"HAND AND RING."

By Anna Katjikuisk Giuckv, Author of "The Lcavenworth Murder," "The Sword of Oamodes," "The Dcfaicu of tho Prude," etc.

CHAPTER VI. tiik sKiMi oi' an atitist, Aliit, v very palpable hit. —IIAMIiKT. Hi: fouml it occupied by some half-dozen men, one of whom immediately attracted his attention by his high-bred air and total absorption in the paper ho was rending. He was evidently a wtranger, and, though not without same faint marks of a tendency to gentlemanly dissipation, was, to fay the least, more than ordinarily good-looking, possessing a largo, manly figure, and a Fair, regular-featured face, above which shone a thick crop of short curly hair of n pecu liarly bright blond colour. He was sitting at a small table, drawn comewhnt apart from the rest, and was, as 1 have said, en grossed with a newspaper, to the utter ex clusion of any apparent interest in the1, talk that was going on at the other end of the room; And yet this talk was of the most animated description, and was seem ingly of n nature to attract the atten tion of tho mo.«t indifferent. At all events Mr Byrd considered it so: and, after one comprehensive glance at tho olegant stranger, that took in not only the personal characteristics I have noted, but also the frown of deep thought or anxious care that furrowed a naturally smooth fore head, ho passed quietly up the room and took his stand among the group of loungers there assembled.

Mr Byrd was not unknown to the habitues of that place, and no cessation took place in the conversation. They were clfacnpsing an occurrence slight enough in itself, but made interesting and dramatic by the un conscious enthusiasm of the chief sneaker, ;i young fellow of indifferent personal appear ance, but with a fervid (low of words and a knack at presenting a subject that reminded you of the actor's power, and made you us anxious to watch his gesticulations a:) to hear the words that accompanied them.

"I tell you," he was saving-, " that it was just a leaf out of a play." 1 never saw its equal oil'the .stage. She was so handsome, so impressive in her trouble or anxiety, or whatever it was that agitated her, and ho so dark, and so determined in kin trouble or anxiety, or whatever it was. that agitator! him. They came in at different doors,she at one Fidoo'f the depot and lie at another, and they mot just where 1 could see them both, directly in the centre of the room. 'Yon!' was her involuntary cry, and she throw up her hands, before her face just ;us if she had seen a ghost or a demon. An equal exclamation burst from him, but ho did not cover his eyes, only .stood and looked at her as if he wore turned to stone- In another moment she dropped her hands. 1 Were you coming to see me.' ' came from her lips in a whisper so fraught with secret horror and anguish that it curdled my blood to hear_ it. ' Were you coming to see nit V was his re sponse, uttered in an equally suppressed voice' and with an equal intensity of expres sion. And then, without cither giving an answer to tho other's question, they both shrank back, and, turning, fled with dis tracted looks, each by the way they had come, the two doors closing with a nmtll tnneous bang that echoed through that miserable depot like a knell. There were not many folks in tho room just at that minnte, but 1 toll you those that were looked at each other as they had not done before and would not bo likely to do again. Some unhappy tragedy underlies such a meeting and parting, gentlemen, and 1 for one would rather not inquire what."

" But the girl—the man—didn't you sec them again before you left" risked an <jager voice from the group. "The young lady," remarked the other, " was on the train that brought me here. The gentleman wont the other way." "Oil!" "Ah!" and "Where did she got oil' ?" rose in a somewhat deafening clamor around him.

" I did not observe. She seemed greatly distressed, if not thoroughly overcome, and observing her puH down her veil, I thought she did not relish my inquiring looks, and as I could not sit within view of her and not watch her, I discreetly betook myself into the smoking-car,' where I stayed till we arrived at this p'acc." "Hum!" "Ah!" "Curious!'' rose ?n chorus once more, and then, the general sympathies of the crowd being exhausted, two or three or more of the group sauntered up to the bar, and the rest sidled restlessly out of the room, leaving the enthusiastic speaker alone with Mr Byrd. " A strange scene !" exclaimed the latter, infusing just enough of seeming interest into his usually nonchalant tone to excite the vanity of the person he addressed, and make him more than ever ready to talk. •'I wish I had been in your place," con tinued Mr Byrd, almost enthusiastically. " I am sure I could have made a picture of that scene that would have been very tell ing in the gazette I draw for." " Do you make pictures for papers ?" the young fellow inquired, his respect visibly rising, " Sometimes," tho imperturbable detective replied, and in ho doing told no more than the truth. He had a rave talent for off hand sketching, and not infrequently made use of it to increase the funds of the family. , " Well, that is something I would like to do," acknowledged the youth, surveying the,other over with curious eyes. "But I hav'n't a cent's worth of talent for it. I can see a scene in my mind now —this ono for instance— just as plain.as I can see you ; all the details of it, you know, tho way they stood, the clothes they wore, tho looks on their faces, and all that, but when I try to put.it on paper, why, I just can't, that's all." '

" Your forte lies another way," re marked. Mr Byrcl. "You can present a scene so vividly that a person who had not seen it for himself might easily put it on paper just from your description. See now !"• And he caught up a sheet of paper from the desk and carried it to a side table. "Just, tell mo what depot this was in." The young fellow, greatly interested at once, leaned over the dotectivo'3 shoulder and eagerly replied : "The depCt at Syra cuse." "Mr Byrd nodded and made a few strokes with his pencil on the paper before him. "Jlowwas the lady dressed? ho next u«kod. ''In blue; dark blue cloth, fitting like a glove. ' Fino figure', you know, very tall and unusually largo, but perfect, I assure you, perfect. Yes, that is very like it, lie went on watching tho quick, assured strokos of the other with growing wonder and an unbounded admiration. " You have caught the exact poise of the head, as 1 live" and—yes, a large hat with two feathers, sir, two feathers drooping over the side, so ; a bag on the arm; two flounces on the skirt; a—oh ! the face ? Well, hand some, air, very handsome ; straight nose, large eyes, determined mouth, strong, violently agitated expression. Well, I will give up ! A photograph couldn't have done her better justice. You are a genius, sir, a genius !" Mr Byrd received this tribute to his skill with somo confusion and a deep blush, which he vainly sought to hide by bonding lower over his work.

