“And—­and—­”

“Yes,” said the doctor, “it was—­”

“Was what?” inquired the admiral.

“Just what you all seemed to anticipate; you are all before me, but that was it.”

“A man?”

“Yes; I had a struggle with him, and got nearly killed, for I am not equal to him in strength.  I was sadly knocked about, and finally all the senses were knocked out of me, and I was, I suppose, left for dead.”

“And what became of the picture?”

“I don’t know; but I suppose it was taken away, as, when I came to myself, it was gone; indeed, I have some faint recollection of seeing him seize the portrait as I was falling.”

There was a pause of some moments, during which all the party appeared to be employed with their own thoughts, and the whole were silent.

“Do you think it was the same man who attacked you in the house that obtained the picture?” at last inquired Henry Bannerworth.

“I cannot say, but I think it most probable that it was the same; indeed, the general appearance, as near as I could tell in the dark, was the same; but what I look upon as much stronger is, the object appears to be the same in both cases.”

“That is very true,” said Henry Bannerworth—­“very true; and I think it more than probable myself.  But come, doctor, you will require rest and nursing after your dangers.”

CHAPTER XCIII.

THE ALARM AT ANDERBURY.—­THE SUSPICIONS OF THE BANNERWORTH FAMILY, AND THE MYSTERIOUS COMMUNICATION.

[Illustration]

About twenty miles to the southward of Bannerworth Hall was a good-sized market-town, called Anderbury.  It was an extensive and flourishing place, and from the beauty of its situation, and its contiguity to the southern coast of England, it was much admired; and, in consequence, numerous mansions and villas of great pretension had sprang up in its immediate neighbourhood.

Betides, there were some estates of great value, and one of these, called Anderbury-on-the-Mount, in consequence of the mansion itself, which was of an immense extent, being built upon an eminence, was to be let, or sold.

This town of Anderbury was remarkable not only for the beauty of its aspect, but likewise for the quiet serenity of its inhabitants, who were a prosperous, thriving race, and depended very much upon their own resources.

There were some peculiar circumstances why Anderbury-on-the-Mount was to let.  It had been for a great number of years in possession of a family of the name of Milltown, who had resided there in great comfort and respectability, until an epidemic disorder broke out, first among the servants, and then spreading to the junior branches of the family, and from them to their seniors, produced such devastation, that in the course of three weeks there was but one young man left of the whole family, and he, by native vigour of constitution, had baffled the disorder, and found himself alone in his ancestral halls, the last of his race.