Lady Trebor's Secret, on THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 232, 30 June 1877, Page 4

Lady Trebor's Secret, on THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

[By Mbs. Harriet Lewis.]

CHAPTER XVcontd . RESCUER AND RESCUED. “ It is for a very wealthy lady of fashion,” Madame Lange had explained. “ one who does not care for the price, but who is extremely difficult to suit. If one stitch is set wrongly, she will reject the garment. She leaves the design to me, only saying that it must bo very ornate. Having proved yon an artist in design, I place the cloak in your hands, and wish only to see it when finished. You can take your own time, as the lady will spend the present month in the Highlands of Scotland and will not require it until October.”

The task was a labor of love to Cecil, who delighted in exquisite colorings. “ 1 have tlie idea, Grretchen,” she exclaimed. “ The lady is brunette and the cloak is of rosc-colovcd cashmere. I will embroider it with convolvuli in thread of silver, with graceful vines and leaves. I’ll show you on paper.” With a few rapid strokes of her pencil, she produced the effect desired. Gretchen expressed her admiration and the girl set to work to perfect her idea. Half the next day was spent in drawing, and then the more toilsome task of embroidery began.For a week Cecil worked assiduously, early and late, and the garment, under her hands, grew into a thing of marvellous beauty. She was sitting by her window at work late one afternoon. The twilight was closing in. The shadows were gathering in the of the room, and her eyes were strained by close application. A sudden sense of smarting in them made her drop her needle, and she leaned back wearily in her chair and looked out into the street.

Groups ofpeoplc were hurrying by. At the opposite house the lights were burning brightly, and through the unshuttered windows Cecil could see young girls no older than herself sitting at pianos, or about the family table, or watching from the windows the return of some loved one. Gretchen had gone out, and a terrible sense of loneliness came over Cecil. She clasped her hands tightly together, and her tender young face grew wan and wistful.

“ I wonder if I shall ever have a real home again,” she thought, “ I suppose not. I had no right to existence—those were the words my unknown guardian used—and so I have no right to its joys and comforts. I shall never marry, never have any one in all the world but Gretchen. It is hard,” she thought, rebelliously, her red-brown eyes glooming stormily—“ it is too hard ! lam not to blame for living. I Lave done no wrong. Why should I not have some pleasures like those girls opposite? Why should Ibe punished for the sins of those who came before me?”

The young soul was thus struggling with the great problem of existence when the door opened and Gretchen came in with parcels. “In the dark, Miss Cecil ? ” she asked. “ And the fire almost out ? This is not well. I met the postman at the door and he gave mo a newspaper for you.” The young girl examined the wrapping, address, and postmark with interest. “ From Inverness,” she exclaimed. “ Mr Grafton must have sent it.” “Or Lord Glenham, perhaps. But why should any one send a newspaper to yon, Miss Cecil ?” “ I will see,” responded Cecil, tearing it open. The newspaper was a copy of the Court Journal, which had been sent by Grafton with a purpose. He had made a journey to Inverness to procure the paper and to post it. He had caused, during his recent stay in London, to be inserted in it a notice, false as himself, which was meant for the eyes of Cecil R.osse alone. The paragraph in question was marked with a heavy pen-stroke. Cecil’s gaze was attracted to it at once. It read as follows: “A marriage has been arranged, to take place in November, between Gordon, Earl of Glenham, and Lady Edith, widow of the late Sir Albeit Trevor, Bart., and granddaughter of the Marquis of St. Leonards.” That was all. There were similar announcements above and below it, so that there appeared nothing of more importance in this one than in the others. Its crafty author had well planned its effect. For one breathless moment Cecil stared at it, the black letters dancing on the page, her only sensation one of wild incredulity. She had believed herself prepared to hear the news of Lord Glenham’s marriage to another. She had often assured herself that all hope.was dead within her, but she knew now that she had deceived herself. She had hoped in spite of all. With a little gasp for breath, she arose, staggered across the floor into her inner room, and fell upon the bed faint as death.

“It is all over 3” she thought. “ All over at last! Ami I—what will become ot me ? Grant, oh ! Heaven, that whatever I may suffer, he may be happy !”

CHAPTER XVI. PULFORD ON THE TRACK.

Upon arriving at Castle Cliff, after her visit to Lady Glenham at Breezy

Lodge, Lady Trevor hastened directly to her boudoir, flung off her bonnet and jacket, dismissed her maid, and rang her bell loudly, ordering a servant to send Mr Pulford to her at once.

