The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-09-15

| I'm, my dear madam! Your queS-
ton reminds me that l have not given
the miserable girl thought since en-
tered that room! The sight that met
my eyes at first bewildered me, and
when could rouse above it my whole
attention was SO engrossed by immediate
necessities that-well, excuses are use
less. 1t was cruel negligence"
mo, Eustace, you blame yourself
needlessly. 1t was most natural over
sight. She was requiring no attention,
and unless in sight and taking some part
/ do not wonder you did not think Of
her."
"She was rot in the room, am sure,
for have no recollection of seeing or
hearing her again after one glimpse Of
that terrible scene. Inow remember the
-emark she made about keeping her own
,ounsels as closely as her sister had done,
to which l then attached little impor-
lance, but which now 1 fear may have
been painfully significant"
When they reached the house, they
were met by DR.. Shelby and Mr.. Austin
and informed that they were ready for
an inquest, waiting only for Dunbars
evidence, and then would be ready to re-
move the body to another apartment to
be prepared for the grave.
After long and earnest consultation
with reference to Mrs. LIE Barron the
doctor suggested that the wisest plan
would be to remove her to. some quiet
retreat or asylum as soon as possible.
Inquiries were then made for Maud.
Neither the doctor nor Austin had seen
her, and such had been the excitement
and confusion her absence was unno
ticed.
On asking for the young lady one Of
the servants said she thought she had
not returned.
"Returned?' said Mr.. Newton.
Eyes, sir. 1 guess she was sort Of
frightened as soon as she saw her father,
and she noticed him before Mr.. Dunbar
did. Miss Maud never thought much Of
her mother, nor of her father, either, for
that matter, only she could always have
her way with him, poor man! And with
out speaking she slipped right out of the
room and out of the house too"
"Do you know where she VENT
mo, mum, not sure; but Thomas
here thinks he drove her out to old Var
ney's."
Thinks he did? Why, Thomas, don't
you know whom you took there?"
"Why, sir, my young lady came to
me from masters room all whitelike and
called me out of doors, then told me to
put one of the horses into the gig that
the servants use and drive her maid out
to Elmwood, old Varney's place, to do
an errand. Before l could come round
with the gig awoman met me a: 80 back
gate all muffied up and acting us though
she was afraid of being seen. She spoke
low and strange and said her mistress
wanted me to take her on an errand.
But, your honor, Miss Maud's maid don't
wear diamonds and is uncommon will
ing to talk with an honest lad and to
show her face too"
"Well, Thomas, your young mistress
has sorrow and trouble enough and may
well feel the need of advice"
eyes, your honor, but young ladies
amt generally willing to seek advice
from an old lover to whom they have
often said nay" replied the cook.
| Wishing to stop further revelations of
the family secrets, Mr.. Newton inquired:
"Where is Miss LIE Barron's maid?
"Miss Maud's, do you mean, sir? Oh,
she put off some time ago, and for GER
tain much more went out with her than
she ever brought here"
"Well, we will seek Miss Maud in her
own apartment" And as they turned
from the gossip loving servants they
heard the cook remark:
"Well, we'll, they'll have breezy time
of it. Glad it isn't me-"
1t was very evident that the servants
who had remained with Mrs. LIE Barron
through the night had not learned of Els
tella's marriage, pillage and fight.
Mr. and Mrs. Newton assembled to
Maud's apartments. All was silent, but
after a few moments pause they knocked
at the door. She was there and babe
them enter, but when her fathers best
friends stood before her she started in
alarm and made a movement for hasty
retreat. But suddenly checking herself,
before Mrs. Newton could speak, she
turned on them with the widest fury de-
picted on her face and almost shrieked:
"Why are you here? l will not hear a
word. Leave my room instantly. You
come to exult over our fall. 1 can still,
for few hours at least, claim right to
my own chamber. I bid you begonep
"But my dear child" said MRS. New
ton, "listen to me moment. We come
in all love. Do trust us. We lose all as
well as you. Then why should you i'm
agine we mean anything but friendship
and tenderest sympathy"
81 do not believe you-do not trust
you and will not Who told you we
needed any sympathy? 1 for one have
no desire for it."
''Mr. Dunbar came at DR.. Shelby's re-
quest to bring US here, and, my dear
Maud, let us in some way comfort you"
II tell you l want no comfort from
you or any one. Dunbar has, presume,
told you how finely Stell has managed.
/ think I am as well able to act for my
self as she."
"Oh, Maudl Maudl Do no such rash
thing as she has done, 1 entreat you. 1t