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

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 276, 5 December 1877, Page 4

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

fßv Mi:s, Harriet Lewis.] CHAPTER XLV.L— coni/L “ X say,” said Mrs Peters at length, tiring of the stillness, “whore is the child ?” “ It’s dead !” said her ladyship, huskily, not moving. “ .Dead ?” repeated Mrs Peters. “ Did yon think it promised a long life?” said Lady Trevor, with a sneer. “ Was it. so healthy that you anticipated for it a good old age ?” “ Why. no. The child was sickly from its birth. The doctor said it had marasmus. It sort o’ pined and wasted away from the very beginning, hut then you said that good living and good doctoring might bring it out, after all.” “ Weil, they did’nt.” “ I’ve often wondered,” said Mrs Peters, “why a rich lady, newly man lid as you seemed to be, not much above twenty years old, should have wished to adopt a little sickly child like mine. To bo sure the child was pretty, if I do say it, with her little fair face and brown curls and bright, soft eyes, so uncomplaining and gentle always, and at the time I believed you had took a fancy to her, you and Mr Nelson, which was Sir Albert Trevor, I suppose, i thought that perhaps you could do more for her than 1 could, and perhaps some of the great doctors might cure her.”

Lady Trevor moved uneasily, but did not answer.

“ 1 should never have let her go if I hadn’t loon situated just as I was, and if 1 hadn’t bolh veil I was acting for the child’s good,” continued Mrs Peters. “ I was driven to do it to keep myself from starving, and hoping to save poor -Fanny’s life. Your leaving’ so suddenly made mo frantic. I never forgot little Fanny, nor lost ail hope of seeing you again. And now wo have met at last.”

“ What can yon have to say to me, now that v/cliavc met ?” demanded Lady Trevor. “ I neither deny nor acknowledge in so many words that 1 am the woman you know as Mrs Nelson. But if I am, you can have no chum upon me —the child being dead.” “ Can I not have ? When and where did she die ?” “ On the Continent.” “ Did she die in Paris ?” Lady Trevor did not answer.

“ I have hoard how you came into your great fortune through the death of your little slop-sister, the Lady Alba llavcndalo,” said Mrs Peters, “ I can't prove nothing, but I suspect a most stupendous fraud —” “ Woman !”

“ I suspect,” said Mrs Peters calmly, “ that you took rny poor, little, sickly child and passed her oft ns tlio little Lady Alba. I suspect that the child vrho died in Paris, and was brought to England and buried in the vault of the Marquis of Leonards, was my own sickly little Fanny. Perhaps the real Lady Alba was poisoned helorc-haud. Perhaps the real Lady Alba is alive to-day—” “ Woman i bow dare you speak such words to me ?” “ I think all these things, but I can’t prove ’em—” “ 1 should think jou could not. If yon dared charge mo with such a crime in the hearing of other people I’d have yon sent to prison. Do yon know what rank and wealth and influence can do ? I can crush you as I would a worm !”

“ Perhaps so,” said the seamstress; hut if 1 could prove what I suspect, I’d defy yon, and go to Lord St. Leonards this very morning with my' story. I’m an honest woman, although I. am poor. I would bo no party to a fraud, ray lady Trevor. But I cannot bo certain. If Lord St. Leonards were to ask mo for proofs, I could not give them. In telling him all I suspect, I should only be getting myself into trouble that 1 couldn’t sec my way out of. I’ve thought the matter over, lying awake all last night. I know very well that I told a story against you that I couldn’t prove, I should bo put in prison for libel, because suspicions go for nothing wtih the law. And so, madam, against my will Pam forced to bo silent.”

