The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-01
afraid. II he showed II, Of its costing him his

afraid. IL he showed II, Of It's costing him hi
life.
There was perhaps grain Of truth mixed uI
with this last report. II was false to say that b,
was afraid but IL Was fact that his life hsc
been twice threatened In India and 1t wa
firmly believed that the Diamond was at th'
bottom Of Il. When he came back to England
and found himself avoided by everybody, TIM
Diamond was thought to be at the bottom Of i
again. The mystery Of the Colonel's life got In
the Colonel's way. and outlswcd him, as you
may say, among his own people. The mer
wouldn't let him into their clubs the women
more than one-whom he wanted to marry, 70
fused him !; friends and relations got too near
sighted to see him in the street.
Some men in this mess would have tried tf
set themselves right with the world. But e
give In. even when he was wrong, and had al
society against him, was not the way OF the
Honorable John. He had kept the Diamond, In
fat defiance Of assassination, in India. He kept
the Diamond, in fiat defiance Of public opinion,
In England. There you have the portrait Of the
man before you, as in picture character
that bravcd everything and face, handsome
as it was, that looked possessed by the devil.
We heard different rumors about him from
time to time. Sometimes they said he was Civ.
en- up to smoking opium, and collecting old books
sometimes he Was reported to be trying strange
things In chemistry sometimes he was seen ca
rousing and amusing himself among the low
est people in the lowest slums Of London. Any
how, solitary, vicious, underground life was
the life the Colonel led. Once, and once only,
after his return to England, | myself saw him,
face to face.
About two years before the time Of which
am now writing, and about year and hall
before the time Of his death. the Colonel came
unexpectelly TO my lady's house in London.
II was the night Of Miss Rachel's birthday, the
twenty-frst Of June and there was q party in
honor Of il, as usual. received message
from the footman to say that gentleman want
ed to see me. Going up into the hall, there
found the Colonel, wasted, and worn, and old,
and shabby, and as wild and as wicked as evss.
"Go up to my sister, says he: "and say
that have callei to wish my niece many happy
returns Of the day."
lie had made attempts by letter, more than
once already, TO be reconciled with my lady, for
no other purpose, l am firmly persuaded. than
to annoy her. But this was the first time he
had actually come 10 the house. had II on the
tip Of my tongue to say that my mistress had a
party that night. But the deyilish look Of him
daunted ine. went up stairs with his message,
and left him, by his own desire, waiting in the
hail. The servants stood staring at him, ut q
distance, rs If he was walking engine Of de-
struction, loaded with powder and shot. and
likely to 20 of among them at q moments no.
tice.
My lady has dash-no more-of the fami-
ly temper. "Tell Colonel Herncastle," she said
when gave her her brothers message, "that
Miss Verinder is engaged, and that decline to
see him." tried to plead for civiler answer
than that knowing the Colonel's constitutional
superiority to the restraints which govern gen.
tlemen in general. Quite useless ! The family
temper flashed outat me directly. "When
want your ADVICE" says my lady, "you know
that always ask for il. Idon't ask for itnow." "
went down stairs with the message, Of which |
took the liberty Of presenting new and amend
ed edition fmy own contriving, as follow "My
lady and Miss Rschol regret that they are en-
gagged. Colonel and beg to be excused having
the honor Of seeing you.
expected him to break out, even at that po-
lite way Of putting II. To my surprise he did
nothing Of the sort he alarmed me by taking
the thing with an unnatural quiet. His eyes.
Of q glittering bright gray, just settled on me
for moment and he laughed, not out Of him
self, like other people, but into himself, in sot,
chuckling, horribly mischievous way. "Thank
you, Betteredgc. )" he said. al shall rememb er
my niece's birthday" With that, he turned on
his heel, and walked out Of the house.
The next birthday came round. and we heard
he was III in bed. Six months afterwarl-that
is TO say, six months before the time am now
writing of-there came letter from highly
respectable clergyman to my lady. II commu-
nicated two wonderful things in the way offam-
ily news. First, that the Colonel had forgiven
his sister ON his death-bed. Second, that hehad
forgiven every body else, and had made most
edifying end. have myself lin spite Of the
bishops and clergy) an unfeigncd respect for the
Church but am imly persuaded, at the same
time, that the devil remained in undisturbed
possession Of the Honorable John, and that the
last abominable act in life the Of that abomina.
BILE man was(saving your prcsence) to take the
clergyman in!
This was the sum total Of what had to tell
Mr.. Franklin. | remarked that he listened
more aud more eagerly the longer | went on.
Also, that the story Of the Colonel being sent
away from his sisters door, on the occasion of
his niece's birthday, seemed to strike MIR. Frank
lin like shot that had hit the mark. Though
he didn't acknowledge 1t, saw that had made
him uneasy, plainly enough, in his face.
"You have said your say, Bettercdge," he
remarked. ats my turn now. Before, how
ever, tell you what discoveries have made in
London, and how come to be mixed up In this
matter Of the Diamond, want to- know one
thing. Yon look, my old friend, as IL you didn't
quite understand the object to be answered by
this consultation Of ours. DO your looks belle
your
"No, Sir" I said. my looks, on this oc.
casion at any rate, tell the truth" =.
I'm that casc," says Mr. Franklin. "supPose
put you up to my point Of view before we 20
any further. see three very serious questions
involved in the Colonel's birthday-gift to my
cousin Rachel. Follow me carefully, Better
edge and count me of on your fingers, ifit will
help you,' says Mr.. Franklin, with certain
pleasure in showing how clear-hesdcd he could
be, which reminded me wonderfully Of old times
when he was a boy. "Question the first: Was
the Colonel's Diamond the object Of conspira-
cy in Indiai Question the second Has the
conspiracy followed the Colonel's Diamond to
England! Question the third, Did the COL
onel know that the conspiracy followed the Dia.
mond and has he purposely left legacy Of
trouble and danger to his sister. through the
innocent medium Of his sisters child! That
u Whtt aui ~, DetSAStbS' bSh w
me frighten you"
1t was all very well to say that. but he had
frightened me.
If he was right. here was our quiet English
house suddenly invaded by devilish Indian
diamond-brinsing after Il q conspiracy Of liy-
ing rogues, set loose on US by the vengeance Of
dead MAJ. There was our situation. as re-
vealed to me in Mr.. Franklin's last words! Who
ever heard the like Of tin the nineteenth ccn-
tury, mind. in an age Of progress, and In acoun-
try which rroiees in the blessings Of the British
constitution Nobody ever heard the like Of IL,
and, consequently. nobody can be expected to
believe Il. shall go on with my story, how
ever, in spite Of that.
When you get sudden alarm, Of the sort
that had got now, nine times out Of ten the
place you feel il in is your stomach. When you
feel II in your stomach your attention wandsrs,
and you begin to ddget. fdgeted silently In
my place on the sand. Mr.. franklin noticed