The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-10-23
"One word r cried Richardson, ca.

"One word r cried Richardson, ca.
gerly.
"You can stay with your mother if
you like" the old lady went on, pre-.
'oecupied-sbe vas thioking Of her
eoachman's ire-"but I advise you to
come with me-"
"ob, pray, pray ssay!" said young
Richardson. "Where is your mother 2
Let me 60 and ask her !"
"You had better 60 yourself, Ella"
said old Lady Jane. "Will you give
me your arm to the door, Mr., Richard.
500 7"
Ella went up to Mrs. Ashford-she
was bold with happiness to-night-aod
made her request. "Stay with me :?
osrtain]y not; it is quite out of the
question. "You do me great honor"
said the lady, laughing sarcssticslly.
"Lady Jane brought you, Lady Jane
must take you back" said the STEP
mother. "Follow your oh.perone, if
you please; I have no room for you 10
my brougham- Go directly, miss" said
Mrs. Ashford, so savagely that the
poor child was quite frightened, and
set off running after the other two.
She would have caught them up; but
at that instant, Lisette, who had at last
secured partner, came valtziug up in
such . violent, angry way that she
bumped right up against the little fly
ing maiden and nearly Knocked her
down. Ella gave 10. cry of pain.
They had trodden on her foot roughly 5;
they had wounded her her little satin
slipper had come off. Poor Ell. stoop.
ed and tried to pull At the slipper; but
other couples came surg,ug up, and che
was alone and frightened and obliged
to shuttle little way out Of the crowd
before she could get it on. The poor
little frightened thing thought she new.
q should get through the crowd. She
made tho best Of her way to the cloak >.
room. It seemed to her as if she had
been hours getting there. At last she
reached it, only to see, to her dismsy,
as she went in At one door the other
Two going out Of the other little way
of. She called, but they did not hear
hor and at the same moment St. Paul's
great clock began slowly to strike
twelve.
my cloak, my cloak-anythine,
please" she cried in great agitation
and anxiety i; and a stupid, bevildered
maid hastily threw a shabby old shawl
over her shoulders it belonged to some
assistant in the place. Little Ella,
more aud more frightened, pulled it up
as she hurried along the blocked pas.
sages and corridors all lined with red
and tbronged with people. They al
stared at her in surprise as she few
along. Presently her net tunic caught
in doorway and tore into long rag
ged shred which trailed after her. 10
her agitation her comb fell out Of her
bair-she looked oil scared and fright.
ened-nobody would have recognized
the beautiful triumphal princess Of half
an hour before. She heard the link
men calling "Peppercorue's carriage
stops the way !" and she hurried faster
down the endless passages and steps,
and at last, just As she got to the door
way-O horror ! she saw the carriage
and outriders going cleaning off In the
moonlight, while everything else look.
ed black, dark and terrible.
"Stop, stop ! please stopv' cried lit
tie Ella, rushing out into the street
through the amazed footmeu and link.
meo. "Stop, stop - she cried, flying
past Richardson himself, who could
hardly believe bis eyes. Ration only
whipped his horses, sod Ella saw them
disappearing into gloom in the distance
10 . sort Of agony Of despair. She was ex-
cited beyond measure, and exaggerated
all her feelings. What was to be done
Go back? That was impossible. Walk
home? She did not know her way
Was 1t fancy ?-was not somebody
following her? She felt quite desperate
10 the moonlight and darkness. At
that instant it seemed to her like fairy
chariot coming to her rescue, when I.
c.bman, who was slowly passing, stopp
ed and said, "C.b, mum?"
"Yes ! oh, yes ! To Onslow Square y
cried Ella, jumping in, and shutting
the door in delight and relief. She
drove of just as the bewildered little
Richardson, who had followed her,
reached the spot. he came up in time
only to see the cab drive of and, to pick
up something which was lying shining
on tho pavement. It vas one Of the
diamond buckles which hsd fallen from
her shoe as she jumped 10. This lit.
Il" diamond buckle might, perhaps,
have led to her identification If young
Richardson had not taken the precau.
ton Of ascertsining from old Lady
Jane Elias name and address.