“ You have wronged me by your vile suspicions, Mrs Peters. My little stop-sister, the Lady Alba liavondalo, died—”

“In Paris ? At the. same time with ray Fanny ? The Lady Alba was in your charge. Did you have the two children together ?’’ “ Yes, they wore together. Your little Fanny was procured as a play-mate for tie little Lady Alba—•“■Who died of marasmus, like my Fanny'? Where is my child buried ?” “ In Paris,” said said Lady Trevor, desperately. “At Montmartre,” ‘‘ 1 shall visit her grave. You may think because I gave her up so readily to strangers that 1 did not love the child. J uid Jove her. The mystery of her fate has always'weighed upon ms. I have looked for you for years. Lady Trevor, knowing that if I could get at the truth 'l;should, have -yon in my power. I am not very sharp-witted; I cannot -.see Through this mystery yet... lt.iaay.beas you say—”

,“ You waste words. You came 1 here for money. How much do you want to ensure your complete silence ?” “ I am a widow and poor, with three sons to support. I have done sewing for a living, but ora not able to work longer. I want an annuity sufficient to keep me in comfort and to educate my boys.” “ Bay a hundred pounds a year?” The seamstress's cy»s sparkled. The amount named appeared to her a fortune. “ Yes,” she declared, “ for that sum I will agree to keep silent.” “ You must not come to this house again for a year,” said Lady Trevor, drawing from her pocket her silver povtmonnaic. “ Stay. You have three boys. Why dont yon emigrate to one of the colonies ?” “i. have wished to do so. I have a brother who is a farmer in Tasmania. With a hundred pounds a year, I could buy ino a farm, and bring up my sous to work on it. But 1 should have to have my passage-money extra —” “ Come and see me one week, from to-night, and i will place the tickets for a cabin passage to Tasmania in your hands”, said her ladyship. “ I’ll be here a week from to-night, madam,” she declared, and all ready for the voyage.” She retreated to the door, with a last glance of triumph at the baronets widow, and then made her way into the hall. As the house door closed behind her, Lady Trevor muttered : “ That difficulty, which threatened to destroy me, is met and conquered. Pulford shall get tier tickets and see her off.” Mrs Peters cautiously descended the slippery steps and paused a moment on the pavement’ saying to herself : “ That money came easy. I might have got more. I’d Hire to emigrate well enough, but Pd like more money to go with. I’m not sure but ihc marquis would pay handsome- for the Information about Fanny, and not lot me bn prosecuted because I conhlu t prove It. There’s a risk, to bo sure, in telling him. X must think the matter over. Anyhow, the first thing to do with this here money will be to got a docent outfit of clothes. And, the second thing I’ll do will bo to go to Paris, and find out if the children died there at the same time, of the same disease, in the same family. And then I’ll look for little Fanny’s grave. I may bo sharp enough, knowing what I know to start on, to clear up this mystery to my satisfaction and to prove my suspicions ! And if I prove Lady Trevor guilty of the fraud and wickedness I suspect her of, the knowledge will make my fortune !” [“TO TIE CONTINUED. J

WANGANUI STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY (Limited). CAPITAL, £30,00 D. In three thousand Shares at Ten Pounds each, on which it is proposed to cal! up £5 per Share, as follows, viz:—los on application, and 10s on allotment, after which monthly calls will be mane of not exceeding Gh per share. I’IIOVISIONAL DIRECTORS. G. Y. Lethbridge, Esq.; F. 11. Jackson, Esq.; J. G Sharpe, Esq. ; W. 1). Shaw, Esq.; J. L. Stevenson, Esq.; John Anderson, Esq.; A. Barns, Esq., (of Barns and Wilson); John Duncan, Esq., (of Duncan and York); John Bennie, Esq.; K. C. Earle, Esq.; John Davidson, Esq., (of Seaton and Davidson); J. Jones, Esq.; (of Jones and Walker); G. S. Cross, Esq ; James Bain, Esq.; Geo. A. Hurley, Esq.; dames Dnigan, Esq.; James Laird, Esq.; D. Murray, Esq. ; James Brown, Esq,; John Balhmee, Esq., M.11.R. RANKERS. Bank of New Zealand. SOLICITOR. C. 11. Borlase, Esq. BROKER. John S. Canstiok. PROSPECTUS. THE growing want of a local Steam Navigation Company on an extended basis, has become so pressing, that a number of Gentlemen largely interested in the trade and commerce of Wanganui and its surrounding district, have decided upon inviting the public to join them in their efforts to provide for the above wants. It will be seen from the list of Provisional Directors, that the promoters are men whose co-operation and support in such an undertaking will go far towards ensuring the large measure of success it is anticipated the Company will achieve. As an advantageous investment, a consideration of the following facts will clearly demonstrate its bonafider,.

