3 
E 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
f iterant Iftisrcllanij, 
ATT UGLY GIRL 
(Continued from paero 270.) 
CHAPTER VIII. 
SEARCHING THE TOWER. 
Although accustomed from his boyhood to ath¬ 
letic exercises and not only aglls, hut courageous, 
Noel knew that the feata which are easy enough 
In the daylight are very dlflloult when undertaken 
In the darkness of the night, and with a rough 
wind to battle against. Even the mere steadying 
of the ladder by which he proposed to ascend was 
no easy matter, nowever, It was finally accom¬ 
plished ; and when he had succeeded la forcing 
an entrance, through the casement ou the first 
Btory of the building, 
the men below raised a 
feeble cheer The sound 
was Inspiriting, and he 
went, boldly on although 
the clouds of dust con¬ 
tinually eddying round, 
and Ids Ignorance of his 
whereabouts almost be¬ 
wildered him. 
A few moments given 
to exploring the small 
circular chamber in 
which he found himself, 
and then he discovered 
a door leading to the 
staircase. It was on the 
side of the tower next 
to this that the gale had 
done most mischief. 
The outer wall was en¬ 
tirely gone, and In sev¬ 
eral places some of I he 
steps above and below 
had been carried away, 
leaving wide gaps: and 
added to this the wind 
poured In through the 
Assure it had rent, 
whirling and roaring 
with a hideous noise 
that almost deafened 
h'm Tel, up this broken 
staircase was the only 
way to the chamber In 
which the lamp Miss 
Carlsforde had lighted 
at twilight, was still 
fll eke ling. Whenever 
the gale abated, Noel 
shouted her name, then 
listened Intently; hut 
either he failed to make 
himself heard, or she 
was Incapable of reply¬ 
ing: yet the next, minute 
the pitiful yelping of a 
dog faintly reached his 
ear. and ho determined 
to proceed. 
Fastening the lantern 
to his arm with a rope 
which one of the men 
had given him, he now 
commenced the ascent; 
taking every step cau¬ 
tiously. for the loosened 
stones were often dis¬ 
lodged by the slightest 
touch of his hand or 
foot, On and on he went, 
clinging close to some 
projection, as ofren as 
the fierce gusts threat¬ 
ened to hurl him from 
his exposed and perilous 
position, but never los¬ 
ing h|s r>ro<<n T1 fv> of mind 
or growing fnint-bosrt- 
cd andswlnginghlmspif 
at lest to the landing at, 
toe head of the flight of 
stairs with a thankful 
ejaculation that he had 
achieved so much of his 
self-imposed task. 
Two doors were now 
before him ; the one 
yielded to his touch, but 
on entering, a chaotic 
scene presented Itself. 
The heavy, antique roof, 
as well as the highest 
story of the building, 
had been dragged down 
with the fallen wall, and 
a heap of rubbish en¬ 
cumbered the floor of 
this chamber which, on 
the further side, was 
completely open the to 
air. Noel shuddered as he thought that the lonely 
girl he had come to seek might be lying fit that 
moment burled beneath the confused mass of 
boards, tiles, and furniture on which he was 
gazing, and he summoned up courage to examine 
It as well as he was able; but no signs of her pres¬ 
ence were to lie found, and after calling again 
without eliciting any reply, except the faint yelp 
of the invisible dog which now seemed to be as far 
off as at first,, he proceeded to the other door. 
It was looked, but feeling that this was no time 
tor studying outward observances, he did not hesi¬ 
tate to burst It, open, and fouud himself In Miss 
Carlsforde's dressing-room. It, was here that the 
lamp burnt, as steadily as the gusts to winch a 
casement, shattered by the blast allowed free ad¬ 
mission, would permit, but tho lady who had ten¬ 
anted the apartment so lately—one or whose gloves 
lay at hla feet, and one of whose filmy handker¬ 
chiefs, steeped In tears, was on the table beside an 
open writing-desk—was not visible. 
Again Noel vainly shouted her name, and then 
passed Into the adjoining bed chamber. The bed 
had not been occupied: strange to say, there were 
tokens to be seen on every side, that some one had 
been employed in packing for a Journey. A small 
hand-bag. filled with tojlet appendages, lay on a 
chair with a lady’s waterproof and umbrella: the 
half-open drawers of the wardrobe appeared to 
have, been hastily denuded of their contents; a 
trunk partially filled with books and drawing ma¬ 
terials stood Dear the window, and the carpet was 
oov ered with valueless odds and ends generally 
disinterred at such times. 
These things struck Noel with surprise, till he 
reminded himself that Carlsforde Park would 
doubt less possess no charms for Its young mistress, 
until she had shaken off her grief for tho oss of 
her Father, and that nothing could be more proba¬ 
ble than that she was meditating a removal to I 
some pleasant, watering-place. 
Rut the astonishment which these reflections 
were banishing returned, when, as he re-entered 
the dressing-room—satisfied that Miss Carlsforde 
must have quitted the tower earlier in the evening 
—he happened to glance at the writing-desk al¬ 
ready adverted to : for now he saw three, or four 
letters—sealed with tho Carlsforde arms, and di¬ 
rected In a hand n nnsually legible for a lady’s— 
lay upon It, and with them a hand-book. A second 
glance showed him that one of these letters was 
directed to himself. 
What could this mean ? He examined the other 
missives, and saw that they were for Mr. Wliltely 
the solicitor, Mrs. Hurst, and the housekeeper. 
There was some mystery here which he could not 
athom, and trimming the lamp, he tore open the 
flatter addressed to himself. 
