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

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846 early hour that morning (the former had only re- turned from her journey on the preceding evening). Mr. Maxwell was at home: but he positively re- | lec fused to eee me. The servants knew not whither their mistress and Louisa had gone: but I was determined to find out and seek explanations. I thought that my uncle had been by some means prejudiced against Louisa; and yet if Mrs. Max- wel! had really been to him, it did not seem natu- ral to conclude that ske would have been the person so prejudicing him against her own sister. Thero was a hideous mystery in it all; and I knew not what to conjecture. I flew to the railway. station: but no ladies answering the description of Mrs, Maxwell and Louisa had departed by any train that morning. An accident which 1 need not pause to describe, put me on their track : they had taken a vehicle to Hastings—and I was resolved tofollow. Hurrying back to the barracks, I ubtained leave of absence from the superior offi- cer in command, and set off. I traced the two ladies to Hastings: thence they had departed in a post-chaise. I also took a post-chaise—and fol- lowed on their track. From the information I re- ceived along the road, it appeared evident that Mrs. Maxwell had anticipated pursuit on my part, and that she had exerted all her ingenuity to de- stroy the traces of her route. She bad taken a circuitous one—she had frequently changed vehicles -—and she had evidently bribed persons who could give information, and who did give it too for the bribes which I also lavished. To be brief, I euc- cseded in tracing Mrs. Maxwell and her sister as far as Canterbury; and there the clue was alto- gether lost. Bewildered what course to adopt—— But I need say no more: I came on to Rams- Edgar Beverley thus abruptly terminated his extraordinary narrative; and Christian at once exclaimed, “I will tell you why you came on to Ramagate! You thought of obtaining an interview with your uncle—but you have suffered the whole ef this day to pass, because you have hesitated and trembled—you have been haunted by misgivings, but bewildered by their vagueness and uncer- tainty-———” “Yes, yes—it is so!” ejaculated Beverley, with mingled amazement and suspense. “ But how——”’ “ Because,’ interrupted Christian, speaking rapidly and excitedly, “by a remarkable series of incidents J have been placed in a position enabling me to throw much light upon that which is at pre- sent dark to your view.” “You?” cried Beverley, with a suspense that now reached to fever-point. “Yes !—and to prove that it is so,” continued our hero, “TI will at once give you the right names of those whom you have introduced by fictitious ones—as well as that of your uncle whose name throughout your narrative you have not mentioned at all !” *Good heavens, is this possible?” exclaimed Edgar, starting up from his seat. “Yes,” rejoined Christian: “judge for yourself ! Your uncle is Sir John Steward—Mrs. Maxwell is Mrs. Oxenden—and the name of Louisa is a sub- stitute for the real one of Laura.” “True!” cried Edgar in the wildest amazement. “ But how, my dear friend—how——” tee THE MYSTERIES OP THE COURT. “ Listen,” interrupted Christian; “and I will tell you everything. But pray be calm and col- ted¢’ Our hero then proceeded to explain all those particulars which have been related to the reader, from the moment when he had seen the breaking- down of the iage on the previous evening, to that when he descended from his hiding-place in the tree on the day of which we are writing. Kdgar Beverley listened with mingled indignation and amazement ; and scarcely had Christian finished, when the lieutenant snatched up his hat, exclaim- ing, “The foulest treachery is at work—but I will rush to Verner House—I will unmask the con- spiracy—I will rescue my beloved Laura—and then let my vile uncle do his worst!” “Stop!” said Christian, springing forward to catch Beverley by the arm: “ you will ruin every- thing by your rashness! The door wil! be closed against you—it is now nine o'clock in the evening —you will not see Laura—but you will make her persecutors aware that you are here in the neigh- bourhood—and they may spirit her off to some other place in the dead of the night. I beseech you to be calm—if you value your happiness and that of the young lady——” “Oh, you are indeed my friend!” exclaimed Beverley, struck by the foree of Christian’s words. “ For heaven's sake advise me how to act !” “I will,” responded our hero: “sit down and let us deliberate coolly and collectedly. From what I have told you, it is tolerably evident that your uncle Sir John Steward contemplates mar. riage———” “Yes: for it was a priest whom you saw,” exclaimed Edgar; “and Laura is a Catholic. But pray proceed!” he added with feverish in- patience. “The only means,” continued our hero, “ will be for you to communicate with the young lady, and obtain information from her how she may be rescued.” “Yes, yes: that is indeed the best—the only means!” cried Edgar. “But how is it to be ae complished ? how can a letter be conveyed to her? who will be the bearer of it ?”’ “Yes—how ? who?” said Christian, reflectingly. “Ob, I have it!—the mountebank !”—and he sprang up in delight from his seat. “What mean you?” inquired Edgar, with ex- cited quickness. “ Remain here—patiently, if you can !—bat at all events remain here!” exclaimed our hero: ‘and leave it to me !”—with which words he sped from the apartment. But while bursting into the street to execute the object which he had in view, Christian Ashton little suspected that at this selfeame moment his beloved sister was passing through a painful ordeal,—which must be described in the ensuing chapter. e CHAPTER LXVL CHRISTINA'S ADVENTURES. Ir was about eight o'clock in the evening: the Princess Indora and Christina Ashton were walk- (COLL (C DOO (GO)