The Union and journal., 1870-01-21
BIDDEFORD, ME-, FRIDAY

corner of the kitchen. A wan, wild, hag
gard girl, with remarkable beautiful hair
and with fierce keenness In her eyes
came limping up on crutch to the tabl'
d Mt which / was sitting, and looked Mt m'
rs If i were an object of mingled inter
est and horror, which 1t quite fascinated
her to see. 49,
Mr.. Betteredgc,' she said. without tax
ing her eyes of me, mention his nam'
again, II you please ra.ii.' 'a.
This gentleman's name,' answered
Betteredge with strong emphasis OF
gsntlentan), as Mr.. Franklin Blake
F, The girl turned her back on me and sud
denly left the room. Good Mrs. Yolland
as believe, made some apologies for hel
daughters odd behavior, and Bettercdg'
(probably) translated them into polite Eng
lish. speak of this in complete uncer
tainty. Ny attention was absorbed ir
following the sound of the girls crutch
Thump-thump up the wooded stairs
thump-thump across the room above oui
heads; thump-thump down the stair,
again-and there stood the apparition a
the open door, with letter in its hand
beckoning me out!
j left more apologies in course of de
delivery behind me, and followed thi'
strange crcature-limping on before me
faster and flster-down the slope of the
beach. She led me behind some boats
out of sighta and hearing of the few people
in the fishing village, and then stopped and
faced me for the first time. ...f ........
Stand there she said. Il want to look
mt you.'
There was no mistaking the expression
on her faco. inspired her with the
strongest emotions Of abhorrence and dis
gust. Let me not be vain enough to say
that no woman had ever looked Mt me In
this manner before. will only venture
on the moro modest assertion that nc
woman had ever let me perceive II yet
There is q limit to the length Of the In
spection which man can endure, under
certain circumstances. / attempted to di
rect Limping Lucy's attention to somo les:
revolving object than my face.
Il think you have got letter to gave
me- began. is 1t the letter there IL
youi hand?' ..-..- .....-
Say that again. was the only answer
received. t ..' -
repeated the words, like good child
learning its lesson,
No. said the girl, speaking to herself
but keeping her eyes still mcrcilessly iixed
ON me. Il can't find out what she saw In
his face. can't guess what she heard In
his voice. She suddenly looked away
from mc, and rested her head wcarily OF
the top of her crutch. 'Oh my poor dear /!
she said, in the first soft tones which hat
fallen from her in my hearing. oh my
lost darling! what could You see in this
manr She lifted her head again iiercely
and looked mt me once more. Can you
cat and drink?' she asked.
did my best to preserve my gravity
and answered, Yes
Can you sleep?"
Yes
when you see poor girl in service dc
you feel no rcinorseH
Certainly not. Why should ] p
She abruptly thrust the letter (as the
phrase isl into my face.
Take II 7 she exclaimed furiously. u
never set eyes on you before. God Al
mighty forbid / should ever set eyes on
YOU again
With those parting words she limped
away from me mt the top OF her speed
The one Interpretation that could put on
her conduct has, no doubt. been anticipa
ted by every body. / could only suppose
that she was mad.
Having reached that inevitable concln'
sion, l turned to the more interesting oh.
ject of investigation which was presented
to me by Rosanna Spearman's letter. The
address was written rs follows: Fol
Franklin Blake. Esq. To be given into
his own hands (and not to be trusted tc
any one else), by Lncy Yolland.'
I broke the seal. The envelope con
tanned a letter; and this, in its turn, con
tanned slip Of paper. / read the letter
first
SIR: If you, are curious to know thu
meaning Of my behavior to you, while
YOU were staying in the house of my mis-
tress, Lady Verinder, do what you ar,
told to do In the memorandum inclosec
with this-and do it without any person
being present to overlook you. You
humble servant "''.
RosANNA SpEAIMAN.
turned TO the slip of paper next. Her,
is the literal copy of 1t, word for word;
.Memorandum-To 20 TO the ShiverinS
Sand ut the turn of the tide. To wall
out ON the South Spit, until l get the
South Spit Beacon. and tho flagstaff ai
the Coast -g,iarl station above Cobb's Hole
in n line together. To lay down on the
rocks stick or any other straight thing
to guide my hand. exactly In the line oi
the beacon and the flagstaff. To take
care. in doing this, that one end Of the
stick shall be- mt the edge Of the rocks, on
the side OF them which overlooks the
quicksand. To feel along the stick, among
the seawecd (beginning from TIE end Oi
the stick which points toward the beacon)
for the chain. To run my hand along the
chain, when found. until come to the
part of Il which stretches over the edge
OF the rocks, down into the quicksand
Ind then, TO pull ac chdin!'
Just ,s had read the last words-un.
dcrlined i'm the original heard the voice
Of Bettercdge behind me. The inventor
Of the detectivc-fever had completely sue.
cumbed to that irresistible malady. u
can't stand il any longer, Mr.. Franklin.
What does her letter say? For mcrcy's
sake, sir. tell us what does her letter say I?
handed him the letter and the memo
rlndum. He read the first without mp,
pcaring TO be much Interested in il. Blu,
the second-the mcmorandum-produc
q strong impression on him.
The sergeant said itT cried Bcttcredge.
From first to last, sir, the sergeant said
she had rot memorandum of the hiding.
place. And here il is! Lord save us, MI
Franklin. here is the secret that puzzled
every body, from the great Cuff down.
wara. ready AMI waiting, as one may say,
10 show itself to you! It's the ebb now,
sir. u, any body may see for themselves.
How long will it bc till the turn of the
tidcr He looked up. and observed u lad
MT work at some little distance from ms,
mending net. .Tammie Brightr he
shoutcd, at the top of his voice.
Il hear your Tammie shouted hack.