ngs, and went diligently around among the convents
and religious orders, to see if I could find out any thing about the
fate of Lady Chetwynde. My letters of introduction from Sir H.
Furlong and from Lord Chetwynde led these simple-minded people to
receive me with confidence. They readily seconded my efforts, and
opened their records to me. For some time my search was in vain; but,
at last, I found what I wanted. One of the societies of the Sisters
of Charity had the name of Sister Ursula, who joined them in the year
1840. She was Lady Chetwynde. She lived with them eight years, and
then disappeared. Why she had left, or where she had gone, was
equally unknown. She had disappeared, and that was the end of her.
After this I came home."

[Illustration: "With A Savage Frown He Motioned Me Out."]

"And you have found out nothing more?" said Hilda, in deep
disappointment.

"Nothing," said Gualtier, dejectedly; "but are you not hasty in
despising what I have found out? Is not this something?"

"I do not know that you have discovered anything but what I knew
before," said Hilda, coldly. "You have made some conjectures--that is
all."

"Conjectures!--no, conclusions from additional facts," said Gualtier,
eagerly. "What we suspected is now, at least, more certain. The very
brutality of that beast, Obed Chute, proves this. Let me tell you the
conclusions that I draw from this:

"First, General Pomeroy, under an assumed name, that of Redfield
Lyttoun, gained Lady Chetwynde's love, and ran away with her to
America.

"Secondly, he forged a hundred thousand dollars, which forgery he
hushed up through this Obed Chute, paying him, no doubt, a large sum
for hush-money.

"Thirdly, he deserted Lady Chetwynde when he was tired of her, and
left her in the hands of Obed Chute. She was ill, and finally, on her
recovery, joined the Sisters of Charity.

"Fourthly, after eight years she ran away--perhaps to fall into evil
courses and die in infamy.

"And lastly, all this must be true, or else Obed Chute would not have
been so close, and would not have fired up so at the very suggestion
of an explanation. If it were not true, why should he not explain?
But if it be true, then there is every reason why he should not
explain."

A long silence followed. Hilda was evidently deeply disappointed.
From what Gualtier had said at the beginning of the interview, she
had expected to hear something more definite. It seemed to her as
thoug