Litchfield enquirer., 1869-06-24

The Earl descended the stairs. and mana.
 ed in the lower hall to command his feat.
 ures and to repress his agitation. He fam cled ne had succeeded, when he opened the door and entered the presence of his guest; and certainly Lord Aldowe's uncon- cerned manner went to confirm the opin- T ion. Beatrice regrets that she cannot join ! us again this evening"" said Lord Hamp- ton with an appearance of sincerity. 1iT :sTbs dear girl was agitated by her recent in. terview with you, and having a bad hean- ache"
 ssN apologies are necessary" interrupt ed Lord Adlowe, as the Earl instinctly hes itated in his speech. 'I should be sorry to disturb her under the circumstances. t will call upon her after my return from the country"
 The Earl sighed It was hard for him, with his clear perceptions of integrity and honor. to offer these false explans- tions.
 Beatrice will not be visible before three tomorrow, he said. ssThese town dissi- pations tell upon her. I am going to take her into the country as soon as the wealth CT comes. We shall be your neighbors then, Adlowe, for Trevelyan Park is not many miles distant from our country home: You will stop at the park sup pose"
 Lord Adlowe replied in the affirmative. The Earl resumed his seat, and the two pursued their conversation with an appear ance of interest in 1t; but all the while the fathers heart wandered to the mystery of his daughters strange seclusion, and all the while Adlowe studied on the same subject.
 'If could only get clue to Beatrice's secret!" thought the guest.
 Fate seemed inclined to throw the de- sired clue into his hands.
 The two gentlemen were in the mi dst of an apparently absorbing discussion con- corning person for whom neither cared when iveried porter, whose duty it was to stand near the entrance door, burst into the drawing-room, his face the picture of widest alarm.
 eff you please. my lord," he gasped, scarcely conscious of what he was saying, ''there is smoke coming from Lady Bea- trice's dressing-room. Something must be on fire within.''
 The Earl leaped to his feet.
 ''The room on fire," he calculated.
 ''Yes my lord. I'll give the alarm"
 ''No!' commanded the master sternly, Say nothing to your fellow servants. Stay
 
 His lordship pushed aside the astounded servitor, dashed up the stairs three steps at time, and rushed to his daughters rooms.
 Lord Adlowe followed at his heels.
 There was smoke in the hall, issuing from one of the rooms of the Lady Bea- trice. Clearly something was burning within.
 A group of servants, anxious and fright ened, stood near the door. The Earl or dered them away prsmptorily, and they dared not disobey him. They filed away through the various passages towards their own domains.
 --- Go down stairs. Adlowe," said the Earl. 'I am going to break the door in!"
 "And will help you," was the brief re-. sponse.
 The eyes of the two men met. The Earl did not dare say that he knew not what should meet his gaze when the door open- ed. He had neither time nor inclination to explain. Submitting to the unavoida- ble presence of Adlowe, he said:
 Come, then; put your shoulder to the doorp'
 Adlowe obeyed The Earl lent his assis- tance. The door finally yielded and burst open. The two men rushed into the room.
 It was full of smoke, so dense that not an object within the apartment was per ceptible. Coughing and choking the Earl crossed the floor and threw up the win nows, establishing draft of air.
 Lord Adlowe quietly closed the door, and stood against it.
 The apartment cleared rapidly, and the intruders soon saw the cause of the dis turbance. A fire was burning in the grate and one of the live coals had snapped out finding Judgement in the thick pile of velvet rug. Here it had smouldered and burned with sickening odor and heavy moke.
 The Earl caught up the rug, rolled it flung it from him.
 Lord Adlowe looked curiously around the apartment.
 It was large .dressing-room fit for an
 But the owner of all this splendor was not there.
 Lord Adlowe darted quick, scrutinizing glances to the variout couches and chairs, but the form of the Lady Beatrice did not greet his vision.
 s.She's is in one of the other rooms," he thought; ssI mean to see her before leave tn em."
 He had scarcely made this resolve when the Earl said:
 '.The fire is extinguished, Adlowe. Many thanks for your assistance. Let us return to the drawing room"
 s'But the Lady Beatrice"
 '1s in one of her other rooms, of course In her boudoir, or bed-chamber;" and the Earl looked from the right to the left, the dressing-room occupying middle position between the two rooms mentioned.
 ssShe must be suffocated with this smoke" persisted Lord Adlowe, adhering to his resolve. Perhaps she is lying on the floor in swoom."
 The Earl grew even paler. He looked at his guest hesiiatingiy. He was anxious now that he stood on the threshold of discovery, to probe the secret of the Lady Beatrice But he could not bare his heart to his daughters suitor. He thought 6 then said:
 Remain here, Adlowe, while look in the boudoir."
 He moved towards the front room open cd the door and passed in.
 Lord Adlowe-irm in his bold purpose also approached the entrance and looked into the room in question.
 It was unoccupied.
 The suitor of Lady Beatrice retreated as