The Yale expositor., 1899-08-18

what we've got to do is to make him
hand 1t over. But"-breaking of In his
rapid explanation-'I told you all this
in the letter l gave you this evening
Didn't you read it? Bless my soul.
You haven't dropped it?"-as l rum
mayed fruitlessly in one pocket after
another. "You haven't lost it?"
TITS not here! No, did not read It,
STAY may have left it in the draw
ing-room; wait here whilst l see, will
be back directly"
Mrs. Heathcote and Miss Elmslie had
the drawing-room, contrary to the vir-
tuous early habits of the household,
and the two ladies were seated side by
side on couch by the fire. discussing
over and over again the wonderful sur
prise OF the evening.
What Is it?" asked Mrs. Heathcote.
rising to assist my search. "A letter
No, there is no letter here. Eliza must
have seen II II it had been left on the
tea-tnble. and she never takes letters
or papers away-the Rector has
trained her too well for that. No, 1t is
certainly not here. 1 hope it was not
important But you will be sure to
find it upstairs or in the study Have
you looked there?"
Widdrington was awaiting me impa-
tiently when l returned.
1T Is gone" admitted ruefully. T
GfrSiNht hn -. I, N
drawins-room, and from there here. l
must have dropped it,"
Then the whole things blown
ruined" cried the man. clapping on his
hat, and making for the door. There's
not a minute to be lost"
My letter was gone-there was no
doubt about it. A second and calmer
search through my pockets confirmed
the fact. l had ertire'y forgotten the
paper, attaching no Importance to It at
the moment, regarding 1t as simply a
ruse on the detectives part to attract
my attention; and subsequent events
had entirely driven the whole circum-
stance out OF my mind. / had doubt
less dropped the misslve-with all its
important revelation-in the garden or
hall.
/ opened the window Of my bed
room, which looked over the lawn d
garden path by which l had returned
to the house A mans fgure-Wid-
drington's-was just vanishing through
the gate. He had evidently been
searching over the ground so that no
efforts of mine were needed. / won
dered what success he had had. Proba-
bly, he found the missing letter, and all
fear OF miscarriage to his plans was
over.
sat up late into the night, writing
and reading. Sleep, in the tumult OF
my mind, was out of the question.
had to think over and realize the won
derful and blissful change which had
come into my life. Mona. my peerless
treasure, was mine-my own. And the
cloud which had overshadowed her
even in my most loyal thought-had
dimmed the rapturous Joy OF my be-
trothal.
l had almost forgotten Wild -rington
in the floodtide OF my happiness, but,
when l descended to the breakfast
room the next morning, l was aDruS thy
recalled to the subject Of last nights
interview. On my plate lay a note
marked-"Deliyered by hand" 1t
contained only these words
Gone. Disappeared last night. Let
ter not found"
Later in the day the detectives in
telllgence was confirmed by the Rector.
Mr.. Charles Branscombe had gone
from Forest Lea, leaving no address
behind him. The two or three female
remaining in charge either
knew or would Tell nothing. Charl Q
had always a fascinating influence on
their class and set; as Widdrington had
said, there was something of feudal
devotion in their loyalty to him. They
no doubt thought his case hard one,
and they would not betray him.
Mr. Heathcote's new groom had also
disappe ared-summoned to London by
the dangerous illness of his father, the
household believed.
To be continued.