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

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 253, 12 September 1877, Page 4

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

o [By Mrs. Harriet Lewis.] CHAPTER XXVlll.— covtd. The time spent in following np this false scent had been employed by the carl and Grafton in visiting every cabstand in London. They interrogated every cabman, offering a large reward to that one who had conveyed Miss Rosso to the Knston Square station, but no cabman appeared to claim the reward. Thus weeks were consumed. The detective then, chagrined and disheartened, returned to town and a consultation was held at Lord St. Leonards’ town-house one evening in November, to consider what was next to bo done. At tliis meeting wove present the old marquis, quite restored to health, and as active and energetic as the youngest there—Lord Glenharn, haggard, and worn, and stern, with a settled gloom in his gray eyes—Grafton, uneasy, watchful, and suffering scarcely less than the carl—and finally the detective, who was greatly depressed, but wbo still maintained his faith in Lis ultimate success. Lady Glenharn was at her countryscat. Lady Trevor was spending a month with the countess, but was expected soon to return to her own borne at Groycourt. “ No answer has been received to any of onr advertisements, except the handbills,” said the detective. “ I have boon diverted from my main search for the Sheffield young lady by several other false clows. I have just heard through a friend in my line of business of a young lady living very quietly in Paris who answers to the description of Miss llosse. I shall leave for Paris in the morning to follow np this new scent.”

“ Grafton and I liavc visited every cabstand in London and its suburbs,” said the ear), despondently. “ But we have had no success. So many men are continually being discharged and replaced by others, and so many weeks have passed that I have quite given up hope of hearing from the cabman.” “ We left printed hand-bills at all th e cab-stands and with all the proprietors of cab-lines,” said Grafton, ‘‘ and wo may hear yet. We must not despair, although sometimes it seems as if Miss Rosso must be dead !’’

“ She is not done! !” said Lord Glenham. “ I know she is not. I have a perfect conviction that she lives—and that she is in sore need of help. But where is she ? In what ti’onble is she encompassed ? It seems sometimes as if I could not bear this suspense longer !” he added, with a groan.

“It will all come out right, my lord,” said the detective, cheerfully. “ The young lady is gone as a governess, or is in Paris, or somewhere else on the Continent. Lor’, young girls are as freakish as colts. She was a lady and proud, and probably changed her mind about going down to Yorkshire, a burying of herself alive, as one might say, and she might a-considered as it would be lowering of herself to do so. We shall find her, never fear. There’s no darkness so deep as it can’t be penetrated if you stay in it long enough.” u Find her, and name your own reward !” exclaimed Lord St. Leonards, with emphasis. “ This mystery is wearing on me. That poor young girl, when I think of all the awful possibilities of her fate, I can neither cat nor sleep.” “ Lord Glcnham arose hurriedly and paced the floor. “ But it will all come out right, of course,” added the old marquis, with a compassionate glance at his heir. ,£ Ws must keep up our courage and our search.” “To bo so powerless, and she in deadly peril, perhaps !” cried the carl. “ I received a letter to-day from the new pastor at Zorlitz. No one in the little German hamlet has heard of or from Cecil. They offer prayers in the little Lutheran church for her, the pastor writes, and every villager shares our anxiety. Oh, where can she be ? What has happened to silence her ? I will not believe that she is dead—yet how can she be alive ?” " Til find her for you in Paris,” said the detective, rising. “ Yet here are three or four clows which I intended to work out, and with which you might occupy yourself during my absence, should it be protracted.” He handed several slips of paper to the earl, and presently took his leave. He started for Paris the next morning, while the old marquis, the young carl, Mr Grafton, and Mr Barker proceeded to work out the clews he had given. All were alike unsuccessful. The detective returned, reporting that the young lady whom he had sought in Paris was an art-student, and the daughter of a London surgeon. But his courage remained. He had some new ideas to work out, and was still hopeful of speedy 6HCJCSS.

