A FORCED MARRIAGE SCHEME DEFEATED.

GOSHEN, CONN.—A LADY STRANGER THERE—A PILGRIMAGE TO GOSHEN, VIA THE FAR-FAMED MOUNTAIN TOWN OF LITCHFIELD—THE BEAUTIFUL WIDOW—AN UNPLEASANT REMINISCENCE OF DR. IVES, LATE BISHOP OF NORTH CAROLINA—MORE ABOUT THE WIDOW—SHE LEAVES FOR NEW YORK—AT THE "MANSION HOUSE," LITCHFIELD—A MARKED CHARACTER ENCOUNTERED THERE—MR. "C. B. LE ROY" STUDIED AND WEIGHED—THE BEAUTIFUL WIDOW AND LE ROY MEET—HER FACE DISCLOSES CONFLICTING EMOTIONS—MR. LE ROY AND THE BEAUTIFUL WIDOW, MRS. STEVENS, TAKE A WALK DOWN SOUTH STREET, IN THE "PARADISE OF LOAFERS"—SYMPATHIES SILENTLY EXCHANGED—WE ALL START FOR THE "STATION"—THE STAGE-COACH "TURNS OVER"—THE AFFRIGHTED LE ROY REVEALS HIS MANNERS—A PECULIAR SCENE IN THE CARS—AT BRIDGEPORT I PRESENT MYSELF TO MRS. STEVENS—AT NEW YORK AGAIN—A TALE OF COMPLICATIONS—MRS. STEVENS IN DEEP TROUBLE—A FRIEND OF HERS SEEKS ME—REVELATIONS—A FEARFUL STORY—A SECRET MARRIAGE AND UNHAPPY CONSEQUENCES—THE WRETCH LE ROY WANTS THE WIDOW'S MONEY—A TRAP SET FOR LE ROY—HE FALLS INTO IT—WEDDING SCENE DISARRANGED—THE WIDOW SAVED, AND THE INTENDED FORCED MARRIAGE DEFEATED.

[387]

THE MARKED BILLS.

A LITTLE KEY BEARING A MONOGRAM SHAPES THE DESTINY OF AN INTELLIGENT MAN—HOW THIS MAN CAME TO BE INVOLVED IN THE MATTER OF WHICH THIS TALE DISCOURSES—MY PARTNER AND I—FAR-OFF MYSTERIES MAY SOLVE NEARER ONES—A CONSULTATION—A COMMITTEE "SEEK LIGHT," AND FIND CONSOLATION—BURGLARIES AND HIGHWAY ROBBERIES BY THE WHOLESALE—MY PARTNER LEAVES FOR EUROPE—A TOWN IN OHIO INFESTED—A "DOCTOR HUDSON" APPEARS IN THE TOWN—HE MAKES A PROFESSIONAL VISIT TO ONE MR. PERKINS—A COLLOQUY; SEEKING LIGHT—A CALLOUS HAND, AND A CLEW TO MYSTERIES—"DOCTOR HUDSON" EXTENDS HIS ACQUAINTANCESHIP—HE MAKES A NIGHT'S VISIT OUT OF TOWN, AND GETS WAYLAID AND ROBBED, BUT MANAGES TO CREATE THE FATAL EVIDENCE HE WANTS OF THE ROBBERS' IDENTITY—A COUNCIL OF PRINCIPAL CITIZENS—"DOCTOR HUDSON" MAKES A DISCLOSURE—A SCHEME LAID—A "MILITARY INVESTMENT" OF A DOMESTIC FORTRESS; AN EXCITING HOUR—BREAKING INTO A HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT AND SURPRISING A SLEEPER—THE THIEF LEAVES TOWN TO GO TO CINCINNATI TO STUDY MEDICINE WITH "DOCTOR HUDSON"—A SUICIDE—PURITANIC MERCILESSNESS—THE MUSIC TEACHER'S INGENIOUS LETTER TO HIS LADY LOVE.

[414]

THE COOL-BLOODED GOLD ROBBER.

A SUDDEN CALL—GREAT CONSTERNATION AT THE —— BANK IN WALL STREET—TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN GOLD STOLEN—A HARD, INSOLUBLE CASE—"TRY," THE SOUL OF SUCCESS—BANKS COMPELLED TO GREATEST CAUTIOUSNESS—NO ESPRIT DE CORPS AMONG MONEY-CHANGERS—THE WAY I "CREATED" DETECTIVES—RAG-PICKERS MADE USEFUL ABOVE THEIR CALLING—AN UP-TOWN CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND ITS TREASURES—A LAUGHING COACHMAN—A PRESENT—COMPLICATED EVIDENCE UNRAVELLED—AN OLD OFFICE-WOMAN INVOLVED IN THE MYSTERY—A BIT OF FUN FURNISHES THE DESIRED "KEY"—"SMOUCHING," AND WHAT CAME OF IT—EXTENDING MY ACQUAINTANCESHIP—THE THIEF FOUND—A WALL STREET BROKER—STUDYING HIM—HIS CLERK WILED AWAY—GOOD USE OF THEATRE TICKETS—THE SCHEME OF IDENTIFICATION—A PLOT WITHIN A PLOT—THE BROKER WORSTED—HE STRUGGLES WITHIN HIMSELF; GROWS PALE—HOW HE EXECUTED THE ROBBERY—THE TERRIBLE "FORCE OF EXAMPLE" SOMETIMES—THE THIEF BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—A SALUTARY WARNING TO OTHER THIEVES.

[442]

$1,250,000, OR THE PRIVATE MARK.