own room.

All this soon became noised throughout the town of S----, and there was
a little world of excitement, and all manner of conjectures, as to who
this Colonel Willoughby might be. The old nurse, of whom mention has
been made, presuming upon her professional acquaintance with Mrs. Allen,
took the liberty of calling in one afternoon, when, to her certain
knowledge, the stranger was in the house. She was, however, disappointed
in seeing him. The servant who admitted her showed her into a small
reception-room, on the opposite side of the hall from the main parlor,
and here Mrs. Allen met her. She was "very sweet to her"--to use her own
words--sweet, and kind, and gentle as ever. But she looked paler than
usual, and did not seem to be at ease.

The nurse reported that something was going wrong; but, as to its exact
nature, she was in the dark. It certainly didn't look right for Mrs.
Allen to be receiving daily the visits of an elegant looking stranger,
and her husband away. There was only one opinion on this head.

And so it went on from day to day for nearly a week--Colonel Willoughby,
as he had called himself, spending the greater part of every morning
with Mrs. Allen, and hiding himself from curious eyes, during the
afternoons, in his room at the "White Swan." Then came the denouement to
this exciting little drama.

One day the stranger, after dining, asked Mr. Adams for his bill, which
he paid in British gold. He then gave directions to have a small trunk,
the only baggage he had with him, sent to the house of Captain Allen.

The landlord raised his eyebrows, of course; looked very much surprised,
and even ventured a curious question. But the stranger repelled all
inquisition touching his movements. And so he left the "White Swan,"
after sojourning there for nearly a week, and the landlord never saw him
again.

The news which came on the following day, created no little sensation in
S----. Jacob Perkins, who lived near Captain Allen's, and often worked
for him, told the story. His relation was to this effect: About
ten o'clock at night, Mrs. Allen sent for him, and he waited on her
accordingly. He found her dressed as for a journey, but alone.

"Take a seat, Jacob," she said. "I wish to have some talk with you." The
man noticed something unusual in her talk and manner.

"Jacob," she resumed, after a pause, bending towards Mr. Perkins, "can
I trust you in a matter requiring both service and secrecy? I have