The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-15

nave auSCESo u1u toAiiU1S3 Sue AS IHS
sented an untroubled demeanor to the
world, for had she not been dead to him
for years2 I had one short interview
with him, in which he expressed regret
at his inability to furnish me with any
details of her life that would be Of serv-
ice to me. She had left his roof without
a word of-warning, and he was absolute
" ignorant Of her life from that day.
II was evident I should have to look
60 other quarters for assistance, and for
once in way Dame Fortune favored
ma.
L found cut that Henry Wray, an old
schooIfelIow of mine, was the rector OF
Iaarford the parish in which the
dukes seat Of Glenmore was situated
and to him I at once went. He had
known Lady Florence. Mostyn for some
years. previous to her disappearance,
and he told me ali he thought would be
of use to me. The girl-for she was on
" 20 when she left her fathers roof
was of happy disposition, and she was
a general favorite. She was equally at
home in parish work, in the hunting
field and in the ballroom. She was &C
conaplished and she was distinctly hand
some. AS might be well imagined, she
had many suitors, but she turned deaf
ear to all until certain Mr. Arthur
Durant made his appearance, and on
this man, in many respects the least
suitable of her admirers, she did not
look asEance.
There was some mystery about this
Durant. He was colonial, had made
his naoney in store-he did not conceal
that--and he had returned to spend It,
Had he been rich Lancashire cotton
man. or an ironmaster Of native growth,
it might have been difficult for him to
have obtained the entree to the circle IN
which Lady Florence Mostyn moved.
But to the rich American or colonial
most things are possible. He had hired
a hunting box for the season, and, thanks
to his splendid horsefesh, his own pre-
sentable appearance, unstinted liberailty
and genial disposition, he was soon
moving on equal terms with the men he
met in the field. He did not seem to
care for society, and this made his social
advancement ali the easier. He was
soon invited everywhere. Some invita-
tions he accepted and some he refused,
and among the former were those OF the
Duke of Lundy.
From the very first he had evinced
liking for Lady Florence, but though he
was never more animated or showed
himself to greater advantage than when
in her society, yet he did not obtrude
his presence upon her. Nay, he even
seemed to avoid her. Had he done this
deliberately, and with set purpose, he
could not have played his cards better,
for she was just the woman to apprecl-
ate self modification on her account. l
gathered that she eventually let him see
that she did not wish him to keep aloof,
and that he was only too happy to pur-
sue his advantage.
The man was in love with her-that
was understandable enough. But it was
rot quite so easy to see why she cared
for him, as she undoubtedly cd, fer he
was by no means as well bred or even
as good looking as the majority OF the
men Of her own set. But it nay be that
the unconventionality caused by the
rough and tumble life he had led was
more attractive to her than the cut and
dried forms she had hitherto met with.
At any rate Durant was soon establish
ed as Lady Florence's attendant cavalier,
and whether in the hunting field or the
drawing room he sought her side and
remained there with q lcoi1 OF quiet.
unassaming proprietorship.
It is not certain that Durant proposed
to Lady Florence, but If is certain that
he asked the duke for permission to dc
so-permission that was peremptorlly
refused by that parsonage, who or that
particular occasion came as near to los
ina his temper as ever he did IN his life.
Durant was nc longer asked to Glen
more. and Lady Florence's freedom was
heaceforward distinctly curtailed.
Then she vanished, absolutely and
completely, leaving no trace behind,
and she had never been head Of again
by ber family or her friends until her
Identification as the victim Of the South
AuGley street murder.
And what about Durant:'' l asked
my friend.
"Oh, Durant! He staid his lease out.
He seemed much cut up at Lady Flor
ence's disappearance and went out
very little afterward. l did hear he
took to drinking heavily. He went
away at the beginning Of March. re-