Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-13

cusable mistake had been made, and
the uselessness of further waiting was
obvious. Colonel Madison slowly
withdrew his little cohort from the field.
matchmaking the wind, the %oficious
friend of the deceased, and eyery
available subject for displeasure.
He went that evening to Kensington.
to see the lady at whose house his
daughter had first met her betrothed.
but only to find to his dismay that the
house was to be let, and that no trace
of Mrs. Bigley was to be found. Moth
ing, therefore was to be a%scertained
from that quarter. He was at a loss to
know where else to apply for informa-
ton, and so waited patiently with the
hope that the post would bring him
some explanation.
But no such explanation came. Puz-
zled and furious, the Colonel tele-
graphed to the hotel in Paris for par
t~iculars of Mr.. Smith Whites death,
and the subsequent disposal of the re-
mains. An answer came back that no
such person, nor any n answering to;
the description had visited the hotel,
and the proprietor Indignantly denied
that anyone had died suddenly under
his roof. 1t then began to dawn upon,
the unfortunate family that they had
been made the victims of an infamous
and cruel hoax. +.
The Dowager Lady Dumbledon,
filled with pity for the poor girl thus.
heartlessly made a fool of, carried her
off to Brighton, charitably trusting that
change of scene might assauge the
%acuteness of those agonies Of shame
and modification that the deceived and
deserted young creature must be expe.
riencing.
The little circle wherein the Madi-
sons moved and had their being was
shaken to its foundation with indigna-
ton at the hearless cruelty Of which
poor Madge had been made the victim.
The tale Of her woes leaked out in
Brighton, and awoke a perfect Juror of
sympathy. Her behavior was pro-
nounced as perfect-she was so quiet,
so dignified, so patient under her I'M
merited sufferings.
Lady Dumbledon became quite proud
of her young friend, who was undoubt-
eddy the success Of the moment, and
received the greatest possible attention.
After a few weeks, it was semi-ot1icially
given out that Sir Reginald Dacre, a
young man of family and fortune and
irreproachable character, had success
fully sought Miss Madison's hand,
though no formal engagement was to
be entered into for the present. so that
the poor girl might have time to re-
cover her shattered feelings.
Meanwhile, Colonel Madison was re-
ceiving a great deal Of sympathy, too.
He became a feature at his club, and
enjoyed a notoriety he could we'll have
dispensed with as the father of the
young lady who had met with so extra
ordinary and unpleasant an adventure.
Every one offered him advice in the
matter.
"Hang it, Colonel, the blackguard
ought to be discovered and made to
pay for IT," cried once of his old friends,
energetically. 'Set a detective on his
track, man."
The Colonel considered his friends
advice, and, after considerable hesita-
ton, concluded to act on it. He there
fore went to Scotland Yard, and, on the
suggestion Of an experienced officer, he
decided to take the gorgeous betrothal
ring to the jewelers. whose name was
in the case, in order, if possible, to as
certain something about the purchaser.
Here a shock awaited him. The ring
had been ordered by a lady, with in
structions that it should be placed to
Colonel Madison's account.
"Good Heavens! Roder," he slut
tered. ''You dared to put a ring like
that to my account without any author
ity Of mine! Could not you see that it
wasa vile, infamous, disgraceful hoax?n
Mr.. Roder stood high in his calling.
He was sorry for the Colonel, and so at
once took back the ring, expressing his
regret that he should have fallen into
the error complained of; but as soon as
Colonel Madison had left his shop he
went down to Scotland Yard, and there
made certain communication which
be had refrained from volunteering to
his agitated customer.
A few days after this Sir Reginald
Dacre's younger brother ran down from
London and walked into his rooms.
Look here, Regy. You say you are
going to marry Miss Madison" he said
slowly. well. take my advice, and
don't.n
Sir Reginald's cheerful face paled.
''NNhat do you mean?n he asked, in a
passion.
81 mean that she is too clever for
poor, stupid fellows like you and me.
That hoax was all a plant, got up by
herself from beginning to end. The
man never existed. He was a myth.
She took in her wv people, she took in
old Dumbledon, aud she all but took in
Scotland Yard. into whose hand S poor
old Madison at last put the affair. The
only person, fortunately for you, that
she did not take in was old Roder.n-
London Truth.
In Paris when a man gets a divorce