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J1 HANK MORTIMER, 1
Editor and Proprietor. (
Vol. TTV.
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The Stolen Sovereigns.
AN ENGLISH STORY.
WHEN I was sixteen years of age, I
was sent for a couple of years' su
perior polishing, to an establishment for
young ladies, kept by a very distinguished
lady whom I will call Mrs. Furnival.
Mrs. Furnival prided herself on receiving
pupils of the first-class only, and of educa
ting them in such first-rate stylo as to ren
der them polished ornaments of tho most
fashionable drawing-rooms on passing from
her school-rooms. The horror of, her life
was not ignorance, but gaueherie; the ob
joct of all her teaching not so much wis
dom as elegance. To bo awkward or vul
gar was, in Mrs. Furnival's eyes, almost
criminal.
We naturally took kindly to life at Mal
don Lodge, and I think there were none
who looked forward with any eagerness to
tho time of leaving school.
A rebel, however, found her way into tho
orderly ranks of Mrs. Furnival's young la
diesa daring little rebel of seventeen,
fresh from tho wilds of Australia, the
daughter of some distinguished person out
there, and tho heiress, we wore told, of an
almost fabulous fortune.
I remember her well, in spite of this lapse
of years : I remember vividly every feature
of her beautiful young face , I seem to see
her before me again, with tho ever-changing
light in her glorious wild eyes, the rose
color coming and going on hor delicate
cheeks, the sunlight losing itself in tho rich
red gold of her wavy hair. To look at her
springing about in hor daring disregard.of
all rule, grace in every movoment ; to listen
to her sweet fresh voice singing in the very
luxuriance of gay-hcartcdness, who would
have guessed tho miserable futuro, or the
doom hanging over her?''
And yet, with all her airy loveliness, all
her wild sweet grace, Myra Richardson won
few hearts. Bho was my room-mate, and I
was certainly tho most affectionately-disposed
toward her; nevertheless I never
reached the point of loving her I nover
felt my heart thoroughly warm toward her.
There was something uncanny in her wild
eyes, something that repulsed me in tho
tones of her voice, even in her quiotest and
, most affectionate mood. Amongst the rest
of the girls she was regarded with a mixed
fooling of jealousy and wonder; jealousy of
her wild beauty, wonder at her wild ways.
It was a bright soft evening in early June
a Saturday, I recollect, for both Myra
Richardson and myself had been sppnding
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY
tho afternoon with my cousin, and we
were sitting in Mrs. Furnival's library,
where we had gone, as was customary, to
report ourselves to the principal on our re
turn, when tho doors wore opened quickly,
and tho head-teacher entered.
" Where is Mrs. Furnival?" she deman
ded, sharply, and closing tho door carefully
behind her.
'Wearo waiting for her now," I an
swered, surprised at her abruptness, for
Miss Morton was one of tho slowest and
most apathetic of creatures. " Is anything
tho matter?"
" Matter!" she repeated, in an unusually
sharp tone. "Only that the house has
been robbed, and most mysteriously so, with
in the last hour."
"Robbed! What in broad daylight? Im
possible !" I exclaimed.
" If tho principal had only been at home!"
continued tho teacher in tho same anxious
tone;" but now, of course, I am responsible.
I was sitting in tho room, too, but an hour
ago, correcting tho first-class themes, and
everything was quiet enough. I can't
imagine how it happened.
Before I could becinnucstioniiifr the noor
lady so as to understand what had happen
ed, and how, the door opened, and in camo
Mrs. Furnival, and accompanied by tho in
spector of police, whom, to her astonish
ment, she had met on entering tho houso.
Tho calm manner and precise questions
of the official soon drew a comprehensible
statement of facts from the not too clear
headed Miss Morton.
This was tho story: Mrs. Furnival had
tho habit of drawing.ontho Saturday morn
ing, sufficient cash to pay tho rather heavv
weekly bills. This cash, amounting to over
thirty pounds, she invariably deposited in
the drawer of an old-fashioned escritoiro
standing in her own private room; and tho
key or this drawer she wore attached to her
watchguard, as tho money remained from
the Saturday till tho Monday morning,
wncn sue paid it out regularly.
