FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2021, 26 June 1875, Page 4

FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

A' STORY OF TO-DAY.

VX MBS. MAEY A. DENISON.

Chapteb Xll.— Continued.

It might have/been about .ten of the following day that Florida, who was busy= /with some feminine duty, suddenly paused exclaiming, " T forgot it entirely—rthere is a letter in my escritoire that came for you yesterday. I'll get it this'moment." ; la her pleasure at the good news, . Vir--ginia did not atop to wonder, 8 at she might* at another time; if this was not some; adroit planning of Florida's. She tried; to restrain her eagerness When the white; envelope came in sight, but at Florida's: exclamation,. " The superscription looks tipsy," she smiled, and caught at it; eagerly. ■ \ "It is for joy," she thought. Alas, ■ poor eager heart! these words met her frightened gaze: ■! "Dear Miss :—The schoolmaster isTery sick indeed and senses nothing. I, think he is dying—and the troubles and; expense which if he is not willjbe tool much for us poor folks and so I hope you; will see to it or get some of your friends [ to-take care of him. ■] Tours, T. F. Walker. | His boardin' house." "0 ! Florida I. cried Virginia, with a glance of anguish—and before her startled sister could reach her/.she was Ijing deathwhife againit the side of the couch upon which she had been seated. "Fainted," muttered Florida. "I'm glad I never faint." A glance through the letter made her -cheek paler, her lips quiver. ."Now,l can go to him," she said v and ,after Virginia was somewhat, restored, she reverted to the note. "What shall you do about it, Virginia ? " "O! I don't know—God help me! Why ! go, of course," she cried, starting up, but falling back again, from sheer weakness. VWell, iwell, compose yourself, Virginia. I will have the carriage brought out —I will co with you." " O ! but why did you keep the note— time is so precious ! He may be—" her frhile,lips refused to say the word. " I tell you I forgot it." said Florida. " I was thinking about a thousand things, and talking with Mr Le Boy." O ! and he knows nothing of it, and he so kind too!" cried Virginia, distressedly wringing her hands. " He know nothing about it —why of course not!/' exclaimed Florida, her face flushing. " Why should he ? " " He was going to get him a situation, ■worth a thousand dollars; he told me he would, perhapsmore^itwouldhave made barker so happy if he could only have had my letters in time! It my be he has;.'' and the pqor girl gained strength from'the very;thought.' " O!/let us go, let us go thii-minute." ' Florida went out, still wondering what LeEpy,had; said—and ;why he had taken an merest in a nameless boy. She ordered grapes and a few delicacies, and in less than; an r hour Florida and; Virginia were on their way to th^oM town of their former residence. Virginia could not rest. Her heart beat with great throbs so heavily that it;shook her to and fro. She leaned forward, .her .sy-es,.strained, to catch the first familiar object, and when they had gained the road on .which, the/ house was situated, it seemed as if;!she would le|p'from: the carriage in her 1 eagerness to be' there. x Florida watched her, a;burning spot on each cheek.' " Here we are at last," she said, as the driver palised in front' of the' low, red palings. Virginia glanced pvetto.the window of his roomwith a.shudder. The little white curtain was. swaying in,and 6u/ir-rtwo pillows' were at that moment thrust out overHhe sill.; V, J" It ,is all over," cried, Virginia, chokingly, while an unnatural calm seemed to fall upon her ; spirit- ■ ..; By'tliis time she found herself beside Florida on the broad stone »lab. A woman came to the door ; she. looked at her in Bur prise. : ■;■: ■■-': •as Mr Parker,- the teacher, in?" asked Florida, with apparenHunconcern. "No, Miss Owen,"[replied thewbman. -. "Not in?" queried Florida in real alarm] while Virginia pressed: her hands over, her head and, gasped, with mingled grief and-terror. \ ''Walk in, and I'll tell" you all about it," said the woman ushering them into a dreary parlour but half furnished.

" A gentleman came for him," she added," as they seated themselves. \

'■•'A gentleman came for him ? " echoed bath. .VirginiaV. and Florida simultaneously, ;r . ■ " And found him dreadful sick—sot he dida't sense nothing. I never saw anybody so sick. I thought he was dying." " Well "—ejaculated Florida. ■' •' And so about two hourß after/that, a splendid city carriage come, arid'>t wo. men took, him. They rsaid they had.orders; and were going to:have proper.doctor's attendance, and so of course I said nothing. I had all I could do t6 get him ready.", '•; . _ ;..:■"■ '. '"• i.--' '-.j. ■ '«.'■, 'Florida'looted-at her sister. A faint color had come into Virginia's cheek—the color of hope. ...... " What kind of a iooking man was he •who first came ? " asked Florida.

"0 ! a tall man—a large man." " Had he black hair and .eyes ?" " JfT.o, indeed —reddish hair, and reddish •whiskers. 1' "Who'could it be?" " The others, Miss, were common looking men; the first was a gentleman. And did they say nothing of where they should take him ?" "Nota-word, Miss—l thought ifc wasall right, of course. He,—the first gentleman, paid;handsomely for what he owed for board, and for the nursing we'd did. They covered him close with the,best of blankets, and over them a splendid gentleman's shawl of the nicest'kind ';;■■ but, poor boy !—I never shall forget how his eyes lopked : wheh they took him. ,If they'd been set for death, 'twouldh't been much worse."

Virginia uttered a cry of pain. ': "; ; The woman hastened to add: " But then I guess they were going to do well by him. They took every thing thatbelonged to him—ifc wasn't much, you maybe surer-ra few shirts, and handkerchiefs, and lots and lots of paper, scribbled upon. VHe used, to be writing nightly all the time. I told him he'd hurt himself, knowing the! condition of his health as I did.- He was a dreadful sufferer,at times,

and never did I sec such a little eater; ifc didn't seem to me as if what he took'd keep a fly alive—a bit of bread as big as a thimble, and perhaps a sup of milk. No wonder he was sick."