She was pacing the floor impetuously when her suitor appeared, her brows black as a thunder-cloud, her lips com pressed, her manner indicative ot the keenest anxiety and suppressed terror. Mr Pulford came in smiling and sleek, as usual, his florid face the incarnation of good nature, his hands stroking his sandy beard complacently. His smiles and complacence, however, vanished at sight of Lady Trevor’s agitation. “What’s the matter?” he asked, “ What has gone wrong ? Has your maid stolen your diamonds, or—” Lady Trevor turned upon him abruptly, her hard black eyes feverish in their burning gaze. “ I have promised to be your wife, Horace Pulford,” she exclaimed. “ And you want to throw me over, is that it?” interrupted iPnlford savagely. “ You have been to Breezy Lodge, have seen Lord Glenham, and want to back out of your engagement to It me.

“No; don’t be a fool!” cried the widow impatiently. “ I meant to say that I am your promised wife, therefore our interests are one.” “ That is a self-evident truth.” “ You have threatened me that if I refuse to marry you, you will send me to prison.” “ Why recall words your obstinacy compelled me to utter? You have not refused —let the words of threatening be forgotten.” “ Suppose I were poor, disgraced, in prison, what thou ? Would you befriend me ?” demanded Lady Trevor, feverishly. “ You suppose an impossibility. Who can digracc yon, or east yon into prison —except me ? Are you contemplating the idea of throwing me over ? ” again demanded Pulford, suspiciously. “Ho you propose testing my power ? ” “ If I am false and unscrupulous, yon are no better,” cried Lady Trevor, not heeding his questions. “We are in one boat Horace Pulford. Wc sink or swim together.” “ You puzzle me—” “I am in danger. lam threatened with a mortal peril ! ” ejaculated Lady Trevor, pausing before him, dark and desperate. “ I need your help, or I am utterly lost ami ruined ! ” “ Are yon mad ? ” “ Not yet, but I shall be unless something be done immediately,” cried Lady Trevor, “Do you know who this girl is whom Lord Glenham loves this Cecil Itosse whom he is determined to marry ? ” *• How should I know ? An adventuress, perhaps—” “ Listen. She is of English birth, and he found her at Zorlitz,” Pulford started, recoiling two or three paces. “At Zorlitz?” he echoed, incredulously. “ At Zorlitz,” repeated Lady Trevor. “Is it not a horrible fatality? You know, of course, who she is !” “You must be mistaken. Lord Glenham could never have fallen in love with a servant. Not even a pretty face could tempt the fastidious earl to forget an uncultivated mind, peasant manners, and coarse, ignorant—” “ You mistake. The girl is not a servant. She has been brought up as a lady.” Pulford uttered a malediction. “ Why was the girl left at that house instead of one of the peasants’ dwellings ?” demanded Lady Trevor resuming her rapid walk. “ The pastor and his wife had been teachers. The old habits were strong upon them; the girl must have been bright and apt, and they taught her all accomplishments, as well as the more solid branches of education; and to-day she is able to take her place in English society and do honor to Lord Glenham’s choice. He is determined to marry her. He will bring her to England; Lord St. Leonard’s will see her. I am lost, Pulford, utterly lost and ruined I” A wild groan was wrung from her tortured breast, and her despairing face grew wilder in its terror. “ You are sure, Edith, very sure—”

“ Lady Glenham told me the whole story this morning, that the girl’s origin was a # mystery—and all the rest of it. In the shock of discovering who was the girl whom Lord Glenham loves I nearly betrayed myself. Had the countess not been unsuspicious she must have detected in my agitation my previous knowledge of the girl. To think that she is my rival in the earl’s love— she —”

“ You forget that you speaking to your promised husband,” said Pulford, dryly. “ I did forget it. Yet, although I shall marry you, if 1 can surmount this peril, still I cannot forgive the one who has won the heart I coveted 1” cried Lady Trevor, fiercely. “ What is to be done, Pulford ? The earl will go next month .to Zorlitz, and he will bring the girl away as his wife. I have only a month of safety, only a month of enjoyment of this wealth, to gain which I risked my. soul. Once let Lord St. Leonards meet the girl and hear her story, once let suspicion be aroused, and I shall kill myself. I will never be sent to prison—never, I will never be disgraced. I will rather die by my own hand!”

“ You are too excitable, Edith,'’ declared Pulford, regaining his coolness and self-possession. “ You are too cowardly ever to have been concerned in a great crime. According to your own story, there remains a month of safety. In that time we can easily secure the future !”

“ But we must not kill the girl ?” said Lady Trevor, in a sibillant whisper, halting before him. “ I have committed crime enough: I will not have murder on my soul J”

“ She need not die—unless wc arc driven to desperation. She must be removed from Zorlitz and placed beyond Lord Glenham’s reach for ever. That must be attended to immediately.” scroti “ And who will do it ?” pro BE CONTINUED.]