ra was the
acquisition of her wealth. According to popular surmise and report, the
young lady's mental infirmity had been brought about by the persecutions
she had endured at the hands of Mrs. Brandon, with a view to force her
into a marriage she detested. The most reliable authority for the truth
of these rumors was Susan Hopley, now in the service of Lady Compton, but
who had lived for many years with Mr. Frederick Brandon and his daughter.
She had been discharged about six months after her master's decease by
Mrs. Major Brandon for alleged impertinence; and so thoroughly convinced
was Susan that the soon-afterwards alleged lunacy of Clara was but a
juggling pretence to excuse the restraint under which her aunt-in-law,
for the furtherance of her own vile purposes, had determined to keep
her, that although out of place at the time, she devoted all the savings
of her life, between eighty and ninety pounds, to procure "justice" for
the ill-used orphan. This article, Susan was advised, could be best
obtained of the lord chancellor; and proceedings were accordingly taken
before the keeper of the king's conscience, in order to change the
custody of the pretended lunatic. The affidavits filed in support of the
petition were, however, so loose and vague, and were met with such
positive counter-allegations, that the application was at once dismissed
with costs; and poor Susan--rash suitor for "justice"--reduced to
absolute penury. These circumstances becoming known to Lady Compton,
Susan was taken into her service; and it was principally owing to her
frequently-iterated version of the affair that Clara had been forcibly
rescued from Mrs. Brandon's son.

On the following morning the patient was much calmer, though her mind
still wandered somewhat. Fortified by the authority of the physician, who
certified that to remove her, or even to expose her to agitation, would
be dangerous, if not fatal, Lady Compton not only refused to deliver her
up to Major and Mrs. Brandon, but to allow them to see her. Mrs. Brandon,
in a towering rage, posted off to the nearest magistrate, to demand the
assistance of peace-officers in obtaining possession of the person of the
fugitive. That functionary would, however, only so far comply with the
indignant lady's solicitations, as to send his clerk to the castle to
ascertain the reason of the young lady's detention; and when his
messenger returned with a note, enclosing a copy of the physician's
certi