packet into his hands; he
promised to have it safely delivered. I was obliged to go the next day,
with the troops, to a distant part of the country. When I returned, I
inquired at the convent what had become of Miss St. Omar--I should say
Mrs. Reynolds; and I was told that she had removed from the convent to
private lodgings in the town, some time previous to the birth of her
child. The abbess seemed much scandalised by the whole transaction; and
I remember I relieved her mind by assuring her that there had been
a regular marriage. For poor young Reynolds's sake, I made farther
inquiries about the widow, intending, of course, to act as a friend, if
she was in any difficulty or distress. But I found, on inquiry at
her lodgings, that her brother had come from England for her, and had
carried her and her infant away. The active scenes,' continued the
count, 'in which I was immediately afterwards engaged, drove the whole
affair from my mind. Now that your questions have recalled them, I feel
certain of the facts I have mentioned; and I am ready to establish them
by my testimony.'

Lord Colambre thanked him with an eagerness that showed how much he was
interested in the event. It was clear, he said, either that the packet
left with the ambassador had not been delivered, or that the father of
Mr. Reynolds had suppressed the certificate of the marriage, as it had
never been acknowledged by him or by any of the family. Lord Colambre
now frankly told the count why he was so anxious about this affair; and
Count O'Halloran, with all the warmth of youth, and with all the ardent
generosity characteristic of his country, entered into his feelings,
declaring that he would never rest till he had established the truth.

'Unfortunately,' said the count, 'the ambassador who took the packet in
charge is dead. I am afraid we shall have difficulty.'

'But he must have had some secretary,' said Lord Colambre; 'who was his
secretary?--we can apply to him.'

'His secretary is now CHARGE D'AFFAIRES in Vienna--we cannot get at
him.'

'Into whose hands have that ambassador's papers fallen--who is his
executor?' said Lord Colambre.

'His executor!--now you have it,' cried the count. 'His executor is the
very man who will do your business--your friend Sir James Brooke is the
executor. All papers, of course, are in his hands; or he can have access
to any that are in the hands of the family. The family seat is within
a few miles of Sir James B