The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-09-10

tempts to elicit from him any information
as TO our whereabouts Nor would he give
me the faintest hint of when might hope to
be released from my captivity.
Ten days Of an imprisonment, so close as
mine was. began to tell not merely upon my
spirits but upon my physical health. My
appetite failed utterly, and hardly touched
the delcacies with which Flinter, to do him
justice, kept my table abundantly supplied.
1 found myself daily growing weaker, and
the victim Of an apathy which was alto
gether alien to my nature. In plain Eng
| lish, was cowed and broken by the treat
ment to which / had been subjected no
longer even spoke to F.intsr on his periodical
visits to my cell.
1t was when l was in the midst of one of
my worst fits of detection that the event
which 1 had so ardently longed for took
| place. was aroused one morning, shortly
before noon, by the noisy opening of the
great iron door which barred the entrance
TO the passage leading to my place of con-
finement, and for the first time since 1 had
entered the accursed hole / heard the sound
of voices outside. They were speaking in
quick, excited and even angry tones
Before l had time to realize what was
coming, the door of my room was thrown
open, and. to my intense amazement, saw
LII. DrankSOIue Summing before me.
any God" he cried, in an agitated voice
while he advanced and took my hand, "he
has not been lying as hoped might be the
case! And you have been here--a prisoner
ever since we sailed This is monstrousl Oh.
il had only known! But come-come at
once, my poor fellow, and let me give yol
back your libertyl"
"Ah, Doctor" cried, in a tone the feeble
ness of which startled even myself, show l
have longed for you! l knew that you
would save me If you could"
"My dear fellow, don't exhaust yourself" he
said, still vsibly agitated. He placed his arm
round my waist, and drawing me gently out
of that black prison in which l had endured
SO much, led me into the main saloon of the
yacht. The flood of light dazzled my eyes;
the sound of human voices after that long
spell OF silence made all my nerves CULVER
There was mist before my sight, buzzing
In my ears, and sensation of choking in my
throat
But Branksome was as skillful as he was
gentle and sympathetic.
"Lie down here;" and as he spoke he laid
me on one of the soft touches of the saloon
"Good Godl how you have suffered Here
take this" and he almost forced restora-
tive of some sort down my throat. There
was some one standing beside him whom
now recognized as Fosdyke. He had look
of deep pity on his face-nay. it was almost
one of horror and incredulity. l saw tho
same expression on the face OF the captain of
the yacht and of a steward, who were also
in the saloon. They seemed quite overcome
at the contemplation of the crime of which |
had been the victim. I cast my eyes round
the beautiful apartment, and to my relief
hat Eot af,,1 4.
those present.
Very quickly recovered my strength and
composure so far as to be able to give Drank
some and the solicitor an account of all that
had happened to me since l received the note
inviting me to go on board the yacht.
THAT note-have you got it," said Drank
some, eagerly He was manifestly resolved
to know the whole truth regarding my alb
duction. handed it to him.
"Ah, it is Flinter's handwriting. But,
captain, how came it that you never men,
toned until this morning that Mr.. Fenton
had been on board the yacht on the morning
that we saileda' He turned with q naughty
look upon the captain, a plain, matter-of-
fact seaman with somewhat bloated face
More than ever was l impressed by the sense
of power which seemed to distinguish Drank
some in all that he said and did.
"Why. sir" returned the seaman in mani
fest embarrassment II was told that the
gentleman had left the ship in one of the
shore boats, besides-well; to tell the whole
truth upon my honor, sir. Mr.. Flinter said
was not to mention anything about it to
you. He said as how this gentleman was no
longer friends with the master and that you
would be displeased if you knew he had been
aboard"
"Pshawl" criel Branksome, impatiently.
III could almost believe that the whole of you
were in conspiracy against Mr.. Fenton.
and against me also. The chief steward
knew that Flinter was supplying food to Mr..
Fenton, and never said a word TO me- simply
because he had allowed himself to believe
that the poor fellow was ILL., and that for
some reason of his own he did not wish his
presence on board the ship TO be known.
Why, great heavens he might have been
kept prisoner forever, so far as any Of the
ships officers were concerned. l never heard
of such stupidity. If 1 had not accidentally
mentioned Mr.. Fenton's mama to you, cap
tain, half an hour ago, and if you had not in
consequence asked if l was speaking of the
gentleman who came aboard the day we
saile1, God knows how long this outrage
might have continued"
DIR. Branksome spoke with warmth and
lie nOuCn was dngTlly
compressed, and his eyes gave emphasis to
all he said. l felt that / had found pro-
tector and n champion. At sign from him
the captain and steward left the saloon. and
/ found myself alone with the doctor and
Fosdyke.
~ have hardly recovered from the shock
caused by the discovery of your condition"
said the former. "Indeed had no thought
when heard of your being in confinement
save instantlyto release YOU 1 have not,
therefore, had time as yet to get the whole
truth out of Flinter as to his extraordinary
and abominable behavior. OF course 1 shall
do so, and you may depend upon my calling
him stornly to account for an outrage
which has brought him within the reach of
the criminal law. That is so, l think, Mr..
Fosdyke."
"Certainlyl" replied the lawyer. II
should say that there never was n clearer
case of abduction in this world. Mr.. Fem
ton, il he chooses toprosecute. may undoubt-
edly send Mr.. Flinter to Jail for couple of
years at least"
uMog L oely oontioroJ Dr., ,,I-.o,,o