Litchfield enquirer., 1874-10-08
e windows on the upper floor, very

hihe windows on the upper floor, very Faint, but they were there.
 ~4ale doors into q back court were not fastened. We entered! Pietro pointed out 10 us the place where the old man wed who had charge of the villa and worked the farm, but there was no light visible. -'eA' |, What is his nane?" asked one of he policemen.
 Giuseppe /"
 What is his voice likes"
 "Very gruff. He always has a cold " I Follow me, softly" said the police. nan. We mounted the stairs. Arrived at ae top, We found another door. The plIceman thumped with inc iron knocker tere?"
 "Guiseppe, he answered.
 The bolts were drawn back. The door opened. A woman, holding the light, stated back in alarm, and uttered a cry D'ors down the corridor opened. A young man appeared, followed by lady, whom lat once recognized as Margaret's step- mother.
 The young man and the woman cried oit, In sufficiently voluble Italian, de. ihandlng, angrlly, what we wanted
 The Chief policeman threw off the cloak that covered his dress.
 We want the young lady you stole on Monday evening from No. via Mazzio," he said. '' Produce Ter, with
 The two shrank back. But new person now appeared. It was Margaret's father
 He was perfectly composed, explained IWho ne was, gave his name, said that his aWay from was & under E age E vy apd haa his right ill getting possession of her; and he would advise the policeman to go away; they had been misled; they would only get into difficulty with the English ambassador.
 Then he turned to Grey and myself.
 You are not policemen, think, " he said, courteously. II fear l shall be com pelled to ask you to withdraw from my house."
 't'l can only go accompanied by Miss Alexander, replied. "In journal of her dead mothers is a statement of the date of her birth. have written to Tarbes, and the mayor has sent me certified copy of the register. l have placed the matter in the hands of Lon- con solicitor, Mir. Harcombe. The young man started forward, with some furious exclamation. MT. Alexan. der gently pushed him back. He looked greatly disconeerted, nevertheless. It was plain, he saw the game was up. But his c0mposure and courtesy did not desert him.
 My dear" he said, turning to his wife, twill you request Margaret to join us?"
 You know she will not" retorted the woman. "She has locked herself in.- Perhaps, if Mr. Grey calls her, she will come, she added, sneeringly.
 I raised my voice, and called loudly:
 Margaret, Margaret"
 A door at the cEd Of the corridcl opened, and Margaret looked out, and then rushed forward, 1 forgot every thing. 1 caught her in my arms, whis- ReaIjipggS Raj gSsNM NMQSGs a}SeGts of wild tenderness. She
 "I find. Margaret, said her father, with astounding ccolness, "tiat l was r'.'istalsen. You are of age"
 ., take me to your mother" moaned Aargaret. II have been shut up there >ssaz and qis4t,-- Theys sJ Jtritf.aa itf.aa itfodng man, who stood, glowering at us, Gnly prevent ed, l think, from sprinsing at my throat, by Mir. Alexander's restraining hand, and the presence of the policemen.
 we took her home. The next day Mir Alexander positively called to pay his respects to my mothsr. She refused tc see him. He did the injured, ruined father to Margaret, and absolutely got her to settle twenty thousand pounds on him. Later, we learned that he had al- ready dissipated fully half her fortune; but we were so thankful for her escape from the danger of those three days, that we were content to leave it thus.
 The young man, Gerald Prince, had come on first to the villa, which they had hired from it's owner in Turin. He had driven into Florence! himself to meet the tran, so that MT. and Mrs. Alexander's arrival was a profound secret. They had traced Margaret to Florence, and knew that she was under my care. Prince did hIs work well. When Margaret descend ed o the carriage, Mrs. Alexander's maid wa! ln 1t, who threw a shawl over the girls head, and stifed her cries.. Indeed. Margaret said that she almost immedi atey tainted. They had reached the vilA' before she recovered. She fastened herelf into her chamber so securely that thg could not get to her. She had eaten nothing. Water she lad got by letting litte bucket down into a cistern under he window.
 It is an old story, but a true one.- Margaret is my wife now. My mothers h'alth is quite restored, and we are very happy.-Feterson's Mag.