The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-20

ANY 4 NA ELEN. it is quiet rural. A fly was waiting at the door of the quiet little station. With Esis left hand the nan carried small port manteau his right arm was thrust in the breast of his coat. He hurried his com. panion to enter the vehicle, which drove away down long country road.
 Whose trap is that?" asked the porter.
 "Mr. WilkinsOn's, sir, of the Grown Inn.'"
 " Is 1t going far2 should Ike to hire it."
 "It won't be back for hours, sir. It's going to the mad doctors at Danesbridge "a long drag for one hanimal."
 This was unexpected intelligence.
 "What is his name2 ?"
 "Dr. Gryce, sir. don't think he makes much of do of it, for he doesn't keep no trap, no 'orse, no nothing; and his house is rsEssshhaackk!ed old place good enough for a mad-house, l sup pose"
 To fill up the time strolled through the clean little town until the departure of the next train, wondering how to gain some intelligence of the hapless girl, whom 1t pained me to see in company with person had set down as a mau. vais sulet. Was he taking her to luna tic asylum2 wondered. Was there any, thing amiss with her mind2 No, no impossible. She had been wild with de- spair that lovely June morning, nothing more. ] remembered her evident strug- gle for composure, her replies to my ques- tiops. These were not indications of in- sanity. My previous interest in her deep- ened, but returned to town without hay ing formed course of action, unwilling that Fate was working for me
 CHAPTER III.
 The next night was due at ball given by Lady Hartbury in Portland Place. Lord Hartbury had presented my father with the living on his estate, and we had seen much of the family. It consisted of one daughter and many sons. When the Hartburys came to town for the season they remembered me, inviting me to this ball. Alter my excursion into Essex, l had little inclination for gayety but it was incumbent on me to go to it.
 The night was splendid, and found the drawing-rooms full a gay scene of flowers in profusion, brilliant chandeliers, feathers, furbelwos, fans, and diamonds ladies, young, old, and middle-aged; the men rather young. A waltz being in pro- gross, to charming band, waited at the door for its termination. There was speedily spied out by one of the young D'Arcys, who joined me. Alter the usual interrogations concerning the healths of our respective families, John gave me piece of information.
 "Have you heard that Augusta is go- ing to De aaTried?"
 Is she rcally2" was nearly adding at last," but fortunately stopped in time Lady Augusta was the eldest of the fam fly, quite thirty years of age, fine hand some woman of hAut ten. She had waited on and on for a high title, which did not come, though, of course, she had re- ceived many offers. l inquired who was the happy man, expecting to hear duke named. was surprised at the answer, Colonel Delmar Gonzalez. l dare say you have heard of him."
 Indeed had, in common with all Lon- don. Little more than a twelvemonth previously he had burst on society in meteor-like splendor. The newspapers were everlastingly describing his man. sion at South Kensington-its marbles, its pictures, its wonderful furniture then his dinners, soirees, horses, carriages, last, not least, his heroric conduct in the war between Chilli and Peru, for though an Englishman, he had served in the Peru vian army with distinction and his vast wealth, which was the handspring of this adulation. So Lady Augusta had ac- cepted him, the high title not being forth coming.
 "I hope she will be happy" said sim cerely, for she had always been very kind to me and my sisters.
 "l hope she will," returned John d'Arcy. Augusta is good sort. dare say they will get on well enough"
 Well enough You do not speak very enthusiastically"
 "To tell you the truth" sinking his voice con6dentially, "though he's hero and all that kind of thing, been blown up in fort he was defending, and wounded a dozen times, I'm not in love with him myself; he is so shut xp. Some people might call it pride, you know, for he is rolling in horrid lucre. His first wife was great Peruvian heiress a silver mine she died some years ago, leaving everything to him. That's why he has hooked on her name to his own"
 Here the valse terminated, and enabled me to make my way across the room to pay my respects to my hostess. Lady Augusta, looking regally beautiful, was standing at a little distance conversing with a tall, fashionable-looking man whose back was toward me. Concluding it was her fiancee, did not like to inter- rupt her conversation, but looked at him with natural interest. Presently he changed his attitude. Amazementl Did my eyes deceive me2 No. Before me was the very man had only the preced- ing day followed to Ongar-my mysteri- ous visitor of the Rue Ste. Marguerite This man under the roof of Lord Hart buryl He, Colonel Gonzalez, distin-