Year: 1875

Maud Winthrop, exultantly, as she
came out of the library softly and fed
up to her room, with the letter she had
gone after hidden in the folds Of her
dress, and a guilty carmine staining
either beautiful cheek.


No one has seen me- she repeated,
as she returned the cover of the letter
to its place, but with a new inclosure,
and escaped second time undiscover.
ed. Now for an excuse to get away
from here to Haybrook. 1t Is very
fortunate indeed that the Lelands have
not seen my Cousin Charlotte since
she was child


Il don't like to be away while Char.
lotte is so ill., she was saying an hour
after to her Aunt Rachel. But they
need me so at home, and I suppose ]
really ought to 60


by all MEANS assented Mrs. Ira.
Ters though we shall miss you.'
She was very fond of Maud Win.
throp. Maud had faculty of making
people fond of Ter when she chose.


The Winthrops were poor as church
mice, and the Travers' were rich, SO
that paid very well to have them fond
OF Maud, who spent great portion of
her time with them, was made much
of, and had wardrobe of her own
scarcely less rich than their daugh-
ter's


Had YOU better take so much with
you when you expect to return so soon 2
expostulated Mrs. Travers, at sight of
Maud's trunks.


1t does seem foolish; but you know
they will want to see all my pretty
things replied Maud


With all that rich attire, and some
jewelry which her cousin had lent her,
besides some that she had borrowed
without leave, Maud had no difficulty
in passing herself off to the Lelands-
to whom she had really gone instead
of home-as Charlotte Travers, the
heiress.


They were looking for her, or rather
for Charlotte, whom she pretended to
be.


The letter she had so cleverly altered
had been written by her uncle to noti-
fy the Lelands that his daughter was
too i'll to visit them, as had been ar
ranged. Maud, who could initiate any
hand very skillfully, had removed her
uncle's letter and substituted one Of
her own to say that Charlotte was COM
ing.


The incentive for all this plotting
was a certain Robert Lonsdowne, be-
tween whom and Charlotte Travers
il had long been the understanding
with the mutual families that mar
riage would be very desirous upon the
parties arriving ut a suitable age.


Robert Lonsdowne was n son Of Mrs
Leland by a former marriage, and pos
SCISSOR Of an extensive property in his
own right. Neither Charlotte nor he
were supposed to be aware of the plans
of their friends in their connection
but Maud had overheard conversation
between her uncle and aunt, which had
given her all the leading points of the
arrangement.


She was not little frightened at he's
own temerity in taking such advantage
of her knowledge, and fairly quaked in
her shoes every time she thought of the
consequence of discovery; but she was
none the less resolved TO persist in her
scheme as long as she could, and con-
graduated herself on the ability with
which she bsd managed it so far.


Maud had lived till her present age,
twenty-one, mainly upon her wits; and
she was in the habit of saving, where
it was safe to do so. that they Cher wits)
had been the best friends she had ever
had.


Maud Winthrop was very handsome
girl. and might have married modsrate-
ly well several times, bnt she was am
bilious rs she was handsome, and loo
confident of her own cleverness to be
willing to accept mediocrity.


The I.elands lived in quite o coun-
try place, and Robert Lonsdowne, far
from being the dashing blood Maud
had expected, was only quiet, eoun-
try-bred young man, who seemed at
first rather overawed by her style and
beauty, and ended by falling desperate
ly in love with her, just as she intended
all the time he should.


Robert Lonsdowne had been an in
valid the greater portion of his life,
fact of which Maud had not been
aware; hence his quiet country life
and reserved, somewhat retiring man.
ners.


At first Maud experienced a feel.