" The man, now," he suggested, with the least perceptible change in his voice, that, however, escaped tho attention of his com

iKinion. "What was he like: young >■!■ old:"

■■Wei!. young--aboi!l twen'y.liyc L .should sny : mediumheight, but very lirmly and wmnrely built, with a strong I'miv, large mustache, brilliant eyes, and a look—-

r cannot describe it, but you have caught that of the lady so well, you will, doubt lews, succeed in getting his also." But Mi1 liyrd'a pencil moved with loss certainty now, and it was some time before lie could catch oven tho peculiarly sturdy aspect of the figure which made this un known gentleman, as the young follow de clared, look like a modern Hercules, though ho was far from being either largo or t.-dl. The face, too, presented dit'.ionlties ho was far from experiencing in the case of the lady, anil the young follow at his side Has obliged to make several suggestions such iia : _-'A little more hair on the forehead, if you please—there was quite a lock showing beneath his hat;" or, " A triJlo less sharp news to the chin, so ;" or, " Stay, you have it too siiuare now : tone it dnivn a hair's breadth, and you will get it," before he received even the somewhat hesitating acknowledgeirmt from tho other of: " There, that is something like him !" But ho had not oxpocted to succeed very well in this part of tho picture, and was sufficiently pleased to have gained a very correct notion of the style of clothing the gentleman wore, which, it is needless to state, was most faithfully reproduced in the sketch, even if the exact expression of the strong and masculine face was not. "A really remarkable bit of work," ad mitted the' young fellow when the whole was completed. " And as true to the suetie, too, as half tlio illustrations given in thu weekly papers. Would you mind letting me have it as a souvenir.'"'ho eagerly in quired, "i would like to show it U> a young chap who was with mo at the time. The likeness to the lady is wonderful."

But Mr Bynl, with his must careless air, had already thrust the picture into his pocket, from which he refused to withdraw it, saying, with an easy laugh, that it might" come in play with him sonlo time, and that he could n'otuliord to put. with it. At which remark the young follow looked disappointed and vaguely rattled sonic

coins he had in l.is pocket : but, meeting with no encouragement from tho other, for bore, to press his request, and turned it into an invitation to join him in a social g!a--s at tho bar.

To this slight token of appreciation Sir Byrd did not choose to turn a deaf ear. So the drinks being ordered, he'proceeded to clink glasses with the youthful stranger, taking the opportunity, at the same time, of glancing over to the large, well-built man whose quiet absorption in the paper ho ■.vus reading had BO attracted his attention when he lirst came in.

To his surprise ho found that person just as engrossed in tho news as ever, not a feature or an eyelash appearing to have moved since the time he looked at him last.

Mr Byrd was so astonished at this that when he left tho room a few minutes later ho took occasion in passing the gentleman to glance at the paper he was studying so industriously, and to his surprise found it to be nothing more nor less than the ad vertising sheet of the New York " Herald."

"A fellow of my own craft," was his in stantaneous conclusion. But n moment's consideration assured him that this could not be, as no dotective worthy the name would place so little value upon the under standing of those about him as to sit for a half-hour with his eyes upon a sheet of paper totally devoid of news, no matter what his purpose might be, or how great was his interest in the conversation to which he was secretly listening. No : this gentle man was doubtless what ho seemed to bo, a mere stranger, with something of a serious and engrossing nature upon his mind, or else ho was an amateur, who for some reason was acting the part of a detective without cither the skill or experience of one. Whichever theory might be true, this gentleman was a person who at this time and in this place Mas well worth watching ; that is, if a man hud any reason for interest ing himself in the pursuit of possible clues to the mystery of Mrs Clemmeus's murder. But Mr Byrd felt that he no longer pos sessed a professional right to such interest : so, leaving behind him this line-looking gentleman, together with all the inevitable conjectures which the hitter's peculiar manner had irresistibly awakened, ho pro ceeded to regain his room and enter upon flint contemplation of tho picture ho had just made which was, naturally demanded by his regard for one of tho persons, there depicted. It was a vigorous sketch, and the slow blush crept up and dyed Mr Byrd's forehead as ho gazed at it and realised the perfection of the°likeness he had drawn of Miss Dare. Yes, that was her form, her face, her ex pression, her very .self. She it was and no other who had "been the heroine of tho strange scene enacted that day in the Syra cuse clepot; a scene to which, by means of this impromptu sketch, he had now become as nearly a "witness as anyone could hope for who had not been actually upon the spot. Strange! And he had been so anxious to know what had altered the mind of this lady and sent her back to Sibley be fore her journey was half completed—had pondered .so long and vainly upon the whys and wherefores of an action whose motive he had never expected to understand, but which ho now saw suggested in a scene that seriously whetted, if it did not thoroughly satisfy, his curiosity. The moment ho had chosen to portray was that in which the eyes of the two met and their first instinctive lecoil took place. Turning his attention from the face of the lady and bestowing it upon that of the man, he perceived there the horror and shrink ing which he had imprinted so successfully upon hers. That the expression was true, though the countenance was not, ho had no doubt. The man, whatever his name, nature, calling, or history, recoiled from a meeting with Imogeno Dare as passionately as she did from one with him. Botli had started from home with a simultaneous in tention of seeking the other, and yet, at-tho lirst recognition of this fact, both had started and drawn back as if death rather than life had. confronted them in each other's faces. What did it mean » What secret of a deep and deadly nature could lie be tween these two, that a scone of such evi dent import could take place between them? He dared not think; he could-do nothing but gaze upon the figure of tho man ho had portrayed, and wonder if he would be able to identify tho original in case he over met him. The face was more or less a failure, of course, but the form, the cut of the clothes, tho manner of carriage, and tho general aspect of strong and puissant man hood which distinguished the whole figure, could not bo so far from correct but that, with a hint from surrounding circumstances, he would know the man himself when he saw him. At all events, he meant to im print tho possible portrait upon his mind in case __in caso what? Pausing ho asked himself this question with stern determina tion, and could find no answer. "I will burn the sketch at once, and think of it and her no more," he muttered, half rising. But he did not do it. Some remem brance crossed his mind of what the young fellow downstairs had said about retaining it as a souvenir, and he ended in folding it up and putting it away somewhat carefully in his memorandum-book, with a vow that he would lcavo Sibley and its troublous mystery at the first moment of release that he could possibly obtain. The pang which this decision cost him convinced him that it was indeed high time he did so.

