Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-04
fCcutinued fron nrst page.1

knew little about her, except that she haC
been an orphan, and had been brought NJ
by a maiden aunt of her mother. Bn
Olivia she too had white lock. and hel
mother had been an Italian. Was it pos
sibe that she was the missing heiress? In
a voice trembling with excitement asked
the name OF divers little daughter. anC
when Sarah promptly responded OLIVIA,
| rairly started out of my chair-Oiyi.
Aymer why. who could that be but IN,
Olivia Almeri?
With difficulty | restrained my emotion
and, turning to the window to hide it from
Sarahs keen old eyes, perceived for the
hrst time that the rain had ceased, anG
that the sun was trying to shine.
| resolved to visit Fair Beeches at once,
and Sarah volunteered TO accomp any me.
Who or what she took me for, | do not
know, but i could see that she was almost
as excited as was my self.
Silently Sarah and entered the house,
and commenced wandering through the
untenanted rooms, each OF us too busy
with our own thoughts to talk. In the
kitchen found a great deal OF the furni-
ture piled together, and amongst it !
lighted on many an old fashioned piece OF
carved oak, and in the presses caught
gimpses OF rare china, that would have
delighted the heart OF q collector. But |
had not time to spend over this part OF
the exploration. Ii was late when we
left The house, for there had been much
that was interesting to investigate; yet
fingered to examine the arms and the
motto over the porch, which might prove
an important clue in my search for the
missing heiress.
Suddenly | beihought me of the ring
Olivia had given me on our engagement,
which had belonged to her own father.
| knew there was motto engraved in
side it, it might prove very much il il
would tally with the one had just read.
| drew the ring from my finger. and
looked at it. Yes! there stood engraved.
in tiny characters. the very same words
As were facing me over the porch: Ung
Dieu ang amour. Olivia must indeed be
the lost heiress.
Sarah stood meanwhile cycling me doubt
fully.
THAT ring was Mr.. DIVERS" she said
surdily, IL should know it anywhere"
And should you know this P' | pro-
ceeded, drawing Olivia's photograph from
my pocket and showing it to her. She
looked long and hard at it.
II ought to know it, sir, and yet | do
not" she said. 1T is not maybe, the
poor Italian lady for indeed, sir, you
must belong to the family. and perhaps
you know what became of her and that
dear baby"
The poor old woman was nearly crying
as she said these words. laying her hand
beseechingly on my arm, and gazing i'm
ploringly into my face. felt that i had
been imprudent in revealing to her so
much of my own private ideas, and in
order TO divert her Thoughts to another
channel, | asked what had become of the
money old Mrs. Ay lner was supposed to
have amassed.
..We think she buried it, sir" she
answered. land we have dug, and dug,
but cannot find it anywhere,
The whole of the next day | spent at
Fair Beeches, searching for papers. |
found few old letters from Godfrey Ally
mer to his mother, and some from Olivia,
but little else besides, except account
books without number. These and the
letters, together with a bunch Of keys,
were all in heavy oak chest of drawers
in what had been old Mrs. Az liners bed
room. felt no scruples about forcing
the locks of the different cupboards and
boxes met with all over the house. in
pursuit of my researches: my white lock.
felt, gave me an indisputaple right SO
10 do.
In my exertions in the last named-room
l happened TO move the chest little way
from the wall. and fanced heard some-
thing creak. Perhaps there might be some
secret drawer, or false bottom. to such an
old fashioned piece OF furniture; better
have it out In the middle of the room and
survey 1t from all sides. | thought | new
er should succeed in moving it, it was so
heavy, and very disappointing when the
task was accomplished | tapped and
sounded 1t all over, but it proved merely
massive oak chest, with nothing mysteri-
Gus about it | was just about to replace
it. when my attention was arrested by the
appearance of one of the boards on the |
spot where it had stood. This board GER
tainly was not even, and was also rather |
loose. A sudden inspiration came over
me, and in one moment was down on my
hands and knees. Juggling and wrenching
at the luckless plank. So much energy
was soon to be rewarded In few min-
utes | was able to raise it little, and then
my work was easy. Up few the plank,
disclosing to my eyes long fiat wooden
box what would it contain-papers or the
miser's hoardings' Naturally it was
locked, and with bramah lock too. |
turned TO my bunch of keys and, oh, with
what Joy | found one Bramah amongst
them Trembling l tried it in the lock,
found it fit, aud raised the lid. There,
before my astonished gaze, lay upwards
of f2000 in note and gold; several cases
old fashioned jewellery, some valuble,
some trumpery, but one containing real
ly fine diamond pendant, which must have
belonged to the Aylmers for generations.
judging by the date engraved on the back
of it; two or three old fashioned miniatures
of long-dead Aylmers, and some curious
little pieces Of plate-but no papers.
There remains little more to tell. With
the assistance OF Mr.. Garwood and of my
family lawyer. ond with the important
help of papers and possessions of her
mothers set TO her from Italy, Olivia's
claim to the deserted manor was easily
established. and at the same time was
proved to be the grandson of that Godfrey
Aylmer who had sought his fortune in
London, and having made it, had married
n woman nj rank and renouncad his hmm