The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-09-22

chin with his long, white finger as he
periodically cleared his throat with
modest, self-deprecatory "Hem-m-
m-m." f
Roland saw at glance that if there
was foul play anywhere he would not
get much aid from DIR. Curling to clear
it up. He abandoned the straightfor-
ward tactics he first resolved on, and
asked quietly:
Have you any objection to showing
us over your much admired and widely
celebrated institution 2"
"Not at all, replied the superintend-
emit. "What particular feature are you
most interested I'M 2" The question also
conveyed the sentiment: "If you are
browsing around here to find anything
more than l want you to know, you
might as well bundle out ut once"
"No particular department, replied
Roland, ''we simply desire to look
through the asylum"
Every well, gentlemen, this way"
Birndale is very handsome and a
model hospital for the insane; its archi
lecture is modern, its accommodations
ample, its arrangement orderly and neat
as wax-work; in short, it gains unlimited
admiration from all who inspect it.
Robert Bullen was lost in its many wind
ing stairs, branching halls, involved
grades and unexpected turnings and
twistings; but Roland was natural ge-
ographer; he never lost his sense of To-
cation or comparison, and when, at the
end of three hours investigation, they
reached the doctors private apartments
and sat down to cake and wine, he knew
that there was one little wing just over
and back of where he was sitting, that
they had not been shown; but he had
studied the doctor too thoroughly to
hint at the omission. When they left
the hospital, Robert said, with mourn
full shake of the head:
wild goose In the words of Ham
let, This spirit you may have seen may
be devil, and the devil hath power to
assume pleasing shape There are no
ere ltures but mice in Birndale we have
not looked over"
"Bob, Adelaide Munthrope is in
Birndale, and, for all we know, more
like her, hidden away, in the name of
law, without public process, secure
from even official lntrusions, and subject
to horrors that make the memory of
Torquemada and the inquisition actually
holy.
g Ii there, we must have seen her"
1" Hardly just conclusion. DR..
Curling knows his business too well.
However, | have a plan of finding out.
L noticed little saloon up from the sta
ton quarter of a mile or so; if there are
any tipplers among the guards or at
PENDANTS, we will meet them there; and
If think money can buy one of them,
I'll go to high figures rather than miss a
! point"
For three days Roland hung about
the place, taking precious good care
that DR.. Curling should not run across
tience was rewarded. He found his
man, and paid smartly for his intelli-
| gence.
Adelaide Munthrope was in Birndale !;
the man had charge of that secret wing
where patients were confined whose
safety and removal from the world were
matters of interest to the Doctor. They
were kindly. nay, tenderly treated, for
their death ended their contribution of
revenue /; they were mostly sane, at first,
said the keeper, and mostly went mad
after q while. The mad ones always
lived the longest, for the others pinned
and died, in spite of good food and con-
siderate treatment. The keeper could
not get her out, nor devise q way to do
it, but he could give her a letter and
bring sort of an answer.
And I'll pay postage one thousand
dollars letter." said Roland, "and if
you are connected with the affair and
lose your place, I'll make it five hundred
a year as long as you live, If the lady is
released.
Make it sure" said the keeper,
"and I'm yours truly"
Four days afterward the man received
from Roland all the assurance that legal
documents and crisp cash can convey,
and received reply to the letter he had
sent to ADJ laide, in which he advised
her to make formal complaint of her
immurement and those party to it. Ade-
ladies letter was simply piece of brown
paper, full of pin-holes. To have been
detected writing would have upset every
thing, but the shrewdest guard at the
asylum saw nothing suspicious in pa
tient sitting by the grated window of the
ward, apparently pricking holes in
scrap OF paper.
"Thank God for one ray Of hope"
the answer read. CT, Adelaide Mnn.
thrope, appeal to all who have any idea
of the horror of confinement, save
among the insane, to release me. Why
am kept IN Birndale know not, but
pray to God, to the law, to all honest,
honorable men, to give me enlargement,
or at last chance to prove my sanity
and the Injustice of my confinement
here"
Armed with this missive, the two
friends sped away to New York and laid
the case before one of the Judges in |
Chambers, and easily procured writ of
habeas corpus and detail of two clever
detectives to serve it. They also swore
out warrant for illegal detention, to
prevent Dr.. Curling from playing any
little game to defeat their search and |
success.
On Wednesday morning the smooth