OHAI'TEU VII,

MISS PIEMAN

I confess with all humility that at times the line of demarcation between truth and Motion is rendered so indciinite and indistinct, that 1 cannot always determine, with unerring certainty, whether an event really happened to me, or whether I only breamed*.

Mi: ISviin, upon waking next morning, | found himself disturbed by a gro.il per | |.'li;.\ily. Wore the words then Huffing in spoken oi'.lMdo his door some time during j the past night, or were they merely the empty utterances of a more than usually vivid dream : lie could not tell. I So could remember j the very tone of voice in which he fimuiod them to have been spoken—a time which ho had no dillioulty i" recognising as that oi the landlord of tho hole! : could even recall the faint sounds of bustle which accom panied them, as though the person using j them had been showing another person through (he hall: bur beyond thai all was indistinct and. dream-like. Tho word* wero these : " Clad to .-co you hack, sir. This murder following ko close upon your visit must have been a great surprise. A sad occurrence that, sir, and a very mysterious one. Hope you have some information to give/ " If it is a remembrance, and stici words Mere uttered outside of my door last night," argued the young detective to himself. " the "iicst who called them forth can bo no other "then the tall, and llorid gentleman whom 1 encountered in the bar-room. l>t:l is it a remembrance, or only a chimera of my own overwrought brain struggling with a subject it will not let dropV A.s Shake speare says, ' That is the question !' " Fortunately, it; was nut, fine which it be hoved him to decide. So, for tho twentieth time, ho put tho subject by and resolved to think of it no more. j

But perplexities i f this kind arc noi so easily dismissed, and mure than once during his hurried and solitary brenkfa-l, did lib

ask himself whether, in east] tho words were real, he had not found in thu landlord of this very hotel the one witness lor which tiie coroner was so diligently souking.

A surprise awaited him alter breakfast, in the sudden appearance at his room door of tho very geulUmimi hint allude 1 to.

'• Ha', I'.yvd," said he, with cheerful vi vacity: "here is a line from tlio sup.-nn teiulcnt whii'li may prove interesting- to you."

And with a complacent smile, Dr. Trod well handed over a letter which had been brought to him by the doleeiivo who had that morning arrived from Now York.

With a dim sense of foreboding which lie would have found dillieult to explain, Mr Byrd opened the note and read tin: follow ing words :

'•' Di:.u: Sir, ■ t send with this a man fully competent to conduct, v Ottuu of any ordinary diilioulty, I acknowledge it. is for our interest that you employ him to the ex clusion of the person mentioned in your lot Icr. But if you or thai person think thai he can render you any real assistance by his interference, he is at liberty to ant in his capacity of detective in as Inr as he can do so without divulging ton widely the secret of his connection with the force. — —

"Tho superintendent need not bo con cerned," wild Mr Byrd, returning the note with a constrained bow. "j shall not in terfere in this matter."

" You will miss a good thing, then,'' re marked the coroner, shortly, looking keenly at the young man. " I cannot help it," observed ihc oilier, with a quick sigh of impatience or regret. "I should have to sec my duty very clearly and possess Hie very strongest reasons for interfering before 1 presumed to oiler either advice or assistance alter a letter of this kind."

" And who knows but what such reasons may yet [..resent themselves V" ventured tho coroner. Then seeing tho young man shake his. head, he made haste to add in the busi nets-like tonool'onopreparing to take his led ye "At all events the matter stands open for the present : and if during the course of to day's inquiry you see (it to change your mind, it will lie ciify enough for you to notify inc." And without waiting for any further remonstrance, he gave :i quick nod and passed hastily out. The state of mind in which he left Mr Byrd was anything but enviable. Not tbut the young man's former determination to let this matter aiono had been in any wise shaken by the unexpected concession on the part of the superintendent, but tlii.t tho final hint concerning the inquest had aroused his old intciest to r ( mte a formid able degree, and, what was worse, had re awakened certain feelings which sinco last. night it hud buon his most earnest endeav our to subdue. He felt like a man pursued by an implacable fate, and dimly won dered whether lie would be allowed to escape before it was too late to save himself from lasting uneasiness, if not lifelong regret.. A.tinal stroke of business for Mr Kenis kept him at tho cnurt-houso most of the morning; but his duty in that direction being at an end, lie nolongor found any ex cuse for neglecting the task imposed ti]Km him by tho coroner. He accordingly pro ceeded to the cottage where tho inquest was being hold, and linding each and every available room there packed to its utter most by interested spectators, took up his stand on tlio outside of a curtained window, wherewith but a .-light craning of Mb neck he could catch a very satisfactory view of tho dillerout witnesses as they appeared he fore the jury. The day was warm, and he was by no means uncomfortable, though ho could have wished that the advantages of his position had occasioned less envy in (he breasts of the impatient crowd that was slowly gathering at his back ; or, rather, that their senso of these advantages 7niglit have been expressed in some more pleasing way than by the various pushes ho received from the more or less adventurous spirits who endeavoured to raise themselves over his shoulder or insinuate themselves under his arms.

