Year: 1867




ascertained Immediately from Messrs. Cam
non g. Co., solicitors, Banslaple, Devon


:" And you think am that young lady !?
Indeed you are mistaken" cried vehement
ly my home is in Devonshire, hut no.
where near Barnstaplc and, indeed, have
not run away from it, And have no pa
rents and my friends will he greatly alarmed
if do not reach London this afternoon"


You can send u telegram to your friends,
ii what you say is true but the description
agrees too exactly for us to lose sight of
you. The young gentleman can proceed on
his journey to London, and inform those by
whom you are expected of the reason of
your detention. We are not authorized to
detain him also" The man smiled signifi-
cantly as he spoke; he evidently doubted
my being expected by anybody.


''But he doesn't know my friends"
said, anger and Indignation waxing stronger
every moments SO | never saw him before
this morning."


There was still broader grin on the faces
of the three railway officials and the old
gentleman with the severe face now for the
first time let his yet severer voice be heard


"Then allow me to say, lit was me he
addressed, ,-" allow me to say that your
behaviour, so familiar and confidential. was
highly indecOrous. If it had been one of
my own daughters, l should have thought
no punishment too severe to infict on such
levity. But cannot believe the story that
you are strangers. l suspected an clope-
mcnt from the first moment | entered the
carriage"


You are wicked and cruel old man." |
exclaimed, as my passionate tears broke
forth like rain; '.and | would thousand
times rather be the fatherless orphan | am,
than have you for my father


"Come, miss, don't make scene,. the
porter said, not unkindly "it'll do no man
ner of good, and you are really trying the
passengers patience too far. II you won't
step out willingly, ] shall have to carry
you"


Drying my tears as well as was able,
did their bidding, and stepped on to the
platform but what was my surprise when
saw that Mr.. Meredith had followed me.
sit Is Of no Importance that should
reach London to-day" he said, 81 cannol
leave you alone and unprotected. Those
two good old ladies trusted you to my care,
you know, and will be as good as my
word; that is, if you will allow me to stay
and look after you."


80, thank you" said warmly, for fell
SO lonely and frightened that the idea of his
friendly presence was all inexpressible re
lief; "only," added afterwards, "only will
it not confirm their dreadful suspicious y


"Never mind" was his soothing reply
sinnocence like yours can afford to be sus
pectcd."


The porters were now, inquiring of m
whether had any luggage should wis
taken out of the train; they hurried me for
ward when l answered in the affirmative
My two modest boxes soon stood beside nj
on the platform, and again those horrid me-
smiled as one of them commented on the ad
| dress.


miss Smith That's commonsl
name, isn't it,"


took no apparent notice of his insolence
though had difficulty in keeping back tn
tears from again starting to my eyes as the,
| followed the train, which was now in mo
tiop. Another moment and it was out o
sight. was left behind Enthusiastically, II
miserable uncertainty what was to be dom
with me; for so much at least was clear,
was no longer free agent. The superio
official, addressing me with far more respect
and Difference than his inferior had done
reused me from the reyerie into which hat
fallen by offering to conduct me to the telc
graph Office if wished to communicate will
my friends


stopped to consider. Would it not bt
better to leave Aunt Sarah in ignorance o
what had bcfallen me? Better to let her Ii,
down to rest that night in the happy, con
fident belief that l, at the same hour, was
resting in peaceful security beneath my rel
atives' roof at Westminster, than to disturb
her mind with horrible, nervous fears, tC
cause her to suffer anguish by a revelation
of the truth? 1t would certainly make hei
| i'll, and she always so delicate Besides, how
could she help me? She could not herself
come to me; what could she do? No;
decided to send no telegram to Aunt Sarah
Knowing my own integrity, trusted my
journey could not be long delayed, and that
by to-morow's evening post might be able
to write to her of my safe arrival in West
minister. Mr.. Smith, however, must bt
communicated with. l consulted Mr.. Mer.
edith about the message. Together we ell
tered the telegraph office, and together con
cocted one to the effect that Miss Christna
Smith was unavoidably delayed, but hoped
to reach London, If not by the same train, al
all events by a later one, the following day.
| added Mr.. Smiths address at Westminis.
ter, and was assured he would receive it IN
the course of an hour at the latest, almost as
soon as the train which should have landed
me at Paddington could possibly arrive
there.


The railway ofiicial-I will call him the
uperintendent-who mad been confirmed in
his previous doubts of me by my refusal tt
telegraph to my friends in Devonshire, my
acknowledged home, was now again little
staggered by the apparent good faith of my
inquiries. Yet it might all be clever ruse
there might be no such person as this Mr.
Smith at Westminster, or he might be the
friend and accomplice of the part in my
flight; for that this young man who was so
attentive, who seemed so wonderfully anxi.
GUS for my comfort, and indignant in my be-
half, was, as stated, an utter stranger to
me until that very morning, was past his,
the superintendents belief. He took out,
however, once again the notice he had re-
turned to his pocket, and once more he read
the description over aloud from beginning
to end. took courage from the slightly
wavering voice, from the looks he from time
to time directed towards me.


"Oh!" said, beseechingly, g there ar,
hundreds and thousands of young ladies witt