The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

A PLOT ° 73 to the results of the accident, and a local newspaper was accordingly furnished her. ‘The particulars of the tragic occurrence itself, as well as of the proceedings before the coroner, were given with the wonted minuteness of detail, and in perusing the sad narrative, Lettice observed that the names of all the killed were given with the exception of one lady, who was represented as being altogether unknown. It appeared, indeed, that she had no card-case with her, nor about her person was there discovered any letter or other document affording the slightest clue to the establishment of her identity. Now, as the name of Mrs. Rayner was alto- gether omitted from the list of killed, Lettice Rodney at once comprehended that it was this very name which ought to fill up the blank left in the sad catalogue, and that the un- known lady thus described was none other than her travelling companion. Lettice was making up her mind to give this information to the landlord of the hotel, or to the surgeon who was attending upon her, with a view to have it conveyed to the proper quarter, when she began the inspection of her trunks for the first time since she became an inmate of that hotel. She now discovered that there was a variety of articles of linen which did not belong to her, mixed up with those effects which were really her own, but when she perceived that the former were all marked with the initials L. R., she beheld the solution of the mystery. She now recollected the manner in which her things had been looked out from amidst the scattered effects on the scene of the accident, and as she was still further examining the boxes, to ascertain to what extent she had thus become the unintentional self- appropriatrix of the property of the deceased lady, she dis- covered a small writing-desk, with the initials L. R. on a brass plate upon the lid. The desk was open, — the violence with which it had been thrown out at the time from the box that contained it having no doubt caused the lock to yield, and Lettice Rodney, being hampered with no over-nice scruple, unhesitatingly proceeded to the examination of the contents of the desk. She found several documents closely relating to the deceased Mrs. Rayner’s affairs, — the certifi- cate of her birth, as well as that of her marriage, a French passport, describing her personally with as much accuracy as such official papers are enabled, in a limited number of CORNICLO® Ss (C(O)