The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-07

the road, on a magnificent knoll crowned
with centCry-old chestnuts and beeehes,
and l reached the broad stone steps in
| about half an hour by dint of rapid
| strides.
As I entered the vestibule, Colonel
Hadden, who had been pacing up and
down the Hall in perfect agony of i'm
patience, came to meet me.
"Is that you, DR.. Meller I thought
you never would come. We're in pref
ty state of confusion here. Burglars in
the nouse-my wife's set of diamonds
gone-nobody knows what else-but old
! Hopkins left his sign manual upon one of
the fellows. They must be caught. They
can't escape. For you see"
eyes, but Colonel Hadden-"
ooh, aye-I understand you-you want
10 see your patient? It's Hopkins, the
butler; he got an ugly blow on the left
armand afterward my wife went herself
Tor DR.. Maynard-no offence, Meller but
he lives nearer than you; but was out
She has only just returned, and couldn't
very well leave Hopkins and Mrs. Had
den is such kiud, good soul, she insisted
on going herself to fetch DR.. Maynard"
"But, my dear sir"
"Ah, truel Come along to Hopkins
room."
Hopkins, the butler, was as voluble as
his master, and ten times as circumstan-
tial and by the time had set his broken
forearm, was pretty well in possession
of all the particulars of the attempted
burglary at Haddenieigh. And thinking
of my midnight patient, whose life had
ebbed out upon the pile of straw, I felt
strange outlines as [ listened to Colonel
Hadden's aarer coniectureS as to the
whereabouts of the desperadoes who had
Ged.
"And now, doctor, yoa'Il take glass
Of wine," said the hospitable old gentle
man, ushering me into his library.
It was brilliantly lighted, and warm
with the crimson glow of genial fire,
before which, Wrapped in the gorgeous
folds of an Indian shawl, stood beautiful
woman.
"My wite, doctor. Isabel, my loves
this is Dr. Meier"
We stood before one another In silence.
I could not speak, fer knew that l was
| looking into the startled, agonized eyes of
the woman who had knelt scarcely an
hour age by the dying couch in the desc
late cottage-Colonel Hadden's new wife,
of whose beauty had heard so much.
The Colonel talked op, but I heard not
q word that he said. could not but
marvel at the wonderful self possession of
the woman, as she smiled and looked grave
and said '.Yes" and "No" in the right
places.
"To be sure" the Colonel was saying,
as I woke into sort of consciousness of
his voice, "thc loss of IsabePs diamonds
IS somethir" serious, but Of course we
shall recover them again. Only, my love,
it was rather careless of you to leave
them on the drawing-room table"
t'It was careless" replied Mrs. Hadden,
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 ii
was like the touch of an icicle.
"Doctor, you have my secret-you
surely will not betray it p
81 am pledged to silence, madam" l
returned, coldIy; "but this deceit"
'Is not my fault, DOCTOR" walled the
u,
I can scarcely tell were to pause and
think, [ should SO mad. The man who
died tonight was my son. Colonel Had
den knows nothing of 10y first marriage,
nor of this dreadful secret of my son 5
criminal life, that has weighed ME down
for years. Over and over again [ have
thought to escape it, but it has followed
} my footsteps like doom. Tonight closes
that chapter of my life-oh, heaven how
! dreadfully But my secret is safe-the
diamonds provided for that %
/ ''Rut your husband, Mrs. Hadden %
She covered her pallid, beautiful face
with her HANDS.
"I know what you would say, DIR. Mel
, Ter. I love anu honor him beyond al
men but what can [ do? Believe me,
: have never willingly wronged or deceived
him. l never dreamed Of"
She paused abruptly. Colonel Hadder
was entering the room, and the smiling
, casual remark she addressed to him fllet
my heart with amazement-alnost aami
. ration. 800
g l rode home &c my blue-eyed littl
9 Eleanor, feeling as I entered the sitting
:. room as if / were returning to the homely
Happ} atmosphere Oh every uay lie. ou
7 never forgot the terrible excitement
= the fearful suspense of that Novembe
: night.
t TIE desporadoes who had attempted t
! rife Haddenleigh Hall were never detet
d f5a OF taken--all trace of them seemed t
i have utterly vanished out of the earth
s Aud were it not for the bank not
I, which most literally reoompensed m
services, and the everlasting witness born