Litchfield enquirer., 1874-10-08

maps thc Feiy 1oTce was ODugeQ to put upon myself made me appear ceremoni ous and distant A slight coustrain, grew up between US toward the end. Il was hard to bear. I knew that I ought 10 try and overcome that wild love which seemed to become more hopeless eacl day; but could not; it was useless to struggle l had been bold, self-relianI hitherto, proud of my ability to rule my. self, but was very weak here.
 My idea was to wait until Mareare, should De of age, then communicate with London solicitor, with whom I had had dealing, place the matter in his hands, so that he could see NIT. AIexan tier, and force him to disgorge the prop erty. l dared take no step till she was one-and-twenty. 1 was afraid some dan. ger might menace my darling, if an ink ling of her whereabouts reached her father. | My mothers health caused us to live in seclusion. T he people who visited us asked no questions; they supposed Miss Evelyn to have been engaged as my mothers companion. In this way she escaped all troublesome inquisitiveness. One day. in the Pitt Gallery, we en- countered her old friend, Felicia. They were overjoyed to meet. Margaret's his tory was frankly told to the Greys. for we knew it was safe with them [ found my namesakc very agreeable man, and his wife was simply charming. We saw a great deal Of them during the next four weeks.
 We were ali very happy, and in high spirits Margaret's time of freedom was close at hand. In four days she would be twenty-one. It was now that wrote to Mr. Roger Harcombe, the London so. llcitor, so that my letter would reach him the very day of Margarets majority. The father might come then. We would l confront him with tue certificate of her birtL.
 Two days went by I had been cut for long stroll, after luncheon. away out beyond the old convent of San Mar gherita, from whence, centuries ago, beautiful Lucrecia Butt escaped to join her wild lover, Fra Filppo, the painter
 had stopped, on San Miniato, to watch the sunset, So iF was late, almost din ner-time, when arrived.
 am expecting Margaret every mo- ment," were almost my mothers first 1 words.
 Has she gone outf" asked, in astonish- | ment.
 "Yes; Mrs. Grey sent carriage Mir. Grey had gone down to Pisa with a friend, Felicia is not we'll. and wanted Mar garet"
 It seemed natural enough, yet, some. now, my HearC sank.
 Fl will go and bring her back, " said. 0, perhaps Felicia means to keep her to dinner. Still-O, yes, go. If they want you, stay to dinner, too. You so seldom get out, poor boy"
 l kissed her, careful to subdue my anx- iety, and hurried away
 The Greys were stopping at the Hotel de FUniverse, which was away up near the Cascine. drove there, and sent up my name.
 Mrs. Grey was at home. "Would I please to walk up:" was the answer the servant brought back. II, When l entered the room, Mir. and Auvw if.aG my vague fears my curious presentiments of evil were realized.
 bIess HIs, Io, '. fepIIed Mrs. flro,.,
 You know she never stirs out, exce1t with us OF yourselfn spt
 l dropped into a chair. suppose v toward me with broken exclamations.
 They have got her, ;" said.
 l told the whole story as calmly as l could. Felicia began to cry, but stopped herself like brave little woman as she was.
 What are we to dos" Mir. Grey asked, ready to make the trouble a personal matter. -[
 Horror-stricken as was, I could think or rather some power, cxtraneous to my own senses, seemed to suggest plan.
 "The police must inquire at every "They will not be here under their real name. The fact of their being joined by young lady to-day will betray them"
 We set about that at once
 We must also go 10 the agents for apartments-there are only seven or eight find out what apartments ia or out of town they have let. The police-books will soon tell us about the new people also. The apartment-owners have to give the names Of lodgers within three days of their ar. rival"
 No news possible that night. My mother bore up better than I expected. Perhaps tue sight Of what l suffered helped her. She knew, now, that loved Margaret Alex ander.
 It was season when there was a Hull in the arrival of visitors. The next day l had the police reports. They had made no discoveries at the hotels. Nine apart ments only had been let. The agents had managed to see the people who had take taken them: ,lsa1. Among MargaIet's papers also a photograph of a weIl.known act. ress, that Margaret never could bear to see, for she said it might have answered for likeness of her step-mother
 Of course, at the railway station we had tried to get clue. But none was possible there. Out of the hundreds of hacx-drivers, think there was not one we failed to sec. But this also was useless.
 Two days passed. They seemed an eternity. Only the necessity for constant action kept me from going mad. My mother and the Greys were a comfort even then; no word was spoken; but Felicia and her husband read my secret. 1t was nine o'clock at night. The Greys were with us. I was lying on a sofa, physically worn-out, for had scarcely eaten, and I had not slept. Suddenly the bell rang, and Martin en- tered soon after. There was 8 man wanted to see me, he said; hack driver, whom often employed.
 l had the newcomer shown into the room where we were.
 This was his story: He had, that after a party of gentlemen. It was dark as thsy came Eome. Halfway to Florence stood @ villa, which he knew had been empty for a year. He had seen light in the house. Perhaps this might be where the young lady was. | 1t was mere chance, but one not to throw aside now. MT. Grey and I hurried 1 on. fleIro'S horses were not fresh enough fer us to take. We got hack and drove to the police headquarters. Pietro en. gagged to follow us with other and fresh horses.
 No information of the letting of the villa had been given to the police. That of itself looked suspicious. They had 6 right to go, they said, and inquire, and even to insist on being admitted We had done wisely in coming to them, they added.
 Two policemen followed us on horse back. We drove swiftly away, up the hil-road, and toward Fiesole. Neither Mir. Grey nor spoke. 1 was past speech The moon was up. We could see eacl others faces; his was pale enough; could tell what anguish must be in mine, from the expression of profound sympathy read in his.
 We stopped at some distance from tn, entrance to the grounds, for fear tn. noise of tue wheels should reach tht house. The policemen dismounted, ani we walked on together. The gates wer' locked: A very high wall shut in th' l grounds