Miss Morton declared that she had seen
her put the money in the drawer as usual,
lock it, and take tho key; she had noticed
it particularly, because tho whole sum han-
pened to be in very blight gold sovereigns,
ana it almost lilleu tho small drawer. Miss
Morton had then gone to the study, occu
pying herself with her usual duties, until
about six o'clock, when tho principal still
being absent, she had availed herself of her
privilege to see her room; and thither she
had gone, and remained till she quitted it
to head tho tea-table. On her return she
found the room exactly as sho left it, and it
was only by a mere chance that on passing
the escritoire she saw tho important drawer
open and tho money gono. The lock had
ngt been tampered with; there was no
sign of any one having entered tho room;
but every one of the golden sovereigns was
gone.
Mrs. Furnival, on her part, said sho had
certainly locked-up thirty-four pounds, and
taken tho key, which had remained safely
in her possession all day, and that she had
not entered tho room sinoe.
The lock was vory peculiar. It would have
been easier to break it than, unlock it with
any key but its own. It was, however,
quite right, jpid the key turned in it easily
as ever.
Inspector S. examined lock, drawer, and
room with great minuteness and official si
lonce; then ho examined the window bo
neath, then the servants, and finally the
young ladies, with tho exception of Myra
Riohardson and myself who had been out
all day; but, in spite of his acuteness, ho
could find no clue to tho robbor.
He came back to Mrs. Furnival's boudoir
before he loft; and I heard him say in a low
lone as lie took his leave " It is some one
in tho house, I am certain, or who at any
rate, has an accomplice in tho house, How
ever, I daresay we shall ferret them out.'
Mrs. Furnival dismissed Jiim graciously
but his last words did not tend to smooth
TVcav 331oojufiolI, JPsi., Msiy
tho anxious ruflle that had been gathering
on her face ever since the investigation of
the officer tended only to increase the mys
tery. I had been so engrossed with tho thing
itself that I had paid little attention to any
one but tho chief actors in it; so when I hap
pened to go back to tho library, to fetch
the bonnet I had hastily thrown there, I
was surprised to find Myra Richardson sit
ting in exactly tho same attitiulo in which
Iliad left her nearly an hour ago. She did
not move even when I entered.
"Are you asleep Myra?" I exclaimed.
Hashing tho candlo across her face; and
then I saw that it was ghostly white, though
her beautiful eyes were shining like stars.
" Were you frightened?" I said, again
holding tho candlo in front of her.
" I am very thankful wo were out of the
house," she answered, slowly, and appar
ently with an cfiort; for her lips trembled.
"You absurd child! Why, who would
have suspected us? We are ladies."
"True," she said, softly; "but "
And then she rose and gathered her shawl
round her as if she was very cold, and hur
ried out of the room.
A week and then a fortnight passed, and
still no cluo to tho robber had been found
neither had tho police been able to throw
suspicion on any servants in or about the
house. v
On the second Sunday after tho robbery- I
happened to walk homo with Mrs. Furnwal
om evening service. I was a favorite of
hers, and as wo entered the grounds, she
put her arm through mine, and, slackening
her pace said "It is a lovely cvenin"-,
Ethel; let us have a turn round the rose-gar
den."
As we entered tho beautiful little enclo
sure, where the rich odor of roses of all
kinds camo .almost oppressively on the even
ing air, sho said suddenly " Ethel, I
want to tell you a secret; you are tho only
girl I would trust. I have been robbed
again."
I started with almost a scream.
"Hush!" said tho principal; "hush! I
must have this kepi, secret."
"Robbed again!" I repeated. "When?"
" Last night. Listen quietly. I did not
put the money in tho escritoiro till ten o'
clock in tho evening., thinking it safe in
my pocket; but beincr in a hurry, and tired.
and never sleeping with money in my bed
room, 1 put it in the usual place. This morn
ing, on going to take it out before going to
church, 1 found tho drawer empty, unlock
ed as before."