"What can it mean?" murmured Florida, who had paid little or no heed to the woman's hurried talk. "Virginia, what can ifc mean ? "

" And how shall we ever find him ? " queried^ Virginia. " Where have they taken him?"

That Miss Spicer was a dreadful spiteful creetur," laid the woman, who sat conjuring up all the ill-news *he could think of "She used to send him notes, and I guess they want none of the pleasantest, l»y the way they affected him. Then she would come round here and laugh and sing, and sometimes come right in while we were at tea. Then Mr Parker—we. always called him Mr Parker, for short—would git up and go out. She was a terribly forward girl—and she did hate him." *r-

" It's no use sitting here," said Florida. "I think it's rather strange you didn't inquire the gentleman's, name—or where they were taking him." " La! I didn't think about the name ; as to the other, I did as more'n once, but they wouldn't tell, or didn't."

" Never mind, Virginia, we'll find out some way," said Florida,/ Her sister could have kissed her for those words; At last her heart was touched, at last she was interested., o:Kyes,- Virginia would, not despair. At one moment she thought of telling Florida all—the next she shrunk from it with the impression that the news might be distasteful, and abate hepinterest; in the matter. Still, the dead weight at' her h?art filled her with dread;and glp.om again. Who were the friends'thus kind ? Could Mr Le Eoy be one? He had Helmed so interested, that for a few moments there was ifo"doubt in her mind but that he was the prime mover,in the affair. If he had not gone'himself,'he "might have sent some one. Then the thought of his words flashedthrcugh her mind ? f'! I always delegate v^y friends to do my charitable acts." If it was indeed so, she should not be long in suspense, and she longed to fly homeward that her anxiety might be set at rett. i' %, .'•."■ \i

CHAPTER XIII. THB CLAIRVOYAKT. " Did you say you wanted a private room, sir?" "Ye 3; oi!o of the best you have in the house." "We charge very high for such accommodations." " Charge a hundred dollars a week, if you please, only don't keep me waiting. You will find your money promptly paid —attendance, nursing, fuel, every thing. It is not at all likely the young man will recover, aad I wish him, while he lives, to have the best of every thing." " Certainly, sir; we can please you, I think," said the civil superintendent, who saw at once that he was dealing with a man of means. "When do you require the room?" , " To-day—within an hour. The young man 4 is;-'suffermg for the want of-proper care. I have just sent for him, and, of course, you can accomodate yourself to'a case of great emergency." '■ ■ "O! yes, sir; but what name.? We might as well settle, preliminaries ; now." ." Certainly—yes ; " and the man looked perplexed for a moment. ■ " Where is your register ? "■ | It was- pointed' out._ The gentleman took his gold pen from his pocket wi'th'a business air, and M rroto: • •

" William Garnet—-aged twenty." '' Now I am ready to pay any sum you say, in advance."

" Thank jou, sir ; that is our rule with strangers. Fifty dollars in advance is the amount we expect." It was paid. -

" Have the very best of medical attendance ; you see in what a. substantial way I shall be able to thank you; " and he smiled grimly. >;" If he 'wants any luxury, any clothing, get them for him, and charge it to me i and remember, I am very particular about ;the fobniV Let me see one." ':■

'• If you .will excuse me; we are; jus' removatingthe very best apartment in the house, and it would be better for you to caHto-moirow,Jby which time we can movethe patient .'in.' Inlhe meanwhile, he shall have my own chamber, which communicates .with the .other, into; which he he can be 1 wheeled easily." : " Very well; I'll take your word for it. I am.in somewhat of a,hurry,' and,must leavethe whole matter in your hands for the present. Do your best. The patient will be here .in an .hour.- r Grood-morn-ing." ; '_' •

11 Good-morning, sir; " and the polite superintendent' bowedrhim: out.!./.; -

The man hurried away. Ho was ■ noticable only for a large frame, and long, 'reddish-yellow hair; that hung flakelike upon the collar of his coat.' B. sides 'that, he wore a beard, flaming red, and stooped a littleb; ■ .; '■ ■' ■. -.

■ Florida and Virginia reached home, .still speculating'upon the probabilities of | the easel How to discover the persons I implicated in the abduction—fot it seemed ilike a forcible, taking away—.was now the ! hinge 'upon' which their discovery must turn, The tall man with red hair! Florida searched her memory, but she I could not think of any person of that •description who had ever .made himself visible to her. Still it impressed her that LeKoy had something to do with the mstter, and she determined to watch him narrowly. Virginia had told her of her : errand to him,and it seemed to her a little Isuspicious that he was ready upon the moment to aid the young man, whom he could never have met tfefore the night of the party, and of whose previous history he icertainly knew nothing,: Ho did not come that night;: the^ next day he called— called as he was sauntering by, he said. Virginiaand Florida were both at home; |;but Florida, not being prepared to receive company, sent" 'Virginia ;d6wn; in- her iistead. ■ ■..■■'■'; '.': '[:''" '

•How handsome and smiling'he looked j-rrthe thought did not form itself into words, but impressed the young girl. "Mydear Miss Virginia—how is your health ? I have not seen you since the day you honored me with a call.,' And by the way, I am hippy to tell you that I have succeeded in procuring a fine situation for your young friend. Come, what dbyousay to a salary of fourteen hundred and a good deal of spare time beside ? " - Virginia's heart sunk. {To he continued."]