The room into which he looked was the sitting-room, and it was, so far as he could judge' in tho first casual glance ho throw in to it, occupied entirely by strangers. This was a relief. Since it had become his duty to attend this inquiry, ho wished to do so with ft free mind, unhindered by tho watch fulness of those who knew his interest in the affair, or by tho presence of persons around whom his own imagination had in voluntarily woven a network of suspicion that made his observation of them at once significant and painful. The proceedings were at a standstill when he first came upon the scene. A witness had just stepped aside, who, from the impatient shrugs of many persons present, had evidently added little if any thing to the testimony already given. Taking advantage of the moment, Mr Byrd leaned forward and addressed a burly man who sat directly under him. "What have they been doing all the morning?" lie asked. "Anything im portant?" "A'o," was the surly reply. "A score of folks have had their say, but not one of them lias told anything worth listening to. Nobody lias seen anything, nobody knows anything. The murderer might have risen up through the lloor to deal his blow, and having given it, sunk back again with tho same supernatural claptrap, for all these stupid people seem to know about him."

Tho man had a loud voice, and as he made no attompt to modulate it, his words were heard on all sides. Naturally many heads were turned towardhim, and more than one person looked at him with an amused smile. Indeed, of all tho various individuals in his immediate vicinity, only one forbore to tako any notice of his remark. This was a heavy, lymphatic, and somewhat abstractod-looking fellow of nondescript ap pearance, who stood stiff and straight as an exclamation point against the jamb of the doorway that led into the front hall. "But have no facts been obtained, no conclusions reached, that would serve to awaken suspicion or put justice on the right track?" pursued Ml' Byrd, lowering his voice in intimation for the other to do

tho same. But that other was of an obstinate tendency, and his reply rose full and loud. "No, unless it can be considered proved

that it is only folly to try and find out who . commits a crime in these days. Nothing else has coma to lijrht, as far'ns i can see, and that much wo all knew before." A remark of this kind was not calculated to allay the slight inclination to mirih t which his former observation had raised ; 1 but the coroner rapping with his gavel on | Ihe table at this moment, ovory other con sideration was lost in the natural curiosity w lii'-Ji ovoryono felt as to who the next wit ness wonkl lie. But the coroner had something to say be fore he called for further testimony. j " Gentlemen," ho remarked, in a clear and commanding tone thai at once soeured ai tent ion and awakened inter est, " we hiive spcnl the inornin;;inexamin hiy; Hi,.- persons wln> live in thi-i wlrcot, with a view to ascertainiiip;, if jiussible, who was in ciiiivc iv-aliou with Airs t.'lemmons at the time, the Iramp went up to her door.'' Was it a coincidence, or was there some thing in the words tiiemselves that celled forlh the Htir that at this moinont. took place anioiii,' the people assembled before Mr I'.yrd'.' it was of the sli-jlilestcharacter, and v,,is merely momentary in its duration ; iiovitUujlow, 'it attracted his attontion, especially as it,■■denied to liaveiis origin i/i a portion of the room shut; oiV from his ob servation by the corner of the wall already alluded to. The coroner proceeded without, pause. "The result, as you know, lias not been satisfactory. No one seems to be able to tell us who it wa.s that visited Mrs CUom mens on thai day. 1 now propose to open another examinalion of a totally dilloronl, character, which I hope may be more con clusive in ils results. Mi;w KiiT.nui, are you prepared to^ive your testimony ':" rnmcdialcly a tall, jjnimt, but pieasantr faced woman arose From the dim recesses of the parloiir, Hho was drcasod wiih ilociiiey, if in-} I isle, and look her .-land before the jury with a ladylike yel purfooUy assured air't.lial primiiHcil well fur t!ie corrooliKWs and di.srrol.lou of her answers, Xho coroner at once addiv.-scl her. " full name, inailam ':" " I'lmily l.:'iiiia Firman, sir." " Kmily !" ejaculated Mr )synl, to hiui self, with a throb of ,-udd'en interesl. "That is the name of the murdered woman's corre>poiideni."

"Your birthplace.," pursued the coroner, and I he place of your present residence !"

"] was burn in l.lanbury, Connecticut,' was the reply, "and [ am living in l.'tica. where I support 1113' aged mother by dress making."

"Jlov.- arc you related to Mrs Clemmcns, the lady who was found murdered hero two

" 1 nil her second cousin : her grand mother and mv mother were sisters."

" Upon what terms have you always lived, and what can you tell us of hor other relatives and connections'.'"

