The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-09-13
Tue BLACK vALIsE.

The excellent wife Of tie Rev. Sep
timus Medd felt vaguely uneasy on the
morning of her husbands departure for
London. He had never left her for o
single day since their marriage up
ward of ten years ago. He was mild,
easy-going parson, OF u timorous dis
position, utterly ignorant OF the ways
of the world, and likely to be easily
imposed upon by designing persons.
When he came down to breakfast,
equipped for the journey, he looked
SO pale and nervous that his wife said /:
81 wish I could come with You, Sep
timus. l feel sure you will get lost,
or something. You are like IA great
chifd.1
"Oh! can take care of myself, my
love-" said ahe Rev. Septimus, stoutlv.
You can set your mind at rest about
me. Beside, shall he back in day
or two or by the end of the week ut the
latest"
"Wherc can write or telegraph, in
case have anything to communicate?
inquired his wife.
well, you see, my darling, / don't
quite know whether shall he able to
get in at the Tavistock," SAID the Rev.
Septimus, with an air OF hesitation.
London is very full at this time of
year, I'm told. Perhaps / had better
arrange to call every morning for let
ters Mt the Charing Cross Postoilice.'
"Nery well. Mind you write and let
me know what day You are coming
back. Here's the pony-chaisc! Now,
Scptimus, remember all I've told you,
and see that you get your full share of
Your Aunt Julias estate, for the chill
drcn's sake. Don't trust those Lon
don lawyers, and don't sign your name
to anything without thoroughly under
standing it. Come, children, say good
by to your father, or he will miss the
train"
Tie Rev. Septimus tore himself from
the bosom of his family with consider
able emotion, and took his seat in the
pony-trap, to he driven to the station.
His wife waved her hand as he dis
appeared from view, and shed furtive
tear on the doorstep before returning
to the house. She could not shake OH
the uncomfortable foreboding that had
taken possession of her, and the next
day she wrote her husband long let
ter, repeating all her injunctions and
warnings, and urging him to take care
of himself.
| Three days passed without bringing
any news, and Mrs. Medd's somewhat
unreasonable anxiety increased to such
pitch that she could not refrain from
sending the Rev. Septimus a telegram.
Ii he had been too busy to reply to her
letter. he, ut all events, would not leave
telegram unanswered-the more es-
pecially as she begged him to let her
hear from him Mt once. TO her dis
may, however, her last communication
was not more successful than the first,
and she became seriously alarmed. She
felt certain he had not received her let
ter and telegram, and wondered I'M
easily what could have happened to
him. Had he been suddenly taken i'll,
or had some more serious evil hefallen
him2 In the mids. of her suspens.
and perturbation she was startled by
receiving visit from Police Inspector,
who had driven over from the neigh
boring town.
"Are you Mrs. Medd, ma'am. the
wife Of the Rev. Septimus Medd?" in.
luired the officer, on being ushered into
the room.
Yes. My husband is away in Lon.
don. What is the matter?" cries Mrs,
Medd, in an agony of apprehension.
Il have had n telegram from the Lon
don police, directing me to ascertain
Mr.. Medd's address in London, and
what his movements are" said the In
spector, mysteriously.
"Why! is anything wrong? Fon
heavens sake tell me- exclaimed tn.
distracted wife.
Il hope not; but suspicious indi.
vidual, giving the name Of Smith, has
been apprehendel in London on som,
charge or other, and some OF the lug
gage found in his possession is supposed
to belong to your husband"
"Good gracious! He must have beer
robbed" cried Mrs. Medd, turning
pale.
"That is Just what we want to fine
out. Will you kindly give mo his al
dress
Il don't know it, exclaimed Mrs
Medd, in despair. Il am anxiously OK
pecting to hear from him. He may h.
at the Tayistock Hotel in Covent Gar
den; but he told me to address letter,
to the Charing Cross Postoffice.
"Have you done SOP" said the In
spector, making note in his pocket
book.
II wrote two or three days ago, nm,
have since sent a telegram; but / hay,
had no answer" said Mrs. Medd, burst
ing into tears.
"We can easily ascertain if he has
called there, and also whether lie il
staying ut the Tayistoek Hotel" sal,
the Inspector, in matter-of- fact tone
There is no cause for alarm ut pres
ent."
Are you driving back to Chichester
Let me come with YOU" cried the poo
lady, in painfully-agitated state. =
shall then hear the answer to your tele
gram without delay, and, if necessary
/ will go up to town Immediately. In
afraid my husband is ILL.,.
"Dont be, frightened, ma'am; bu
come with me by all means, if yor
wish" said the Inspector, soothingly
"In fact, it will be just rs we'll"
Accordingly, poor Mrs. Medd Wen
off with the Inspector, who, during th
drive of eight miles, asked her goo,
many questions about her husband, III,
plainly showed that he entertained dis
luieting suspicious which he was IN
willing to communicate. What thes
might be, the unfortunate lady was to-