Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-12-11


| ing upon them, and Estella had borne
her part in the first outburst of wild
| passion that assaulted him, her shrewd
mind conceived plan for her own safe
| ty, which, with consunmate heartless-
ness, she at once proceeded to execute.
ssSilently retiring from the wordy war
fare, she wrote hasty note to De Court
ney asking him to meet her at restau-
rant near by, sent it by her French maid,
deep in all her secrets, and silently made
her exit from a side room to the rendez-
vous. She safely calculated that in the
tumult her absence would not be OBJ
served In that unhappy family you are
aware that self is the dominant power,
and Estella well knew that when the
fierceness of the storm then raging had
passed it would be succeeded by tears
and historical lamentations that would
claim the attendance of all the servants,
thus leaving her to consummate her self
ish arrangements unmoiested.
sWhat passed between her and De
Courtney can only be conjectured by the
results and letter left behind for the
mother. It would seem that she returned
to the house as secretly as she had left it,
directed her maid to collect all her val
uabIes and pack her wardrobe, while she
proceeded to secure what money or jew
elry she could find in her mothers or Sis
ters rooms and departed with her spoils,
attended by her French waiting maid.
Quite early this morning, as Austin was
passing Roseville, Maud, apparently in
great excitement, called to him from the
library window. He entered, and giving
him but brief statement of the last
L Lott oh,
begged him to find me and urge me to
come to her Immediately.
''Austin gave me all the particulars he
could learn from Maud's hasty and fren-
zied recital, but when I wished to stop
here for advice and if possible to get Mr..
Newton to accompany me on this deli
sate mission he objected, saying she had
especially desired that nothing should be
said to the Newtons. I therefore pro-
ceeded at once to Roseville. Strange
sounds startled me when I entered the
dreary house, but Maud, who was wait
ing in the hall, evidently on the alert to
prevent the servants from seeing me,
hurried me into an Office distant from
the parlors. It disgusts me to think Of
her inhuman, selfish ways. But it may
be that she did not realize the terrible
tragedy enacting around her.
Don't hnger," cried Rose. ''This
suspense is dreadful"
ST will be as brief as possible. It
seems no thought had been given to Els
tella's absence during the night, but
Maud in the morning had ordered her
attendant to bring some ornament or ar
ticle from her wardrobe, which could
not be found. On examining further her
jewelry and most of her choice posses
gions were missing. Then her maid
limited that Miss LIE Barron had been
going on strangely the day before, and
oil the servants remarked it, but the
madam had been SO bad they had hadno
time to give it attention. But now would
Miss Maud please go into her sisters
room and see for herself and not be say
ing disparaging things to poor waiting
maid? judge from the accent of both
mistress and maid that Maud, becoming
furious at the spelling Of her goods, had
Visited her wrath on the one nearest to
Ter. On entering her sisters chamber it
was vacant, the wardrobe and bureaus
Imply, and on the table lay an open note
TO her mother of the most insolent and
Eartless character.
''Sile said that, seeing inevitable ruin
coming upon the family, and having no
disposition to share it with them, she had
Rt once sought her dear Victor, and not
wishing to reveal their misfortunes had
simply informed him that her father had
peremptOrily forbidden her to hold any
further communication with him, as he
pretended he had received advices from
abroad to his discredit, which she did not
believe, but this cruel fathers commands
compelled her to say farewell
"'Of course the unfeeling girl con-
tinued, Il knew dear Victor would not
listen to that idea for q moment, but, as
I expected, begged for an immediate
marriage that very hour, before I re-
turned to my parents. When I was once
his own, [ could quietly collect all my
jewelry and wardrobe, and we would
leave at once, making our bridal tour a
pleasant voyage to his native land. He
was sure father would soon recall us
when he found resistance was Of no
avail Of course she could not refuse SO
elegant lover. They were married
within the hour, and as this haste gave
her no time for q bridal trousseau beft-
ting q millionaire's daughter she was
sure her dear mother and sister would I
pardon her for making free with their
jewelry and such ready money as she
found in their purses and her fathers
escretoire. Robin, the footboy, had
taken her trunks away, she said, and
fearing to incur his masters displeasure
would not return. Her maid also would |
Of course go with her"
The family had listened to Eustace's
narrative thus far without interruption,
overwhelmed with sorrow and amaze
ment, but Mr.. Newton now exclaimed:
"Why, this is far beyond the most I'M
scrupulOus selfshness I ever imagined |