" We have always" been friends, and lean tell you all that is generally known of the two or three remaining persons of her blood and kindred. They are, lirst, my mother and myself, who, as T have before said, live in t'tiea, when: I am connected with tho dross-makim; establi.-hment of .Madame TrcboUe: and, secondly, a nephew of hers, the son of a favourite brother, whom she has always supported, and to whom sheiias frequently avowed her intention of leaving her accumulated savings." "The name of this gentleman and his place of residence V •• Ilis name is Mnnsell Craik Manrcll - and ho lives in Bull'alo, where he has a situa tion of.-ome trust in the largo paper manu factory of Harrison, (loodnvm, & Chamber lin." liniliilo ! Mr Hyi-d gave an involuntary start, and became, if possible, doubly at tentive. Tin' coroner's questions went on. '■ l>o you knuw this yomic; man " Vr-' sir. 110 has 'been several limes to our house in tho course of tho laM live

•■ What can you till us of his nature and disposition, an' well as of his rcpinl for the woman who proposed to bonolit him no materially by her will:"

" Well, sir," returned Miss Firman," it. is hard to read the nature and feclingn of any mtiu who lias much character, and Cniil; MaiiMell has a '_'"od deal of clmracf or. But L havo always thought him a i-ory honest and capable young man, who might do us credit some day, il hu were allowed 1o have his own way and not bo intoiiorud with too much. As for his feelings toward his mint, they wove doubtless those of gratitude, though 1 have never hoard him express him self, in any vory allectionate tormx toward her, owiug, no doubt, to a natural reticence of disposition which has been obsorvablo in him from childhood.''

" You havoj however, no reason to believe ho cherished any feelings of nnimoHlty to ward his benefactressI.'" continued the coroner, .somewhatcarelessly, "or poasossed any inordinate desire after the money she was expecting to leave him at lier death ';" "No, sir. Both having minds of their own, they frequently disagreed, especially on business matters; but there wan never any bitterness between them, as far as 1 know, vi"l I never heard him say anything about his expectations one way or the other. He is a man of much natural force, of Ftrong if no! violent traits of character: but he lias too deep a sense of hit) own dignity 1o intimate the existence of desires so dis creditable to him."

There waa something in this reply and the impartial aspect of the lady delivering it that was worthy of notice, perhaps. And such it would undoubtedly havo re ceived from Mr Byrd, at least, if tho words she had used in characterising this person had not struck him so deeply that lie forgot to note anything further. " A man of great natural force—of strong if not violent traits of character,'1 ho kept repeating to himself. " The description, as 1 live, of the person whose picture I at tempted to draw last night." And, ignoring everything else, he waited with almost sickening expectation for tho question that would link this nephew of Mrs Olemineus cither to the tragedy itself, or to that poison still in the background of whoso secret connection with a man of this type ho had obtained so curious and acci dental a knowledge. But it did not come. With a quiet abandonment of tho by no means exhausted topic, which convinced Mr Byrd that the coroner had plans and suspicions to which tho foregoing questions had given no clue, Dr. T red we'll leaned slowly forward, and, after surveying the witness with a glance of cautious inquiry, asked in a way to concen trate the attention of all present : "You say that you knew tho Widow Clcmmcns well; that you havo always been on friendly terms with her, and are acquain ted with her affairs. Does that mean you have been made a confidante of her troubles, her responsibilities, and her cares ?" " Yes, sir ; that is, in as far as she ever made a confidante of any one. Mrs Clom mons was not of a complaining disposition, neither was she by nature very communi cative. Only at rare times did she make mention of herself or her troubles ; bat when she did, it was invariably to me, sir— or so she used to say ; and sho was not a woman to deceive you in such matters."

" \*cry well, then, you arc in a position to tell us something of her history, and why she kept herself so close after she came to this town!"

But Miss Firman uttered a vigorous disclaimer to this, "No, sir," said she, "lam not, Mrs Clominsns's history was simple enough, but her reasons for living as she did have never been explained. She was not naturally a quiet woman, and, when a girl, was remarkable for her spirits and fondness for company."

'' Has she had any great sorrow since you know her any serious .loss or disappoint ment that may have soured her disposition, and turned her, as it were, against the world ?''

'•Perhaps ; she felt the death of her hus band very much —indeed, has never been quite the same since, she lost him,"

" And when was that, if you please?" "Full fifteen years njjo, sir ; just before fihecam.; to this town."

" Did you know Mr CleminoiiH?" "Ko, sir: none of us knew him. They wore married in conic .small village out West, where he died—woll, L think she wrote a month if not loss after their mar riage. She was incoiuioliiblo for a time, and, though she r'on.-sunted to eomo Kant, refused 1 a take up her abode with any of her relatives, nnd so settled in this place, where

she has remained ovcrsinco," The manner of the coroner suddenly chunked tn one of great imprcfltuvenesA " Miss Firman," ho now asked, " dirt it ever uLriko you that the hermit life she led was due, to any fear or npprchuiMion Avliich i>homay have secretly entertained?" " Sir'?"' Tin' c|iies)iim was peculiar, and no one wondered ill the start which (lie j;ood woninn gave. Bub what mainly struck Mr Hyrd, and gavo to the momenta seeming importance, was the fact, that she was not alone in her surprise or even her expression of it; that the indefinable stir he had be fore olisorvod had a^ain taken place in the crowd before him, and that this time there wiih no doubt about its having been oc casioned by the movements of a person whoso elbow he could jnsl perceive project ing hoyurnl the doorway (hat led into the hall.

lint there was no time for speculation as to whom this person mi^ht be. The eoronei's questions were every moment frrowinjj more, rapid, and Miss Firman's answors more interesting.

"I asked," here the coroner was heard to say, "whether in your intercourse with Mrs (:lommous, yon have ever had reason to suppose she was (ho victim of any socrct or personal apprehension that might have caused her to seclude herself as she' did J Or let; mo put if in another way. Onii you tell me; whether you know of any other person be.-idos this nephew of hem who is likely to be boneiitledby Mrs Clemmens'sdeath':'"

"Oh, sir,''wa> (lie hasty and somewhat excited reply, "you mean young; .Mr

Tip: way in wliicli tliin was said, together with Ihe sli'/lii. Hush of satisfnot inn or Mir pri.-o which' rose lo tlui coroner.-) hrow, naturally awoko thcslmsilicriii;' oxi'itoinont of tho crowd and made a.-mal! p'unmtion. A low murmur run through the rooms, amid which Mr I'.yrd though! he heard n sup pressed hut hitter exclamation, 110 could not Ijo sure, of il, linwovor, and hail just mndo n f> his mind that, his oars liad de ceived him, when his attention was attracted liy ii shifting: in the positional' tho sturdy, thick-set man who had been leaning against the opposite wall, but who now flossed and tnok his Maud heside the jamb, and on {lie other .-ide of which sat. the unknown in dividual toward whom so many inquiring fiances had hithci'to been directed.