It is proposed to purchase the steamers “ St. Kilda'’ and “ Wallahi,” belonging to the “ St. Kilda Steam Navigation Company,” and to keep them in the live stock trade of the port ; and either to purchase the “ S.S. Clyde,” or some suitable steamer for the Manawatu, llaiig-itikei, and Patea trade. For the Wellington trade, it is proposed that a steamer capable ol! carrying 150 tons of cargo, and a sufficient number of passengers, on a maximum draft of seven feet, at a mean speed of 12 knots, to be procured. It is of the greatest importance to Wanganui and the surrounding districts, that the' Jive stock trade of the port should be properly provided for, and it is with a view to Liiis object that the proposed purchase of the “bt. Kilda” and “Wallahi” lias lioeu included in tiic programme of this Company, as the vessels in question are both profitably employed in carrying stock, and are in every way suited thereto. Their present owners have such faith in the success of the proposed Wanganui Steam Navigation Company, that they have signified their willingness to accept 400 shares as part payment for their vessels. Country settlers who are vitally interested in the live stock market, are confidently appealed to for their support, as it is of the greatest importance to them that the means of export should bo permanently secured (o this port. With respect to the Manawatu, llangitikei, and Patea trade, there can bo no doubt but that it is of great importance to the commercial community here and in the different ports in question, and it is also certain that a good boat will pay in such a trade, especially when it is worked in connection with the southern trade of the Company. Overtures for the purchase of the “ S.H. Clyde” will he made, and if unsuccessful, it will remain for the shareholders to decide upon v/hat steps shall he taken to procure a suitable steamer for the trade in question. The large amount of goods and passengers now being carried by the Wellington steamers, is quite sufficient in itself to warrant the floating of a local Steam Navigation Company, as it is manifest the paying of so much money to outside proprietors, helps to drain Wanganui of a very considerable am omit of capital, which, if kept in the place, would materially assist its more rapid progress. At present the maritimeintercsts of Wanganui arc not as well conserved as they might he, as the Wellington trade is at times greatly retarded, owing to the insufficient provision made for its requirements, by' the outside companies, into whose hands the monopoly' has passed. A local !y owned steamer, equal to the requirements of the trade, with good accommodation, capable of making the average passage to Wellington, ami vice versa,"in eight hours, would prove a great boon to the pubdc hero, and would with the large measure of support already assured to the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company, bo always profitably employed. The “ W ailabi” and “ St. Kilda” by bringingcoal as return freight from Westport and Greyrnouth, would help to cheapen the cost of working the other steamers, and would, when the Wanganui Gas Company starts active operations, have an extended market for their surplus coals. In fact there can bo no doubt but that the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company, if fairly supported, must prove not only a highly profitable investment to its shareholders, but of great benefit to the whole community of Wanganui, and those ports embraced in the circle of its operations. The public of the West Coast Gold Fields ports are cordially invited to assist in the formation of the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company, as it is greatly to their advantage to keep open the communication between the stock-producing ports of this Island, and the coal fields of the other, and to keep up that mutual interchange of staple products so necessary to both communities.

The promoters in conclusion trust that their efforts to secure for Wanganui the benefits so sure to follow the successful floating of such an undertaking, will bo largely seconded by the public generally, as the more extended the interests embraced in the Share list, the greater the measure of success in store for the Company. Early application for Shares is invited in order that no time may be lost in commencing business. On sufficient shares being called for, a general meeting of shareholders will be cuih cl, and all necessary steps for the formation of a Company on a permanent basis discussed and decided upon. Forms of application may be bad on application to Mr JohnS. Capsti.ck, Broker, Gaston Chambers, Victoria Avenue, Wanganui ; W. Dale, agent, Carlyle ; W. A. G. Winchcombe, Wavericy fand J. Fisher, Waitotara.