Daily globe., 1878-12-01
THE OPEN VERDICT.

y =
liberty from ali business care Of whatso-
ever kin5l, if only for few weeks, VII: n
ones avocatlons for the remainder of the
year confines one to busy brain-devour-
! ing city like this mighty London OF ours.
!, and ther1 fore twas Uithno slight degree
/ OF anticipated enjoyment that I accepted
! an Oft repeated invitation to visit an old
| scbooi-chum, DIR. Henry GIaddind, 8. the
village Of Claystone, in one OF our north
/ EN- counties.
| arrived, however, at an unfortunate
! period, and found that what had pic,
tured to myself as being happy, jolly
! country house, was at that time a house
of mourning; Gladden's uncle and prede-
cessor, old 1Ir. Williams, had died only
q few hours before my arrival. would
willingly have gone on my way; but this
my friend and his wife would not hear Of,
and everything was done to render my
visit as cheerful as circumstances would
/ permit. attended the funeral; and as
/ re turned to leave the ctlurchgaTd, | was
struck BIZ an expression OF Gladden's.
which appeared 10 be uttered without
/ any knowledge q. it on his part. 1t was
TIE grave mas closed over The last ]
iclt greatly tempted to ask for an eXpla-
nation, but fer obvious reasons checked
my curiosity.
| 4 few mornings afterwards, while &C.
compsnying my friend On his round O
/ visits, We cam before an old, large red
/ brick house that stood close beside The
road, being separated from it merely by
a hedge and small lawn.
! "Why, what's this?" exclaimed Glad
! den, as We saw a nunber of worhmen en-
! gagged in erecting scaffolding, digging rg
the lawn and otherwise deEaoisbing tht
place. " hat are these men about?-
Hill (calIing one of the people, What is
it you are doing here?'
= Pulling down t'house for railway
WIS tbs iacouic response.
"Thesl the hRal link IS being broken, y
nnsed my companion as we drove 3n.
by curiosity was again aroused, and
this time | resolved to satisfy it, so /
came to the point toDce by thus address
ing my friend, Hal, you are not sener-
silly given TO ambiguous OF unsatisfactory
sentences. and theseiore--it | am not
! presum1ng too much-would you mlnd
telling ne what you alluded in your last
remark, and the equally strange one at
tered at your uncle's funcral?'
well, Dick" he replied, sit is a
strange story, and one perhaps, that does
not reflect much credit upon my poor
uncle; but as the actors of this little
drama have passed away, and even the
very scene OF action will, in few days,
be plowed up. l may and will set your
mind at rest On the subject. You re
member that after had walked the hos
| pitfalls IN town.I came down here partially
to study under my late uncle But
/. found a later attraction than any had
anticipated, IN the person OF NY cousin
) Lucy, with whom soon fell over head
! and ears i'll leva. Her father was not
. averse to it, and things were shortly in q
| good ram for our marriage. ! was to be
taken into partnership by my uncle when
that event TOOK place; and the day before
toe deeds were s!gned, the cd gentleman
cslled me into lis room, and narrated the
following story which will seil you in
| lis own words.
| Harry, said my uncle, 'as you are to
be my son.in.laW and partner, I think it
| but right you should become acquainted
| with an adventure which befell ne ia n y
younger days, and tor my share III which
-jusuiiable as then appeared to mel
| have never ceased to reproaeh myself
AT this tine I am speaking OF, I was
studying medicine at Manchester, but
while on a visit to q distant relative, q
DIR. Seyton, who occupied this very house
&c you see Dick this is quite g family
pract1ce,' parcnthesised GLADDEN. I
was one night awakened by q shake of
the shoulder, and looking up, saw, By
the light ef the moon, which streanea
in at my window, DR.. Seyton standing by
my bedside. Come, get up sad ne.
I have been sent for; and, as Poor (his
assistanD was out last night. III get you
to accompany me now While he de-
scended TO the surgery and stables,
speedily donned my habiEiments; and by
the time I reached the front gate, the
doctor was seated in the gig waiting for
me. 1t was a most magnificent moon
light night.
along the clear white road, as fast as
the horse could draw us, on we went;
past Cottage, farm and mansion, past
pond and park and stream; beneath long
avenues OF trees that bordered the road
side and dropped over US, now yelling all
IN shadow, nov showing some stray
! moonbeam that danced upon the CULVER
Ing boughs to the soft cadence Of the
nlght-breeze. Sharp and crisp rose the
echo Of our horses tread and as we came
within sig4t of our destination, we heard
the gallon OF another horse. and "a xyo
sped past a turning, saw q horseman rid
ing up--as we imagined, the messenger
who had been dispatched for the doctor,
and who has said he must return By way
OF Merton. We stopped before Maze-
borouough House, the residence Of the
Hon. Frederick Wellester, presumptive
heir to the title and estate Of the Earl Of
Caultdale. There was great commotion
IN the louse; for its owner, who had been
aiiing for some time past, had that night
been taken seriously i'll; and while The
doctor ascended to tue sick chamber and
our horse and trap were put up. lit a
cigar and stood under the yeranda, look
ing out upon the night and musing.
Presently, one of the domestics emerged
from the house and passed out into the
road, walking Driskly on; and just as my
cigar was out, heard DR.. seyton's voice
inquiring for me.
''Fake this said he, handing me pa
per, saud ride home as fast as you can"
Get Poor to make it up; and come back
with all the speed; it is life or death.
Hero is one OF Mr.. Wellester's horses for
YOU" then perceived a groom stand