Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan source: http://books.google.com/books?id=hT4VAAAAQAAJ (Oxford University)
2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]
MIRACLE GOLD.
New Novels at the Libraries.
WARD & DOWNEY, PUBLISHERS, LONDON.
MIRACLE GOLD.
A Novel.
BY
RICHARD DOWLING,
AUTHOR OF
"The Mystery of Killard," "The Weird Sisters," "Tempest Driven," "Under St. Paul's," &c.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. 1888.
[All rights reserved.]
PRINTED BY KELLY AND CO., GATE STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, AND KINGSTON-ON-THAMES.
CONTENTS.
MIRACLE GOLD.
MIRACLE GOLD.
CHAPTER I
TOO LATE.
"The 8.45 for London, miss? Just gone. Gone two or three minutes. It's the last train up to town this evening, miss. First in the morning at 6.15, miss."
"Gone!" cried the girl in despair. She reached out her hand and caught one of the wooden pillars supporting the roof of the little station at Millway, near the south-east coast of England.
"Yes, miss, gone," said the porter. He was inclined to be very civil and communicative, for the last train for London had left, the enquirer seemed in great distress, and she was young and beautiful. "Any luggage, miss? If you have you can leave it in the cloak-room till the first train to-morrow. The first train leaves here at a quarter past six."
She did not speak. She looked up and down the platform, with dazed, bewildered eyes. Her lips were drawn back and slightly parted. She still kept her hand on the wooden pillar. She seemed more afraid of becoming weak than in a state of present weakness.
The porter, who was young and good-looking, and a very great admirer of female charms, thought the girl was growing faint. He said: "If you like, miss, you can sit down in the waiting-room and rest there."
She turned her eyes upon him without appearing to see him, and shook her head in mechanical refusal of his suggestion. She had no fear of fainting. For a moment her mental powers were prostrated, but her physical force was in no danger of giving way. With a start and a shiver, she recovered enough presence of mind to realize her position on the platform, and the appearance she must be making in the eyes of the polite and well-disposed railway porter.
"Thank you, I have no luggage--with me." She looked around apprehensively, as though dreading pursuit.
