Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-03-28

eternal stiilpess' -.,,,,o,. ~ ,ho
handkerchief, aud eazed into the shsstIy
ice, IL was THAT Of q Young man Two
and.tweDty years old, and who han evil
SsrtIv heen marvell0usly goodIooEing.
uOh, heavens he is deao
H.r clear agonized voice was ringing
IN nv ears as they led ne back into the |,
ds,k mesa of the night, ! felt bank
note press d into my hama rs entered
the carriage once more
doctor, you have done your best IL
"a not YOUR fault that your efforts were
not successful. Remember, you are
pledged to secrecy! ,-v
The next moment | was WhrlnS
swiftly through the November midnight,
9th the strange feeling of one Weakened
suddenly from a startling dream. Yet
II was no dream-alas, 1t was startling
reality. -.-...,,,.,
The carriage stopped at cross-road,
near the village.
cplease to allght here, sir; you are
not far from home"
T obeyed. and stood listening in the
mindle of the road, while the noise OF
the carriage wheels died away, losing dis
tinctness in the shrek OF the restless
winds And the clock in the village
chprch tOlled out the hour OF one.
Late as it was, however, my surgery
was still open and lighted mp; the ser
! want from Haddenleigh Hall mad Just
ridden to the door.
oIf YOU please, doctor, you are wanted
Immediately at the Hall. The Colonel
said YOU were to ride my horse, If yours
were not already saddled, and l can
walk, so there will be no tine lost"
I mechanically mounted the noble an
jmsl that stood waiting for me, and rode
Off rather glad of au opportunity 80
reyolye In my mind the singular adven.
ture that had that evening befallen me.
Hsddenlegh stood little back from
the road, on q magnificent knoll, crown
ed with century old Chestnuts and
beecbes; and | reached the broad stone
steps in about half an hour by dint OF
rapid riding,
As | entered the vestibule Col. Had,
den, who had been pacing up and down
the hall In q perfect agony Of impa-
| thence, came to meet me.
as that you, Dr.. Meller? ! thought
Won never would come. We're in pretty
state of confusion here. Burglars in
the hOuse-my wifes set OF diamonds
eone-nobody knows what else-but old
| HOPKINS left his sign manuel on one OF
the fellows. They must be caught ;
they couldn't have escaped far. For you
| see"
eyes, bat Colonel MADDEN
ooh. ALL understand-yOu want to
see YOUR patient? It's Hopkins, the
| butler; he's got an ugly blow on the
| left ARMAND afterwards my wife went
herself FOR Dr.. Maynard-no offence,
Meller but he lives nearer tnan you
but he was out. She has only returned
| couldn't very well leave Hopkins-and
Mrs. MADDEN is such kind, good soul
she insisted on going herself"
"But, my dear sir"
"Ah, true. Come along to hopkins
reom."
Hopkins was as veluable as his mas.
ter, and ten times as circumstantial and
by the time l had set his arm, I was
pretty well In possession Of all the par
ticulars of the attempted burglary al
Haddenleigh.
And thinking of my midnight patient
whose life had ebbed out upon the pile
Of straw, iet strange outlines as
| listened to Col. Hadden's eager coDjec
lures as to the whereabouts Of the des
peradoes who had fed.
"And now, doctor, you'll take glass
| Of wine" said the hospitable old gentle
man, usherng me into his library
1t was brilliantly lighted, and warn
with the crimson glow Of genial fire
before which, In singularly graceful at
titude, sat lady, wrapped in the gorge
Gus folds of an Indian shawl.
MY wife, doctor: Isabel, my love
this is DR.. Meller.
We stood before one smother In silence
could not speak, for knew that wal
looking into the startled, agOnized eyes
of the woman who had kuelt scarcely al
hour ago by the dying couch in the des
Olate Cottage-COl. Hadden's new wife
Of whose beauty / had often heard 81
| much.
ITO be sure" the Colonel was saying
as | woke into a sort of consciousness o
his voice, "the loss of lsabels diamond
is something serious, but Of course VI
shall recover them again, Only, my
love, it was rather careless Of you Il
leave them on the drawipg-Toom table.
ut was careless" replied Mrs. Had
den calmly. Doctor, you are not 90
ing, Colonel, you have forgotten tina
curious old book you were wanting t
show Dr. Meller."
AS the door closed behind the homes
old gentleman, Mrs. MADDEN glided vi
to me and placed her cold hand on min,
it was like the touch of an iCicle.
doctor, you have nay secret-yor
surely will not betray it."
Il am pledged to silence, madam, bu
this deceit"
at is not my fault, doctor, it is m,
fate. How endure 1t | scarce know
were to pause and think | should e
mad. The man who died to night wa
my son Col. MADDEN knows nothing
of my first marriage, nor Of this dread
ful secret Of my sons criminal life tina
has weighed me down for years. Owe
and over again | have thought to escap