The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-01-04

I mechanically mounted the noble animal
that stood waiting for me, and rode off.
rather glad OF an opportunity to revolve in
my mind the singular adventure that had
that evening befallen me.
Haddenleigh stood a little back from the
road, on a magnificent knoll, crowned with
century old chestnuts and beeches; and
reached the broad stone steps in about half
an hour, by dint ofrapid riding.
As | entered the vestibule, Colonel Had
den, who had been pacing up and down the
hall In perfect agony of impatience, came
to meet NE.
is that you, DR.. MeIler? Thought you
never would come. We're in pretty state
ofconfusion 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
n p be caught; they can't escape far
For, you sec
Yes, but Colonel Hadden-''
"Oh, ay-I understand want to
see your patient? 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-but he was out. She
well leave Hopkins-and Mrs. Hadden is
such kind, good soul, she insisted on 60
ing herself to fetch Maynard -
F.But, my dear sir
"Ah, true! Come along to Hopkins
room.
Hopkins, the butler, was as voluble as
his master, and ten times as crcumstantial;
and by the time had set his broken fore
arm, was pretty well in possession of all
the particulars of the attempted burglary at
Haddenleigh
And thinking of my midnight patient,
whose life had ebbed sout upon the pile of
straw, | felt strange outlines as listen
ed to Colonel Hadden's eager conjectures
as to the whereabouts Of the desperadees
who had fed.
''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 a genial fire, before
which, in singularly graceful attitude sat
lady, wrapped in the gorgeous folds of an
Indian shawl.
my wife, doctor. Isabel. my love, this
is Doctor Meller'
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 aesolate cot
| tage-Colonel MADDEN S new wife, Of whose
beauty had heard SO much
| The Colonel talked on, but [ heard not a
| word that he said | could not but marvel
at the wonderful self possession of the wo-
man, who smiled and looked grave, and said
YES" and No just in the right places.
ITO be sure" the Colonel was saying, as
L 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, 1t was
rather careless of you to leave them on the
drawing room table.
1T ,cas Careless replied Mrs. Hadden,
calmly. Doctor, you are not going? Col
onel you have forgotten that curious old
book you were wanting to show DIR. Mel
Ter"
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 icice.
doctor, you have my secret-you surely
will not betray it?"
Il am pledged to silence, madam :
turned, coldly; but this deceit"
woman, it is my fate. How | endure it
scarcely know; were | to pause and think
would go mad The man who died to-
night was my son! Colonel Hadden knows
nothing of my first marriage, not of this
dreadful secret ofmy son criminal life that
has weighed me down for years. Over and
over again | have thought to escape from it
but it has followed upon my footste ps like
doom. To night closes that chapter Of
my life-oh, heaven! how dreadfully! But
my secret is safe-the diamonds provided
for that"
But your husband, Mrs. Hadden.''
She covered her pallid, beautiful face
with her hands.
Il know what you would say, DR.. Meller
[ love him aud honor him beyond all men;
but what can | DO? Believe me, | have
never willingly wronged Or deceived hila
| never dreamed of-of-'
She paused abruptly. Colonel Hadden
was entering the room, and the smiling,
casual remark she addressed to him, filled
my heart with Observation-Disclosures admira-
ton.
rode home to my bluc-eyed little Elem
or, feeling as | entered the snug sitting
room as if were returning to the homely,
happy atmosphere of every day life. But
| never forgot the terrible excitement, the
feverish suspense of that November night
The desperadoes who had attempted to
rifle Haddenleigh Hall were never detected
or taken-au trace of them seemed to have
utterly vanished out of the earth.
And were it not for the bank note which
had most literally recompensed my services,
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 November
midnight were the fragments of dream.
This was my adyenture-the first and last
that ever crossed the pathway of my life.
A Gorgeous Fenian Outfit.
One Of the Fenian uniforms seized by the
authorities at Liverpool few weeks ago.
was deliberately beautiful. The cap says
l IL Il. i -