The <ruiulness with which thin change was made, and the flight, almost imperceptible, alteration infhemamierofthe person making it, brought n sudden enlightenment to Mr Kyrd, and heufconeemade up his mind that this dull, abstracted-looking nonentity lean in;: with such apparent uuconuorn against the wall, Mas the new detective wiio had been sent up that morning from Now York. His, curiosity in regard to the identity of tho individual round the corner was not lessened by this-,

Meantime tho coroner had answered flic hasty exclamation of the witness, by ilis claimim: the existence of any special mean in.; ol his o\\ n. and had furthermore pressed the question a- Lo whom this .Mr Uildreth was.

She immediately answered : "A gentle man of Toledo, air : a young man who could only come into his property by ihe death of Mrs Olemmcns."

"How? You have no! spoken of any urh person as connected with her."

"No,"' was her steady response ; "nor Mas he so connected by any tie of family or friendship. Indeed, I*do not know as they were over acquainted, or, as fur that matter, ever sau each other's laces. Tho fact to which I allude was simply the result of a will, sir, made by Mr Hildrolh'a grand father."

''A will? Explain yourself. I do no understand."

"Well, sir, 1 tic hoi know much about il,e law, and may inako a do«en mix takes in tolling you what you wish to know ; but what I understand about the matter is this: Mr Ilildroth. the grandfather of 1 he gentleman of whom 1 hnvo just spoken, having a large property, which he wauled to leave in bulk to his grandchildren—their father being a very dissipated and reckless man— made his will in such a way as to prevent its distribution among his heirs (ill after the death of two persons whom he mentioned by name. Of these two persons one was tho sou of hi< head clerk, a young boy, who sickened and died shortly after Mr Il'ildrcth himself, and the other my cousin, the poor murdered woman, who was then a little girl visit ing the family. ! do not know how she came to be chosen by him for this pur pose, unless it was that she was particu larly round and ruddy as a child, and looked as if she might live for many years."

"And the Uildrcths? What of them dur ing these years':'' " Well, I cannot exactly say, as I never had any acquaintance with them myself, but ] know that the father, whose dissi pated habits were tho cause of this peculiar will tying up tho property, died some little time ago ; also one or two of his children, but beyond that 1 know little, except that the remaining heirs are a young gentleman and one or two young girls, all of tho world liest and most fashionable description."

Tho coroner, who had followed all this with the greatest interest, now asked if she knew tho first name of tho young gentle man.

" Yes," said she, " 1 do. It is Gouvcr notir."

Tho coroner gave a satisfied nod, and re marked casually, "It is not a common name,1' and then, leaning forward, selected a paper from among several that lay on tho tablo before him. "Miss Firman," he in quired, retaining this paper in his hand, " do you know when it was that Mrs C'lcm mcns first became acquainted with the fact of her name having been made use of in tho older Mr llildreth's will?"

•'Oh, years ago ; when she first came of age, .1 believe." " Was it an occasion of regret to her?" Did she ever express herself as sorry for the position in which she stood toward this family ?"

' Yes, sir ; she did."

The coroner's face assumed a yet greator gravity, and his manner became more and more impressive

" Can you go a stop farther and way that she ever acknowledged hersolf to have cherished apprehensions of her personal safety during these years of weary waiting on (ho part of the naturally impatient heirs'/"

A distressed look crossed the amiable spinster's face, and she looked around at the jury with an expression almost depreca tory in its nature.

" J. scarcely know what answer to give," she hesitatingly declared. "It is a good deal to say that she was apprehensive ; but I cannot help remembering that she once told mo her peace of mind had left hor since she knew there weie persons in the world to whom her death would be a matter of rejoicing. ' It makes me feel as if I were keeping peoplo out of theft right, she re marked at the samo time. 'And, though it is not my fault, I should not bo surprised if some day I had to suiter for it.'"

" Was there ever any communication made to Mrs Clemmens by persons cog nisant of the relation in which she stood to those ll.ildreths V— or any facts or gossip de tailed to hor concerning them that would seem to give colours to her fear and supply her with hany actual grounds for her appre hensions.?"

"No; only such tales as came to her of their expensive ways of living and somewhat

headlong rash into all fashionable freaks mid follies."

"And Gouvcrnour Jliklroth ? Any special yoifsip in royard to liini V"'

| There arc some noes Unit arc equivalent to aliinniilioiiM. This was one of them. Naturally tho coroner pressed the question. "1 must request you to think again,'' he persisted. Then, with ft chango of voice : "Arc you sure you have never heard any tiling specially derogatory to this young 1 man, or thai; Mrs Clcmmeii.s had not? "

I "1 havo friends in Toledo who speak of him iin the fastest man about town, if that could be t-allcd derogatory. As for Mrs Glomraons, who raav have hoard as muoli, and she may have heard more, I cannot say. I know she always frowned when his father's name was mentioned." "Mi>s Firman," proceeded tho coroner, " in tho long years in which you have boon more or less separated from Mrs Clcmmons, you have, doubtless, kent up a continued if not frequent correspondence with her." " Yes, sir." " Do jou think, from the commencement and general tone of this letter, which I found lying half iinished on her desk, that it was written and intended for yourself V" Taking tho letter from his outstretched hand, she fumbled nervously for her glasses, put them on, and then glanced hurriedly at tho slicet, Haying as she did so : " There can be no doubt of it. She had no other friend whom she would have been likely to address as ' Dear Emily.'"

