Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-07
NEW AMERICAN NOVEL.
THE DEAD LETTER.
CHAPTER ".
MoRELAND VILLA


there y as in it, as In nearly every town blessed [
a railroad depot. a shabby quarter where Il
rougher portion Of its working people lived. II
house stood in this quarter-it was a three,stoT
frame building, occupied by half dozen fam5lie
mostly those Of Irish laborers, who fodnd work
the vicinity of the depot. 1 had seen the strane
girl ascend to the second floor, in the dim light
the previous night, so we went up and knocked q
the first door we came upon. 1t was opened by
decent-appearing middle-aged woman, who hel
the knob in her hand while she waited for us {
make known our errand; We both stepped into he
apartment, before we spoke. A rspid glance ii
vealed an Innocent looking room with the ordina
ry furniture of such q plaee-a c~ooking-stovs, bed
table, ETC.; but no other inmate. 1 was csrtai
tn # ] had seen the girl enter this room at tn
head of the stairs, so 1 ventured:
"Es your daughter at home, ma'am ?"
"Is it my niece you mean :"
1 detected an Irish accent, though the woma
spoke with but little "brogue," and was %evidentl.
an old resident Of our country-in q name
AHsricaHised.
sob, she is your niocef 1 suppose so-a tai
girl with dark eyes and hair"
THAT'S Leesy herself. Was you wanting an,
work done ?"
yes" answered the officer, quickly taking tn
matter out Of my hands. al wanted to get q Sc
of shirts made up-six, with fine stitched bosoms.'
He had noticed a cheap sewing-maohine standing
near the window, and q bundle Of coarse muslin il
q basket near by
Its sorry l am to disappoint you; but Leesyi
not with me now, and l hardly venture on the fin
work"
You didn't say where she was, Mrs. Sullivan
"She's making the fine things In a fancy -stor'
in New York-caps and collars and sleeves and tht
beautiful tucked waists. She was here to stay
over the Sunday with me-she often does that
and she's gone back by the six O'Clock train this
mornin'-and she'll be surely late at that by an
no IT. 1 tried to coax her to stay the day, she
seemed so poorly. She's not been herself this long
time-she seems goig' in a decline like-it's stoop-
ing over the needle, 1 think. She's so nervous
like, the news of the murder yesterday almost
Ef1lad har fTruaE m orufuI daod that Eaanff sA
gentlemen I couldn't sleep a wink last night for
thinking OF that poor young man and the sweet
lady he was to have married, Such . fine, gsner-
Gus, polite young gintleman ~
Did you know him ~
"Know him as well as my own SON. If / had
enc l-not that ever spoke to him, but he's passed
here often on his way to his fathers house, and to
Mr.. Argylps; and Leesy sewed in their family
was always twice paid.'
"Leesy thsught much Of him, you think,
Mrs. Sullivan" said the official, taking 8 chair
unbidden, and putting on a friendly, g~assiping
air. EVERY one speaks well of him So she sswed
in the family ~
"Six weeks every summer. They was always
satisfied with her s~ewing-she's the quickest and
neatest hand with the needlel She'd make them
shirts of yours beautiful, if she was to home, sir"
When did she go to New York to live ~
"Last winter, early. It's nearly q year now.
There was something come aeress her-she appear
ed homesick like, and strange. When she said she
meant to go to the city and get work, 1 was mind
ed to let her go, for i thought the change mebbs
would do her good. But she's quite ailing and
coughs dreadful o. nights. I'm afraid she eatched
cold in that rain storm night afOre last; she came
up all the way from the depot in it. She was wet
to the skin when she got here and as white as q
sheet. She WAS so weak-like that when the neigh
bors came in with the news yesterday, she gave a
scream and dropped right down. 1 didn't wonder
she was took aback. 1 amt got don, trembling
yet mys~lf."
I remembered the gentleman who had first
anOEnn IN m ahouf tha OfrI aid aka ha1 49,. 4.
on the morning train Saturday; 1 could not recon
Gle his with her coming up from the depot at
dark; yet ! wished TO put my question in such .
way as not to arGuse suspicion of my motive.
If she came n-the six O'Clock train she must
have been on the same train with Mr.. Moreland."
Il believe she vas in the seven O'Clock rs-ye
she was. Twas half past seven when she got in
the rain was pouring down awful. She didn't see
him, for 1 asked her yesterday"
In whose shop in New York is she empIoyedl''
the officer.
"she's at No. 3 Broadway" naming a store
somewhere between Wall street aud Canal.
"Are you wanting her for aay thing - she
asked, suddenly, looking up sharply as if itjust
occurred to her that our inquiries were rather
'oh, no. replied my companion, rising; 1 was
bit tired and thought I'd rest my feet before
out again. I'll thank you for a glass Of
Mrs. Sullivan. So you won't undertake
The shirts7"
We descended to the street. 1t was arranged as
We walk d along, that the officer should go to New
York and put some detective there on the track of
Lessy Sullivan. Informed my companion of the
discrepancy between her actual arrival in town
md her appearance at her aunt'E. Either the
woman had purposely deceived us or her niece had
not gone home for a good many hours after land
ng at Blankville. 1 went with him to the depot,
where we made a few inquiries which convinced us
hat she had arrived on Saturday morning, had
lat an hour or two in the lady's room, and then
zone away up town.
