amusement, availed themselves of the knowledge
to lead her a very uncomfortable life. Her most intimate friends
never knew, for months together, where she was to be found; and it
was currently reported that General Jerningham had once advertised
in the _Times_ for his sister. Certain it is, she always conned the
newspapers with avidity, particularly the portion devoted to
anonymous communications and the mystical interchange of sentiments;
and we frequently suspected that her interest arose from a deeper
source than mere curiosity. The simple query: 'Where do you think of
passing this autumn, Miss Jerningham?' threw her into a state of
strange excitement; and she always commenced her answer somewhat in
the following strain: 'Letters of importance, daily looked for, will
determine me--circumstances over which I have no control: it _is_
possible that I may visit Cowes;' but a possibility declared in this
way by Miss Jerningham was never known to come to pass. Wherever she
chanced to be seen, former acquaintances popped upon her with
uplifted hands, exclaiming: 'What! _you_ here? Why, we thought you
were at Ilfracombe'--or some other far-away place. 'How long have
you been here?--how long do you stay?' were questions easily
parried; but if a more searching investigation commenced, then the
Mysterious Lady turned, and twisted, and doubled painfully; but
somehow always managed to elude and baffle her persecutors.

Miss Jerningham's moral rectitude and unimpeachable propriety of
conduct--unsullied by the breath of detraction--rendered her in a
great measure impervious to downright ill-nature; but still she was
open to teasing and bantering; and the more she was teased, and the
more she was bantered, the more impenetrable she became. We
endeavoured to find out from herself--but unsuccessfully--if she had
always led such a roving kind of existence, and also how it
originated; for General Jerningham had a nice villa near the
metropolis, and a small, amiable, domestic circle, ready to receive
and welcome the wanderer. But no: she came upon them unawares, and
at periods when they least expected her, and disappeared again as
suddenly, they knew not why nor whither. In this way she vanished
from the boarding-house where we first met her, with no intimation
of her intention even to our hostess, till her baggage was ready and
the coach at the door.

'Where is Miss Jerningham?' was the unanimous cry when she did not
appear in her us