" l.iontlemen of tho jury, you havo a right to hear the words written by the de ceased but a few hours, if not a few minutes previous to tho brutal assault that has led tv tho present inquiry. Miss Firman, aa the loiter was intended for yourself, will you lie kind enough to read it aloud, after which you will hand it over to the jury." With a gloomy shako of hot" head, and a certain trembling in her voice, that was duo, perhaps, as much to the sadness of her !ask as lo any foreboding of the real nature of the words she had to read, she proceeded lo comply :

'■ Di:.\i: K.mim :—1 don't know why f sit down in write to you 10-day. 1 have plenty t^i do, and morning is no time for indulging in sentimentalities. But I feel strangely lonely and strangely anxious. Nothing goes just to my mind, and somehow the many pauses for secret fear which I have al ways had assume an uuduo prominence in my mind. It is always so when I am not quite well, in vain 1 reason with myself, saying that respectable people do not lightly enter into crime. But there arcso many to whom my death would be more than welcome that I constantly see myself in the act of being

"(lood Heavens.'' ejaculated tho spin ster, dropping tho paper from her hand and looking dismally around upon the assembled faces of the now deeply interested spec tator-.

Boeing her dismay, a man who stood at the right of the coroner, and who seemed to bo an ollicor cf the law, quietly advanced, nnil picking up tho paper she had let fall, litmclucl it to the jury. Tho coroner mean while recalled her attention to herself.

"Mis« Finnan," said ho, "allow me to put io you one lioal question which, though it might not bo called a strictly legal one, is surely justified by tho gravity of the situation. If Mrs Clemmcns had linished Ihw letter, and you indue course had received it, whal conclusion would you have drawn from tho words you have just rend':"

" i could have drawn but one, sir. I -liouM have considered that the solitary life led by my cousin was telling upon her mind."'

"Kui those terrors of which sho speaks? To what anil whom would you have at tributed them?-'

'■ 1 don't like tn say ir, ,-md X don't know a- 1 am justified in saying it, but it would have been impossible "for me under the cir cumstances to have thought of any otlicr source for them than tho one we have al ruady mentioned.'1 "And that is V" inexorably pursued the coroner. " Mr (iouvcrneur Hildreth." (To be Continued.)

A SAD Virginia Romance.

V\ im.i: visiting an old friend in a Virginia village a month ago, 1 attended worship one Sunday at (ho parish church, and was, vory much attracted by an aged and handsome couple who sat in the pew opposite me. The pastor preached a vory affecting sermon on the " IVodijral'a Return," which, I noticed, ali'ectcd the old lady to tears and had a marked eflbct on the gentleman. I mentioned the circumstance that evening to my friend, when sue related to mo the follow ing sad, true story :—

The old couple were Mr and Mrs Col.

|l . They were both of the most aristocratic, wealthy families of Virginia. Col. I) was an honourable, upright gentleman, but very proud and passionate. Ho had one son, "(.lus,1' his only heir—a warm-hearted, generous, pleasing young man, just turning his twonty-lirst year. Ho was well-known throughout the county, and was beloved by idl who knew him. He inherited his father's pride, but not his violent nature.

About a niilo from Col. I>——'s residence lived a gentleman between whose family and tho Colonel's a feud of long standing existed. Col. I)——had frequently warned his son, not under any circumstances over to visit any member of the gentleman's family. A daughter of the hated house, on her eighteenth birthday, gave a largo party, to which all tho young people were invited, including the venerable Colonel's son (Jus. On hearing of the party and his son's invitation to it, ho sent for him and most positively forbade him to attend. The son promised ho would not.

Tho invitations wore for -A o'clock, as a BUjipoi' on the lawn was part of the pro gramme. About ."> o'clock on that day, l»us called for his team, a splendid pair of hand some greySi and ordered the coachman to drive him. Some time after his departure Col. .13-—, who had hecn away since moni ing, rotnrned, and on asking for his son, was informed by one of tho servants that he had driven out two hours ago. The Colonel flew into a passion, called for his hunting whip, mounted his horse, and rode swiftly towards the neighbour's mansion. As he dashed past he saw his son's team under the trees, and caved for by his own coachman, lie kept on to a small shady lane leading in an opposito direction from tho houso, when ho suddenly r-amo upon his son walking with a young lady, and without a word, he rode up, seized him and cut him several times over the face and back with his riding whip. " You ungrateful scoundrel," lie said, " never cross my ptith again." The Colonel':; faco was white with passion as he rode away.

This happened over fifteen years ago, and although thousands of dollars have been spent and every cil'orfc made to Jind some traces of tho missing man, they have been inollbctunl, and not one person who knew him before has ever seen him since that day. The sad truth was that the Colonel's son, it was found afterwards, had not gone to tho party, but loaned his team to a young^ friend to whom both his father and himself were warmly attached, and who drove Gits as far as the lane, where his father had mot him and chastised him in the presence of her lie loved, and whom he had accidentally met.— Richmond, Va., Letter to "Philadelphia Press," March 17th.

" JLI ! where did you get them trousers':" asked an Irishman of a man who happened to bo passing with a pair of remarkably short trousers* on. " I got them were they grew,'' was the indignant reply. "Then be me conscience,1' said Paddy, "you've pulled them a year too soon !"

IS ME IN HIS DOTAGE?

