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tion had proved the solitary ray of sunshine which
had gladdened her existence ; but with the death of
the old man every clue was lost." The hope of re-
covering her appeared so vague, 80 faint, that even
her adviser ceased to allude to it.
About ten days after the funeral, which was con-
ducted as privately as possible, the heiress, accom-
panied by the lawyer, visited the: house where she
ad passed so many wretched years.:. It had re-
mained under the guard of the police, to the great
disappointment of. Miles,: who. had calculated on
securing certain papers which placed him at the
mercy of the agent—they were the incentive of his
crime.
» A crowd of curious idlers gathered round the door
as the carriage of Mr. Foster drove up... The neigh-
bors scarcely recognised Martha in her elegant but
simple mourning—so different from the old russet
stuff gown and faded shawl she had hitherto ap-
peared in.
,. Some thought that. ‘she ‘appeared proud; "others
observed that she would make the old man’s money
fly now that she was the mistress of his: fortune.
Could they have read. her feelings, they would not
have envied her. »»
“ Courage !’’, said her companion, as ‘she. sank;
overcome with 1 emotion, upon one of the ricketty
chairs.
“If she were ‘only here,” sobbed ‘his ‘client, «“]
could be happy. I would have strewed her, path
with flowers, and asked no other joy than witness-
ing her happiness.’ You wonder at my tears,” she
added; “ that this fortune, which the world: so
envies, does not flush my cheek with pride, my heart
with joy; and yet you have children—beings whom
you love—tor whom you toil, and glory i in the sacri-
a “ ‘Tene py ‘observed Mr Foster.
. ®© What could replace them:in, ‘your affection, i
violence or crime deprived you ‘of them Pg
“ Not the wealth of worlds!” ; ;. -
+) “And yet!” exclaimed d Martha, “ you cannot un-
derstand me!’, rs
« You forget there is. ‘this difference—they are
my ¢ ghildren,’ ’ said the man of law; “and nature
“ a She was my child! rm interrupted “the unhap y
woman, impatiently; “not~as you .suppose—for I
have read your thoughts—by blood, but by affection!
Till I knew her, I knew not what love was! Could
I but find her:”. she added, wringing her hands;
* could I but find her! Then wealth ‘would indeed
be welcome to me!”
/ “Tt has its duties as | well as its pleasures 1, ob-
served her adviser, gravely; “and the latter: are
seldom permanent if we neglect ‘the former !. When
I reflect on the solitary existence you have hitherto
led, I can perfectly comprehend the :strength of
your affection for this child. ; The only thing “T can-
not understand is the mystery, you. made; of its
birth!”
Martha colored deeply :. for many reasons she
had decided on keeping secret even from the man
who had so disinterestedly befriended her, the man-
ner in which Fanny had first been pleced under her
care. Never would she afford the least :clue by
which her adopted child might be traced, and re-
claimed by her ‘family, should she succeed ;
vering her. .
She had one hope which ‘she had not revealed even
to the lawyer. .
: “This visit is painful—exceedingly. ‘painful—to
me,” she replied; “there is something in the very
atmesphere of the place which chills me. Have
you seen that the seals are undisturbed upon the
cabinet above? ‘ My wish is, that it should be re-
removed with them unbroken ‘to my residence?’ “I
have not the courage,” she added, with an involun-
tary shudder, “to examine it here? pe
Ir. Foster left the office to examine the chamber
of Peter Quin, and assure himself that the cabinet
was in the condition in which he had left it.. The
instant she was alone, Martha raised the boards be-
neath the desk, and secured not oniy the keys, but
a mass of papers and letters, most of them labelled
in the handwriting of her grandfather.
’ One by one she arranged the packets in an empty
box, which she had discovered in one corner of the
office, and directed it to be placed in the carriage.
Before the lawyer returned, the board was re-
stored to its usual’ place.
“ The seals are untouched,” he said, as he entered
the room; ‘and directly Gtiffiths arrives he shall
sce the cabinet conveyed to Harley street ’—the
house of now the wealthy Martha, “IT believe,”
added the gentleman, “ theréé “are several persons
ood you appointed to mect yout here—tenants,
an
| worst of his crimes.
: | to smiles.
“ There are two whom I wish to see in private!”
observed his client. Miles, the man who Keeps
the house next door ————'
» “He is waiting.’
