"Believe me, dear Miss Garth, always truly
yours,

"GEORGE BARTRAM.

"P.S.— As soon as all business matters are
settled, I am going abroad for some months, to
try the relief of change of scene. The house
will be shut up, and left under the charge of
Mrs. Drake. I have not forgotten your once
telling me that you should like to see St. Crux,
if you ever found yourself in this neighbourhood.
If you are at all likely to be in Essex, during
the time when I am abroad, I have provided
against the chance of your being disappointed,
by leaving instructions with Mrs. Drake to give
you, and any friends of yours, the freest admission
to the house and grounds."

VIII.
FROM MR. LOSCOMBE TO MRS. NOEL VANSTONE.

"Lincoln's Inn-fields, May 24th.

"Dear Madam,—After a whole fortnight's
search—conducted, I am bound to admit, with
the most conscientious and unrelaxing care—
no such document as the Secret Trust has been
found among the papers left at St. Crux by the
late Admiral Bartram.

"Under these circumstances, the executors
have decided on acting under the only
recognisable authority which they have to guide them
—the admiral's own will. This document
(executed some years since) bequeaths the whole
of his estate, both real and personal (that is
to say, all the lands he possesses, and all the
money he possesses, at the time of his death), to
his nephew. The will is plain, and the result is
inevitable. Your husband's fortune is lost to you
from this moment. Mr. George Bartram legally
inherits it, as he legally inherits the house and
estate of St. Crux.

"I make no comment upon this extraordinary
close to the proceedings. The Trust may have
been destroyed—or the Trust may be hidden in
some place of concealment, inaccessible to
discovery, after the most patient and prolonged
search for it. It is useless for either of us to
speculate on the subject now. I will not add to
your disappointment, by any references to the
time and money which I have lost, in the
unfortunate attempt to assert your interests. I will
merely say that my connexion (both personal
and professional) with the matter, must, from
this moment, be considered at an end.

"Your obedient servant,

"JOHN LOSCOMBE."

IX.
FROM MRS. RUDDOCK. (LODGING-HOUSE KEEPER)

TO MR. LOSCOMBE.

"Park-terrace, St. John's Wood,

"June 2nd.

"Sir,— Having by Mrs. Noel Vanstone's
directions, taken letters for her to the post,
addressed to you and knowing no one else to apply
to I beg to inquire whether you are acquainted
with any of her friends; for I think it right that
they should be stirred up to take some steps
about her.

"Mrs. Vanstone first came to me in November
last, when she and her maid occupied my
apartments. On that occasion, and again on
this, she has given me no cause to complain of
her. She has behaved like a lady, and paid me
my due. I am writing, as a mother of a family,
under a sense of responsibility—I am not writing
with an interested motive.

"After proper warning given, Mrs. Vanstone
(who is now quite alone) leaves me to-morrow.
She has not concealed from me that her
circumstances are fallen very low, and that she cannot
afford to remain in my house. This is all she
has told me—I know nothing of where she is
going, or what she means to do next. But I
have every reason to believe she desires to destroy
all traces by which she might be found, after
leaving this place—for I discovered her in tears
yesterday, burning letters which were doubtless
letters from her friends. In looks and conduct
she has altered most shockingly in the last week.
I believe there is some dreadful trouble on her
mind—and I am afraid, from what I see of her,
that she is on the eve of a serious illness. It is
very sad to see such a young woman so utterly
deserted and friendless as she is now.

"Excuse my troubling you with this letter;
it is on my conscience to write it. If you know
any of her relations, please warn them that time
is not to be wasted. If they lose to-morrow,
they may lose the last chance of finding her.

"Your humble servant,

"CATHERINE RUDDOCK."

X.
FROM MR. LOSCOMBE TO MRS. RUDDOCK.

"Lincoln's Inn-fields, June 2nd.

"Madam,—My only connexion with Mrs.
Noel Vanstone was a professional one—and
that connexion is now at an end. I am not
acquainted with any of her friends; and I cannot
undertake to interfere personally either with
her present or future proceedings.

"Regretting my inability to afford you any
assistance, I remain, your obedient servant,

"JOHN LOSCOMBE."

THE LAST SCENE.
AARON'S BUILDINGS.
CHAPTER I.

On the seventh of June, the owners of the
merchantman, DELIVERANCE, received news that
the ship had touched at Plymouth to land
passengers, and had then continued her homeward
voyage to the Port of London. Five days later,
the vessel was in the river, and was towed into
the East India Docks.

Having transacted the business on shore for
which he was personally responsible, Captain
Kirke made the necessary arrangements by
letter, for visiting his brother-in-law's parsonage
in Suffolk, on the seventeenth of the month.
As usual, in such cases, he received a list of
commissions to execute for his sister on the day