St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-10-03

SSChCu- tlie NoluS were 100 well CHOSEN
TO be sincere. 1t was not like the i'm
pulse Of a generous man: rather the
teint of It treacheIOuS foe And so.
while | shook the hand. mistrusted
the man. Had | guessed the devilish
plot he was Matching the while, surely
had dashed him to the earth.
THAT evening and the next day
passed all too quickly.
LAS You know. Glyn. the nearest
railway station was at Stedley. and the
drive thlther was tedious one of some
tIlrty-tive miles. | had arranged to
start at eleven o'clock on the following
forenoon. and to catch the up-train to
London. which started ut six a. NJ. the
succeeding day. In order to do this.
| should have to sleep at the little inn
there called the Kings Head. 1t was
my last evening, and we were all sit
ting in the smoking-rOom. DO you re-
member that night. Glyn? How CHEEKY
and kind yOur father was, as he saw
me so weary and Respondent 81 sub
dued and silent. Sir Guy was especial
ly courteous and empresSe in his manner
ts1.--s l then learned that | was to
/ have a companion. Major Mortimer is
going with yOu,' said Sir Guy. and !
beg yCu to take especial care of him.
MIR. Meredith, and to protect his life at
all haza DIS. he laughimglv added. for
| am going to entrust him with the pro-
ceeds of the Orley Farm | have Just
sold here. upwards of two tuousand
pounds iii good notes aud if any um-
ScrupulouS gentleman were to become
cognizant Of his value. he might con-
ceivc too strong an attachment to his
person. laughingly promised my
protection with as good Il grace as |
could assume for did not like the
major. and would rather have dispensed
with his Socicty. | remember. Glyn.
YOU shared my hatred for him. \ gam
bier. ii rome and Il toady. impecIniou>
and unprinciplcd. he wriggIcd into So
ciety and peoples houses as the hanger
on of men who could he fooled hN his
tlattery or served by his knaverv. None
knew whence he came. how he had
spent his life. or upon what he >uh>iSt =
ed. His military title was a> questions
able as his character or his antercdantS.
There was an old score between lis. too.
for had detected him in some sharp
practice 1t card-playing. However.
cOnSOltd myself with tn" reflection that
our compauionShip would he but for Il
few hours at most. and resigned myself
To my fate.
The morning came. and with it my
last interview with Maud. \ few
broken words. long. passionate kiss.
Il blessing given and taken. ii great
hluring mist of tears and am in the
carriage. with a lump rising in my
/ IL Il. l,,1- .,t l,,, IL =,
my hands. rolling rapidly away from
DARYL House. on the road to Stcdlry.
Il was a moody. silent companion
that day. and had scarce spoken dozen
words when we drew mp before the lit
tie inn. SIM our luggage taken OFF.
while the major arranged for our ac-
commodatinu. He engaged Il nice.
large room on the ground floor. open
ing with window door out Up0u the
little lawn. at the end of which the
river rippled hy. 1t was Il lovely
moonlight evening. and 81 warm that
We threw open the window aforesaid
Mortimer proposed IL stroll down t" the
river bank ! readily a>>cntcd :" de-
50. when | had finished getting ont ui
my trunk the few uccc>SaIIcs tOI my
toilet. Subsequently. however. he cX-
cr>cd himself on the plea of having :;
letter to write. passed ont through
the window into the lawn. and walked
down the river. into the moonlit waters
of which | gaZcd muSingly. a~ ! sat
smoking on the bank The time slip
ped hv rapidly in fond thoughts of hen
whom | had now to work for and t,
win. and it was past midnight when
again entered 0ur room. M"timcr WIZ
now IN bed. aud apparently asleep. and
WIS soon aS unconSciOU>ly y IT rest.
..Whrn | was duly called the next
morning. to my surprise Mortimer VA,
not in his bed nor in the room. Hi
bed. too. was made. and had no ap
pralaucc of having been slept in: hu'
having seen him asleep therein the pre-
ccding night. | concluded that he ha,
probably got mp and gone ont, making
his OWN he'd himself. in soldier fashion
The time came for our departure
hut with it no signs of my whi'om com
panion. Coniecturing that he had mis-
taken the hour in timing his return.
congratulated mySelfupOn the accident
al radiance of an UncongeniIl Comrade
and was soon on my way t" the gIed
city. Arrived mt my lodgings. | al
f ranged tn leave for Portsmouth. whcrt
my regiment was quartered. the follow
ing evening. and was busy the wlil
, with my many preparations. At tiV'
o'clock the next afternoon, on my return
to my lodgings, | found two men i'll IN,
room. One of them. Il tall. Soldicrly
, looking man. with Il Shrewd. sharp face
| accoSted me. Mr.. George Meredith.
t believe AT Your service. sir Then
| in the Queens name. | arrest you on tn
charge of having murdered one Huber
Mortimer. and having stolen from hin
the sum oftwo Thousand pounds in BAN
} of England notes. he reioined. If thi
, he il joke. gentlemen. it is poor ON,
and scarcely care for its continuance
, | replied. In answer. the police sci
, geant. for such he surely was. placed i
: my hands a special warrant duly an
thorizing my arrest. Dumfounded an
: dismayed. the conviction that | was til
victim of fearful plot flashed acros
my brain. When | recovered myself
] | protested my innocence only to b
= coOlly cautioned not to commit myself
as nv words would be used against mt
He demanded my keys. In my fury
, flung them on the floor with an oatl
/ MY trunks were opened and searched
: and to my astonishment and horror.
pocketbook containing the $1,000 i
, Bank of England notes, was produce
5 from the very bottom of one ofthem.
2 can scarce remember what followed
Two or three days after | was viSite
e by a lawyer, who Informed me he Ia
e been instructed to defend me. FroI
/ him learned that | was suspected {
4 having murdered Major Mortim6
4 and robbed him of the money. i al
e retained in your defence. and shall con
4 duct il to the best of nv ability.