Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-11-08
The Mystery Of a Hanson Cab
BY FERGUS w. HUME.
CHAPTER XIV.
BRIAN RECEIVES A LETTER.

good-by to Madge, mounted his horse and
rode slowly in the moonlight He felt very
happy as, letting the reins lie on his horses
neck, he gave himself up unreservedly to his
thoughts. Atra Cura certainly did not sit
behind the horseman on this night: and
Brian, TO his surprise found himself singing
"Kitty of COleraine," as he rode along in the
silver moonlight Why should he trouble
himself about the crime of anotheri MOI
He had made a resolve and intended TO keep
It; he would put this secret with which he
had been intrusted behind his back, and
would wander about the world with Madge
and-her father He felt a sudden chill
come over him as he murmured the last
words to himself-"her father"
"Im FOOL" he said, impatiently, as no
gathered up the reins and spurred the horse
into a canter at can make no difference to
me as long as Madge remains ignorant; but
to sit beside him, to eat with him, to have
him always present like skeleton at feast
God help meI'
He urged his horse into a gallop, and as he
thundered over the turf, with the fresh, cool
night wind blowing keenly against his face
he felt a sense of relief, as though he were
leaving some dark specter behind. On he
young veins, over miles of plain, with the
dark blue, star studded sky above, and the
moon shining down on him. On-on-ever
on, until his own homestead appears, and he
sees the star like light shining brightly in the
distance-a long avenue of tall trees, over
whose wavering shadows his horse thundered,
and then the wide grassy space in front of
the house. with the clamorous barking of
dogs A groom reused by the clatter Of hoofs
up the avenue comes round the side of the
house, and Brian leaps off his horse and fling
ing the reins TO the man, walks into his own
room There he finds lighted lamp, brandy
and soda on the table and packet of letters
and newspapers He flung his hat on the
sofa and opened the window and door, so as
to let in the cool breeze then pouring him.
self out glass of brandy and soda he turned
up the lamp and prepared to read his letters
The first he took up was from lady. "Al-
ways a she correspondent for me" says Isaac
Disraeli, provided she does not cross"
Brian's correspondent did not cross, but not
withstanding this, after reading half q page
of small talk and scandal he flung the letter
on the table with an impatient ejaculation.
The other letters were principally business
ones, but the last one proved to be from Cal
ton, and Fitzgerald opened it with n sensf-
tion of pleasure Calton was capital letter
writer, and his epistles had done much to
cheer Fitzgerald in the dismal period which
succeeded his acquittal of Whytes murder,
and when he was in danger of getting into
morbid state of mind. Brian, therefore,
poured himself out some more brandy and
soda, and, lying back in his chair, prepared
to enjoy himself.
''My dear Fitzgerald" wrote Calton in his
peculiarly clear handwriting, which was
such an exception to the usual grabbed hero
glyphics Of his brethren of the bar, "while
you are enjoying the cool breezes and delight
full freshness of the country, here am |, with
numerous other poor devils, cooped up in
this hot and dusty city. How wish were
with you in the land of Goshen by the roll
ing waters Of the Murray, where everything
is bright, and green, and unsophisticated-
the two latter terms are almost identical-in-
stead of which my view is bounded by bricks
and mortar, and the muddy waters of the
Yarra have to do duty for your noble river
suppose you still hold the secret which Ro-
sanna Moore intrusted you with-ahl you
see know her name and why2-simply be-
cause, with the natural curiosity of the hui
man race have been trying to find out who
murdered Oliver Whyte, and as The Argus
very cleverly pointed out Rosanna Moore as
likely to be at the bottom Of the wholeaffair
have been learning her past history The
secret OF Whyte's death, and the reason for
it, is known to you, but you refuse, even in
the interests of justice, to reveal it-why, l
don't know; but we all have our little faults
and from an amiable, though mistaken,
sense of-shall say dutyf-you refuse to de-
liver up the man whose cowardly crime so
nearly cost you your lifes
"After your departure from Melbourne
every one said, The hanson cab tragedy is
at an end, and the murderer will never be
discovered ventured to disagree with the
wiseacres who made such remark and
asked myself, Who was this woman who died
at Mother Guttersnipe'sF Receiving no salts
factory answer from myself, determined to
find out, and took steps accordingly. In the
first place, | learned from Roger Moreland
who, If you remember, was witness against
you at the trial, that Whyte and Rosanna
Moore had come out to Sidney in the John
Elder about year ago as Mr.. and Mrs
Whyte. need hardly say that they did not
think it needful TO 60 through the fornality
-
found nconvenient on some future occasion.
Moreland knew nothing about Rosanna
Moore and ndv,s'.A we to give ny the snrrcl
as, ruf''''i, fr"Gn = city like !."Ntin;l II would
be difficult to find any one who knew her
there Notwithstanding this. | telcgraphed
home to friend of mine. who is a bit of an
amateur detective Find out the name and
all about the woman who left England in the
John Eller or tH'r r2lst dav of August, l8- as
the wife of Oliver Whyte Mirabile dictu,
he found out all about her, and knowing, as
you do, what maelstrom of humanity Lon
don is, you must admit my friend was clever.
1t appears, however, that the task | set him
to do was easier than he expected, for the so
called Mrs. Whyte was rather u notorious
individual IN her own way. She was bur-
lesque actress Mt the Frivolity theatre in Lon
don, and, being n very handsome woman, had
been photographed innumerable times. Con
sequently when she very foolishly went with
Whyte to choose berth on board the boat,
she was recognized by the clerk in the office
as Rosanna Moore, better known as Musette
of fhe FrivoEty. Why she ran away with
Whyte cannot tell you With reference to
men understanding women, refer you to
Balzacs remark anent the same Perhaps Mu.
sette got weary of st. Johns Wood and cham
payne suppers, and longed for the purer air of
her native land. Ah!you open your eyes at this
latter statement-you are surprised-no, on
second thoughts you are not; because she told
you herself that she was native of Sydney,
and had gone home in 1858, after trium-
phant career of acting in Melbourne And
why did she leave the applauding Melbourne