The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-17


daughter. You see the name of Corbyn is
very well known in Bath, and as the names
OF visitors are published in the local papers
it would be just as well that it should not
appear
But Mr.. Clitheroe knows that we are
going to Search" Constance said. "Of
course, Mr.. Ferris will have told him. Mr..
Ferris said that Mr.. Clitheroe was only
anxious that the truth should be discov-
cred"
! Yes, no doubt, Miss Corbyn. Still you
see they are, in fact, our opponents, and in
matters of this sort it is always as well to
keep ones opponent in the dark as far as
one can as to what you are dong. 1t is
never any use giving away a chance
AT any rate" Madame Duport said,
1--WE will do as you suggest, Mr. Harbut
| there is not the least occasion for giving
her name, of course she will be taken for
| my daughter"
An hour after their arrival in Bath,
Madame Duport and Constance were in
stalled in lodgings near the station, and
! Robert Harbut had taken a room at the
| York Hotel.
His first step was to go down to the coffee
room and to look through the town direc-
| tory. There was no such name as Purcell
then he examined a county directory, but
| again without Success. He was scarcely dis
| appointed; unless the Purcells were in trade.
or were people of some note or Importance
they would hardly be down in a county
directory. Then he went down to the police
station and inquired for the inspector.
This is my card, inspector" he said 81
belong. as you see, TO the Middle Temple.
and am desirious of finding out some people
whom have reason to believe resided at
one time somewhere in the neighborhood of
| Bath; perhaps in the town itself, perhaps
ten or twelve miles off,"
what is the name. sirT'
| Purcell"
81 do not know the NAME" the inspector
cold; do you know what condition of life
they were fnP'
II should say that they did not belong to
the upper class, certainly not to any
| county family; but on the other hand | dc
not think that they were of the laborine
class. They may have been small farmers
or shopkeepers
81 will inquire among the men," the in
spector said; they almost all belong to the
country; it is likely enough one or other Of
| them might know the name. How long is
1t since they were living hereP'
| about eighteen years ago."
| The inspector wrote upon piece of paper
Information required respecting family
named Purcell, living in the neighborbood
of Bath eighteen years ago." This he stuck
upon the notice board.
| THE men always glance at this as they
come ill.," he said. "If you come to-mor
row at 10 o'clock l shall be able to tell you
if any of the force here know anything
about it, if not eau send notices to all the
county stations"
| Robert Harbut returned the next daY al
noon; he had been to take Madame Duport
and Constance for a walk, and had left then
| at the pump room while he went to the DO
lice station.
II have found some Purcels," the inspec-
| tor said as he entered. AT least | have
found where family of that name lived
some years ago. One of my men, who
comes from little village named Alnwick
| about ten miles to the northwest, tells me
that when he was boy the village school
master was named Purcell. He went to the
| school himself. He tells me that it was gen
| orally supposed the Purcells had seen better
days. They are both dead now; they LEFT
no children. The man tells me that he re-
members there was great sensation in the
village just as he left school, which il
| eighteen years ago now There was q
| daughter who was suddenly missing
| Every one turned out to search for her
but she was not found. He does not remem.
Der more about it, but the search was
| given up, and he believes, though he is moi
sure, that it was said that Purcell had re-
ceived letter from her, saying that she
had gone away to be married. Purcell and
his wife both died some years ago, within q
few days of each other. Do you think it is
likely that those are the people for whom
| you are in searchW
II have no doubt whatever about il. ,
Robert Harbut said, land l am extremely
obliged to you for the trouble you have
taken In the matter. | believe that the
| young lady for whom / am acting is the
daughter Of the girl you speak of. 1t IL
| very unfortunate that the grandfather and
| grandmother are both dead, as they might
have supplied some information | am desi-
rous of obtaining. However, it is satisfac-
tory to have the point as to where they re-
sided cleared up"
| Robert Barbut went to the pump room.
Constance was watching the door, and in
obedience to his sign she and Annette hur-
ried out.
"You have news" she said. 81 saw it in
your face"
TITS very annoying that you should say
SO, Miss Corbyn. A bar.ister's face ought
to be impassive. Yes, Ihave knews; partly
good and partly bad. have found where
your grandfather ana grandmother lived.
de was a schoolnaster, but am sorry to
say that both he and his wife are dead"
Constance uttered an exclamation of dis
may.
| at seems 70 me that is all bad news, Mr..
Harbut. It makes no difference as to what
village they lived In; what we wanted was
information; and now there is no chance of
getting it. That seemed to be the only clew
we had, and now it is lost"
Il should not quite say that, Miss Cor
! byn; not yet. 1t is possible that they may
| nave oontided in some one in the village all
they knew about the disappearance of your
mother. The man who gave the inspector
information about it, and who was at school
under your grandfather, said it was gener-
any believed that he had been In much bet
Ter circumstances at one time. 1t is proba-
| Die that your mother wrote to him at times
during her year of married life. do not
know whether your father ever acquainted
them with her death, as likely as not he may
not have done SO; in that case, when her
letters ceased, they may have guessed that
she was dead, but may have still hoped on
that she might some day return. In that
case, they may possibly have left letter or
some communication with some one,
probably with the clergyman, TO be given
10 her should she ever return. At any rate,
it Is worth seeing whether this is the case.
Don't Jon think soF
Yes, certainly" Constance exclaimed.
How fortunate you came down with us,
Mr.. liarhut should never have Thought
/ on that, aud IL had found, as you have
! uoAe' that they were dead, 1 should have