The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-03-16
CHAPTER VII.
AT THE DUKE OF LIJNDY's.

WIFI greater pleasure than did to Mr.
ROGERS. / was overjoyed at the success
OF hy plan, and felt that now, at any
rata we had advanced one step toward
theFolution of the awful mystery.
Ihe announcement of the identity of
themurdered Harriet Staples with the
missing daughter Of the Duke of Lundy
incfased thousandfoId the interest of
thepublic, for the case was now trans
plated to aristocratic regions and sur
rounded with a halo Of romance, and
when it was further known that the
discovery was the result of the missing
letter competition the excitement was
rendered still more universal
For the moment I was puzzled to
know how it was had not noticed the
photograph of Lady Florence Mostyn in
the albums at Scotland Yard; for dis
inctly remembered seeing her mention
Cd. returned there to make inquiries,
and to my great surprise found an alto
eether impossible photograph over her
name No wonder nothing had come
from my search. The officials to whom
1pointed this out were considerably In
tbrested, and the Duke Of Lundy was
written to on the subject. He replied
that the photograph in the album was
rot the one he had sent when his daugh-
Tor disappeared and was one, in fact,
that he never remembered to have seen
before. So here was further mystery,
Ind the eventual solution Of it turned
put to be Of great consequence to us in
pur quest.
It was now Of the greatest moment
10 learn something more of the history
Of the unfortunate lady about whose
lfe SO much terrible mystery had hung,
and I fastened to put myself into COM
nunication with tho Duke of Lundy.
His grace was very peculiar man
: man one instinctively felt it impossi-
BILE to like. and yet person whom it
would be equally impossible not to re.
spect. He was patrician to the back
bone--faultlessly courteous, but icily
cold. The death of his daughter must
have affected him terribly, but he pre-
sented an untroubled demeanor to the
world, for had she not been dead to him
for years? 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
word of warning, and he was absolute
~ ignorant of her life from that day.
1t was evident I should have to look
to other quarters for assistance, and for
once in way Dame Fortune favored
me-
found out that Henry Wray, an old
schoolfellow of mine, was the rector of
Lamford = the parish in which the
duke S seat of Glenmore was situated
and to him | at once went. He had
known Lady Florence Mostyn for some
years previous to her disappearance,
and he told me all he thought would be
Of use to me. The girl--for she was on
II 90 ven she left her fathers roof
was of happy disposition, and she was
algeneral favorite She was equally at
aoAae' IN parish work, in the hunting
field and in the ballroom. She was ac-
CompIighcd 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 askance.
There was some mystery about this
Durant He was a colonial, had made
his money 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
hunting box for the season, and, thanks
to his splendid horsefesh, his own pre-
sentable appearance, unstinted liberality
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 all the easier. He was
soon invited everywhere. Some invita-
tions he accepted and come he refused,
and among the former were those of the
Duke of Lundy.
From the very first he had evinced a
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 be done this
deliberately, and with set purpose, be
could not have played his cards better,
for she was just the woman to appreci-
ate self modification on her account. 4
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
not quite SO easy to see why she cared
for him, as she undoubtedly did, for he
was by 20 means as well bred or even
as good looking as the majority of the
men of her own set. But it may be that
the unoonventionality caused by the
rough and tumble life he had led was
more attractive to her than the out and |
dried forms she had hitherto met with. |
At any rate Durant was soon establish |
ed as Lady Florence g attendant cavalier, |