Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-02-12
Continued from First nage.)

covering the thief" Having answered the
questions in those terms, Mr. Troy decided
on questioning Isabel on the subject Of the
steward while he had the chance. Zone
question on my side," he said holding her
back from the door by the arm. .sDo you
expect Moody to visit you heres'
II am sure he will visit me-" Isabel an
swered, warmly. "He has promised to come
here, at my request never knew what
kind heart Robert Moody had till this mis-
fortune fell on me. My aunt, who is not
easily taken with strangers, respects and adj
mires him. I can't tell you how good he was
to me on the journey here, and how kindly,
how nobly, he spoke to me when we parted"
She paused and turned her head away. The
tears were rising in her eyes. SIN my situ-
alton" she said, family. kindness is very
keenly felt Don't notice me- Mr. Troy"
The lawyer waited a moment to let her re-
cover herself.
al agree entirely, my dear, in your opinion
of Moody he said cat the same time I
think it right to warn you that his zeal in
your service may possibly outrun his dis
cretion He may feel too confidently about
penetrating the mystery of the missing
money, and, unless you are on your guard,
he may raise false hopes in you when you
next see him Listen to any advice that he
may give you, by all means; but before you
decide on being guided by his opinion, consult
my older experience and hear what have
to say on the subject Don't suppose that I
am attempting to make you distrust this
good friend" he added noticing the look of
uneasy surprise which Isabel fixed on him.
'.No such idea is in my mind. only warn
you that Moody's eagerness to be Of service
to you may mislead him. You understand
me?"
Eyes, sir" replied Isabel coldly; 1T under
stand you. Please let me go now My aunt
will be down directly, and she must not find
me here" She courtesied with distant
respect and left the room
$50 much for trying to put two ideas to-
gether into girls mind" thought Mr..
Troy, when he was alone again. 1.-THE little
fool evidently thinks 1 am jealous of Moody's
place in her estimation. Well have done
my duty, and can do no more"
He looked round the room Not chair
was out of its place, not speck OF dust was
to be seen. The brightly perfect polish of
the table made your eyes ache; the. ornaments
on it looked as if they had never been touched
by mortal hand; the piano was an object for
distant admiration, not an instrument to be
played on; the carpet made Mr.. Troy look
nervously at the soles of his shoes; and the
sofa protected by layers of white crochet
work. said as plainly as if in words ''Sit on
me if you dare" Mr.. Troy retreated to a
bookcase at the farther end of the room.
The books fitted the shelves to such absolute
perfection that he had some difficulty in tax
ing one of them out When he had succeeded,
he found himself in possession of volume of
the History of England" On the f1y-leaf
he encountered another written warning:
'This book belongs to Miss Pink's Academy
for Young Ladies, and is not to be removed
from the library" The date, which was
added, referred to a period of ten years since.
Miss Pink now stood revealed as a retired
schoolmistress and Mr.. Troy began to under
stand some of the characteristic pecuiarities
of that lady's establishment which had pug.
zled him up to the present time
He had just succeeded in putting tbs beok
back again when the door opened ence more,
and Isabel's aunt entered the room.
If Miss Pink could, by any possible con.
juncture of circumstances, have disappeared
mysteriously from her house and her friends,
the police would have found the great
est difficulty in, composing the neces-
sary description of the missing lady.
The acutest observer could have dis
covered nothing that was noticeable
OF Characteristic in her personal appearance.
The pen of the present writer portrays her in
despair by series of negatives. She was
not young, she was not old; she was neither
tall nor short, nor stout nor thin; nobody
could call her features attractive and nobody
could call them ugly; there was nothing in
her voice, her expression her manner or her
dress that differed in any appreciate degree
from the voice, expression, manner and dress
of five hundred thousand other single ladies'
of her age and position in the world. If you,
had asked her to describe herself, she would
have answered, 81 am gentlewoman5aN and
if you had inquired which of her numerous
accomplishments took highest rank in her
own esteem, she would have replied, "My
Hgpowers of conversation" For the rest, she
was Miss Pink, of South Mor}en; and when
that has been said, all has been said
ssPray be seated, sir. We have had q
beautiful day after the late long continued
wet weather / am told that the season IS
very unfavorable for wall fruit. May offer
you some refreshmefft after your journey?"
In these terms, and in the smoothest Of
voices Miss Pink opened the interview.
Mr.. Troy made polite reply, and added a
few strictly conventional remarks on the
beauty of the neighborhood. Not even a
lawyer could sit in Miss Pink's presence and
hear Miss Pinl1's conversation without feel
ing himself called upon lin the nursery
phrase to ''be on his best behavior"
IL Is 6AuIeLcly hlnd VI yOu NIL Ivy ~
favor me with this VISIT" Miss Pink re-
sumed 81 am we'll aware that the time Of
professional gentlemen is of especial valus to
them, and 1 will therefore ask you to excuse
me if proceed abruptly to the subject on
which l desire to consult your experience"
Here the lady modestly smoothed out her
dress over her knees, and the lawyer made
bow Miss Pink's highly trained converse
ton had perhaps one fault-it was not,
strictly speaking, conversation at all In its
effect on her hearers it rather resembled the
contents of a f1uently conventional letter,
read aloud.
"The circumstances under which my niece
Isabel has left Lady L.ydiard's house." Miss
Pink proceeded, "are SO indescribably pain
full will go further. will say so deeply
humiiating-that l have forbidden her to
refer to them again in my presence, or to
mention them in the future to any living
creature besides myself. You are acquainted
iJh those circumstances, Mr.: Troy, and you
will understand my indignation when ] first
learned that my sisters child had been sus-
pected of theft. I have not the honor of
being acquainted with Lady Lydiard. She
is not a. countess, I believe? Just sol her
husband was only baron I am not ac-
quainted with Lady Lydiard, and I will not
trust myself to say what think Of her con-
duct to my niece"
M \