The Portland daily press., 1880-07-03
PART I.-TRICKED.

PART I.-TRlChED.
1t is now some years since an incident
occurred in my life, which may possibly
prove interesting to those who, like myself,
are too easily imposed upon and although,
by the recital / hold myself open to the ridi-
cule of the mind masculine, which, by its
own showing, is never duped or deceived by
imposters, yet, in order to warn those of my
own SEX who are more readily wrought
upon, will narrate, as nearly as | can, a
strange adventure which befel me during
the winter of 1869.
am the wife of an English officer, and
at the time of which / write, was residing in
Paris. Late in June my husband had re-
ceived orders to be in readiness to sail with
his regiment for c. the following month :;
but, as his absence was not likely to be of
long duration, had decided not to accom-
pany him, and had determined to make
Paris my headquarters during the time of
our enforced separation.
The preparations for his departure had to
be pressed forward with all expedition, and,
as is SO often the case when time is valuable,
every possible difficulty seemed to crop up
to hinder the progress OF our work.
The eliminating point at last arrived,
when my husbands body-servant fell sud
denly ill, and sent in his resignation the very
week they were expecting to start. We at
once made inquiries on all sides for man
competent of filling the vacant post. In
this instance fortune favored us. Just as
we were beginning to despair of success. a
Frenchman, who spoke very tolerable Eng
lish, applied for the situation; and his ref
erences being satisfactory, we hastily en-
gagged him, heartily glad to have brought an
unpleasant affair to so fortunate q conclu-
sion.- 81. .-a s.-s O.. s.-.
Although had many friends residing in
o,;r r bod Io+; T. ~
remain with me during my temporary exile {;
my husbands people all lived in Ireland,
and, with the exception of few scattered
cousins, my only existing relative was one
brother (some years younger than myself,
to whom 1 was greatly attached, but who
for years past had been a source of constant
anxiety to me by reason of his wild and
reckless manner of living. My husband had
assisted him in numerous difficulties, but
his patience had at last become exhausted /;
and he had had to tell my brother plainly
and decisively, that only in case of ex-
tremity, such as an illness, which should
really incapacitate him from work, or from
some such urgent cause, would he supply
him again with pecuniary help. Several
letters passed between them at this period !;
then followed an interval of silence, which
had remained unbroken up to the time of
which / write. This naturally caused me
much uneasiness at times; but could only
hope he had at length felt the necessity Of
putting his shoulder to the wheel, and was
striving 10 regain the good name he had lost
by his own foolish conduct.
Time passed slowly away. Many of my
friends had returned to England for the
winter, and was more than ever alone; my
husband had now been gone some months,
and, although his letters began to breathe a
vague hope of his return, 1 knew that some
time must elapse before we should meet
again. One evening Il remember it was
the 22d of January, was sitting by myself,
vainly trying to get interested in the book
was reading, when note was brought me
by one of the servants of the hotel, who
said the bearer was waiting my reply. The
letter was neatly folded, and addressed in a
woman's handwriting to 'sThe Lady of Cap
tain Ralph Branscombe,'' and was marked
"Private." If was, however, rather strange
looking document; and breaking one seal in
a spirit of curiosity, read the following:
"MADAME:.I write this to you on behalf of
your brother, Monsieur Richard Willoughby,
who lies at this house, dying. Would you see
him alive you must come at once-without
hesitation. Madame, the poor gentleman is
very sick-sick to death in mind and body;
for he lies in fear Of arrest, and worse than
arrest, even in his dying state. He prays you
ask your husband to assist him as he promised
in this his last sore strait No one but Captain
Branscombe may accompany you, or know OF
your errand; you must bring with you fifty
pounds in gold, if possible. English money
will do, but not notes. Your escort will only
be a little child, but he knows every turn of
the way you will have to traverse. Come on
foot-to drive might excite suspicion. Mon
sieur repeats, no one but Ralph may come
with you; he is too ill to write anything more
than his name, which I enclose"
Here followed few directions about the
way we were to take, and an injunction to
bring the letter to guide myself with. Then
the name "Marie Toisseau." Inclesed was
a scrap of paper bearing my brothers sigma
ture, which l saw at once was genuine.
turned cold as l finished the perusal of
this letter, but, commanding my voice as
well as was able, l babe the servant send
the bearer to me at once. Twas not left
long in suspense; the door of the salon soon
reopened, and little figure appeared on
the threshold. A fragile looking boy, about
eleven years Of age, dressed in a dark blue
blouse, which hung loosely about him., and
wearinga ON his head red knitted fisher
mans cap, which was pulled down low ON
his forehead-a boy whose pale face was
lighted up with large dark eyes, their long
dropping lashes sweeping his delicate cheeks.
He shut the door softly behind him, and
gave swift searching glance around the
room; then, as though abashed by my pres
hands loosely folded before him, awaiting
my questioning. ateEr...
[ my boy" l said, addressing him in
French, Hcan you conduct me to this gen.
tleman who is SO ill?" ss-
Again his dark eyes wandered about the
room, as though to reassure himself that
we were alone, and then he replied softly in
English, though with foreign accent:
''Surely, madame, will; but it must be
with all speed, or it will be a lost journey
Telling him to wait for me where he was,
l left the room and fastened to prepare for
my expedition. My heart sank within me
at the idea of venturing out into the night
with no other protector than the little child
waiting below; but l nerved myself to per-
form the duty felt had fallen across my
path, and made up my mind to act as be-
come a soldiers wife-fearlessly. I had
about thirty sovereigns in my possession, as
it happened; and making up the sum re-
quired as nearly as could in French money
placed it carefully in small bag, which
hung on my arm. Dressing myself in
dark bonnet and travelling cloak, 1 de-
scended quietly to my apartment, without
giving intimation Of my departure to any
one. The child stood precisely as had left
him, with the light falling on his pale face,
and his hands loosely locked in one another
1 told him l was ready to start, and walked
to the table by which had been sitting to
get the letter the woman had written, and
which had caused me so much anxiety.
The boy then approached me and, taking
my hand in his cold ones, said in a whisper,
as his piteous eyes filled with tears:
madame. the gentleman babe me say to
you, for the love of Heaven, and for the 4
sake of your dead mother, bring the
money"
TO BE CONTINUED.