Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-07

stranger who had made such a shameful use
OF his card
The constable had afterward gone to no
less than four cab yards, where he had msde
all Inquiries possible in a limited M be
had been unable to find any cabman who
had driven an invalid lady to the station ON
the previous evening. He had next hunted
out the only bath chair proprietor to DO
found In Grandchester, with the same 70
suit Time had not allowed him to visit the
numerous chemists shops in that thriving
| city, and that remained to be done.
There was no evidence on MIR. Caul1elds
behalf. except the vicar of Freshmead's
| evidence as to his character and ante
/ cedents, and to the fact that he only parted
with him at eleven O'Clock on the previous
morning at the Freshmead Road station
Freshmead was seven miles from Grand
chester.
"What was Mr.. Caulfeld going to do when
he left youl" asked the coroner.
"He was going to spend the day in Grand
chester"
"Has he friends or acquaintance in that
cityP
mo. He was going to look at the cathe-
dral and law courts, and to spend an hour
or two in the Oldbury library"
GHe was to dine somewhere, / supposeF
He meant to dine at q restaurant. There
arc a good many dining places in Grand
chester; he could take his choice among
them"
After this witness had been examined the
k.z.;-x 800, .Jso,,-naI for q yvaat
Al the close of the proceedings, Mr.
Rrockbank, the lawyer, asked if his ellen:
might be released on bail, the vicar OF
Treshmead being prepared to offer himself
as security to any amount, but the coroner
replied that the case was of too serious a
nature to admit of bail.
So Mr.. Caulfield went back to the stony
place whence he had come, where the
utmost privilege that could be accorded
him was the liberty to see his friends at
stated hours, and to nave his meals supplied
from an adjacent hotel.
His spirits would have assuredly gone
down to the point of utter dependency on
that gloomy winter evening, when the moldy
hy that had conveyed him 10 the George
hotel carried him back to the Jail, had he
not been supported and sustained by the in
uOLnlL6pIo CueeTlulueSS vi LIS AACHo VIZ"
vicar.
"What do you think of the case nowF he
asked.
%Think!" cried Mr.. Leworthy. "Why,
that l shall have so much to do in Grand
chester ferreting out this mystery of yours
during the next six days that l don't know
how the deuce my parish work IS to get
done"
"Won't you employ the policer
"Of course l shall; but l shall employ my
self, too. Don't you be down hearted,
George. mean to see you safely through
this business, and l shall do it right away,
as they say on the other side of the At
lantic."
George Caulfield's confidence in his fathers
old friend was unbounded. He had seen in
the past how the vicar of FreShmead could
conquer difficulties which the ruck OF men
would lave found insurmountable. MIR.
Leworthy dined with him as cheerfully as
if they had been eating white bait at Green
witch or turtle in Aldersyate street under
the most exhilarating circumstances; and
stimulated by the force of example, George,
who had scarcely broken his fast since he
left Grandchester, found himself enjoying
the tavern steak and the tavern claret.
His friend left him soon after dinner to 60
back to Grandchildren by the nine o'clock
train, and then came a dreary interval until
ten, when the prisoner lay down on his pal
let bed and slept soundly, exhausted by the
bewildering emotions of the last t~wenty-four
hours. He was very doTnhearted, now that
he had before him the prospect of n weeks
solitude in that miserable cell, for Mr.. Le-
worthy had told him that he should not re-
turn to Milldale until the day fixed for the
adjourned inquiry, by which time he hoped
to have unearthed the man who had used
Mr.. ElsdenIs card.
An agitating surprise awaited Mr.. Caul
field next morning. While he was break
fasting dismally upon tea and dry toast, the
guardian of his solitude came in to tell him
hat a lady wished to see him.
"a ladyl" cried the curate. "There must
be some mistake. l don't know a creature
in the town. Pray don't let me be made a
show Of to crafty any one's morbid curl
osity."
Lord love you, sir, as if we should do
such a thingl It's all right; the lady's got
an order. She's a relative. 10 doubt
The man withdrew into the stony passage
outside; then came a rustling sound George
Caulfeld knew well-a sweeping, stately
step, and an elderly lady, gray AMI tall and
slim, came quickly in and threw her arms
round his neck.
Mother" cried the curate, show could
you do such q thingF'
"How could l do anything elseT said his
mother, striving heroically to be cheerful.
"Doyou suppose l was going to stay in Lon
don after l received your letter. The post
man brought the letter at seven, Sophia had
my trunk packed by half and Jane had a
cab at the door-such good girls, and so
anxious about you! l was at Euston by ten
minutes past eight, and caught the train that
leaves at a quarter past eight. l was at
Milldale half IN hour after midnight-too
late to come here, Of course, so l went 10 the
nearest hotel The chambermaid told me
they were sending you your meals. l felt
quite interested in them, and at home with
them directly"
She was a wonderful old lady, carried her
self so bravely, spoke so brightly, looked at
her son with eyes so full Of confidence and
hope. He would lave been unworthy Of
such a mother had he not faced his position
unfalteringly. They sat down side by side
on the prison bench, and he told her all that
had happened since he wrote his letter to
her, and spoke as if nothing were mora GER
tain than his speedy justification.
CHAPTER III.