The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-13

ed bitterly and paced the floor irresolutely
Tor time, while his nephew watched him in
amazement. Presently he turned to the
window and re-fastened it, shaking his head
as he examined the bolts and saw them all
unbroken. The thief had evidently had as
sistance from the inside of the mansion.
Don't say anything about it, George" he
said, in anxious tones. Il know the man;
no common thief" and another groan escap-
ed his lips.
With his mind full of this new mystery, the
voung man fell asleep. When he had break
tasted a message came from his uncle in the
library, and George FASTENED to obey. A
feyerish flush burnt on the old mans cheek.
and his manner was hurried and impatient,
very unlike his usual naughty serenity. Mo-
tiOning his nephew to a seat, he plunged into
the subject ON his mind without further re-
Election.
''Those papers taken last night, George,
from the iron chest, were of incalculable
value to me-" the old man said vehemently.
''Restore them to me, and you command any,
thing own. Renounce your profession for
time, devote your life to the search, if need
be, and Locksley grange shall be your reward
will make my will this very day. and he
rose from his chair, regarding the young man
with eager gaze. George hesitated, over
whelmed with the idea. Ambition was strong
within him, but life was before him, and the
reward great.
"But Miss Kedar?" he murmured.
''You love that girl?' said the old man,
with sneer. ''Oh, fate, fater'
''Yes, Uncle Paul, do love her." said
George, boldly. "Add her hand to your Of
fer, and I will give myself up to do your
will.''
A great struggle seemed raging within the
! old mans breast, and he paced the floor rap
idly. >,
"Young man, you are honorable" he said,
with piercing glance at his nephew; prom
| Use me, on your honor, that you will not seek
to marry Virginia Kedar until you find those
papers and restore them to me, if / am alive,
or if not, burn them unread
II PROMISE" the young man answered, SOL
EMMY.
Listen, then," his uncle said, with an air
of relief; the robber was woman. All your
legal skill and sharpness will be needed to
trace her, but the perfume of that glove is the
strongest clew. will give yeu written de-
scription to aid you, and you must start al
oIce."
When George Roberts left Locksley, it was
as his uncle's acknowledged heir, and what
was of infinitely more moment to him, the
accepted lover of Virginia Kedar. With the
little gray glove treasured carefully, he pro-
ceeded to London, secured an accomplished
detective, and pursued his search. His moth
er was to remain at the Grange.
First, they endeavored to find a name fol
the singular scent, but no perfumer in Lon.
don or Paris could explain it. Both cities
were searched, and every possible or impos.
sible clew was, taken up, as the day length.
ened into weeks and the weeks into months
| When sumner emptied the cities, they sought
the watering-places - Baden-Baden, HON
burg, and so on, but all seemed in vain.
One evening, as George sat in his bedroom
in one of the strange little German towns
bordering over a letter from his mother,
which described his uncle's failing health ant
growing irritability, and almost cursing his
own folly in thus giving up everything tC
crafty an old mans insane whim, he was
reused from his respondent gloom by the en-
trance of a fresh little maiden with his clear
linen. AS she sorted out her snowy burder
on the bed, a subtle strange odor saluted his
senses. -.-..-.,a
''Good heavens the perfume-the glove p
Striving to conceal his excitement, he ap
proched the girl, as if to examine her work,
and perceived small parcel lying on one
side, from which the odor came. He did moi
speak Germantown to obtain any clew from
it? With sudden movement he managed
to Overturn a table covered with books anC
papers, and while the girl, with great goot
nature, assisted in replacing them, he haG
dexterously rolled the parcel under draperie:
of the bed. She went away without missing
it, and George instantly summoned his ally
to consult over this unlooked-for good for
tune. When she came back in few hours in
search of it, the detective soon ascertaine6
that the laces belonged to sick lady, named
Madame Benastine. The clew was rapidly
followed up. Pratt formed an acquaintance
with the invalid's maid, who was English. il
seemed; found from her sufficient proof OF
her MISTRESS identity with the woman they
| sought, and, in few weeks time, during
which Madame Bernastine failed rapidly,
gained access to her private desk, and secur-
eI the package of lette.s, still tied with the
blue ribbon. Next day the maid found her
selfberess to all her mistress's effects, for the
adventures lay dead, and there was no one
to claim her goods.
| George flew back to Locksley grange, to
find his uncle dying. The old man rt used
from his apathy when hesa the letters. babe
his nephew burn them before his eyes, and
with his last remaining strength drew a seal
ed paper from under his pillow, placed it in
his nephew's hand, and fell asleep never to
awaken.
George opened the paper ''That woman
was my wife-an artful fiend. Virginia Ke.
dar Hollowes is my lawful daughter. l hat
ed her mother, and hate her."
Accompanying this was a marriage and birth
certificate. That was all.