The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 352: what you’re looking at

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p> ar 346 — ee early hour that. morning (the former had only, re- turned from her journey on the preceding evening). ; tell you everything. 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 seek explanations. I thought that my uncle had been by some means prejudiced against Louisa; and yet if Mrs. Max- weli had really been to him, it did not seem natu- ral to conclude that she would have been the person so prejudicing him against her own sister. There was & hideous mystery in it all; and I knew not what to conjecture. I fiew to the railway. station: but no ladies answering the description of Mrs. Maxwell and Louisa had departed by any train that morning. An aecident which t need not pause to describe, put me on their track : they had taken a vehicle to Hastings—and I was resolved to follow. Hurrying back to the barracks; / I obtained leave of absence from the superior offi- cer in command, and set off. E traced the two ladies to Hastings: thenéé they had departed in a post-chaise. I also took a post-chaise—and fol- lowed on their track. Frota the information I re- ecived 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 had 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 suc- ceeded 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- gate.” Edgar Beverley thus abruptly terminated his extraordinary narrative; and Christian at once exclaimed, “I will tell you why you came on to Ramsgate! You thought of obtaining an interview with your uncle—but you have suffered the whole of this day to pass, because you have hesitated and trembled—you have been haunted by misgivings, but bewildered by their vagueness and uncer- tainty i “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 I have been placed in a position enabling me to throw much light upon that which is at pre- sent dark to your view.” “Your” eried Beverley, with a suspense that now reached to fever-point. “Yes !—and to prove that it is so,” continued our hero, “ I will at once give youthe 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.” cc rey * But how, my dear friend—how——” THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Listen,” interrupted Christian; “and I will But pray be calm and col- lected.” 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 carriage on the previous evening, to that when he descended from his hiding-place in the tree on the day of which we are writing. Edgar 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 will 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 4 : “Oh, you are indeed my friend!” exclaimed Beverley, struck by the force of Christian’s words. “ For heaven’s sake advise me how to act !” “Tf 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 f “Yes: for it was a priest whom you saw,” exclaimed Edgar; “and Laura is a Catholic. But pray proceed!” he added with feverish im- patience. “The only means,” continued our hero, “ will bé 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 ac- complished P how can a letter be conveyed to her? who will be the bearer of it P” “Yes—how P who?” said Christian, reflectingly. “Oh, 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 !—but 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 selfsame moment his beloved sister was passing through a painful ordeal,—which must be described in the ensuing chapter. CHAPTER LXVI. CHRISTINA’S ADVENTURES. irue!” cried Edgar in the wildest amazement. | It was about eight o’clock in the evening: the Princess Indora and Christina Ashton were walk-