The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1879-09-17
MISCELLANY.
Written for The RECORD
THE EMBROIDERED SLIPPERS.
BY LENA WARD.
81 CHAPTER XII.
BY LENA WARD.
CHAPTER XI.

THE LONELY MIDNIGHT RIDE.
To give any correct description of Horaces
mind when he left Mrs. Linn's that evening,
would be like attempting to describe the fea-
lures OF a landscape in a whirlwind. His
thoughts were in perfect chaos, tumbling
over each other in wild confusion. II seemed
as though the world had entirely changed
within the last few hours, and that the birds,
the flowers the warm breezes, the blue sky,
the green grass, had all been swept away
leaving only a cheerless waste, with mournful
bowling winds sweeping over it. And through
it he must travel alone, uncheered by the
smiles of her love, and the voice that to his
ear was music. He saw it all, q the long me-
chanic pacing to and fro, and as he walked
down the short avenue of lime trees that led
to the street, they seemed to his excited i'm
agnation like sentinels, through which he
was passing to his doom. His heart ached
with sharp, fierce pain, which was augment
ed by his being obliged to appear so calm and
unconeerned. As he was about to enter the
carriage, II soft had was laid upon his arm =
He turned to see little figure standing by
u
closely drawn about the face. The features
were concealed, but the voice was clearly
reeoenizable. as she said
+" May have few moments conversation
with you, Mr. Maynard ?"
" Certainly Miss Manning, ''but will You
not step into the carriage and take short
ride !" feeling as he spoke q faintness that
made him desire to sit down.
. Perhaps II would be aswell, size replied.
He assisted Der in, and telling SEQ. to drive
to the park, he seated himself beside her,
Had he thought at al, he might have wonder
ed what she could want of him at such an
hour and in such strange costume, for the
night was cloudess and in her hand she car
ried quite large basket. But had she been
arrayed in the snit of Laplander, with a
bear skin cap, in all probability be would not
have noticed it.
Without any preliminaries or introductions
of any kind she began at once 10 reveal the
plot laid against him, knowing their time was
precious. AS she proceeded, his astonisb-
ment was beyond description. That two such
ladies as Mrs Linn and Florry Sinclare could
contrive plot so heinous was almost beyond
belief, and but for his entire confidence in the
veracty of the little maiden by his side he
would have found it impossible to credit her
story. But when he did realize it, his horror
and CONSERVATION was intense The name Of
Margaret Stebbins was not unfamiliar to him.
He knew her to be a wicked, abandoned wo.
man, her house frequented by the most disso-
lutte characters in New York. and not unfre-
guently detachment of police was sent to
search for some criminal from the city, skulk-
ing there. AS we have stated before, she and
Mrs. Linn were under peculiar obligations to
each other, and the visits of that person to
her house were neither few nor far between,
although when her name was mentioned In
Mrs. Linn's presence, she invariably raised
her hand in pious horror, that one Of her own
sex could become so depraved and wonder If
something could not be done to reclaim such
fallen creatures. Don't be astonished, read
or ! Mrs Linn is only one of the many whit
ened sepulchers of upper tendon.
"What shall we do :" asked Horce. look
ing up as though he were a child instead Of a
great six -feeter with the strength of hercu-
les
q Do p exclaimed Bell, "why, we must
90 in search of her."
But have no idea where Meg Stebbns
lives ON Long Branch, though suppose we
could inquire at some police station"
81 think can find it." said Bell, /" I was
there with my aunt once, though it was six
years ago. think we drove out of Brooklyn
| for about mile then we turned of by an mr.
mense gnarled oak that had been struck by
lightning, and if it ID there yeti"
!. g 1t is, interrupted Horace. II rode by
it the other day with friend and remarked
1 on its singular appearance little thinking il
would ever be way mark for me. SEQ. will
remember it too"
He pulled the check string and putting biz
head out Of window, asked the driver if b,
recoilected The gnarled oak.
He replied, do"
Horace then ordered him to drive to it.
" The moon will be UP in about quarte
Of an hour. said Bell. THAT viii be yer.
beneficial to us. After overhearing the con
versation, hit upon this plan as the mos