The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-31


through the evcr-chansing crowd, aud peo-
ole seemed too intent on their own busi.
ness 10 take much heed Of two wayfarcrs
like ourselves. After a time we turned
into less frequcnted part Of the town, and
The lights became lcss brilliant and the
streets more deserted. Suddenly the boy
stoppcd, and seemed uncertain as to which
road be should take. He paused moment
then, turning TO me. said:
I" Madame, fear have missed my way
little: bot my mother told me she would give
some directions In her letter: will madame
give II me that may right myself!"
without thinking, I handed him MS
mothers letter; and, standing Deneatn
nejghboring lamp, he read over slowly tne
directions contained In the note; then.
holding II still open in his hand, be resumed
his walk. referring 10 It every now ana
then. as though still In doubt OF 10 our
whereabouts, There was certain mysterl'
ous auiet about the neighborhood we were
| /, that preyed upon my spirits-a certain
sIIenc 90 I could not fathom: and my courage
began 10 flag strangely as we continued our
lonely road. l experienced sensation OF
intense relief, therefore, when my young
guide stopped suddenly before tall DARK
house in q quiet street, and listened eager
| ly fer an answer to bis gentle tap at tne
closed door. A voice from within aske9
softly. in French +" slow fares It, my son r.
and In English the boy answered: "eaieiy
ana fairly; open the door," The door was
then unbarred and opened, without Inc
least noise, Just wide enough to sdmit US;
and we entered a hall lighted by sma,'
lamp held BY tall woman poorly ciad.
The flckering fame OF the lamp gave iortn
80 dim light that could not distinguish
her features, and she spoke IN voice
scarcely above whisper. inquired eager
| ly for my brother, and begged her 10 con-
| duct me to him at once. She SHOOK her
head sadly, and then said:
"Ab, madame, your coming may ~
Great things for bin; you will be able 10
ease the poor mind that runs on nothing
but money, money, day and night, Without
ceasing."
She barred the door by which we had en-
tered. and then preceded me up broken
staircase, the boy following MS with the
feeble oil-amp. The house sounded hoI-
low. and our footsteps echoed drearily as
we went. Presently we stopped before the
door OF room which | imagine to have
been at the back Of the house, and the
woman, entering first, beckoned me TO fol-
low her.
I'm one corner OF large almost empty
apartment was q bed, shrouded by thick
dark curtains in the CRATE low charcoal
fire was burning. | made at once for the
corner where the bed was, and was about to
updraw the curtains which concealed from
nv view the poor boy had come so mys-
teriously TO visit. Suddenly from behind
me cloth was tied tightly over the whole
of my face, strange burning sense OF sur
location overspread my senses, and i re-
member nothing more; all was silence,
darkness, q bidcous blank. until / awoke in
nv bedroom at the Hotel de l., with my
head aching strangely and benumbed sem
sation pervading my whole frame. My
maid. an English doctor with whom was
slightly acquainted, and another doctor
who was q stranger TO me, were anXlously
watching for my return to consciousness.
II was quite light, and the sun was shining
into the room. AS one by one the events
of the preceding night rose before my mind,
| was utterly at loss to imagine now
had been rescued from that horrible house
and brought back to the hotel in safety.
The story was soon told. The night
porter, coming on duty at / O'Clock, bad
found me lying on the steps leading 10 the
sjde.door of the hotel, which opened into
ing was unconscious, he had summoned
the day.porter, who was waiting for him,
TO render assistance, ard this man, knowing
me BIZ siyht, identified me as a lady staying
in the hotel. He at once reused the house.
My maid (who was waiting up Tor. me,
wondering and alarmed at my prolonged
absence) speedily procured the services OF
two medical men from the adjoining neigh
borbood, and they had since been using
every method to restore me to conscious
ness, when | might perchance unfold the
mystery OF my strange return.
There was no trace OF any violence
having been used, nor any proof by which
they could discover there 1 had been. The
only thing they found upon me, which was
not my own, was handkerchief tightly
cla,ped in my hand, on which were embroi-
dered my brother Richards initials, and
which at once recognized as having been
worked by me some years previously for my
unhappy brother. The money had, Of course,
all been taken; also the ring, brooch and
locket / bad worn. My wedding ring was
left, and the bag in which had put the mo-
new was still hanging from my arm.
As soon as l was able i told the doctors
all / could remember OF the past nights ex-
periences, and, at the conclusion OF the re-
cital, they both advised me to put the mat
ter into the hands OF the police. enireated
that this might be doae as privately as pos
sibIe: my brothers name being so much
mixed up in the affair that outsiders would
most probably be led to believe that he was
an accompice in the robbery, though in my
own mind felt certain he was more sinned
against than SHINING.
The sergeant OF police who waited on me
showed great interest in my adventure;
but could plainly see that, notwithstand-
ing all his civility, his suspicious pointed at
once to my brother as chief agent in the
case. | could swear to the signature being
genuine; the handkerchief, too, l re-
cegnized. Alas, it really seemed only too
certain that my brother had at all events
been the companion OF these people, and
must have discussed our affairs freely with
them, even il he were not criminally con-
cerned In the dark transaction.
The Partisan police made every effort to
trace The offenders, but in vain; house after
house was searched in the quarter to which
believed myself TO have been taken, but
found. And SO for time the matter drop
ped.
PART II--TRACKED.
TWO years passed, anu the nlgnt Vi NY
strange adventure in Paris had become
almost like dream to ne. We left France
after my husbands return from abroad,
and, on his quitting the army, we took up
orr residence in London. 1 bad mean
while received several letters from my
brother, written from the Cape, and, in an
swer TO one wrote him in reference to the
robbery, he replied with the most solemn
assertions OF his entire ignorance OF the
transaction. / believed him; my husband
was silent on the subject, and | felt thank