“ My cousin.” It began, “youhave not only been 
disappointed but wronged; your mother has told 
me so. and convinced me that It is mv duty to re¬ 
pair the injustice with which my dear father, mis¬ 
led by bis affection tor me. has treated you. There 
Is but one way In which T can do this and that is by 
renouncing the wealth which, believe me. I never 
wished to possess. Lest you should in your unsel¬ 
fishness oppose my Intentions. I am on this point 
of leaving Carlsforde secretly, never to return. To 
you T resign all that can be called min e. freely and 
cheerfully ; so do not hesitate to accept It. I shall 
be miles away before you receive this. I have 
stated my wishes to Mrs. Hurst, and my servants; 
be good to them, I entreat you, and try to think 
kindly of An.v Cakisfordk. 
Neel was profoundly affected by the few and 
simple words of tills note: in what a pleasant 
light It placed the nu nt il qualities of this mueh- 
to-be-pltled young creature! and how sad was the 
TO THE NILE. 
fate that had married such a noble mind to posi¬ 
tive deformity of person 1 As he refolded the pa¬ 
per, he vowed that if she could be traced to the 
retreat to which only a tew horn's since she must 
have hurried, he would endeavor to win her es¬ 
teem, and be to her the faithful friend she certainly 
desert ed to possess. As to accepting her romantic 
renunolatlou of her rights to the Carlsforde prop¬ 
erty, he knew very well that he could not do so, 
even had ho wished It. The law would interfere to 
protect her from the Impulses of her kindly heart; 
aud he felt seriously angry with Mrs. Esteourt for 
having, by her silly, avaricious speeches, led her 
troubled auditor to rashly fly her home in this 
manner. 
The war of elements, as well as the suspense of 
the servants who waited at the foot of the ladder 
were forgotton while Noel mused over Miss Caris- 
forde’s unhappy fate, and anathmatised Mrs. Est- 
court for having driven hir away. It was plainly 
to be 3een that she had taken no one In the house 
In her confidence, fearing, doubtless, that they 
would oppose the course she had resolved upon. 
Mrs Hurst, who was sincerely attached to her, 
would be as much grieved as astonished : but still 
she might be able to furnish some clue to the heir¬ 
ess's ref”ge and wherever It might be he deter¬ 
mined to follow her. and Insisting on an Interview, 
use no means untried to Induce her to return to 
Carlsforde. If he failed. Mr. Whltely must then 
step forward and explain to her that, being still 
under age, her generous scheme to enrich another 
at her own expense was Impracticable. 
Perhaps she had not departed from the Park 
quite alone, as he had been Imagining, nilllan 
Gray was her chosen friend and companion, and 
the headache alleged as an excuse for remaining 
In seclusion all day might ha ve been an excuse In¬ 
vented to give her time to carryout the necessary 
arrangements for this 
secret flight. It had 
been no freak of Imagl- 
nation when Noel 
thought that he de¬ 
tected the rol'lng of car¬ 
riage wheels : in a vet ■ 
cle hired for the pur¬ 
pose Miss Carlsforde 
must have departed ; 
neither could It have 
been mere fancy that a 
shadowy fl g u r e ap¬ 
peared to him In the !'• 
brarv. It must have he*n 
on her wav to the vehi¬ 
cle In walling that s’ e 
entered the room, tl u,J 
bidding him a mute 
farewell. How very 
much he now regretted 
that he had not suc¬ 
ceeded I n preventing her 
escape Half a dozen 
worde frankly inter¬ 
changed might have 
taught her that he was 
no party to Mrs. Est- 
eourt’s efforts to awaken 
her compassion for a 
disinherited peer, and 
Induce her to believe 
It was her duty to re¬ 
main where she was. 
Musing over these 
things, he put the let¬ 
ters Into one of his pock¬ 
ets. and prepared to re¬ 
turn to the house with 
the astounding tidings 
that Its owner must, 
have quietly slipped 
away soon after the 
storm commenced. But 
he had scarcely reached 
the landing when the 
pitiful voice of the dog 
fell upon his ear once 
more.; — 
Reproaching himself 
for having so completely 
forgotten the poor ani¬ 
mal. he now prepared to 
search for it. and pres¬ 
ently was guided by the 
sound to a narrow pas¬ 
sage leading to the Pur¬ 
ree, in which the steps 
to that upper floor — 
now entirely gone—had 
been situated. The tur¬ 
ret had also dlsappea red, 
and only a yawning 
chasm remained to show 
where it had once been. 
Was It down this the 
creature had fallen ? 
Moving with the cau¬ 
tion that was so neces¬ 
sary. he drew as near 
the brink of the chasm 
as he dared, and looked 
over. A few feet below 
there was a narrow 
ledge of masonry, an 
he held the lantern down 
so that its light might 
fall unon this the only 
projection betwixt his 
own frail support and 
the heap of stones on 
the sward far beneath 
One long, searehln 
gnzo. and then a cry n 
ho’Tor burst from his 
11ns. for the first ob¬ 
ject that met his view 
was the white and agon¬ 
ized face of H 1111 a n 
orav! Intense surprise 
claim'’i all ”•>’ et. 
court’s faculties for some moments. 1 illllan Gray 
here!—Hillia n, whom—when he had thought of her 
at all — he had supposed to be safe in her own 
chamber, or else far away with Miss Carlsforde I 
Great heavens! How come she in such a frightfully 
dangerous posit ion 7 
With this quastlon he roused himself to the ne¬ 
cessity of rescuing her from It, and all his natural 
self-control returned to his aid. Flashing the lan¬ 
tern again across her ghastly countenance, he saw 
that she was unconscious of his presence—that her 
upturned eyes were glazed with terror, and saw 
him n t; and he feared to speak, lest he should 
startle her Into slackening the convulsive grasp of 
the little hands, which he now observed to be 
clinging to the woodwork, at which she appeared 
to have grasped while falling from above. - 
One incautious movement on her part, and her 
destruction was inevitable for the ledge on which 
THE OFFERING 
