The Secret of Whitmore Chase.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 41, 7 October 1867, Page 245

The Secret of Whitmore Chase.

A. TATJB oy ENQIAND Sk AUSTBAIIA. Btß.E,lsb, • ft' Author of "A Tangled Skein.” WBrrrw* von tkb iivu’i bat mim Tone*. The right of translation is reserved by the author. CHAPTER ITU K i BISCOVIRI.” BOUT aweek after Warren’s denartare, Qrabbe was greatly astonished at receiving: a telegram from Beecham ]S J Whitmore, requesting his immediate T r r presence at the Chase, and directing him 1 ) to bring his clerk with him. The attorney jIV. at once started for Westmorland, accom- \ ) panied by Walters; occupying himself durA ing the journey with surmises concerning Beecham’s probable object in summoning him. He fancied the message had something to do with the disposal of the property, and hie was not far wrong in his conjecture. • Sir Bryau Whitmore’s health had gradually declined; and as the time rolled on his animosity to Philip decreased, and he secretly hoped to receive from him Borne overtures towards a reconciliation. At length he asked Beecham what had become of the young man; and that astute individual was alarmed at the question. He promised to institute inquiries; though his only reason for making the promise was to gain .time for reflection; and after some deliberation “he resolved to acquaint his father with Philip’s supposed death. Sir Bryan was greatly distressed at the intelligence, which he implicitly believed; and Beecham conducted himself with such discretion in the matter that Sir Bryan, shattered both in mind and body, gradually accepted his remaining son as the future representative of the family aud possessor of the estates. Beecham was anxious tor his father to make his will while in this mood, not that he doubted the fact of Philip’s death, but he feared a diversion of the property, in the event of Sir Bryan discovering his share in Philp’s exile. He cautiously sounded his father, whose reply proved favorable; indeed he directed Beecham to send for a lawyer to draft the will,

which he lost no time m doing. Beecham communicated these tacts to Grabbe, and having thus enlightened him as to what was required, introduced him to Sir Bryan, who was so much worse as to be unable to leave his bed. It was evident to the attorney that the old man was rapidly sinking; it cost him a grpat effort to give Grab he the requisite directions. By the tenour of the will, Beecham was made sole legatee; but Sir Bryan refused to sign the docu-j meat until his old friend General Robartes could' be present. This necessitated 4 a delay of a few. days, which Beecham endured with ill-repressed impatience; but in accordance with his. father’s to ...the General; baronet’s desire. General ltobartes lost no • time in complying with the request of his old friend;; the will was at length signed, and by Sir Bryan’s especial desire, taken charge of by the General. I The thus occupied in these arrangements ren-J dered it necessary for the attorney and his clerk, to remain some days in the neighbourhood, and j Beecham accommodated them at Whitmore Chase.! Walters found himself located in a room which j was apparently used for storing discarded furniture, its contents being heterogenous collections of old cabinets, curiously carved presses, and antique; escritoires, with, which the little modern bedstead hastily placed for Walters contrasted strangely. These articles afforded great scope for Walters’ prying propensities. He did not feel inclined to sleep, and he amused himself by opening the drawers of the escritoires, and peering into the presses and cabinets. Nothing, however, rewarded his industry but a few scraps of old letters, too small to convey any meaning. At length he arrived at the only one he had not inspected, an old cabinet, elaborately carved,'which had apparently been consigned to the lumber-room on account of a broken door. Carelessly opening the drawers one after the other, he found them to be empty, and elosed them again. He found some difficulty in shutting the last one, a small drawer above the broken door, and after several vain attempts, he drew it out to discover the impediment, when he found that the lock of the drawer was broken, and on a more minute inspection be found that the broken part was sticking'across the slide, thus preventing the drawer from shutting. Not wishing to betray his curiosity by leaving it open, he put in his arm to withdraw the piece of wood, and in closing he grasped something behind it, which had apparently fallen from the back part of the drawer in consequence of its broken condition. Hastily palling it out he discovered it to be a packet, directed “ To my son, Bryan, to be opened after my death,” Walters did not hesitate to break the seal, and found several letters, a miniature of a. lady, and another-document, the perusal of which' produced ou".'Walters’ countenance a mingled expression of surprise and delight. “ Good,” he muttered, “it seems that I am to get from one discovery to another. I thought that the rummage of old Skinflint’s safe had produced a prize, but now I have hit on something which will make me independent of the old scoundrel, if I work it properly.” After carefully reading the letters, he pocketed his treasure trove with a satisfied smile, and sought his pillow, where, if conscience is any guage of sound Bleep, it is ; to be suspected his slumbers were light. At length Grabbe and his clerk returned to London ; the*.former well : satisfied with the result of ; his journey, which he exhibited in sundry chuckles; while his clerk, though equally satisfied; maintained his usual morose air.

Grabbe received another, visit from Wilmington after liis-return ; the Captain, was becoming impatient ; theremoval pc' Warren had not rendered his cousin more disposed to smile on his suit. The attorney listened to his complaint attentively;: “You cannot expect a change at once,” he,said, when Wilmington -had concluded, “there is one way to-bring about] whatjfou-wish.”' “ And thatis,”- inquiredr Wilmington. . : ..‘•Warren’s-silence” was the reply. “ There ia a father, a strong; line/by sbmei poet respecting ‘ a woman 1 are no doubt &nililiar. a If she; receives ino’-mtelligencp /from him j-and % few; jiimciohs/ff eiharks ,; at/.sdoh: ,a time may! .work 'wonSerojif'bnce^ ~ ‘ Butwhoisfemaketbeßeremarkßp’, ' inqaired Wilmington,

V “ Have you enoagh influence with jour uncle to procure a situation 1 in his establishment for the daughter, of a deceawd veteran P” asked Grabbe, with a conning smile!! . “ I see,” replied Wilmington. “ Yes, I could do so, but my uncle would .make strict enquiry, and that would defeat your project.” ' “ Not at all,” returned the- attorney, “the girl is really the daughter of an old .soldier j it:is too long a .story to tell yon how-1 became . acquainted with her, suffice! it to aay that if you could place; her in the house onr object would be accomplished. Her name is Jane Dwyer. You may mention it to your uncle; it will look more respectable if the General should call to satisfy himself. Here is the address,” and he handed a card to Wilmington, who took it and left the office

Grabbe appeared to be working his puppets greatly to his own satisfaction.

(To be continued.)

[During the sittings of the Provincial Council, the proceedings of which demand so large a proportion of the space at our command, we shall be reluctantly compelled to somewhat curtail that which we usually devote to the “ Secret of Whitmore Chase.”—Ed. H.B.T.]