" Incomprehensible!"
"Someonohas a key which onensthe
drawer, that is evident."
I was silent for a moment, perfectly dumb
founded by the intelligence. At. length I
said impetuously "You must have us all
searched, Mrs. Furnival; it is only just to
the innocent."
"I can't Ethel," sho replied quickly: "at
least, not yet. I have told you this in confi
dence, remember. You must not betray
my socret."
But "
At that instant, however, came the sound
of a quick light step running along on the
other side of the rose-hedge, and startled us
both iuto silence. A very light step it was
light enough for,only one pair of feet
that we knew: and the next instant Mvro.
Richardson ran by, looking neither to tho
right nor left, and with her head bent
down in a peculiar fashion.
"Myra," whispered Mrs. Furnival.
" What is she doing here? Why is she not
with the others ?"
"Shall I call to her?" I said.
"No,- no, not for worlds!" answered the
principal, in quito a pained tone; and then
she took my arm again and began walking
slowly back to the house. '
A few of the girls were assembled in the
suppor-room as we entered, and among
them was Myra, standing boforo the looking-glass
decking her hair with lilies of
the valley; and I must say I had never
NEWSPAPER.
17. 1870.
seen a lovelier face than tho glass reflec
ted. "Myra," said Mrs. Furnival, suddenly,
" were you in tho garden just now?"
" Yes; I went for these." And she camo
quickly, bringing a ha iidful of lilies. "Are
they not sweet.
Mrs. Furnival looking earnestly in her
face. "I wish you would remember rules
Myra, and be less childish."
Wc went next into that boudoir which
was already in bad odor, and then, after
Mrs. Furnival had carefully closed the door
sho sat down just within reach of tho last
rays of summer twilight.
" I am suffering from horrible suspicion,"
she said. "Ethel, can you guess it?"
"No," I answered stoutly; and in truth
I could not.
Sho looked in my face for a moment, and
then, growing stern, said, " Was Myra
Richardson with you all that Saturday?."
"Yes," I returned stiffly; for I was so
confused that I scarcely knew whether sho
meant to imply suspicion of mo or Myra by
the question.
"Most mysterious," muttered Mrs. Fur
nival, leaning back in her chair wearily; " I
But at that moment Miss Morton knocked
at the door, and I was obliged to go
away; but it was in a very disturbed frame
of mind.
All this was very perplexing and uncom
fortable, and I became very miserable.
Naturally I watched suspiciously my
school-fellows, more especially Myra; but
nothing could I discover which could at all
help mo to understand Mrs. Furnival's
strango conversation. Tho girls were all
looking forward to the breaking-up dance,
and weie much more occupied with toilet
matters than robberies; indeed, I doubted
if any ono of them but myself recollected
the mysterious robbery at all.
There nro some scenes that stamp them
selves indellibly on tho memory, why or
wherefore we know not. I have been to
many a gayer daneo than that school-party,
many a ono I enjoyed more, and yet I
think I remember that ono more distinctly
than any other.
I was just in tho midst of a very anima
ted conversation with ono of my partners
a tall young man whom I regarded with
almost veneration as herejoicodn the title
of captain; when Mrs. Furnival touched mo
on tho shoulder, and said, " Ethel, have
you seen Myra?"
I turned sharply round.
" Sho was my vis-avi) in the last set of
lancers." I answered. "She can't be far
oil'. Do you want hor Mrs. Furnival?"
"No that is, I do not see her in her
room, and I do not want her to bo wander
ing about in tho grounds now the dew is
falling heavily."
I know the principal well enough to ob
serve that sho did not speak quite natural
ly; besides as she spoke she glanced again
round tho ball-room in a manner strangoly
anxious.
"I will go and see, if you like," I said.
