The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-07-18


lifetime. The worst part Of the news,
and that which admitted of no dispute or
qualification, consisted of the abrupt flight
of my sweet sister-cousin two days be-
fore. The circumstances attending the
fl ght were not SO Ineligible.
1t had been remarked, several weeks
previously, that something was wrong
! between her and Eldred. How this was,
or what was the ground ofthis estrange
ment, must ever remain a matter Of con-
lecture. That my uncle had, by this time,
refused to consent to their marriage, ex
cept on terms which the lover was too
poor or too naughty to accept, came lat
er to my cars. That Edith should feel
this acutely, and that the result, after all
that had passed, would go nearly to break
her heart, l know her too well to doubt;
but why the affection existing between
them should be impaired by the result
was q question much more hard to
solve. There is an awful cold doubt
clnging to my heart which have in vain
endeavored to clear up. [ hate to recall
it, and why should l 2 After my uncle's
ulfimatum was passed, Eldred did not at
first cease all communication with his
mistress or with Yssbrooke. 1t was said
she saw him often. That moro than
once they parted in anger, and that on
one occasion, she left him in passion
of tears. At last, about fortnight be-
fore my arrival, it was asserted that he
had left the country. The Colonel re-
ceived the news with apparent satisfaction
though he said nothing to his child or
those about him. Edith, on the con-
trary, heard It with q look of terror far
more striking than one which grief could
have expressed, and for days saw no one
but her nurse. Grim and reserved as was
the Lord of Yssbrooke himself, he pro-
baby thought that coincidence would on
" probe her distress, and for the DAYS
that succeeded she preserved hopeless
apathy, varied at times by fits of restless
ness, and vague dread of approaching
inevitable horror One afternoon she
disappeared. Two entire days had elaps-
Cd since she left the house in cr'orlinary
walking apparel, without any reliable
trace Of her being forthcoming. She
took no clothes or change Of raiment for
Journey. and her last act was tho des-
truction of every lettor or writing she had
received from her lover, as well rs Of eve
~ trace which could bring him back to
memory. She was gone and SO was he,
and up to the present moment they were,
in fact, as if neither of thom had ever
| been.
And what said my uncle TO all this?
I was mad to know what his hopes Of
her recovery were, and how he bore the
disaster. On the first point | WAS en-
lightened that evening. He returned to
Yssbrooke with the idea impressed upon
bis mind that ais child was hiding from
him. He had been to distant market
town on the high road to Liverpool. The
country people had given him a clew, or
or fanciful cew furnished by post
chase and dark night. That the Glow
stopped there only proved she was in
hiding. The departure of Eldred from
the country he regarded only as feint.
Her long depression during a fortnight,
and her systematic destruction of
her private papers at the last M ,ment was
proof of a scheme having a definite living
purpose as its end. Nobody tried to un.
deceive him, for nobody had any moro
plausible solution to offer, and as long rs
thore was a grain of hope it would be
cruel to suggest the reverse. But the
rector of our parish, | found out after
ward thought differently: he felt that
either Edith was close BY or further off
than human aid could reach. Having
some influence with the Colonel, he ven
tursd to suggest, on the night Of my
arrival, that the woods, the farm cottages,
and even the outlying thickets should be
searched "Why," he pointed out,
SHOULD she have life homo without cloth
ing or mean,, if she meant to so journ-
ey! Why, if your refusal of Mr.. Ed
red was only contingent, should she go
at all? OF what good would the subter-
fuge Of his emigration be, when, by SIM
ply marrying her clandestinely, he
could take her with him9 You say be
refused your conditions by clipping
with her he at once accepts them, unless
what you win not believe" No--the
Colonel will not believe any thing like
that; he was satisfied it was a preawang-
ed scheme; and perhaps the rector
| thought he had some better reasons for