The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-05-04

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ready to faint; so gave her a cordial,
and sending for q conveyance, handed
her In, and bade her goodnight.
Need say that L hastened to my
room TO peruse the packet. | was far
too anxious to delay. found IL adj
dressed to myself, and inside headed
"The History Of the VIII Of Mr.. Chas.
Russell, as related by Jeanette Leclerc."
Miss Leclerc's history of the will ran
rs follows:
q In order that you may comprehend
all the circumstances of the case, must
go back nearly seven years, to the time
when first entered the family OF Mr..
Russell, as governess to his niece Ellen.
j was then only seventeen years of age,
and my pupil fourteen. The family
consisted of Mr.. r., Ellen, and
nephew Charles. This nephew was
about year younger than myself, and
fine handsome lad. There were whis-
pers that young az he was his habits
were very irregular; and 1t may have
have been so. / had no means of judy
ing. only know that to my glrllsh
mind he seemed all that young man
ought to be, and SO when he began to
take notice of me and make love to me
lent very willing ear. This went on
with more and more warmth, until, for
some reason or other, he was compelled
to leave his uncle's roof, but even after
this we managed to meet at frequent
intervals, although, of course, all un-
known to Mr.. Russell or Ellen, indeed,
neither of them had the slightest idea of
there being anything between us. At
altogether, and decided to go to London.
1 well remember the last night before he
went away. People said he was wild
and wicked but L only knew that 1
loved him, and he declared that he also
loved me. He said when he got situa-
ton In London he would send for me
in the meantime, he wished me to
remain in Mr.. Russel's service, and keep
him informed of all that occurred. /
faithfully promised; and when on the
completion of Ellen's education L was
asked to remain as her companion, L
gladly agreed, for Charles sake Well,
time passed on, and nothing particular
occurred. Mr.. Russell retired from busi-
ness, and we removed to Cottam then
came his illness, and your introduction
to the family. / was ever on the watch
for any scrap of information that might
be interesting to Charles, and did not
fail to tell him of the growing intimacy
between you and Ellen, as well as Mr..
Russel's partiality for you. These last
items seemed to give him considerable
annoyance, and he requested me to re-
double my vigilance.
"One day heard servant tell you
that Mr.. Russell wished to see you in his
bed room. You remember how these
rooms were arranged; that opening out
| of the bed room was small dressing
room, which itself communicated with
] the servants staircase, to afford facilities
for lighting the fire, bring water, &c.
Now, as you went up the main stairs,
very quietly slipped into the dressing
room by the others as 1 thought it
possible that something might be said
touching the interest of my dear Charles.
thus managed to overhear enough of
the conversation to gather its import !;
especially did take note of the direc-
tions for opening the secret place In the
desk and when got to my own room
wrote them down, lest should forget.
Well. II Immediately wrote off to Charles
and the news must have troubled him
considerably, for in very short time
had letter saying that he would
arrive at Kinton the next day, and
appointed time and place for me to
meet him.--I did SO; and after making
me repeat as well as could all I had
heard, he boldly proposed that should
get possession ofthe will and bring it to
him. He proposed Ito facilitate matters)
that as he was quite unknown in Cot
tam, he would go there and engage
rooms at an obscure inn called the Red
Lion, and that / should find him there
any evening. confess this proposal
startled me, partly because of its diff
Guilty, and partly because it was my first
step in crime. However, he overcame
my scruples, and / promised TO do what
I could; at any rate 1 would visit him
at the Red Lion at seven the next even.
ing. Fortune favored me. The next
day, just at dusk-lt was the latter end