The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 357: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PO ee = ~~ mu @enFaa 316 eT ees ee — a rer _ early hour thut morning (the formér had only re- | turned from her journey on the preceding evening). Mr. Maxwell was at home: but he positively re- fused to see me. The servants knew not whither their mistress and Louisa had gone: but I was determined to find out and seck explanations. I ' thought that my uncle had been by some means P w red ~ = RP awe ee FF ~ ' poaolved to follow. requdioed againgt Louisa; and yet if Mrs. Max- elf had really been to him, it did not seem natu- to conclude that eke would have been the pereon eo prejudieing him against jer own sister. There was s hideous mystery in it all; and I knew not what to conjecture. I flew to the railway- station: bué no ladies answering the deseription of Mra. Muzwell and Lowiss bad departed by any train that morning. Am accident which need wot pause to describe, put me on their track : they had taken a vehicle to Haatings—and I was Hurrying back to the barracks, I obtained leave of absenge ftom the superior offi- cor in command, and sct eff. I traced the two ladies to Hastings: thenee they had Geparted in a _ atroy the trates of her route. at-chaise. I also took @ poat-chaise—and fol- ywod on their track. From the information I re. ecived along the road, it 4 evident that Mire. Maxwall had anticipated puresit on my part, and that she had exerted alt hey ingenuity to de- Ste had taken 4 cireuitous one—she had frequently changed vehiclen ' aud she had evidently bribed persone who cculd — ——- | | H ! ’ ' i | givo information, and who dtd give it too for the bribes whieh I also lavished. 'o be brief, I euc- ceoded in tracing Mrs. Mexwelt and her sister as fur as Canterbury; and there the chao wis alto. gether lost. Bewildered what course to adupt—— | But T neod sey no more: I came ott to Rame- gat aS Badger Beverley thus abruptly terminated his extraordinary narrative; and Christian a6 once | exclaimed, “TI qill tell you why you came.on to Ramagate! You thought of obtaining an interview with your unele—but you have suffered the wholes , ) ' of this day to pasa, becaued you heve hesitated and tremblod—you have beet haunted by misgivings, but bewildered by their vagueness and uncer. bainty————” “You, yea—it is so!” ejaculated Beverley, with ‘mingled amazement and suspense. “ But how- #3 « “Becauac,” interrupted Chriatian, speaking rapilly and excitedly, by a remarkable serics of - Incidents T have been placed in a position enabling of thas¢ whom you have introdu ‘ ‘ 4 ; ( I me to throw much hight upon that which ie at pro- sort dark to your viow.” ‘You P" cried Beverley, with a suspense that now reached to frver-point. “Yes !—and to prove that it is a0,” continued ovr horo, “I will at onve give you tha right names by fictitious oned—as well ae that of your uaéle whose name throdghouF your narrative you have not mentioned at all “Good Heavens, is this poasibte # exclaimed Kiger, etarting up ftom his seat “Yee,” rejoined Obrintian ¢ “judge for,yourself! Your unel is Six Folin Stowdrd—Mre, Maxwell is Mrs. Oxenden—dad iemame of Louisa is a sub- A Po eee Oe eee ae OB acres a THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Liston,” interrupted Christian; “and I will tel} you everything. But pray be calm and col- lected.” Our hero then proceeded to explain all those particulars which have been related to the render, from the moment when he had seen the breakinp- down of the carriago on the previous evening, to that when ho descended from his hiding-place in the tree on the day of which we are writing. Enigar Beverley listened with mingled indignation and amazement ; and scarcely had Christian finished, when the lieutenant enatched up his hat, exclaim- ing, “Tho foulest treachery is at work—but I will rush to Verner House—I will unmask the con- apiracy-—I will rescue my beloved Laura—and then let my vile uncle do his worst!" “Stop!” enid Christian, springing forward to ostch Beverley by the arm: “ you will rain overy- thing by your rashness! The door will be closed against you—it is now nine o’clock in the evening —you will not ese Laura—but you witl make her rep aware that you are here in the neigh- urhood—-sed they may spirit her off to some ether place is the dead of the night. I beseech you to be calm—if you value your heppiness and that of the young Indy P “Oh, you afo mdeed my friend ! exclaimed Beverley, struck by the force of Christien’s words. * Vor heaven's eake adviso me how to act !” “I will,” responded vur horo: “sit down and let ua deliberate coolly and evllectedly. From what I have told you, it is tolorably evident that your unsle Sir John Steward contemplates mar- riage———” "Yeu: for it was s pricet whom you saw,” exclaimed Edger; “and Laura is a Catholic. But pray proceed!” he added with feverish im- phtience. “The only means,” continued our hero, “ will be for you to communicate with the young lads, and obtain information from her how she may be reecued.” ‘Yen, yes: that is indeed the best—fhe only means!" cried Edgar. “But how iy it to be ac- complished ? bow can a letter be conveyed to her ? who will be the bearer of it ?” *Yrg~—how ? who?” said Christian, reflectinyly. “Oh, I have it!—the mountebank !’—and he aprang up in delight from lis seat. “What mean you?” inquired Edgar, with exe cited quicknoss. “Remain here—patiently, if vou can '—but at all events remain hed’ exchsirned our hero: “and ledve it to me!’ —with which words he sped from the apartment. But while bursting into the street to execute the object which he bad in view, Christian Ashton httlo suspected that at thia sclfsime mom mt his beloved sister was paasing through «a painful ordeal,—-which mast be described in the eusuing chapter. atiakinthy CHAPTER LXVE. CUNISTINA DS ADVENTURES. stitute for the reat one of ‘Baura.” . . “True! orled Bdyarin the wildest axiasement. | Ix wasebout eight o'clock in the evening: the "But bow, my dear thided how ——" | Princess Indora ahd Christina Ashton were walk- hy NOG -~ as — “ws few wi aa _—=_ v= SwRe aT ws ee —_—= - - ee ee ee ome Se até P| = wr wee © CR io, SEE ee oh pee et SS