The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-12-09

bracelets, anu pdiI vi mdS uiiSon' 80
rings-all were gone. The gold plate had
also been cleverly carried off; only few
minor articles having been spared.
At first, all the energies of the house
hold were directed toward subduing the
fire. 1t evidently had its origin near the
supper-room, which CHANGED to be directly
below Lady Dasent's rooms. At all events,
it was owing to her being wakened by
strong smell of fire that the alarm was given
in time to save not only the house but some
of the inmates, who might otherwise have
perished in the flames. And from this
fate it appeared Mr.. Mauleverer had
narrow escape. He had behaved "splen-
didly," so the Dasents said; and as my
nephew-elect I was proud to hear it.
CHAPTER II.
Upon further investigation it was found
that, while the robbery at Enfield Court had
been most carefully planned and premedi-
tated, the fire had evidently been an acci-
dental part of the thieves programme, as a
hastily-done-up bundle, containing some
valuable articles, was discovered just out
side the supper-room window, as if dropped
in hasty exit. Happily, the fire had been
subdued in time to save the greater portion
of the house, but the damage done, to say
nothing of the immense loss caused by the
robbery, was very considerable.
In due time two detectives came down
from London, and the excitement continued
unabated in the neighborhood while they
remained, but nothing transpired. They
maintained an amount Of stolid reticence
which, to the curious, was most provoking,
and finally they departed without having
apparently done anything toward solving
the mystery, far less securing the thieves.
Gradually things seemed to settle down,
and the robbery at Enfield was replaced in
my mind by my entire absorption in Amy's
engagement, to which [ had given quail
fed consent, on the condition that Mr..
Mauleverer's family were satisfied with the
connection, and that pecuniary matters were
properly adjusted Now that he had ac-
tually declared himself, [ felt emboldened
to ask questions and ascertain everything [
possibly could as to the antecedents of the
man who was to be my darlings husband.
He was well connected His mother was
dead, but his father was alive, and lived in
great seclusion at his own property, which
was situated in Yorkshire. He was re-
puted to be rich, but on this point | could
gain no definite information. Still, remem-
bering Lady Dasent's every well off, [
was not much troubled on the score of
money matters. [ had felt it incumbent
upon me to invite him to spend few days
with us before he left for Yorkshire, and
it seemed natural that he should come to
us. 1 told him frankly that Amy had very
little money of her something less
than two thousand pounds; but at my death
[ intended to leave her everything, which
l felt sure he would approve of being tied
up and strictly settled upon herself.
/ thought his expression changed little
when I mentioned this, and still more SO
when 1 casually asked him in a friendly
way if he always meant to be an idle man,
for he had left the army, it appeared, and
1 was anxious, for Amy's sake, to see some
symptom of his wishing to get an appoint
ment or occupation of some kind.
Meanwhile, Amy seemed satisfied, but
my doubts-born of my extreme affection
for her-began to arise and refused to be
silenced
Mr.. Mauleverer had written to his IA
ther announcing his engagement, but as yet
neither line nor message from the old gen.
tleman had reached us. 1t was not treat
ing Amy properly, and though Amy's en-
treaties to me to be patient, and oft-re-
peated assurances that Alfred said every
thing would be all right, silenced me for a
time, [ was fully resolved to see matters
either ended or placed on satisfactory
footing before much longer time elapsed.
In the meantime Mr.. Mauleverer received
one morning telegram, which, he informed
us, contained the news of the illness of an
old friend of his in London. He must
start Immediately if he wished to see him
alive IF l did not mind he would leave
his heavy luggage behind him and only
take small portmanteau. Unless some
thing very special happened to detain him
he would be with us again in couple of
DAYS. His adieus were hurried but i'm
pressive. He seemed really sorry to leave
Amy, who was, however, enabled to bid
him cheerful goodbye on the strength of
his speedy return.
On the morning of the second day after
he had taken his departure, Amy was evi-
IDENTIFY expecting letter from him-not
unreasonably, I thought, as it was natural
she should wish to hear that he had reached
his destination safely. She was rather
restless and fidgety. Perhaps that was the
cause of my own almost nervous feelings as
post-time approached. could settle down
to nothing. ...
"Amy, darling" said, presently, ''sup-
pose you take the garden scissors and snip
these geraniums for me; they want it
badly"
So Amy stepped out on the little lawn
with its still brightly filed parterres, and |
watched her from the drawing-room win
dow with feelings of mingled love, anxiety
and apprehension, for do what l might |
could not get over the sense of some i'm
pending calamity something sorrowful for
her. Soon afterward she Joined me, ra-
diant with her letter, the first she had ever
received from him; very ardent, gentle
manly epistle, I was obliged to own; salts
factory, too, as it contained the information
that he had heard from his father, who, on
certain conditions, which he saw his way to
comply with, had promised to consent to
the marriage A letter for me from old
Mr.. Maleverer had been inclosed in his let
ter to his son; but the latter preferred de-
livering it to me personally; consequently l
would not receive it until his return to US
Amy had an engagement that afternoon
to visit the Dasents, who were now installed
in small house they had at some distance
from the Court, while the latter was being
repaired. She was to drive over, taking
our small groom with her, and Twas not to
expect her back until after nine o'clock at
the earliest; SO 1 was to spend solitary
evening. After she left me wrote few
II IL A41~