\ And a woman named: Naney Bright—or rather
Mrs. Gurton: she was the faithful servant of: my
poor mother.”
-. Twill send her to you,’ said Mr. Foster. it]
am ‘aware of your benevolent intentions towards
her, and have drawn up the bond as ‘you directed !”
He placed it on the table. : Martha read it twice
carefully over, and signed her name~-the -Mpeaker
witnessed it.:
' When the weaver's s wife entered ‘the: ‘office, she
could scarce restrain the expression of her joy at
beholding the daughter of her former mistress re-
stored, as she said, to the enjoyment of her own.
"1 have a debt ‘of gratitude to pay,” observed
Martha..,. - go obe do.
ue Debt!” sepeated the woman ; you. owe me
nothing ! | It’s true, the-old villa—hem—that your
grandfather,”’ she added, correcting herself, “ by con-
cealing your. poor mother’s’ will, robbed me of the
marks of her bounty ! I wish: that had been the
God forgive him—he had a
sad end, with all his riches!”. 2
-“ Her hearer shuddered—perhaps in ‘her heart she
was far from feeling convinced that Peter Quin had
died a suicide; she trusted not—for his sake, she
trusted not.
“The reparation is late!" she observed, “giving
her the bond she had just signed ; ‘‘ but I can only
atone—not recall the past..: “This will secure you
competence for the rest of your life.” : ; ‘i
It was some time before the woman could under-
stand the intention of the speaker: when: she did,
the expression of her, gratitude changed from tears
Fifty pounds a year to one in her Posi-
tion was wealth. |
i* You are worthy ‘of your dear mother! Y she said;
drying, her. eyes.; ‘The young‘ ones, shall. go-to
school now—Dick shall be apprenticed—and
h, bless you—bless you!’, Send for. me ‘by night
or day, if ever you think I can be of use to you rd
would die to serve you! Have you discovered —”
:.“ Hush!” interrupted Martha, placing her finger
on her lip;;‘* he is dead, and let his fearful secrets
rest with him! The grave places a barrier between
all human judgment? - Let us hope that your sus-
picions are unfounded !”, ;;,
‘he weayer's wife shook her head. doubtfally:
Nothing could remove. the’ strong ‘conviction she
entertained that her former. mistress-: had been un-
fairly dealt with; True, she had no ‘proof; but sus-
picions, under some circumstances, are ‘stronger
than proofs... Once more expressing her thanks to
Martha, she quitted the house, impatient ,to' make
her husband and children acquainted with their good
fortune, 3) +. behees
--When Miles v was introduced, ‘he entered the room
[ with that forced confident air which guilt sometimes
attempts to mask its terrors. :, The ruffian even went
so far as to hold out his hand.. He had for so many
years been accustomed to treat her with coarse equa-
lity, that. he. scarcely comprehended. the difference
between them.
Peter Quin's granddaughter did not want for tact
—she affected not to notice his impertinence.. Be-
sides, she had other motives for not quarrelling with
him. 5. 2:
~ «You were in “my grandfather’ 's confidence?” she
observed, fixing her eyes upon his countenance.
“ His confidence, Martha—that is, Miss Martha,”
stammered the man...“ I thought you knew the
old ’un better than that. He “employed many—
myself, Bet, the, captain, and Fogle Jem ; but he
trusted no one.” Sdn ateroes
_* Where is the man you name ro i :
. © Which one ?”: demanded Miles, with a certain
degree of hesitation. ”
he one you call the captain! answered the
woman, sternly ; “it was from his hands I received
my child, and he doubtless was employed to tear her
from me. Do not trifle with me,” she added, “ my
wrongs have made, me dangerous—I am no longer
-| the patient, suffering creature you once knew, but
armed with the means to crash those who have in-
jured me.”..
The assassin trembled, and ‘began to feel that, in
compassing the death of the agent, instead of ‘ob-
taining his liberty, he had merely changed masters.
“Tam equally prepared,” continued ‘the speaker,
“to reward those who serve me.”
“ By ail that is holy,” exclaimed Miles, “ I have
not seen the captain since—since ——’
He hesitated—something whispered him that it
would be dangerous to name the exact day.
“Since when?” inquired Martha, curiously, .
}| venturer.!
FRANK 'LESLIE’S NEW YORK “JOURNAL, .
