Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-08-05

~ was 80 Wilul 80 DbllO WIN AnHuloFt
that u seemed the face OF some other
than Caleb. The sight of scared
women pcering over my shoulders, cry.
ing and screaming, aroused him.
''Be stillI" he commanded, tiercely.
There's no danger now, l tell you.
There was n loud peel OF the door
bell, and then a double knock
"rm the policeman" came from the
outside. "What's the matterp"
Caleb went Immediately to the front
door.
There's nothing the matter" he
said. mo trouble at all; womon
frightened for nothing"
Thought heard pistol"
Caleb turned from the door, held
the lamb now; he came few steps
toward me in an unsteady way, and
then fell In faint on the floor. | kept
my senses, II none OF the rest did 1
opened the door, called the policeman
back, got him to help us take Caleb up
stairs, and then despatched him for the
doctor. The latter came, and Caleb,
now conscious and appearing more
like himself, declared that his hurt was
a mere scratch. IL was not serious,
the doctor said, after examination; a
superficial desh-wound in tho arm.
More policemen came, with n captain
among them, and inspecting the open
window, they found that a part Of the
shutter had been cut away, and a large
circular piece removed from the pane
with a diamond, SO that hand could
be inserted and the catch pushed back.
The drawer on the floor was empty.
The police captain was anxious to learn
the details of the burglary Immediate
ly, and AS the doctor allowed Caleb to
talk, his story was at once told.
He was reading in his room. So
noiselcss was the entry Of the burglar
into the library that he heard nothing
Of it; he was alarmed by noise. which
1t now appeared must have been the
fall of the drawer to the floor, as il was
drawn out too far. He snatched a
loaded pistol from a shelf where he al
ways kept It, and descended the stairs
in his stockings. The burglar was
standing motionless, with the drawer
in his hands, as though waiting to see
II the noise had caused any alarm. He
was masked. He fired pistol at Caleb
and rushed to the window, and that
was about all the latter could tell about
it Any thing in the drawer2 the cap
tain wanted to know. Yes; a pocket
book, with one hundred and twenty
five dollars, which was gone. Why
didn't MIR. Maytham shoot, too?
Caleb passed his hand over his face.
as though he wished to shut out the
ugly sight. Caleb did not like to talk
about the affair at all. and abruptly
changed the subject when referred to
1t; so it came TO be as sealed book
between us. And for a while longer
our old life went on as usual.
For a while longer; but the ten years
that are numbered between these two
parts Of my history wrought many
changes. Mothers sufferings were
over; she had now been sleeping by
fathers side four years. NY governess
and maid had long been discharged;
my school-days were over. and-well,
to make a long story short, l had been
married few months, and Dick
that's my husband-and l kept house
with Bachelor Caleb. No other ar
rangement than this would my brother
consent to; and as it suited both of the
other parties, | may say that it ar
ranged itself.
On a chill evening in October, Dick
and were waiting for Caleb He was
more than an hour late when we heard
his ring. l ran to the door and opened
it-and started back. There was Caleb,
and there were two other men support
ing a third between them.
"Regy," said my brother. "call the
housekeeper. and have her bring
light You stay in the dining-room. |
will explain presently"
He spoke in the quick, direct way
that never thought OF questioning.
did as he directed, and heard them all
go upstairs to one of the vacant cham
bers. Soon the men. two of them,
came down and rode away in the car
riage that had brought them; and in
few minutes Caleb came in and took
his seat with us at the table. He slipped
his tea in an absent kind of way, and
said. abruptly:
awe put him to bed. and Mrs. Wynn
is with him. l will get nurse in the
morning"
Both Dick and stared at him. Ca
leb smiled-a mOurnful smile, indeed
and continued:
"No. children. | am not crazy. Get
your supper, and I'll tell you all about
it."
Our supper did not last long. Caleb
took two or three turns about the room;
IL was easy 10 see that he was keeping
down his feelings.
Going TO the secretary in the library,
he unlocked a large drawer, and, tax
ing a quarto volume from il, he laid it
on the table. 'Lookr' was all he
said. The cover bore, in large gilt
letters, the words; Family Bible
Maytham.
"Calebw / cried, reproachfully,
"You never told me of this"
'There was reason; here is the
reason"
He opened the volume to the family
record. There was the record of the
births of our father and mother; their
marriage; the births of us two; and be-
tween Caleb's and mine, with date
which showed the person 10 have been
three years younger than Caleb was the
name: ''Dennis Maytham."
looked up in amazement.
"Our brother, Regy," said Caleb.
Then his strength left him; he
dropped into great chair, covered his
face and sobbed like a woman. was
on the floor at his feet In an instant,
with my arm around him.
''Tell me all, brother" / said.
'Tll make II a short story, Regy-
and Dick; there can be no more secrecy
about il nOw-but can't bear much
more myself tonight. He was wild,
bad and wayward; he nearly broke
mothers heart, and at last father dis
owned him. This was soon after YOU
were born. Regy. think the sorrow
OF il hastened fathers death; and il
has been the shadow on my life. This
afternoon, a poor wreck of man, rag
ged and consumptive, stopped me on
the street and implored aims. / looked
into his sunken eyes and saw-my