Year: 1860

may be able to perfect some arrangement for puT-
suing this investigation to better advantage"


This met the views Of my host, and so we left
the matter for the evening. On the following
morning we were up carly, and as the coach
would take us directly to Gamblit's house, we
chose that mode Of conveyance, and repaired at
q seas0nable hour to the tavern for that purpose.
When We reached the inn we found the old far
mer, who had been one Of my fellow passengers
on the night before, stepping about the doorway
in high state Of excitement He had been
robbed Of three hundred pounds and he was
sure il must have been done In the stage coach,
for he had slept with his pocket-book under his
pillow. He had not thought to look intoit when
he retired, but he found It empty that morning
when he got up. He said the wallet bad been
taken from his pocket and put back again--he
knew it. As soon as he saw me he was anxious
should be searched. ] allowed him TO perform
the operation, and then told who l was, and in
formed him Of my business. s


"But," said /, " where is the pale, consump-
tive man, who came in with usl"


:" He went away last night, answered the
landlord, who stood near


My first aim was to satisfy myself that heold
man had been robbed in the stage.c0ach, and Of
this he succeeded in convincing me. After this
my suspicious rested upon the consumptive man,
and believed, il could find him, l should find
q rogue. Should we go to 0rton or remain
where we were9 Stickney said, go to 0Tton first
get Gamblit-and then make up programme
for action. So babe the landlord to keep
sharp lookout; and also spoke to the driver who
had brought me from Sidney, and who was now
on the point Of returning; requesting him, Il he
saw anything Of the pale man, to see that be was
secured. The suspicious individual had only
remained at the inn few minutes on the previ-
Gus evening, and had then gone away in q gig,
which had come for him; but no one could tell
what direction he had taken d. .rl 1ai


The coach for OrtOn soon came to the door, and
| Stickney and myself took our seats inside, the
farmer having determined TO 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 dri-
yer pulled up before q small farm house, where
woman and trunk were waiting by the garden
gate. The lady was handed into the coach, and
took seat facing me, and as she turned TO give
the driver some direction concerning the baggage,
she threw her veil over her bonnet She was
pretty-very pretty-with rosy cheeks, and
sparkling eyes, and teeth that cleaned 10 their
pure whiteness like pearls. Her hair hung in
glossy brown Finglets over her neck and shoul-
ders, and was type Of beauty in itself l
looked at the rosy cheeks again-and at the
|
My gaze was fixed upon this latter point when
she caught my glance, and quickly dropped her
veil. At first felt little ashamed at having
been caught staring at her so boldly; but as the
face vas hidden from sight, and had opportu-
nifty for reflection, II struck nc that l had seen
those features before. a4l


Here was study for me, and was buried in
il at once. Where had I seen that laceS Was
il possible that Ihad ever known that woman
--one so lOvely--and now forgotten herr
thought over all the intimate friends Of my wife;
but she was not to be found there. Then
thought over all the pretty girls bad known be-
| fore was married; but when had calledlkhem
all BY name Remembered that the girl before
me must have been mere child when was 4
single man. II was annoying-it made me pro.
voked with myself--to think that l could not
call this piece Of female beauty to mind.
whispered TO Stickney, end asked him II he had
ever seen her before. He said he had not and
joked me for being 20 curious about pretty face.


We stopped at place called Turner's Mills, y
in the edge Of 0rton, to exchange mails and here
jumped out to see the postmaster, who was an
old friend Of mine--and as ! was returning TO
the COACH the thought struck me to 60 look at the
trunk which had been last put on, and see if any
name was on II. Il was marked with the simple
initials" A. NJ" So that was all | gained from
that source. As came to the coaeh-door ap-
preached It from behind, and as cast my eyes
up | found that the beauty had her veil raised,
and was looking IN at the post-offico as thOurh
anxious for the mail TO come, that We might be
or The expression Of anxiety detracted some
what from her beauty, and as looked upon her
now, seeing her face in a different light, was
struck with sort Of snake like cast which was
perceptiblein the whole character Of her features
was upon the point Of Withdrawing my gaze,
1 kaha akN q md vrsIhn .
slight motion Of her head rolled her curls over
her temple, and saw faint line, something like
q vein, over her LEFT eye. Il was . mark-a
livid scratch-where something had struck her.
Il might have been the stroke Of q whip But


no !; quickly glided back behind the coach,
and there reflected. Such amark as that oOUld
be made by . whip, but was sure that that
mark had bssn made by GJaga! t..- ...r


When returned TO my seat in the coach, the
fair passengers veil was down again. Could Il
be possible that my suspicious were correct. and
that chance had thrown in my way solution Of
the problem which had vexed my deputies so
muehl Yes, was sure Of It; and the more
compared the two faces IN my mind, the more
saw resemblance. Either these cheeks were
painted red to-day or they had been painted white
yesterday. The eyes were the same, the con-
tour the same, and that brow, with its tell-tale
mark, not to be mistaken.


"What's the matter :" asked Stickney.


81 feel chilly" replied. Elm afraid I've
caught more cold"


Never mind Here we are: adose Of some
thing warm will help you"


| As Stickney spoke, we stopped at the door Of
the inn at 0rton. The driver announced that
they would stop there fifteen or twenty minutes,
to exchange horses and wait for the mail, and
also informed the passengers that they would
find plenty Of accommodation in the house if
they chose to goin.


"Wil you step in, mAami" he added to my
beauty.


She said she would; and he helped her out