oth arms, and
he gradually recovered consciousness. Leaving him in kind and careful
hands, I hurried off to ascertain what possible foundation there could be
for the terrible tidings so strangely announced.

I found the establishment in Harley Street in a state of the wildest
confusion and dismay. Mrs. Rushton _was_ dead; that, at all events, was
no figment of sudden insanity, and incredible, impossible rumors were
flying from mouth to mouth with bewildering rapidity and incoherence.
The name of Mademoiselle de Tourville was repeated in every variety of
abhorrent emphasis; but it was not till I obtained an interview with
Mrs. Rushton's solicitor that I could understand what really had
occurred, or, to speak more properly, what was suspected. Mrs. Rushton
had made a deposition, of which Mr. Twyte related to me the essential
points. The deceased lady had gone out in her carriage with the express
intention of calling on him, the solicitor, to ascertain if it would be
possible to apply the Alien Act to Mademoiselle de Tourville and her
father, in order to get them sent out of the country. Mr. Twyte did not
happen to be at home, and Mrs. Rushton immediately drove to the De
Tourvilles' lodgings in King Street, Holborn, with the design, she
admitted, of availing herself of what she was in her own mind satisfied
was the purely accidental taking away of a jewel-case, to terrify
Mademoiselle de Tourville, by the threat of a criminal charge, into
leaving the country, or at least to bind herself not to admit, under any
circumstances, of Mr. Arthur Rushton's addresses. She found Eugenie in a
state of extraordinary, and it seemed painful excitement; and the young
lady entreated that whatever Mrs. Rushton had to say should be reserved
for another opportunity, when she would calmly consider whatever Mrs.
Rushton had to urge. The unfortunate lady became somewhat irritated at
Mademoiselle de Tourville's obstinacy, and the unruffled contempt with
which she treated the charge of robbery, even after finding the missing
jewel-case in a band-box, into which it had been thrust with some
brushes and other articles in the hurry of leaving. Mrs. Rushton was
iterating her threats in a loud tone of voice, and moved towards the
bell to direct, she said, the landlord to send for a constable, but with
no intention whatever of doing so, when Mademoiselle de Tourville caught
her suddenly by the arm, and bade her step into the next room. Mrs.
Rushton mec