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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 330, 1 November 1862, Page 5

CHAPTEK V.

The ball took place on Tuesday. The next morning Kingston sent round Maverley's servant to ail his tradesmen to collect his bills, for he had dismissed his own man a few days before. He remained at home all the moruing, destroying letters and papers, having given strict orders that he should be denied to everybody. Pie dined at the mess, where he was always a welcome guest. He returned to his rooms about ten o'clock," and several men came in. The play was higher than usual. It was observed that, contrary to his usual custom, he played recklessly. He had, however, au extraordinary run of luck, and "won heavily after a loog sitting. His guests dropped off by degrees.

Young Lurley, a coronet, who had lately joined, and Suaffleton, remained to the last, playing Gcarte. When they left, at about half -past three, Kingston was lying on the sofa half asleep.

Kingston seldom rose ear])' on winter mornings when he did not hunt. The people of the house had strict orders never to call him. But when three o'clock on Thursday afternoon came, and he had not jet rung for breakfast, the landlady,-, who had lived in fear and trembling for some days, backed up by the maid and a friend from next door, ventured into bis sitting-room, and not finding any signs of him there, they knocked at his bedroom door. No answer. Again louder, louder, louder. Still no reply. They try the door ; it is not fastened. As it is opened Mrs. Brown, the lady from next door, detects a strong smell of sulphur, but the room is empty ; the bed is disarranged, the clothes he wore yesterday are lying on the chairs, but there is no other token of Mr. Arthur Kingston.

The news spreads like wildfire. Very soon rewards are offered for his discovery, for there is one painful element which enters into the romance.

Though the bills were so carefully collected yesterday, none of them were paid. The river is dragged incessantly, and the fashionable broad walk by its side is deserted by the fair sex. The local papers teem with paragraphs, some of which achieve the honor of being copied into The Times.

It was talked about everywhere. There was a nearer approach to excitement at the "Pococurante," of which Kingston was a member, than had ever been known since the club was formed.

"It seems to me," said G-eorgy Davis, in the smoking room of that institution, " that it is about the neatest thing our Arthur ever did, and that is saying a great deal. My firm belief is, that he has not killed himself, that he never had the three thousand pounds, but that he has left Shallowell, owing five."

And Laura Etheredge — Is she interested in the new story and its thousand and one variations ?

Does she still cherish a remembrance of her strange partner at the officers' ball ? She looked as beautiful as ever at her mother's party on Friday, though perhaps a shade paler than usual. At first, whilst the general opinion is that.he has drowned himself — and there are daily reports that his remains have been found in various holes of the river — she has a difficulty in repressing all appearance of anxiety when these reach her. But as there appears a greater probability of his being alive, she recovers her equanimity, though it may be doubted whether she was quite herself till she had refused Snaffleton — an operation which seemed to do her a great deal of good* As there was still great uncertainty whether he •was dead or alive, it was found that nothing could be done with regard to Eingston's property* Nothing had been removed from his rooms. His watch was in its stand ; his purse, containing thirty-seven pounds fifteen shillings and sixpence, was lying on his dressing table ; so were his keys. On opening his writing desk, a hundred and fifty pounds were found in it.

One or two men said he must have won twice as much or more on Wednesday night, but as there is always a graceful uncertainty with regard to who does win the money that everybody else has lost, not much attention was paid to this. Kingston had paid the landlady her rent, and she held a balance for smaller expenses, so she did not object to things remaining as they were for a little time. Erebus had been lent to Maverley about a week before.

All things working together, it seemed probable that the excitement at Shallovrell would extend event beyond that conventional limit of ou* wonder at modem miracles— the ninth, day.

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