The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-10

den, who had been pacing up and down the
hall In A perfect agony of impotence, CAME
to meet me.
as that you, DR.. Meller' thought you
never would come. We're in "a pretty
state of confusion here Burglars in the
house--my wife's set Of diamonds gone
nobody knows what else-but old Hopkins
left his sign manual on one Of the fellows.
They must be caught; they can't escape
far. For, you see"
Eyes, but Colonel Hadden-"
ooh, ay-I understanding want to see
your patienti It's Hopkins, the butler
he got an ugly blow on the left armand
afterwards my wife went herself for DR..
Maynard-no offence, Meller, but he lives
nearer than you-brt he was out. she
has only Just returned. couldn't very
well leave Hopkins-and Mrs. Hadden IS
such kind, good soul, she insisted on gong
herself to fetch Maynard"
"But, my dear sir"
"Ah, true! Come along TO HOPKINS
ROOM"
Hopkins, the butler, was as volubie as Ms
master, and ten times rs circums'a'.'ai J
and by the time had set his broken iore ;,
arm / was pretty well in posse ssion oi all
the particulars Of the attempted burglary
at Haddenleigh.
And thinking Of my midnight patient
whose life had ebbed out upon the p,ie "a
straw. | felt strange guiltiness ~ no
tened to Colonel Hadden's eager copJec-
lures as to the whereabouts ofthe aesPeFa-
does who had fed. -, &c
"And now, Doctor, you'll take glass oil
wine" said the hospitable old gentleman
nshering me into his library.
II was brilliantly lighted, and warm win
the crimson glow OF genial ire, before
Which. in a singularly graceful attitude, Sd.
a lady, wrapped in the gorgeous ioids OIL an
Indian shawl. A.;
is Doctor Meller."
we stood before one another In silence.
I could not speak, for l knew that was
looking into the startled, agonized eyes OF
the woman who had knelt scarcely al hour
ago by the dying couch in desolate cot
tape-Colonel Hadden's new wife, Of whose
beauty had heard so much.
The Colonel talked on, but l heard not
a word that he said. could not but marvel
at the wonderful self-possession Of the
who smiled and looked grave,
and said eyes" and "no" just in the
right places.
ITO be sure" the Colonel was saying rs
woke into sort of consciousness OF his
voice, "the loss of Isabol's diamonds is
serious, but, Of course, we shall
recover them again. Only, my love, it
was rather careless Of you to leave them
OH the drawing room table"
at lcQs careless" replied Mrs. Hidden,
calmly. "Doctor, you are not going
Colonel, you have forgotten that curious
old book you were wanting to show Dr.
Meller."
As the door closed behind the honest old
gentleman Mrs. Hadden glided up TO me
and placed her cold hand on mine-it was
like the touch of an icicle.
"Doctor, you have my secret-you
surely will not betray il ?"
81 am pledged to silence, madam" /
returned, coldly; "but this deceit"
"It is not my fault, Doctor" walled the
woman, "it is my fate. How endure 1t
scarcely know: were ltopauSe aud think,
should go mad. The man who died to-
night was my son Colonel Hadden knows
nothing Of my first marriage, nor OF this
dreadful secret of my sons criminal life
that has weighed me down for years. Over
and over again l have thought TO escape
from il. but il has followed upon my foot
steps like doom. Tonight closes that
chapter of my life-oh Heaven, how
dreadfuly But my secret is salc-thc
diamonds provided for that"
But your husband, Mrs. Hidden"
She covered her pallid, beautiful face
with her hands.
81 know what YOU would say, DR.. Mel
Ter. ] love him, and honor him beyond all
men; but what can | do! Believe me,
have never willingly wronged or deceived
him. never dreamed uf-of-"
She paused abruptly. Colonel lladden
was entering the room, and the smiling,
casual remark she addressed to him filled
nv heart with Observation-Disclosures adlnl-
ration.
I rode home to my blue eyed little
Eleanor, feeling, as I entered the snug sit
tipg-room, as if were returning 10 the
homelv, happy atmosphere Of everyday
life. But | never forgot the terrible ex-
element, the feverish suspense oil that
November night.
The desperadoes who had attempted to
rifle uaddcnleigh Hall were never detected
or taken-all traces of them seemed to
have utterly vanished out Of the earth.
And were it not for the bank-note which
had most literally recompcnscd my ser
vices, and the everlasting witness borne
by Mrs. Hadden's lovely, startled face, |
should almost have been tempted to fancy
that all the events Of that marvellous No
vember midnight were the fragments OF
dream.
This was my adventure-the first and
last that ever crossed the pathway OF my
life.
Observation-Disclosures, the tory printer
during the Revolution, who was so bitter
in his attacks on the rebels and Mr.. Wash
ington, as ne called the General. thought
- g.. H.. Do