The advertisements wore continued in changed forms. Those so deeply interested in Cecil's fate continued their indefatigable research. November gave place to December, January followed, and blustering March succeeded, and still Cecil was not found. More than one detective-officer was now employed in the case, which had become famous in police annals, a dozen theories had been formed and worked to unsatisfactory conclusion, but all the combined acumen bad failed to throw any light upon the young girl’s fate. It was late in March when the Marl of Glonbam, haggard and thin, hollow-eyed, and with stern-set lips, presented himself at St. Leonards House in Park Lane, at another meeting like that we have described. Ho was ushered into the library, and the old marquis arose and silchtly extended his hand.

“ I received a letter from the detectives this morning, desiring me to meet them here this evening,” said the earl, “ Can it be that they have discovered something at last ?” “ I fear not, yet lot us hope while we may,” said the old lord. “ I’ve got a new trouble, Gordon. I heard the other day a repetition of the old rumour that Lady Trevor intends to marry Mr Pnlford, her hanger-on, the devoted friend of her dissolute husband! I wrote to her immediately. Bhe answers that the story is false, yet I know that Pulford has boasted recently that lie will be married to her within a month. I fear that there is more truth in the report than Edith is willing to admit. Is your mother still in the country ?” The earl replied in the affirmative. Mr Grafton came in and was quickly followed by Mr Barker, and the dctcctivcofficcrs.

“ We desire to vender onr report, my lords,” said Mr Martin, the detective first employed. “ You have good news at last ?*’ cried the carl.

Mr Martin’s face grew despondent. “ I am sorry to say that wo have no nows whatever,” he replied. “ The young lady has been missing nearly six months. We have explored Great Britain and the Continent, but can find no trace of her. I may say that wo left no stone unturned in the search for her. We have scoured London. We have limited in every likely and unlikely spot. The books of intelligence offices, gover-ness-offices, fancy-work shops, every place where she might have been, have all been examined. Y'ou will find in these documents ouraccounfs for moneys expended. The sums are large, but they have been well-employed.” “ I will give you a cheque to cover them twice over,” said Lord Glenharn. “ And now what do you propose to do next ?” The officers exchanged glances. Mr Martin then replied; “Well, you sec, my lord, w r o have reached the end of rope. There is nothing remains to be done. ’ “ Do von mean that you abandon the case?” “ No, my lard, if you wants the wbo’c ground gone over again. But for what good ?” demanded Mr Martin, impressively. “ It’s my opinion, and it’s the opinion of us all, that there lias been foul play somewheros, and that the young lady and her servant have both been murdered. Such being our belief we couldn’t in conscience take your money and linger out a search which is perfectly useless. And, so, my lord, we give up the the case. The poor young lady is nowhere on the earth, or w r e’d have found her.” Lord Glenharn drew a cheque for the amount he had mentioned, and attempted to reason with Martin; but that officer’s convictions could not be shaken. The detectives presently took their leave, and the four gentlemen gazed at each other in blank dismay.

“ The case never looked to me absolutely hopeless until now, when the detectives have given it up,” said the young earl, in a-hollow voice. “And now, indeed, I feel that gloom which is the very blackness of darkness. Ob, Cecil! Cecil! where are you ? Is it true that she is dead, in her youth and beauty, and goodness ? Dead ! I won’t believe it! Dead ? Ob ! pitying Heaven, it is only too possible !” 1 TO BE COXTIKUED.J

FACTS FOR FARMERS. Thk following are the lengths per cwt., and weights per mile, of different sized fencing - wire ; No 4—276 yards in 1 cwt No 5 —332 yards in 1 cwt No 6—397 yards in 1 cwt No 7—479 yards in 1 cwt No 8—573 yards in 1 cwt No 9—680 yards in 1 cwt No 10—819* yards in 1 cwt No 11—1059 yards in 1 cwt No 12—1393 yards in 1 cwt No 14—2322 yards in 1 cwt No 4—Weight per mile—724 lbs No s—Weight per mile—s94 lbs No 6—Weight per mile—49B lbs No 7—Weight per mile—4ll lbs No B—Weight per mile—344 lbs No 9—Weight per mile—29o lbs No 10—Weight per mile—24l lbs No 11—Weight per mile—lß6 lbs No 12—Weight per mile—l 42 lbs No 14—Weight per mile—Bs lbs