There was sufficient to justify our looking furth-
II. 1 took from own pocket means to defray the
expenses of the officer as well as to interest the
York detective, adding that liberal rewards
we're about to be offered, and waited until l saw
him depart on his srrand.
Then, turning to go to the Office, my heart so
ickened at the idea of business and the ordinary
outline OF living in the midst of such misery, that
ny footsteps shrunk away from their familiar
'athsi L could de -S4g, juss then, for the aid
aiken that aftelh NE city for interment, tbs
leXt day, in the family Enclosure at Greenwood
lRtil the hour for itstremoTal, there was nothing
more that friendship could perform in the service
the mourners. My usual prescription for men-
al ailments was a long and vigorous walk; to-day
felt ss if could breathe only in the wide sun
hine, 50 sramped and chilled were my spirits.
The summer residence of the Morelands lay about
mile beyond the Argyll mansion, out of the viii
age proper, on a hillside, which tloped down to the
liver. 1t was surrounded by fine grounds, and
one of the lovliest views OF the Hud-
on.
bRlElN III my lttE
Led me, who knows how 2"
the direction of this now vacant and solitary
lace-solitary, 1 believed, with the exception Of
he gardner and his wife, who lived in a cottage
ack Of the gardens, and who remained the year
ound, he to attend to outdoor matters, and she
give houseseeper's care to the closed mansion.
The place had never looked more beautiful to
ne, not even in the bloom of its June foliage and
overs, than it did as l approached it on this &C.
aston. 1t had been the intention of the young
OuDle to make this their Darmanent hama altar
heir marriage, going to the city only for q couple
I the winter months. The very next week, 1 had
card, Eleanor expected to 60 down to help Henry
D his selection of new furniture.
As L neared the house by the garden, I came
early upon the portico which extended across its
front before I perceived that it was occu-
led. Sitting on its outer edge, with one arm half
round around one of its pillars, and her bonnet in
he grass at her feet, 1 beheld the sewing girl after
Thom 1 had dispatched an officer to New York.
he did not perceive me, and / had an opportu- |
ity ofstudging the face of the woman who had
allen under my suspicion, when she was una ware
hat my eye was upon it, and when her soul looked
Ut OF 1t, unvailed, in the security OF solitude. |
he impression which she made upon me was that
I despair. 1t was written on attitude and ex-
resslon. 1t was n-ither grief nor remorse-it was
lank despair. 1t must have been half an hour
hat l remained quiet, watching her. In all that
she never stirred hand nor eyelid; her glance
Tas upon the grSensward at her feet. When 1 turn
D that page OF my memory l see her photographed
it were, upon every fold Of the dark dress,
lhich was some worsted substance, frayed but
eat the black shawl, bordered, drawn close
bout the slender shoulders, which had the slight,
abitual stoop Of those who ply the needle for a
wing; the jetty hair pushed back from her FORE
cad, the marble wilderness and rigidity of the face
nd mouth.
1t was : face made to express passion. And, al
1ough the only passion expressed now was that
fdespair. so intense that it grew like apathy, 1
ould easily see how the rounded chin and full lips
ouId melt into softer moods. The forehead was
ather low, but fair, eonsorting with the oval o
he cheek and chin; the brows dark and rather
eavy / the wild black eyes which 1
ad seen the previous day, and could guess at their
idden fires.
This was . girl to attract interest at any time,
nd l mutely wondered what had entangled the
breads Of her fate in the glittering web Of a higher
'rtune, which w6s now suddenly interviewer with
be pail of death. All her movements had been
UGH as to confirm my desire to ascertain her con-
ection, If any, with the tragedy. 1t seemed to me
If l could see her eyes, before she was conscious |
{ observance, l could tell whether there was guilt,
+ only sorrow, in her heart therefore 1 remained
uiet, waiting. But / had mistaken my powers, or
10 eyes oyerbors them. When she did lift them,
5 a steamer came phting around the base of the
fountain which ran down into the river at the
and they suddenly encountered mine, where
stood not ten feet from her, l saw only black,
nfathOmable depths, pouring out a trouble SO in
snse, that my own gaze dropped beneath their
over.
She did not start upon observing me, which, as
ihOuButs . sultg person. DuEleo IN SelI-accuelng
everies, would have done-it seemed only slowly
D penetrate her consciousness that q stranger was
her; when l raised my eyes, which had
aux beneath the intensity Of hers, she was moving
apiGly AVA toward the western gate.
ct"
With a woman's instinct she put up her hand to
moOth her disordered hair, came slowly back and
Ook the bonnet which 1 extended toward her,
Tithout speaking. 1 hesitatsd what move to make
ext. l wished to address her-shs was here, in
~ grasp, and l ought to satisfy myself, as far as
Ossibls, about the suspicious which 1 had con-
eiTed. l might do her an irreparable injury by