The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-14
DR.. BRAND IN CONCLUSION.

| DIR. BRAND IN CONCLUSION.
When l asked Dick Fenton to relate
| his experiences | did not mean him to
do so at such length But there as he
has written it, and as writing is not a
| labor of love with him, le5 it go.
When Madeline Rowan found the
bed, by the side of which size had
thrown herself in ali ecstasy of grief,
untenanted, she knew in a moment that
she was the victim of a deep-laid plot.
Being ignorant of Carriston' true posi-
| ton in the world. she could conceive
no reason for the elaborate scheme
which had been devised to lure her so
many miles from her home, and make
prisoner of her.
A prisoner she was. Not only was
the door locked upon her, but Slip OF
paper Law on the bed 1t bore these
words: NO harm is meant YOU, and in
due time You will be released. Ask no
questions. make no foolish attempts at
escape, and you viii be well treated. -
Upon reading this the girls first
thought was one of thankfusness. She
saw at once that the reported accident
to her lover was but an invention. The
probabilities were that Carriston was
alive, and in his usual health. Now
that she felt certain of this, she could
bear anything.
From the day on which she entered
that room to that on which we rescued
her, Madeline was, to all intentS and
purposes, as close a prisoner in that
lonely house on the hillside u she
might have been in the deepest dungeon
in the world. Threats. entreaties,
promises of brides, availed nothing.
She was not unkindly treated that is,
suffered no absolute i'll usage. Books,
materials for needle work and other
little aids to while away time were sup
Piled. But the only living creatures
she saw were the woman OF the house,
vino attended to her wants, and, on one
or two occasions, the man whom Car
riston asserted he had seen in INSURANCE.
She had suffered from the close contine-
ment, but bad always felt certain that
sooner or later her lover would find her,
and effect her delivcrance. Now that
she knew he was alive, she could not
be unhappy.
CarristOn and Madeline were married
at the earliest possible moment, and
left England Immediately after the cere
mony. A week after their departure,
by Carriston's request. l forwarded tne
envelope found upon our prisoner to
Mr.. Ralp Carriston. With it | sent u
few lines stating where and under what
peculiar circumstances we had become
possessed of it. | never received any
reply TO my communication. SO, wild
and improbable as il seems, am bound
to believe that Charles Carriston's sur
mise was right-that Madeline was de-
coyed away and concealed, not t, ON
any III will toward herself. but with a
view to the possible baneful effect which
her mysterious disappearance might
work upon her lover strange and eX-
citable organization; and ! firmly be-
lieYe that had he not in some incXplica-
BILE way been firmly convinced that she
was alive and faithful to him, the plot
would have been a thorough success.
and Charles Carr,ston would have spent
the rest of his days in an asylum.
Both Sir CharieS-he succeeded to his
title shortly after his marriage - and
Lady Carriston are now dead, or [
should not have ventured TO relate these
things concerning them. They had
twelve years OF happiness. If measured
by time, the period was but 4 short one;
but feel sure that in it they enjoyed
more true happiness than many others
find in the course of protract d life. IN
word, thought and deed they were as
one. She died in Rome of fever; and
her husband, without, so far as know.
any particular complaint, simply fol-
lowed her
was always honored with their sin
cersst friendship. and Sir Charles left
me sole trustee and guardian to his three
sons; SO there are now plenty of lives
between Ralph Carriston and his desire.
am pleased to say that the boys. who
are as dear to me as my own children,
as yet show no evidence OF possessing
any gifts beyond Nature.
/ know that my having made this
story public VIII cause two sets of OBJ
jectors to fall equally foul of me-the
prOsaic man who will say
that the abduction and subsequent i'm
prisonment of Madeline Rowan was an
absurd impossibiGty, and the scientific !
man, ike myself. who can not, dare |
not, believe that Charles Carriston, from |
either memory or imagination, could |
draw q face and describe peculiarities |
by which a certain man could be iden- |
tilted. l am far from saying there may |
not be simple. natural explanation of |
the puzzle, but /. for one, have failed 10
find it, so close this tale as l began it.
by saying am narrator, and nothing
more.
THE END.