"Iam not afraid of the dew; and if Myra is
anywhere, sho is suro to bo in the rose gar
den." I ran off as I spoke, wrapped my opera-
cloak round mo. Tho night wa clear but
damp, and the starlight fell softly over the
garden, making no unpleasant loungo for
over-heated and imprudent dancers. There
were but few, however, and those chiefly
on the lawn just in front of tho houso, so I
found the rose-garden quite Bilcnt and soli
tary. I gave but ono quick glance around," and
was about to return to the ball-room and
my interupted conversation, when again
that peculiarly light step, which had dis
turbed Mrs. Furnival and myself that
Sunday evening, fell on my ear.
Before I saw her I knew it was Myra.
She came along in the starlight, her satin
dress glimmering in an almost ghostly fash
ion, and with hor flower-wreathed Lead.
$ Terms: IN ADVA AVE.
I One Dollar per Year.
3Vo. 20.
again bent towards the ground. I do not
know what prevented mo calling to her,
but I did not, I allowed her to pass on,
whilst I stood watching her in silent won
der. And then a sudden impulse seized me
whether impelled by somo fate, or only ac
tuated by the suspicions which had been
so constantly sounded in my ears, I do not
know; but instead of returning to the
house, I passed out of the rose-garden, and
ran quickly down to that part of the
grounds where each of us girls were al-
lowed to cultivate a piece of garden as she
chose.
It was a long strip of ground, at the top
of a high bank, at tho bottom of which ran
a small but tolerably deep river,, not the
safest perhaps that could have been selec
ted for our gardening operations; but Mrs.
Furnival was fanciful about her grounds,
and superintended their cultivation herself
with almost artistic taste.
Down this walk, lighted by tho clear
summer stars, I hastened till I came to
Myra's garden.
It was easily distinguishable from the
rest by tho profusion of lilies of all sorts
which grew there. They were her favorite
flower; indeed, she had almost a passion for
them, and would tond them with a devo
tion that inado all of us laugh.
I looked eagerly round; what could have
taken Myra to her garden at that hour?
And then I stooncd down and axaminpil
it carefully. But nothing remarkable ap
peared, nothing; and I was just about to
give it up and go away, when it struck
mo some of the lily-roots looked moro faded
than others. I examined them, and only
dimly in that light could I see that here
and there ono. or two of them had apparent
ly been freshly planted.
This looked strange, for it was not tin?
time of year for transplanting, and then, a
I touched ono I found I could remove it
easily, for it was only laid on the earth to
look as if it was still growing.
Removing my white glove, I began dig
ging up tho soft mould with my hand, and '
then, not more than a few inches beneath
tho surface, I camo against what I had ex
pected. Yes, there in a little heap lay tht
golden sovereigns robbed from Mrs. Fnr.
nival's private drawer.
I shall never forget the shock of thai
moment. I got up in horror, as if I had
come upon somo poisonous serpent, and 1
exclaimed "O heaven! O Myra, Myra!"
in almost agony; and then, without giving
myself timo for reflection, I hastily covered
tho sovereigns again, replaced the roots
and walked slowly back.
What should I do ?
I was sorely perplexed; and as I walked
back that short distance to tho house, my
imagination conjured up all sorts of hor
rors in tho way of imprisonment and pun
ishment this knowelcdge of mine would
bring on my beautiful friend.
I went slowly back to the ball-room, but
everything seemed changed; and when I
saw Myra's form flying through tho dance
I could scarcely believe but that I was la
boring under somo horriblo dream.
Mrs. Furnival camo up to me,as I entered
" What atime you have been, my doart
Miss Myra has re -appeared long ago.
"I know: I met her in the garden," I an
swered feebly.
"In tho garden! She did not tell m
that. Who was she with?"
"No ono."
" She certainly is more extraordinary;
and Mrs. Furnival again looked curiously
round after Myra's beauttful face, and I
turned away.
"No," I thought an,H tell yet I
can't in this scene; and, there may be some
thing" But I was very glad when that long even
ing was. over. Never was I moro thankful
to see the guests depart one after the other
ajod at length to stand saying good-night,
to my school-fellows.
They would remain talking over thv