The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-09-12
CHAPTER XXXI.
A WOMAN WITH A MISSION.

a. u ooii . uboN' liic l'Cu-
tiness of detail, and of all inspiration that
one whose wings are worked by religion flies
the highest and freest from trammes of
custom and caution A man or woman
! inspired with an ethical mission to hui
mapity feels fully convinced that, provided
the eyes are kept steadfastly on the glorious
result, the brambles which have for ages
choked the path leading to the great goal
will in some mysteri Gus manner get cleared
out of the way; without faith of this kind
inspiration sinks to the dull level of wisdom.
Sarah ilfer was a woman with a mission;
mission, however, Of personal, not of a
general nature. Her mission, as she read it,
was to insure the worldly happiness of her
beloved mistress, and her faith in the in
spiration which prompted the task was such
as to make her believe that she wond sue,
coed.
Everything in this woman's life turned on
her devotion to Beatrice. Her mind was
like dark, sunless ruin, in the center of
which springs one pure white marble column,
and that column her love for her mistress
The wild words she once used when telling
Frank Carruthers what she could do for
Beatrices sake, if any thing, fell short of the
truth.
~
Is entitled to such alteration from a fellow
creature. Very probably David himself did
not deserve Jonathans unparalleled devo-
ton any more than Beatrice deserved that
of Mrs. Miller Nevertheless, if human
affection were dol ed out into the scale against
personal merit most of us would fare ex-
tremely i'll in this world. Simple justice,
like pure republicanisIn, and many other
indsputably correct things, works better in
theory than In practice. Mrs. Miller's strange
worship of Beatrice must be sought for in
causes other than the girls merits or even
her servants gratitude.
This then was the emissary who went
forth on behalf of Beatrice, this, the bearer
of the flag of truce between her and Maurice
Hervey strange intermediary yet pos
sessing some valuable qualifications for the
Office insomuch as she was devoted to her
own side, hated the foe, and, above all, was
full of the belief that in some unkno" n way
she would be guided so as to enable her to
bring the negotiation to a satisfactory issue.
She listened with apparent attention to
Beatrce's many and clear instructions; but
her thoughts were in reality far away. In
this matter she believed she was callel upon
to act more the part of a principal than that
of an agent. Beatrice, who was anxious to
know how Hervey was to be found, had to
rest satisfied with the assurance that Mrs
Miller would experience no difficulty in
tracing him. Provided that Hervey was
still in London her assurance was justified,
for as his time on ticket-oflea had not
vet expired, his address could no doubt be
obtained upon application in the proper
quarter.
This was about the only detail Sarah had
as yet stopped to consider. She bad not yet
thought how her end was to be gained,
whether by threats or by entreaties. She
felt that all she had to do was to meet the
man face to face, and then she would find
herself guided to act for the best.
Beatrice, who had some misgivings on the
score Of allowing her faithful servant to
make so long a journey unprotected, had
carefully looked up routes and trains. She
fancied that Sarah would travel in greater
ease and safety if she went to England via
Paris by the great through express train
which runs across Europe from Constan-
tinople to Paris, stopping only two or three
times in each country which 1t traverses
So Mrs Miller travelled in such luxury as q
railway train can offer.
She reached London without any mishap.
Here she went to u friends the one to whose
care Beatrice's correspondence had been in
trusted. After nights rest had dispelled
the fatigue of the journey she began the first
part of her miSsion-that OF finding Maurice
Hervey.
The task was q simple one. She inquired
until she ascertained where the register Of
ticket Of leave men resident in London was
kept; then, upon applying at the proper
Office and satisfying the authorities that she
sought the man for no evil purpose, the ad-
dress was given her. She took a cab and
drove straight to it.
Hervey. who had by efnuxion Of means
been thrown from the lap Of luxury on TO
| the hard fioor Of bare existence, was housed
in what was little more than garnet. In
deed the money which Mr.. Field paid him
on behalf Of Frank CarruShers was the one
plank between him and starvation. He bad
parted with his rings and ether vahuabieA
All that be could call his own was decent
suit Of clothes. This be had chung to tena-
saouslv, knowing that IL il comes to beg