“Tam trying to recollect the time,” replied ‘the
man; ‘but certainly not since the death of your
grandfather! » You’ may believe me!:; What inte-
rest can I possibly. have to deceive you’, Besides,”
he added, gradually recovering ‘courage, “I wanted
to speak with him’ on :my own account! \. I have
.| sought him in all his old haunts—none of his pals
have seen him!) Something singular must have
occurred!”
“ And his chamber?” said the woman.:
‘Ts just as he leftit—not a thing has been dis-
turbed! All I noticed was,’ that a. quantity. of
papers had beer burnt by him the last night he slept
at my house! The grate was full of ashes
a You must find him,” | observed Martha, after a
Pe Miles shrugged his ‘shoulders ‘hopelessly.
‘“ Did you examine the ashes in the grate? 2? she
continued. . ‘ Yes, I am sure you did—for you have
the cunning ; of the serpent as well as the ferocity of
the tiger! “Was there no clue by which he can be
traced t? ...! tadvch. ’
' The ‘fellow gave a Imowing ‘smile: perhaps he
saw in the question some trait bof her grandfather's
calculating spirit. .!Thrusting his hand into a side
pocket, he drew forth a greasy memorandum book.
Between two of the leaves were three fragments of
paper, partly reduced to ashes: he placed them on
the desk before her. «> !
» “There,” he observed, “ are > the proofs that Ihave
not deceived you, and that I know nothing‘ of the
captain’s hiding-place. If he only knew,” he added,
with. an impertinent - leer upon his countenance,
‘how impatient you were to see him, he would fly
on the wings o(—of——”
The look of surprise with which the heiress re-
garded him cut short the fellow’s ‘Speech. ‘He stam-
mered and hesitated,’ :
“The wings of what? Pray continue, said Mar-
tha, bitterly. li
{ s* Impatience, Martha—that “is,” Miss Martha, I
mean!: Lord. bless you, you are not the only young
lady in the world who desires to see the captain.”
* Indeed?
‘
Miles was no stranger to “the project which. his
husband..of . Peter: Quin’s Gunddsughter, who? ne
imagined. would only be too happy to bestow. her
hand and fortune upon ‘the handsome, reckless’ ad-
_As ito’ her. anxiety. about the . child,
although he knew her to be fond of it, he considered
it merely a pretence to disguise her real intentions.
Hitherto the prospect of such an alliance ‘had: been
a matter of indifference to; him; now he ‘ardently
desired :it, as a+pledge of security for the past,
which began seriously to disquiet him.
-7 Martha partly read his thoughts, and, thinking it
might | serve her Purposes did not choose to disabuse
eRe t £ dears a Gl
a Whatever ‘my: motive,” she said, wit is not to
you I shall account for it;-it is sufficient that I am
anxious to find him!” - ;!
» Miles pointed to the halfconsumed fragments of
paper still lying on the desk before her. She began
to examine them attentively. : They evidently formed
part: of a letter the part merely contained \ the
words, ss ly Grange,” and the date, ‘‘ November
Ist; the: second,’ return. directly ;”. the | third,
“days to live”—the number of days, and the name
of the party whose expected death was thus an-
nounced, were. wantin
Martha would have given ‘much, for the fragment
which connected them. Faint as was the clue, she
determined to: preserve it—affection clings to tho
last hope.:
“T shall keep these!” she observed.
) The man looked disappointed—for they suddenly
attained a considerable value in his estimation when
he found that the heiress intended to retain them. |
- “I may trust to your generosity, I suppose ?” -
“Til tell you how far you may trust to my
generosity |” ' replied the woman ; “ for three months
longer I. will permit you. to inhabit the house you
occupy rent free—at the end of which time it must
be given up... More : Iwill even assist you with the
means to ‘ollow an honest calling—instead of cast-
ing you upon the world with which you have been
50 long at war. ; Bat to this favor I annex one con-
dition!” ...: e
: Miles thought not. of conditions. At ‘the
nouncement that he was to give up the house, his
coarse, bloated features became livid with rage ;. it
was with the utmost difficulty he sufficiently mas-
tered his passion to observe that he was Prepared to
pay any reasonable rent.
“Nol”. said the heiress. ,
“You can’t get a better tenant!” :
“I do not intend to let it!” replied the heiress;
4