The Portland daily press., 1870-03-26


most completely altered me were, first, two
lines or hollows which carefully painted in
on nv cheeks, and next a stiff ungraeeful
walk, which had carefully studied from the
old. maid sister of the Lord Lieutenant the
night before. With these, and my hat and
veil low down on my brow, dared the dan
ger of Brent Wood.
From a few discreetly-managed questions. I
gathered from the chamber-maid at the Red
Lion that Brent Wood was about three and a
half miles from ReXham. There was a small.
pony-carriage kept for the convenience of
tourists at the inn, and this l hired. and nut
ting my neutrality-suspicious. into it, | drove
out OF ReXham at eleven o'clock. By noon |
had put my pony-trap up at an adjacent road
side inn, and was seated in one of the gades
of Brent Wood, sketching.
Presently l heard light footstep: then.
across the vista OF the glade at one end of
which was sitting, there cleaned bright,
giltterlng-blue dress. The wearer came near
er, nearer; and, when she had approached
wlthln flve yards OF me, my sister Kate caught
signt OF me, and stopped with an angry, baf-
ned look upon her face. At the same moment
saw the form of a man among the trees to
the lett OF where l was placed
do you know-you cannot be aware that
you are trespassing here" she said, hauehtily,
and then trembled, for 1 knew that if |
spoke my voice would betray me. According
ly looked bankly up at her, shaded by nv
vel-feisned deafness and dumbness, and Dor
trayed Impotence. After few moments she
turned from me hesitatlngy, and saw her
go to meet her lover, and l felt sue that she
was telling him OF my unwelcome appearance
there.
They had along, earnest conversation. Then
they strolled on out OF sight, and got up and
ran crouchingly in among the underwood, till
came near enough to hear their words,
What l heard stunned me nearly. He had
gained her promise to go off with him that
night, and they were ARRANGING the manner
of their fight.
do cease from these overstrained scruples,
dearest" he was saying; "the hour after YOU
are my wife, you shall efree to seek your sis
ters." .
why not before ?" she urged. 4s
shay, Kate, you are unreasonable. We
must go to Paris to be married, I tell YOU:
your sisters would hamper and obstruct our
movements. Be brave my own; pledge me
your dear word that you will be true to YOUR
tryst tonight"
II will, she murmured; and soon after that
they parted-she running home through the
WOOD, and he sauntering on to the road-side
Inn, where L had left my pony. I folio we'd
hiln, and forced him to look at me- by abrupt
~ appealing to his courtesy to go in and give
some order about my carriage for me. When
he came back, had denuded myself of NV
false golden hair. and at clear spring in the
road had washed off my false complexion
and eyebrows. When he deared me 1 had
the pleasure of seeing his cowardly blood cur
die in his veins; for was before him in nv
proper person now, and Kate and were yery
much alike.
"lhere was another lady here lust now.n
he began, interrogatively, in his false, suaye
voice, who commissioned me to order her
pony-carriage."
Il am that lady," said, boldly; "there can
De nothing surprising to you in sailing under
false colors."
"ThiS language, madam"
You must compel yourself to hear" I in
telrupted. until you have told me in what
name you are prepared to marry my sister
Kate Linley, who is so true herself, that she
does not las do) detect swindler and an
imposter in your every look and tone"
"YOur sister!'
yes, my sister, saved from you now, for
land got into the pony-carriage as l spoke)
am going straight to Brent Grange to re-
lieve Mrs. Randolph of her charge, and to
recommend my sister to leave you to the ten
der mercies OF your cousin, the peeress in her
own right"
drove off as said that, leaving him dunn
founded. There was on hour of wild recrim-
inatlon, mortihcation and Mysteries, at the
orange, ana then Kate adopted my view of
Iae case, and consented to be guided bv me-
scarcely drew breath until had nv Young
est sister safely back with me at Brighton
lodgings. Then paused, and she had time
to tell me where and how he had won her.
This all happened in the autumn. kept
Rates counsel SO well, that Alice knew moth
ing OF my escapade and Rates hair breadth
escape. One day, about Christmas-time, we
were all three together at German Spa flor
Kate had required change OF air and scene).
and just as we were going to retire to our re-
spectlve apartments, we were disturbed by a
great uproar and confusion. After a GOOD
deal of inquiry had been lavished on the sub
Ject, the landlady's daughter-a yellow-haired
maiden with tender heart-iold us that a
gentleman, an Englishman, Herr Victor
Tollemache, had Just arrived there, and found
that former valet of his, a creature who had
robbed him, had been personating him, his
former master, at this and numerous other
places. So the EnglIfh gentleman had dis
covered his former false valet, and had expos
ed, and logged, and finally kicked him out.
"And you pity him." said.
The buxom blonde beauty acknowledged
that she did, from her neat muslin-ruf1ie bound
heart.
HE is in loft over the stable" she said /;
"he is beautiful as an angel, and hungry. /
shall take him food tonight whe1 die Mutter
sleeps"
pursuaded her to let me accompany her
on her mission of mercy. And there was the
beaten, found-out hound, grovelling among
the straw. and thankful for the broken meats
that were carried TO him as to dog, saw
the man had saved Kate from, four months
before in Norfolk.
She married the genuine Victor Tollemache
some six months after, and, being thorough
eentlewoman, with some of the Quickest
blood OF England in her veins, before she
married him she told him of that former mis-
take of hers. This was her doing, not mine.
AS far as | concerned, no one knows where
and how spent my autumn holiday.