Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-11-22
about Miss Alma, ma'am?"

=1DUAA Mss -AA--Ae-f "a --'N----'
you see her?"
"See her! No man. To everybody's
surprise, Miss Alma left Penderleith
last night, and amt been heard of since.
They say her ladyship, ma'am, is half
mad with rage aud grief"
The Baronet sprang to his feet, but,
by an imperious motion Of the hand, ac-
companied by warning glance from his
mother, he resumed his seat, with diff
fculty, however, conquering his agita-
ton.
''Who told you about her leaving?"
continued Mrs. Lyle.
"Her maid, ma'am".
"How did she know? Tell me all you
have learned respecting my niece. Her
disappearance concerns me much"
The woman cast sideway glance at
the Baronet, as if quite an fatt as to his
state of feelings, and proceeded.
"When I got to Penderleith, ma'am,
I found the servants quite in a cOmm"-
ton. The women looked skeered, the
men puzzled, there was the gamekeep-
ers there with the dragses, and I heard
as how that they had been searching
the plantation and woods everywhere,
and dragging the lake.
"Graciousr' I said to Miss Alma's
maid, who was a-crying, what are they
doing that for? Surely, nObody's been
and drowned theirselves?n
''No, )" answered Susan, it's my young
mistress. She's gone-runned away in
the night, Her room was found empty
this morning, and-no one, not even her
mother, knows where she's gone to-"
"Did the girl state any reason for my
niece having left her home so singular
Ily?"
Simpson look down, Redeemed, giggled
a little, grew redder yet, and answered
timidly. They say that Miss Alma went
to meet somebody she liked-that she
was going to eIope, ma'am; but she
didn't keep her appointment"
"Ah! so they are aware of so much
And Hiss Alnna's room being empty this
morning is all they know about her?"
''No, ma'am; Susan knew more. She
saw Miss Alma leave the house"
''She saw her! For gracious sake, girl,
| tell your story at once!'' exclaimed Mrs.
Lyle, impatentIy. "TeIl all you have
learned respecting this singular affair" "
''Then Susan said, ma'am. that when
she went up as us'al at ten o'clock to
prepare Miss Alma's bedroom, she met
her Iadyship coming out.
srYour mistress does not want you to-
night" said her ladyship, in her proud
way. Her head aches, and she has
gone to bed already, with my assist
ance."
"what, your ladyship?' asked Susan.
please can't I go in? I've left all hel
things in a tumble.'
"Oh, yes; you can go in. Only by nc
means disturb Miss Penderleith. She
says her head is very bad. It's sudden
attack, certainly, she added, with 6
sco1nfuI smile. She never mentioned
[ ! it till an hour ago.
"Well, ma'am, Susan went in, and
was creeping qgietly about, when Lady
Penderleith came back with a glass o
medersum. She went to the bed, ant
/ drawed back the side-curtains, anC
spoke to Miss Alma, giving her the
r medersun; then, telling her to keel
) quiet, drawed the curtain and left th'
room, taking Susan with. her.
"As Susan had hour to spare for her
self, she says she took the opportunity
of having a stroll in the plantation
The trnth is, ma'am, !" interposed Simp
: son, with a smirk, she's keepin' com
= pany with Richard Maybrook, the gam
keeper, who's her young man; ant
? when they were speaking soft together
= they heard somebody a coming. Rich
ard Maybrook, who did't want to b
Y seen, pulled Susan far among the bush
: es; and, soon after, they saw Miss Aim
t pass quickly along the path"
# How did they know it was my niece?
"Because of her dress; and Susai
n knew the lace shawl that was muff1e
- about her head and shoulders. Sh
d couldn't make it out, as she had lei
Miss Alma in bed. But it wasn't he
3 place to interfere; but she couldn't hel
n telling of it in the5aII, ma'am; and Jan
d Digby, Lady Penderleith's mind, tol
d her Iadyship when her daughters roor
5, was found empty" .
Mrs. Lyle reflected a space.
'cYou say, Simpson, that Lady Per
~ derleith is much affected by my niece
y disappearance"
d eyes, ma'am. But Susan do say it
more by rage than sorrer. Her passio
i they declare was so awful that the
feared to go near her"
2 "And that is all you know?"
y "Yes, madam"
/ avery well; you can go, Simpson"
ie Courtesying, the woman left the room
l. When she had gone, the Baronet, star
1t ing up, cried, Now, what do you thinl
j. Have I no cause to despair?r
E. "I cannot tell what to think, Gerart
" It is most mysterious. That Alma qui
ted PenderIeith, there can no longer /
e. any doubt. Both her maid and gam
le keeper saw her; while her complainir
of headache, and dismissing her ma
1r early, was such a ruse as she most hay
had recourse to escape unseen. But WI
a she did not meet you, and where 81
Is has gone, are mysteries cannot unra
ell"
er "I will not rest night nor day." e
claimed the Baronet, till 1 find he
st dead or alive-ny poor; poor darling
ur He turned to the window, unwilliI
that even his mother should witness h