The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-04-13
Ter adventure that had befallen me during the

ier adventure that mad Defallen me during the
evening.
Haddenleigh stood little back from the road,
a magnificent knoll crowned with century-old
chesnuts and beeches and 1 reached the broad
stone steps in about half an hour, by dint of
rapid strides
As entered the vestibule, Colonel Hadden,
who had been pacing up and down the hall in a
perfect agony of impotence, came to meet mel
'Is that you, DR.. Melle=? thought You never
would come. We are i'll a pretty state of confu-
sion here Burglars in the house--ny wife's set
of diamonds gone--nobody knows what else-but
old Hopkins left his sign manual upon one OF the
fellows. They can't escape. For you see
"Yes, but Colonel Hadden-'
"Oh, aye-I understand you-you want to see
your patient? It's Hopkins the Butler; he got
an ugly blow Oh the left ARMAND afterward my
wife went herself for Dr. Maynard-no offence,
Mellcr, but he lives nearer than you but he was
out. She has only returned, and l couldn't very
well leave Hopkins; and Mrs. Hadden is such
kind, good soul she insisted on going herself to
fetch Dr. Maynard"
"But, my dear sir
"Ah true! Come along to Hopkins ROOM
Hopkins, the butler, was as voluble rs bis mas
ter, and ten times circumstantial; and by the
time had set his broken forearm, l was pretty
well in possession of all the particulars of the
attempted burglary at Haddenleigh.
life had ebbed out upon the pile of straw, felt
strange outlines as l listened to Colonel Had
den's eager njectures as to theSwhereabOuts of
the desperadees who had fled.
"And now, doctor, you'll take glass of wine,"
said the hospitable old gentleman, ushering me
into his library.
1t was brilliantly lighted, and warm with the
crimson glow of genial fire. before which wrap
ped i'll the gorgeous folds of an Indian shawl sat
a lady.
"My wife, doctor. Isabel, my love, this is DR..
Meler"
We stood before one another in silence. |
could not speak, for | knew that was looking
into the startled. agonized eyes of the woman
who had knelt scarcely an hour ago by the dying
couch in the desolate eottage-Colonel Haddens
new wife, of whose beauty had heard so much.
The Colonel talked on, but heard not word
he said. / could not but marvel at the wonder
full self-possession of the woman, she smiled and
looked grave and said Eyes" and mo- in the
right places
ITO be sure" the Colonel was saying, as / woke
into sort of consciousness of his voice, .'the loss
of Isabel's diamonds is something 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"
at was careless" replied Mrs. Hadden calmly.
doctor, you are not going? Colonel, you have
forgotten that curious old book you were want
ing to show DR.. Meller."
As the door closed behind the honest old gen.
tleman, Mrs. MADDEN glided up to me and placed
her cold hand on mine; it was like the touch of
an icice.
doctor, you have my secret--you surely will
not betray it y
II am pledged to silence, madam returned,
coldly; "but this deceit"
sit is not my fault. DOCTOR" walled the woman,
sit is my fate. How | endure it l can scarcely
tell were to pause and think, should go mad.
The man who died to night was my son! Col.
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 have thought to escape it, but it has
followed my footsteps like doom. Tonight
closes that chapter of life-oh, heaven! how
dreadfully! But my secret is safe-the diamonds
provided for thatr'
But your husband, Mrs, Hadden"
She covered her palid beautiful face with her
hands.
81 know what you would say, DR.. Meller.
love and honor him beyond all men; but what
can do? Believe me, l have never willingly
deceived him. I mover dreamed Of"
She paused abruptly. Colonel Hadden was
entering the room, and the smiling, casual remark
she addressed to him filled my heart with amaze
ment-amost admiration.
] rode home to my blue eyed little Eleanor,
feeling as l entered the snug sitting room as if
were returning to the homely, happy atmosphere
of every day life. But never shallj forget the
terrible excitement, the fearful suspense Of that
November night. tE
The desperadoes who had attempted to rifle
Haddenleigh Hall were never detected or taken
all trace Of them seemed to have utterly van
ished out Of the earth.
And were it not for the bank note which most
literally recompensed my services, and the ever
lasting witness borne by Mrs. Hadden's lovely
face, l should almost have been tempted to fancy
that all the events of that marvellous November
midnight, were the fragments of dream.
This was my adventure-the first and last that
ever crossed the pathway Of my life.