Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-10-10

the year I speak of, [ was sitting at my
desk with not very much to do. had
been thinking a good deal about my own
affairs, and gone back over ground rather
painful for me to tread, and was therefore
rather sad that sunny August afternoon.
While l was meditating and idly drawing
figures on my blotting pad, the bank mes
senger came to me and said that Mr.. Bas-
kerville wished to speak to me-. l went into
his private room and found him seated at
his desk, and in an armchair beside him sat
middle aged, invalid-looking man, whose
handsome face wore peevish expression
that seemed to be permanent. Mr. Basker-
vile said:
80 This, my lord, is the gentleman whom
I should have the greatest confidence in en-
ploying in the matter The stranger looked
at me languidly, and slightly inclined his
head as bowed.
''' Rather young for such work Is he not,
Baskerviile?'
No, my lord, I don't think So Mr.
Minton is grave and steady beyond his years,
and the firm has very great confidence in
him
Well, viii trust to you, and think
you fully understand all-that is wanted l
would rather not give myself the fatigue Of
entering into explanations with this young
man, if you think you thoroughly under
stand what | want
''' If you will leave it to me, my lord, |
will untertake that Mr.. Minton shall receive
full instructions. Just see if Lord Valdane's 5
carriage~is at the door, viii you, Mr.. Min
toni?
g I returned with the requisite informa-
ton; and his lordship, after being carefully
wrapped up, took the arm one of his men,
and went to his carriage.
@ Mr.. Baskerville then asked me to shut
the door and sit dewn beside him, and pro-
ceeded to give me full and complete direc-
tons as to how l was to act.
Itappeared that Lord Valdane had three
daughters, beside several sons. The young
est of his daughters, when just sixteen, had
caused great trouble and distress TO her fam
lily, by falling in love with violinist, who
had come constantly to the house to give one
of her brothers lessons on his instrument.
This had been discovered about year be-
fore, and had given rise to great recrimina-
tions, and the young lady had shown an
amount of obstinacy and temper, which had
quite alarmed her friends, so foreign was it,
apparently, to her nature. She had utterly
declined to give up her lover, and had openly
declared her intention of holding any com
munication with him that opportunities
might offer. Under these circumstances,
and in considertion of her youth, her father
determined to send her to a school kept by
an English lady in a village about fifteen
miles from Brussels, and hoped that year
or two of entire change and absence from
home would make her get over and forget az
affection begun at so early an age. She was
accordingly sent to Mrs Slater's school, bur
that lady had just written to Lord Valdane,
at the end of the first year, to say that III
could no longer undertake the education of
Miss Valdane, as her conduct was of such a
kind as utterly to destroy those relations
NuICn clADulu CAlSI DIth GCl A4AlobtC itAi ltA
pill Lord Valdane had therefore determined
to bring her back to England, and he the
more readily consented to this arrange
ment, as he had had information that Mr..
Arne had left this country for America.
Having no servant to whom he could trust
the duty of escorting his daughter home,
Lord Valdane had come to Mr.. Baskerville,
with whom he banked, to ask that some
confidential clerk might be sent to Antwerp
to meet Miss Valdane and bring her home
TO her fathers house in EtOn Square. A
aezvant would be sent with her as far as
Antwerp, where she would be met by the
person chosen to escort her.
''Iasked Mr. Baskerville if it was thought
that the young lady would return home vii
ingly.
''' They imagine that she viii do so, said
he; she has complained in her letters, which
have been very few, of her 4" transporta-
ton, as she called it. 1t is most probable
that her youthful passion will have died out.
This fellow, Arne, is described to me as an
effeminate-looking, though elegant man, but
wanting in many of those manly attributes
which are to most women the chief attrac
ton in mans character.
Mr.. Baskerville told me to come to him
again for a paper of instructions that he
would give me, as well as letter from Lord
Valdane to his daughter, directing her to
place herself under my charge. He also told
me that she would be accompanied by her
maid, young girl, and too inexperienced to
be trusted with the duty of an escort.
Il returned to my seat and thought over
all that l had heard, and all that l was to
do. l confess that did not ike the work
it was not of kind that l had bargained for
an nrterinn 4 hank and seemed to me to be