in agony anil in my distress let the bod y fall back into the water . The boy showed more coolness , he dragged the

inanimate form info the boat auel made for the bank , li y tin ' s time the keeper had arrived , and taking in the sad situation at a glance he placed the form of my poor son ou the bank and commenced to make efforts at resuscitation . I was dazed , nerveless , aud could only gaze with staring orbs of despair on the livid features of the beloved one . The boy was sent by the keeper to procure medical assistance .

" As 1 gazed as if fascinated a dreadful feeling of oppression overt : anio me as my heart tohl me that all was over . The eyes of the drowned were wide open and were staring at the beautiful skies whose colour in life they hail rivalled . The once handsome features were distorted and the teclh were clenched . The keeper presentl y said fo me in emotional accents :

" ' I am afraid , sir , that we are too late ( o restore life . Poor young master has gone ! ' " My grief was too great for utteruimc , I coulel onl y grasp the worthy fellow ' s hand , and my eyes hitherto nnmoistencd gushed forth tears , and I gave way to a paroxysm of grief . On this calamity I cannot longer dwell . Suffice it to record that on Dr .

Daley ' s arrival he gave it as his opinion that the poor lad had been dead nearly two hours and that the cause of death was suffocation b y drowning . Ranulph had probably been attacked by cramp- —but had had sufficient , presence of mind tei swim to shallow water ere consciousness forsook him , as the depth of wafer where he was found was not more than three feet . " When the news was broken to my wife b y Dr . Daley , her sorrow was overwhelming . She became hysterical , was put to bed