The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-05-06

by wrLKIE COLLINS.


"My last letter informed you Of Ro.
,mayne's return TO London and to Miss
Eyrecourt. Let me entreat our reverend
brethren to preserve perfect tranquil
lity OF mind, in spite Of this circum-
stance. The owner Of vange Abbey is
not married yet. II patience and per
severance on my part win their fair 70
ward, Miss Eyrecourt shall never be his
wife. 5s, - ,.-5 % 81 1f
"But let me not conceal the truth.
In the uncertain future that lies before
us, I have no one to depend on but my
SELF Penrose is no longer to be trusted;
and the exertions of the agent TO whom
I have committed my inquiries are er.
ertions that have failed, 'as,. ',i,,., =
"I viii dispose Of the case Of Pen.
rose first. i5aasso III s.h 4. III
"The zeal with which this young
man has undertaken the work of con-
version intrusted to him has, I re-
gret to say, been fred by dog.
like affection for Romayne. Without
waiting for my permission, Penrose has
revealed himself In his true character
as a priest. And more than this, he
has not only refused TO observe the pro. /.
ceedings Of Romayne and Miss Eyre.
court-he has deliberately closed his
ears to the confidence which Ronayne
wished to repose in him, on the ground
that I might have ordered him to re.
peat that confidence to me. ts fei
"To what use can We put this mans
ungovernable sense Of honor and graft
tudep For the present he has left Lon
don to assist in the spiritual care OF a
country district. It will be question
for the future whether We may not turn
his enthusiasm TO good account, In o
mission to foreign parts. But, as 1t is
always possible that his influence may
still be Of use to us, I venture to sug-
gest keeping him within our reach until
Romayne's conversion has actually
taken place. 5- t,t
II may now proceed to the failure of
my agent. and TO the course Of action
that I have adopted In consequence.
"The Investigations appear to have
definitely broken down at the seaside
village of Clovelly, in the neighborhood
Of Mr.. WinterAeld's oountry-s seat.
Knowing that I could depend upon the
Information which associated this gen.
tleman with Miss Eyrecourt, under
compromising circumstances OF some
sort, I decided on seeing Mr.. Winter
field and Judging for myself.
"The agents report informed me
that the person who had finally baffled
his inquiries was an aged Catholic
priest, long resident ct Clovelly. His
name was Newbliss, and he is much
among the Catholic gentry in
that part Of Devonshire. After due
consideration, I obtained . letter Of In
PRODUCTION to my reverend colleague,
and travelled to Clovelly. telling my
friends here that was taking little
holiday in the interests OF my health.
81 found Father Newbliss venera-
BILE and reticent son Of the church, with
one weak point, however, to work on,
which was entirely beyond the reach Of
The otherwise astute person charged
with my inquiries. Ny reverend friend
is scholar, and is inordinately proud
Of his learning. am scholar, too.
In that capacity first found my way
to his sympathies, and then gently en-.
coursged his pride. The result will
appear in certain discoveries which
as follows:
~. The events which connect Mr..
Winteraeld with Miss Eyrecourt hap
pened about two years fince. and had
their beginning at Beaupark house.
~. At this period Miss Eyrecourt
and her mother were staying ut Bean.
park house. The general impression
in the neighborhood was that Mr..
Winterfeld and Miss Eyrecourt were
engaged to be married.
"3. Not long afterward, Miss Eyre
court and her mother surprised the
by suddenly leaving
Beaupark house. Their destination
was supposed to be London.
"a. Mr.. Winteraeld himself left next
his country-seat for the Continent.
His exact destination was not mentioned
to any one. The steward, soon after
ward, dismissed all the servants, and
the house was left empty for more than
q year. rA.i
"5. At the end OF that time Mr..
Winterield returned alone TO Beaupark
house, and told nobody how or where
he had passed the long interval OF hi,
absence. ,l
"6. Mr.. Winterheld remains, TO the
present day, an unmarried man.
"Haying arrived at these preliminary
discoveries, 1t was time to try what
could make of Mr.. Winterfeld next.
"Among the other good things which
this gentleman has inherited, Is mag
nifcent library, collected by his father.
That one learned man should take an
other learned man 10 see the books vas
q perfectly natural proceeding. Ny in.
PRODUCTION to the master OF the house
followed my introduction TO the library
almost as o matter Of course. =
"Iam about to surprise you. as I W.
myself surprised. In all my long exps
ience Mr.. Wintsrhsld Il, I think, ths
most fascinating person ] ever met with.
Genial. unasssuming manners. pss
possessing personal appsasancs. . sassl
temper quaint humof dsligAtfnIly -
companied BY natural reansansn4- --sarA
kla - ~ = -