The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-06-25
Tricked and Tracked.
FART I.-TRICKED,
RY MARY MARl-LEMoN.

FART I.-TRICKEp.
Ii Is now some wears since an incident
occurred Ill my life, which may possibly
prove interesting 10 those who. like nv
self, are too easily imposed upon: and
although, 10y the rccita., | hold myself
open 10 the ridicule of the mind mascu-
line, which, by Its own showing. is never
dupcd or deceived 10y impostors, vet, in
order 10 warn those of my own sex who
are more readily wrought upon, | will
narrate, rs nearly rs | can, Il strange al
venture which hefel me during the win
ter Of 1869
am the wife of IN English officer,
and. at the time of which | write. WAS
residing in Paris. Late in june my hus-
band had received orders 10 he in rcali-
Ness Ia sail with his regiment for [. the
following month; but, us his absence
MAS not likely Ia he of long duration. /
had decided not to accompany him, and
had determined t. make Paris my head
quarters during the time of of our cn-
forced separation.
The preparations forhis departure had
10 he pressed forward with all exptdi-
ton, and. rs is So often the cas,' when
time Is valuable, every posibl" diitiru'ty
seemed Ia crop up 10 hinder the progress
of our WORK.
The eliminating point at last arrived.
when my husbands body servant fell
suddenly III, and sent in his resignation
the very week they were expecting 10
start. We ut once made inquiries on all
sides for Il man competent of filing TIA"
vacant post. In tins instance fortune
favored Us. just n We were beginning
IL despair If success. Il Frcncimlu, who
spoke very tulcrahlc English, applied
for the situation: and his references be-
ing satista tory. We hastily engaged hiu.
heartily glad Ia have brought an I'M
pleasant affair ia 80 fortunate a couclu-
sion.
Although had many friends residing
III Paris, | hal II" near relations could
ask Ia remain with me during NV tenn
porary exile; my husbands people all
lived i'll Ireland, and, with the exception
OF few scattered cousins. my only cx-
listing relative WAS one brother tsome
years Younger than myself, To whom |
WAS greatly attached, hut who for years
past had been Il source of constant anX
lety 10 me by reason of his wild and
rockies manner of living. Ny husband
had assisted him in numerous difficult
ties, but his patience had ut last become
exhausted: and he had Ia tell my brother
plainly and decisivcly, that only in case
of extremity, such rs an illness, which
should really Incapacltatc him from
work, or from some such urgent cause,
would he supply linn again with pecu-
MARY LII. ssUa...l l-ttas, TH-~,,d bt'-
tween them at this period: then followed
an interval of silence, which had remain
ed mbroken up to the time of which |
write. This naturally caused me much
uneasincss at times: but | could only
hope he had at length felt the necessity
of putting his shoulder To the wheel, and
WAS striving To regain the good name he
hId lost by his own foolish conduct.
Tim" passed slowly away. Many of
my friends had returned To England for
the wiutcT, and | WAS more than ever
alone; my husband had now been gone
some months, and, although his letters
began T. breathe II vague hope Of his
return, knew that some time must vet
clapse before We should meet again.
One evening q remember it was til" 22d
of January | WAS sitting by myself,
vainly trying 10 get Interested in the
book i was re.niing, when IA note was
brought m by one of the scTvamts.Of the
hotel, who said the bearer was waiting
my reply. The letter WAS neatly folded
and addressed i'll Il woman'r handwriting
to "The LAZY of Captain Ralph Brans-
combe,' and was marked, "Privatc. "
Ii was, however, rather strengthening
document; and breaking the seal i'll a
spirit of curiosity, | read the following:
Madame writ" this to YOU on be-
half Of your brother, Monsieur Richard
Willoughby, who lies at this house dying.
Would you See HIM alive, you must come
at omce-withuGt hesitation Madame,
the poor g"mtlcntn is very sick-sicll To
death III mind and body; for he lies in
fear Of arrest, and worse than arrest,
even IN his dying state. He prays you
ask Your husband - assist him, as he
promised, IN this, his last sore straight
No one but Captain Branscombe may ac-
company YOU, or know of your errand:
You must bring ESQ in gold, If possible
English money will do, but not notes
Your escort will he a little child, hut he
knows every turn Oi the road You will
have to traverse. Come on fOot-tO drive
might excite suspicion. Monsieur re-
peats, no one bat Ralph may come
with Won: he is to Ill to write ANYTHING
more than his name, which inclosc."
Here followed few directions about
the WAY We were to take, and an inirInc-
ton Ia bring the letter 10 guide myself
with. Then the name Marie TOiSseau.
Enclosed was scrap of paper bearing
my brothers signature, which / saw al
once was genuine.
| turned cold us finished the perusal
of this letter, bat, commanding my voice
as well as | was able, babe the servant
send the bearer to me at once | was
not left long IN suspense; the door of the
salon soon opened. and little figure APP
pearcd on the threshold. fragiIc-look-
ing boy, about eleven years of ago,
dressed III Il dark-bluc blouse, which
hung los s"ly about him, and wearing on
his mead a red knitted fishcrman's cap,
which was pulled down low on his fore
head-a boy whose pale face was lighted
up with large dark eyes, their long
dropping lashes sweeping his delicate
cheeks He shut the door softly behind
him, aud then gave swift, searching
glance around the room; then, as though
abashcd 10y my presence, he stood with
down-cast eyes, and his hands loosely
folded before linn, awaiting my question:
ing.
my boy" said, addressing him in
French, "can you conduct me 10 this
gentleman who Is so ill.,"
Again his dark eyes wandered about
the room, as though to rcassure himself
that We were alone, and then he replied
softly in English, though with Il foreign
accent.
surely, madame, / will; hut it must
be with all speed, or it will he lost
Journey"
Telling him To wait for me where Inc
was, l left the room, and hastened tc
prepare for my expedition. My hear
sank within me at the idea of ventIrinl
ont into the night with no other pro
tector than the little child waiting below
but ! ncryed myself to perform the dut,
/ felt had fallen across my path, anG
made up my mind to act as became {
soldier wifc--fcarlessly | had about
30 B"vcrcigns i'll my possession, as il
happened; and making up the sum re
quired as nearly as | could in Frencl
money, j placed it carefully in small
bag, which ! hung on my arm. Dress
ing myself IN dark bonnet and travelling
cloak, ! descended quietly to my apart
ment, without giving intimation Of IN,
departure to any one. The child stool
precisely rs 1 had left him, with tn
light falling on his pale face and hi
hands loosely locked III one another