Year: 1860

if I could find him, | should find the rogue
So ! bade the landlord 10 keep sharp
lookout and also spoke 10 the driver who
had brought me from Sidney, and who was
now on the point of returning, requesting
him, il he saw anything of tie pale man, 20
see that he was secured. The suspicious
individual had only remained al the inn
few minutes on the previous evening, and
had then gone away in a gig, which had
come for him but no one could tell what
direction he had taken.


The coach for Orion soon came TO the
door, and Slckney and myself took our
seats inside, the farmer having determined
10 remain where he was until he heard
something about the money. There were
two other passengers inside, and two or
three outside, but they were strangers TO
me. We had gone Two or three miles
when the driver pulled up before small
farm house, where woman and trunk
were waiting at the gate. The lady was
banded into The coach and took seat
facing me, and as she turned 10 give the
driver some direction concerning her bag
gage, she threw her veil over her bonnet
She was pretty-very pretty with rosy
cheeks and sparkling eyes r. aaiT Lung
in glossy brown ri. ge's ever her neck and
shoulders, and was type OF beauty IN
itself. looked at the rosy cheeks again,
and into her dark lustrous eyes. My gaze
was fixed upon this latter point when she
caught my glance and quickly dropped her
veil. At first | felt little sashamed at
having been caught staring at her SO boldly;
but as the face was hidden from sight, and
had opportunity for reflection, ii struck
ne that had seen these features before.


Here was a study for me, and was bu-
ried in il at once. Where had | seen that
face | whispered to Slickney, and asked
him if he had seen her before He said be
had not, aud. .joked me for being so curious
about pretty face.


We stopped at a place called "Turner's
MlIs,n in the edge of Orion, 10 exchange
mails, and here 1 jumped on. TO see the
post who was an old friend OF mine
--and as | was returning to the coach, the
thought struck me TO go look at the trunk
which had last been put on, and see II any
name was on it. 1t was marked with the
simple initials-fA NJ" so that was all ]
glined from that source. AS came 10 the
coach door: | approached it from behind,
aud as cast my eyes up found that the
beauty had her veil raised, and was looking
in al the post office, as though anxious for
the mail to come, that we might be OIL
The expression OF anxiety detracted some
what from her beauty, and as looked upon
her now, seeing her face in different light,
| was struck with sort of snake-like cast
which was perceptible in her features. !
was on the point of Withdrawing my gaze.
lest she should catch me a second time,
when light motion of her head rolled her
curls over her temple, and saw faint line,
something like vein, over her Left ear II
was a mark-a livid scratch, where some.
thing had struck her. 1t might have been
the stroke of a whip. But no quickly
glided back behind the coach, and there
reflected. Such a mark as that could De
made by faggot


j When | returned 10 my seat in the coach
the fair Strangers veil was down again
( Could it re possible that my suspicious
were correct and that chance had thrown
in my way a solution of the problem which
} had veXe1 my deputies so much? Yes,
was sure of il and the more | compared
the Two faces in my mind, the more ! saw
resemblance Either those cheeks hac
! been painted red to-day, or they had beer
painted white yesterday. The eyes were
the same, the contour the same, and tina
brow, with its tell-taIe mark, not TO be mis-
taken. =.


We soon stopped at the door of the inn a
Orion The driver announced that thel


would stop there fifteen or twenty minutes
TO exchange horses and wait for the mail
and also informed the passengers that the.


would find plenty of accommodation in tn


house if they chose 10 go in.


The lady at first did not get out, but a


length she did so, and went into the hotel


determined now 10 find out who she was
left my deputy at the door of the room sh
i entered, having ordered him TO rush IN, il


case he should hear anything that war


rsnted his intrusion. On going into the de


parlment, | found the beauty was sitting b.


window, gazing ont between the blind;


She started up as [ entered, and let her val


fall


"I thought this was private room. Sir,
she said Her voice trembed and sounde'


unnatural.


at may be-" returned "but that doe
not exclude those who have business.
came on purpose to see you"


There was a momentary struggle, an