



Produced by Robert Cicconetti and the Online Distributed
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                            MISS HILDRETH.

                               A Novel.

                       BY A. DE GRASSE STEVENS,

              AUTHOR OF "OLD BOSTON," "THE LOST DAUPHIN,"
                    "WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE," ETC.


    In Three Volumes.
    VOL. III.

    LONDON:
    WARD AND DOWNEY,
    12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C.
    1888.

    [_All rights reserved._]

    _Copyright by_ A. de GRASSE STEVENS, 1888.




CONTENTS.


        CHAPTER I. A VIGIL                                 1

       CHAPTER II. LUDLOW STREET JAIL                     22

      CHAPTER III. "FATHOM HER MOTIVES, PHILIP"           33

       CHAPTER IV. MIXED MOTIVES                          54

        CHAPTER V. A WOMAN'S LOGIC                        74

       CHAPTER VI. A QUESTION OF COMITY                   86

      CHAPTER VII. NON-COMMITTAL                         104

     CHAPTER VIII. A DAMAGING PROMISE                    117

       CHAPTER IX. CONFLICTING IDENTITIES                134

        CHAPTER X. A GLEAM OF LIGHT                      153

       CHAPTER XI. CHECKMATE                             169

      CHAPTER XII. OUR LADY OF KAZAN                     183

     CHAPTER XIII. NO EXPLANATION                        205

      CHAPTER XIV. "FORGIVE HER"                         218

       CHAPTER XV. VLADIMIR'S WELCOME                    233

      CHAPTER XVI. AN ETERNAL FAREWELL                   251

     CHAPTER XVII. AFTER TEN YEARS                       268




MISS HILDRETH.




CHAPTER I.

A VIGIL.


The news of Patricia Hildreth's arrest on a criminal warrant had flown
like wild-fire throughout society. Mr. Tremain found himself almost the
only one of his world not cognisant of the facts from the beginning; and
as he listened to one garbled statement after another, 
according to the narrator's fancy, he cursed the evil fortune and his
own selfishness, that had kept him so effectually out of the way, and
made him play so blindly into the enemies' hands.

He knew very well that had he been at home, or allowed his letters and
papers to be forwarded to him, matters would never have reached so
serious a pass; but shutting himself away as he had done from all
outside communication, there had been no one at hand to avert the blow
as it fell, or to force a more definite showing from the attacking
parties, before the extreme measure of arrest was put into execution.

Esther Newbold's absence, and the uncertain movements of the
_Deerhound_, had proved an additional disaster for Patricia. It was only
on the yacht putting in at New London, that Esther heard of her friend's
trouble. A flaming poster outside the hotel had caught Mrs. Newbold's
attention as she sauntered along the planked side-walk with Miss
Darling, and the next moment they were both reading with horrified
comprehension the bold sensational headings:

"Arrest of Miss Hildreth. Further developments expected shortly. Miss
Hildreth's appearance in Ludlow Street, etc., etc."

These were the lines, in staring red letters, that first greeted Esther
on her landing, after a three weeks' cruise; and their effect upon her
can better be imagined than described. She was, however, essentially a
person of action, and not an hour had passed before she, her husband,
and Dick Darling, were on their way to New York, leaving the yacht and
its guests to dispose of themselves.

That Patricia should be in such dire trouble, and alone, struck Esther
as something so preposterous as to be almost incredible. Patricia, who
counted her lovers and admirers by the score; who was always triumphant
and victorious and worshipped wherever she appeared; whose smile was a
reward highly coveted; whose favour was a prize eagerly courted--to be
in prison, arrested on some crime too horrible even to be named. Alone;
subjected to indignities and privations whose very meaning had been
hitherto unknown to her easy, luxurious existence.

"Ah, do let us get to her at once," Esther had cried, imploringly, after
she had poured out all the horrible story in George Newbold's
astonished ears. "Only to think of her in that dreadful place; how she
must suffer! And in this weather too, so hot and breathless as it is;
and we never knowing all the time, but enjoying ourselves like brutes
and heathens! Oh, Patricia, Patricia, is this what your wilfulness has
brought you to? Oh, George, do make haste; and to think what a viper we
entertained in that dreadful Count Mellikoff!"

"Well, he certainly hasn't turned out an angel," answered George, in his
slow fashion. "For once, my dear Esther, the scripture has gone back on
itself, for he _was_ a stranger, and we made him very welcome; in return
for which he took us in most neatly."

"Don't be profane," retorted his wife, "I'm sure this is no time for
such joking. Isn't poor Patty a lesson to us all, and the evil that has
overtaken her a judgment on our folly? But will you make haste? We shall
lose the train if you are so deliberate. There's the gig along-side at
last; good-bye, my Mimi, be very good and you shall come to Mumsey in a
day or two."

She put her little daughter out of her arms, drew down her veil, and
hurried off her husband and Miss Darling, without further leave-takings.
Little Marianne stood on the deck straining her blue eyes for a last
glimpse of the dancing boat, her white frock and golden hair fluttering
in the light breeze.

Mr. Tremain found himself embarked on a fruitless expedition when he
yielded to Dick Darling's entreat