■Singular Stores About tho Condition

of Old Emporor William,

New York April 12. — A London cable special lo the "World" says: Emperor William, it is reported on good authority, has entered into a state of pronounced dot age, Ho has bocomo abnormally suspicious of every person surrounding him, and con stantly exhibits a childish eagerness to bo

before the public in imperial state, and lo

perform royal duties. This mania renders him almost intractable to tho attending physicians, and they find themselves com pelled to resort to all lands of subterfuges in order to deceive their patient into accept • ing hucli discipline as is absolutely neccs sary in his present enfeebled condition. It is said that one of the principal medical ad visers of the Emperor has been ordered by him into disgrace because tho prudent doc tor, in an excess of zeal, found himself com pelled to resort to a white lie for the purpose of preventing his Imperial Majesty from imprudently enjoying a drive when tod. weak to bear the exercise.

The doctor on the occasion referred to in duced the Kaiser to spend tho day indoors by misrepresenting the state of the ther mometer and barometrical indications out side. William did not discover the decep tion until the next day, when he learned from a non-posted visitor that the weather on the previous day had been delightful. This information made thc'Kaiser furious, and he at once forbade tho offending doctor to ever again enter his imperial presence. The fact that such deceptions as tne above are found necessary by the court physicians, and that the order of expulsion is secretly ignored, indicates plainly how far advanced is the old Emperor's childishness. Of course the authorities officially deny that tho aged Emperor is seriously ailing, and^buay them selves in making many official declarations that he is rapidly recovering, but all these official r,otices may be set down as an at tempt at statecraft to hide the disagree ible truth, which 13 that the Emperor is far on the dangerous side of tho line of decadence. lie at present is suffering greatly from in somnia, that set in during a congestive chill which prostrated him last Tuesday, and which kept the atttending physicians desperately engaged at his bedside all night. It is on tho programme that the Emperor shall go to Darmstadt next Tuesday, and that (Jueon Victoria shall arrive there the following Thursday, and a state meeting between the two takes place on tho 21st inst. There is groat anxiety both in London and Berlin to have the meeting take place, and there can be little doubt that William will keep his appoint ment, if alive, and the doctors dare allow him to go, no matter what may be tho con sequences to his health.

The Queen of Tahiti.

Tm: Queen of Tahiti is at present in Paris. A society paper gives the following account of her doings in the capital of Prance. :—

" The Queen,after a needed repose from the fatigue of her journey, took a drive on Fri day morning, March Ist, about Paris. Sho also visited several establishments, and pur chased various articles of apparel and jew ■ cilery before returning to the hotel to dine, and in the evening went to the theatre. It may bo interesting to mention that her Majesty is a lover of the weed, and indulges largely in cigarettes ; and her musical tal ents are frequently displayed by clever per formances on the clarinet. Before ordering her carriage on Friday morning, the other occupants of the hotel were dolighted by hearing a tune with variations played by Queen Maraii upon the sonorous instrument of her predeliction. The Koyal stay in Paris is limited until the Sth prox., and the august visitor lias expressed her intention (if seeing as much as possible of Parisian life, and viewing all the sights of interest during that period. Her Majesty has travelled from Otaheito by way of San Francisco and New York with no other escort than.a French lawyer, who is a functionary in what used to be the island kingdom of Potnare. Her Majesty does not give herself royal airs. She feels that to do so would be ridiculous. In the guest-book at the Hotel do Lille et d'Albion sho is simply ' Madame Sarnho.' Her walk is a little bouncing, and her stature of al most masculine height. Although educated in a very genteel school in Sydney,' sho smokes not alone cigarettes, but a short black pipe, Hko any old Irishwoman. Handsome she must have been when young, but she is already old-looking, and the fea tures are assuming a look of savage energy which reminds one that her no remote an cestors may have dined on haunch of mis sionary, and that her Royal father-in-law, when the young consort of Queen I'omaro, regarded a white cravat as a suilicient Court uniform. That was before Pritchard went to Otaheifc to trade in Bibles and drugs, and Louis Philippe brought the Otaheitean group of islands under the protectorate of France. Mavaii is the daughter of, a Mr Salmon, a Jew, and of a native' princess ' whose family reigned before, the usurpation of the Ppmare dynasty. Ho planted orange groves, and carried on a trade in their fruit at' Sydney when New South Wales was a younger and less developed colony. The Queen plays the piano, swims like a fish, and used te be fond of dancing. Her husband loves her not, and sho is enchanted to be away from him in Europe. There wa's something of the dog in the exuberant cordiality with which she hugged some gentlemen —a brother-in-law and nephews, we were told— who awaited hei at the St. Lazare Terminus. Her advent there was regarded in the light of a bit of fun by some hundreds of unem ployed workpeople who came to witness her arrival. Sho has very fine eyes, and a quan tity of long, dark, sleek hair, which, we nre sure, would look well done up with natural flowers in the Otaheitan fashion. One of her numerous sisters was to have come with her to Europe, but illness prevented her, so thut Maraii had to depend altogether for society on the French lawyer."

Advice to a Young Wife.

Nkvhk disturb a man while reading his paper. Never ask a fat man for anything while pulling on his boots. Never speak to a man until ho has had something good to cat. Never discuss servants at laWo. When you want anything wait until your husband has had his breakfast, and then holi) him tenderly into his coat, and while behind him, smoothing his collar the right way, ask for it. When he looks injured and plaintive ex nminc Ins plate: there is sure to be a vaonncy. If he comes to breakfast looking on the eve of sobs ask not the reason, for he will answer that he had but one towel. If lie lies on the sofa after dinner and shakes the house with his snores, accuse him not of sleeping, for he is " merely thinking with his eyes shut." If he says he is "going to the cluli for an hour, dear," bid him adieu for tho even ing If he loses his handkerchiefs everywhere but at home, let him have his own way about it, that the washerwoman is dishonest with ■ out your knowing it. If you want him to do anything never tell him it is good for him for he will not be tisd to a woman's apron strings.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1884,

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