The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-05

! Inc doctors confessed themselves conn
| pletely baff1ed and unable to account for
the sudden and fatal turn of the child's
apparently slight illness. The story ~ th .
White Lady and her deathly kiss was
| firmly believed in by the servants and
among the more responsible memhere ~
| the household it seemed to gain credanca
| The whole occurrence seemed to me
monstrouS and impossible, and | half he
! lieved it all a horrible dream. but tbere
was the dead child before me~a .ad
reality. Late in the afternoon Ibad stolen
in unknown to every one and stood before
the bed where he lay. As looked at the
! quiet, rigid form, the conviction seized mo
with q strange force that this child was
not the heir of Beroldstein-treacherv
might so easily exist where misfortune was
/ traced to supernatural influences
The little face, marked and drawn as If
| from burn, gave no idea of how the child
! had looked in health-the limbs seemed the
same, and the light curling hair was like
Roderic's, but still my eyes were dry. and
| could not mourn over this mysterious
changeling. Something within me rebelled
against the mockery of the ducal coronet
and rich lace adjoining the deathbed of a
poor little stranger.
told no one my suspicions-I had, alas,
no proof-and to lullmy excitement went
out into the gathering darkness, paving
little heed to the distance | walked. AT
/ last feeling weary was miles away
/ from the castle-I was about to return
when saw light glimmering from cot
! tage window within few steps from
where | stood. | was surprised to find a
house in that lonely spot, for l had been
told that that portion of the moorlands
was too low lying and barren for hd1an
| habitation. AS the idea of short rest
was not unwelcome [ looked through the
thinly curtained window, and ssw that
toll Il 4
saucepan on the stove and a little child in
ragged clothes making friends with a
shaggy dog were the only occupants of the
room.
l was about to make my arrival known,
when a second look at the child, whose face
was turned full towards the window, made
me pause suddenly. Was | dreaming, or
were those really little Roderics blue eyes
looking up with the frank wide-open gaze
that | knew so well? The soft golden curls
had been cut off, and the coarse rustic
| clothes were good disguise, but | knew
my young charge too well to be deceived
Like mad woman, few hack over the
long, dark road to the Schloss 1t was no.
safe to let my Investigation go farther
alone; so | seized on the first servants |
found-Max, the coachman, and the maid
Lisette, whom [ had Northumberland, Civ
| ing them hurried account Of what | had
seen, | led them back to the lonely cottage.
We made our way in unceremoniously
enough. At the first glance the room
seemed vacant, and my heart sank; but
! the next moment we discovered the baby
asleep upon a pillow in dark corner. The
man gathered up alttle bundle aAd bore it
to the light; the baby awoke and looked
with sleepy, hazy eyes at the disturber of
| his rest. Even then [ saw no look of recog-
milton on the servants faces. Could l be
mistaken? The thought was misery.
= But becoming fully aroused, the little
| child sat up and held out his arms to me,
claiming in baby language an old friend.
! at is our young MASTER have no long
er any Doubt" the man said instinctively
raising his hat.
"Looll 70; the mark of the dogs bite on
his knee, to make sure" put In Lisette,
trembling with excitement.
had not thought of this before, and was
thankful for the girls suggestion. As !
expected, we found the three little prints
made by the dogs teeth in the baby's ten
der flesh. At this additional proof of my
darling's identity | fell upon my knees and
| sobbed for pure delight thanking from the
depths of my heart the mysterious Provi-
dence that had directed my steps to the
| desOlate cottage.
| At that moment the woman whom had
| seen on my first visit entered the room, and
| the look of terror that came over her face
| at seeing US | shall never forget.
"What-who," she began confusedly:
| but Max interrupted her by saying coolly :
''We have come to relieve you Of the cart
of this child; he is needed at the Castle,
where he belongs"
Putting the little boy into my willing
arms, he whispered u few words to me to
the effect that | was to go back with all
speed and send two or three men to re-
lieve his guard over the suspicious prem.
ises.
An hour later the Schloss Beroldstein
was the scene of the greatest excitement.
The news spread like wildfre throughout
the whole neighborhood that the Young
Duke had been restored from the dead !
dressed little Roderic in his own clothes.
gave him his toys on the hearthrug, and
then brought his grief-striclIen mother to
look at the pretty picture. | shall not at
tempt to describe how the house of mourn
ing changed to one of rejoicing. A last
but striking proof that the young heir had
returned was the unfeigned delight with
which little Amalie welcomed back her
brother.
The dark woman of the cottage was put
under arrest, and with very little hesita-
ton made statement to the following
effect: She, Anna Freitschler had come
some weeks before from Thuringia to
Beroldstein with the lady known as Nine.
Elizabeth. She had brought with her her
when in health, fair and blue-eyed. but at
that time much disfgured by illness
The doctor had said that the child was
day; and she, Anna, had not wished to
,nly,