The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-05-27


10 be introduced to the scene Of the
story. The scene is In madhouse.'
"Mrs Eyrecourt broke out with CO.
quettish little scream and shook her
fan at the doctor.
"No horrorsr 7 she cried. 'The bare
idea Of madhouse distracts me with
terror. Oh, fie, fel won't listen to
you-I won't look at you'll positively
refuse to be frightened out Of my wits.
Matilda wheel me away to the furthest
end Of the room. My vivid imagination,
Father Benwell, is my rock ahead in
life. I declare I can smell the odious
madhouse. Go straight to the window,
Matailda; want to bury my nose
among the flowers
"Sir John upon this spoke for the first
time. His language consisted entirely
of beginnings of sentences, mutely COM
pleted by o smile.
"Upon my word, you know. Eh,
Doctor Wybrowp A man of your ex-
perience. Horrors in madhouses. A
lady in delicate health. No, really.
Upon my honor, now. I cannot. Some
thing funny, oh, yes. But such sub
iect, oh, no.
He rose to leave. Doctor Wybrow
gently stopped him.
"'I had motive, Sir JOHN he said,
'but won't trouble you with needless
explanations. There is person, un-
known to me, whom want to discover.
You are great deal in society when
you are In London. May I ask If you
have ever met with q gentleman named
Winterfeld
"I have always considered the power
Of self-control as one Of the strongest
points in my character. When I heard
that name my surprise 30 completely
mastered me that sat self-betrayed to
Doctor Wybrow, as the man who could
answer his question.
"Ih the meanwhile Sir John took his
time to consider, and discovered that he
had never heard of person named
Winterfeld. Having acknowledged his
ignorance, in his own eloquent language,
he drifted away to the window-box in
the next room, and gravely contemplated
Mrs. Eyrecourt, with her nose buried in
flowers.
"The doctor turned to me.
"Am wrong, Father Benwell, in
surprising that I had better have ad.
dressed myself to your
~ admitted that I knew gentleman
named Winterfeld
"Doctor Wybrow got up directly.
"Have you few minutes to spare p
he aaked- It is needless to say that I
Was ct the doctors disposal. my house
is close by, and my carriage is at the
door, he resumed. when you feel in
clined to say goodbye to our friend, Mrs.
Eyrecourt I have something to say to
you which think you ought to know
"We took our departure at once, Mrs.
EyDecourt-leaving some of the color Of
her nose among the fowers-patted me
encouragingly with her fan, and told the
doctor that he was forgiven, on the
understanding that he would never do
1t again In five minutes more we were
in Doctor Wybrow's study.
"My watch tells me that cannot
hope to finish this letter by post-time.
Accept what have written thus far, and
be assured that the conclusion of my re-
post shall follow day later.
"The doctor began cautiously. "Win.
terfield is not very common name he
said. But it may not be amiss, Father
Benwell. to discover il we can whether
your Winterfeld is the man of whom
am in search. Do you only know him
by name, or are you friend Of hisY
"I answered of course that I was q
friend.
"Doctor Wybrow went on. will
you pardon me if I venture on an indis-
Greet question? When you are &C
quainted with the circumstances, I am
sure you will understand and excuse
me. Are you aware Of any-what shall
I call it-any romantic incident in Mr..
Winterfeld's past lifeY
"This time-feeling myself, in al
probability, on the brink of discovery =
was careful to preserve my composure
I said, quietly: 'Some such incident as
you describe has occurred in Mr.. Win
terfeld's past hfe.' There I stopped
discreetly, and looked as if I knew al
about it.
"The doctor showed no curiosity K
hear more. my object he went on
was merely to be reasonably sure that
was speaking to the right person il
speaking to you. I may now tell yo'
that have no personal interest in tryinl
to discover Mr.. Winterfeld; I only &C
as the representative Of an old friend o
mine. He is the proprietor OF a privat
asylum at Hampstead-a man whose in
tegrity is beyond dispute or he woul'
not be friend of mine. You under
stand my motive in saying thisY
! "Proprietors Of private asylums ar
In these days the objects of very genera
distrust IN England. I understood tn
doctors motive perfectly.
"He proceeded. Yesterday evenin
my friend called upon me and said tbs
he had remarkable case in his hous
which he believed would interest me. Th
person 10 whom he alluded was Frenc
boy, whose mental powers had been in
perfectly developed from his CHILDHOOD
The mischief had been aggravstsd whe
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