Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 28, 2025
Could this man have supposed that the children were being held against their will and interest, or at least fraudulently removed from their legal guardian, when he assaulted the old house of Marnhoul? Perhaps, as I began to surmise, we had on that occasion really owed our lives to him.
"I came here in a friendly spirit, madam," he said, "but I have good reason to believe that every male of your household is deeply involved in the smuggling traffic, and that several of them, in spite of their professions of religion, assaulted and took possession of the House of Marnhoul for the purpose of unlawfully concealing therein undutied goods from the proper officers of the crown!"
And this formidable armed band took its way along the overgrown gravel avenue up to the front of the great house of Marnhoul. All our spiritual fears were abated. At the name of the law, and specially after the display of the silver-crowned staff, we entered joyously into the game.
There was even a little kindling box of foreign make, all complete with flint, steel and tinder lying on a shelf, enclosed in a small bag of felt. Whoever had placed these things there was a person of no small experience, and left nothing to chance. It was obvious that such a beacon lit on the tower of the ancient house of Marnhoul would be seen far and near over the country.
But the fierceness of the flame was beginning to tell upon the building-stone of Marnhoul, which was of a friable nature at least that with which the vault was arched.
He asked her whether she would rather stay where she was or come to Dumfries, to be near the theatre and Assembly balls. As for a chaperon, she could make her choice between Mrs. Hope of the Abbey and the Provost's lady. Either would be glad to oblige the daughter of a Maitland of Marnhoul and perhaps also Mr. Richard Poole.
And though they did not know him or he them, no one took his words or acts amiss. Such was the way he had with him. And about this time I began to solace myself greatly with the thought of the meeting there would be between these two the false Poole and the true. At last we came in the twilight to the Haunted House of Marnhoul, and Mr.
The firm of lawyers in Dumfries, the agents for the Maitland properties, did not seem to be taking any measures to dispossess Miss Irma and young Sir Louis. Perhaps they, too, had private information. Perhaps those who had brought the children to Marnhoul may have been in the confidence of that notable firm of Smart, Poole & Smart in the High Street. At any rate they made no move towards ejection.
It fell out, therefore, that when she came a little shamefacedly to consult my father, as she sometimes did in days of difficulty for under a show of contempt she often really submitted to his judgment it was given to Agnes Anne to say suddenly, "Let me go to Marnhoul, grandmother!" More so still when John MacAlpine nodded approval. "Yes, let the lassie go let her put her hand to the work.
Yet the people who owned the great house of Marnhoul were far away few had ever seen any of them. Their affairs were in the hands of a notable firm of solicitors in Dumfries. How any mortal could have entered that great abode, or inhabited it after the manner of men, was beyond all things inexplicable.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking