Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-05

ENGAGED In HASTE.


You have lied to me once already, when
you told me Jaker won that money
on the race-course. How can l believe that
you are not lying now' A ruffian entered
my friends house at midnight last Tues
day, stole a package of bank notes and
shot Sir Allan. The wound is likely to be
fatal Should Sir Allan die before the
trial comes on, the burglar who shot him
will stand charged with his murder. Your
husband has had a taste of the law, and he
knows that he can't shoot even a rabbit
with impunity. He will find it sitter
business now that he has shot man"
"He never lifted a hand against Sir
Allan. He hasn't been inside the park
since the time he was falsely accused OF
stealing one of the deer-three years ago"
"How did he come by that money, them"
asked the colonel, with severe look.
Almost unconsciously he put on the
voice and manner with which he had been
wont to address rebellious Sepoys in days
gone by. Mrs. Jaker quailed before him.
ale found it," she faltered.
Found it, Preposterous! People don't
find money in hedges He must have stolen
those notes either from the cabinet in Lady
DarnePs morning room, or else he stole
them from the person Of the man who first
stole them. The thing may be double
robbery but it is a robbery all the same,
and you must know your husband to be q
thief"
"No, SIR" Again Mrs Takers called upon
the celestial powers "No, sir: my husband
may have been a poacher, but he is not
thief, still less a murderer. Whatever
money he had when he went away he came
by that money honestly. 1t was given to
him as a free gift"
THAT won't do" said the colonel
Just at this moment there ran through
the old cottage an awful blood freezing
sound. 1t was peal Of laughter, long and
loud and wild and shrill; such laughter as
no one would expect to hear outside lu-
matte asylum.
"Why, you have maniac on the prem
ises," exclaimed the colonel. "How is
that?" The laughter died away, and then
there came wild snatch of song:
Grevy a Clarendon! Gambetta Toulon!
Vive lie sang Vive lie sang
That was enough for Col. Stukely.
Without waiting for leave from Mrs. Jaker
he made for the narrow staircase in a cor
ner OF the room and rushed upstairs as if
he had been mounting breach. There
were two rooms above-the door Of the
first was wide open. Mrs Jaker's den evil
IDENTIFY The door Of the second was shut,
and from within came another peal of
laughter, almost demoniac in its wide
shrillness.
"Otro toro," cried voice as shrill as the
laugh "Otro toro! Seville, the land of
poetry and love, the land of song and
dance, of bull fights and beautiful women.
Spain-yes, Spain is the place for me-"
This time the words were English,
spoken as only English lips can speak.
Yet, surely, it was Frenchman who sung
that snatch of the Carmagnole just now;
and it was a Frenchman of whom Col.
Stukely was in quest.
He opened the door and stood on the
threshold looking into the cottage bed
chamber, a fair-sized room, under a slop-
ing roof, and lighted by good old dormer
window.
The young man whom he had last seen
lying among the gorse and leather was
stretched on pallet under the
window. His head was propped up against
the plastered wall, and his eyes were
staring straight before him, while his thin
hands played with the coverlet
Suddenly, while the colonel stood watch
ing him, he crouched into corner of the
wall, and flung up his arms above his
head like man recoiling from an enemy.
1.-THE BULL" he shrieked, "the bull is
coming at me-keep him off, keep him off.
No, it is not the bull Worse, worse, ten
times worse. 1t is her husband in his
winding-sheet, bedabbled with blood. I
could never stand blood-keep him off,
keep him OFF,
He fell back upon his wretched mattress,
his face flushed to crimson. his pupils
dilated his eyeballs rolling restlesslv.
perspiration rolling in thick beads down
his forehead and hollow cheeks He was
a victim to a disease which the colonel
knew only too WELL and had seen but too
often among Anglo-Indian brandy
drinkers. men who had succumbed to the
temptation of the climate, and who were
slipping brandy and water all day long.
He had seen just such paroxyms, and he
knew that for the time being they meant
raging madness. And this unhappy
wretch was Grace Darnel's plighted lover,
and if Mr.. Penwern came to the cottage
by and by with his search warrant, he
would see this young man. and discover
the real state of the case-arrest him, most
likely, on suspicion-an arrest which
would be followed by an inquiry that
might bring Grace's name before the
public. How could this wretched creature,
maddened by drink, be expected to keep
Miss Darnels secret9
The colonel looked at his watch 1t was
quarter to seven. There was yet time
to do something before the detective
should appear with his warrant Mrs.
Jaker had followed him upstairs; she was
standing at his elbow, watching her
strange lodger.
Come downstairs" said Col Stukely;
you can do nothing for that unfortunate
wretch. | see you have been giving him
brandy" he added. pointing to an empty
bottle and glass on chair beside the
pallet.
"He begged so hard that I was obliged
to get some for him." answered the
woman, apologetically.
"How many bottles has he drank since
he has been hereS You had better tell me
the truth"
."Three-no-I believe it is four" Mrs.
Jake replied, meekly.
She was quite overcome by that air of
command which was an old habit of the
colonel's.
THAT means a bottle day. suppose
you know that brandy is deadly poison for
a man in his state?"
mo, indeed, sir. 1t was the only thing
that kept him up"
Don't you think that a doctor would
have known better what was good for
him. But you dared not send for a
doctor"
They had descended the stairs by this
time. and the colonel and Mrs. Jaker were
standing face to face in the lower room.
rnnrn Ihe childrnn not seoinr my ,n,,o-