The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-31

] can only compare to smack IN the
face. | stared at the speaker in speech
less astoni-hment. If the tale he TOLD
50 glibly and c'rcumstantially was true
farewell. 50 far As | was concerned, T.
belief in the love or purity of women
Madeline Rowan, that creature of {
poets dream, on the eve of her mar
riage with Charles Carriston, to fly
whether wed or unwed mattered little,
with another man. And yet, >he was
bat a woman. Carriston-or Carr, as
she only knew him-was in her eve,
poor. The companion of her flight
might have won her with gold. Such
thing have been. Still
My rapid and wrongful meditations
were cut short in an unexpected way.
Suddenly ! saw Mr.. Sharpe dragged
bodily out Of his chair and dung against
the wall, while CarristOn, standing over
him. thrashed the man vigorously with
his own ash stick convenient weap-
on, so convenient that felt Mr.. Sharpe
could not have selected a stick more
appropriate for his own cha>tisement.
So Carriston seemed to think, for he
laid on cheerfully some eight or ten
good cutting strokes
Nevertheless. being a respectable
doctor and man of peace, / was com
PEELED to interfere. | held Carriston' )
arm while Mr.. Sharpe struggled to his
feet, and after collecting his hat and
pocket-book, stood glaring vengefully
al his aS>ailant, and rubbing the while
such of the weals on his back as he
could reach. Annoyed as | felt at the
Unp-ofessiOnal trdcaS, | could scarcely
help laughing at the mans appearance
l doubt the possibility of anv one look
ing heroic after such thraShing.
I'm have the law for this" he
growled. i amt paid to be beaten
by a madmao."
You're paid to do my work. not
another ;, - said CarriSton. - 60 to
the man who has over-bribed YOU and
sent you to tell me your lies. Go 20
him; tell him that once more he has
failed. Out of my sight"
As Carriston showed signs of recon-
mencing hostile operations, the man
fed rs far as the doorway. There. be-
ing IL comparative safety, he turned
with malignant look.
" You'll smart for this he said:
"when they lock you up rs raving
lunatic, I'll try and get post as
keeper"
L was glad to see that GARRISON paid
no attention to this parting shaft. He
turned his back scornfully, and the fei-
low left the room and the house
Now, are you convinced?" asked
Carriston, turning to me.
" Convinced of what? That his tale
is untrue, or that he has been misled, |
am quite certain"
flush! That is not worth con-
sideratiOn. Don't you see that Ralph
has done all this? / set that man to
watch him; he found out the espionage:
suborned my agent-Or your agent, |
should saw sent him here with
trumped-up tale. Oh yes; | was to
believe that Madeline had deserted me
that was to drive me out of nv
senses. My cousin is fool. after all.'
without further proof | can not be-
lieye that your suspicious are correct"
l said; but | must own | spoke with
some hesitation.
Proof, A clever man like YOU ought
TO see ample proof in the fact of that
man. | have seen him but once before
you know if then | gave him anv
grounds for making such an assertion.
Tell me, from whom could he have
learnt the word except from Ralph Car
riston?'
was bound, if only to save my own
reputation for sagacity. to confess that
the point noted by CarriSton had raised
certain doubts in my mind. But #
Ralph GARRISON really was trying by
some finely wrought scheme to bring
about what he desired, there was all the
more reason for great caution 10 be eN-
ercised.
Il am sorry you beat the fellow"
said. He Will now swear right and
left that you are not in your senses"
''Of course he will. What do care?"
Only remember this 1t is easier
to get put in an asylum than to Get out
OF it.
1T is not so very easy for sane
man like myself to be pat in. especially
when he Is on his guard. have looked
up the law. There must be certificate
signed by two doctors, surgeons, or,
believe, apothecarieS will do, who have
seen the supposed lunatic alone and to-
gether. I'll fake very good care l speak
TO no doctor save yourself, and keep out
OF the way of surgeons and apothe-
carries"
1t quite cheered me to hear him
speaking so sensiblv and collect.dlv
about himself but | again impressed
upon him the need OF great caution
Although l could not believe that his
cousin had taken Madeline away, |
was, after che affair with the spy, in
clined to think that, as Carriston
averred, he aimed at getting him. sane
or insane, into a mad-house.
But after all these DAYS we were not
a step nearez..to the discovery of Made |
line S whereabouts. CarriSton made no |
sign of doing anything to facilitate that
discovery. Again 1 urged him to in
trust the whole affair to the police. |
Again he refused to do so, adding that
he was not quite ready. Ready for
what | wondered?
must confess, in spite of nv affec- !
tion for CarristOn, l felt inclined to
rebel against the course which matters
were taking. was a prosaic, matter
of-fact medical man. doing my work to
the best of my ability, and anxious
when that work was done that nv
hours Of leisure should be as free from
worry and care as possible. With
Carriston's advent several disturbing
elements entered into my quiet life.
Let Ralph Carriston be guilty or in
noeent of the extraordinary crime
which his cousin laid at his door. felt
certain that he was anxious to obtain