Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-13
INVISIBLE Mr.. MORGAN.

years. DurlnS all Indt long Time no nu-
man being, except his secretary, Mr..
Hardy, gentle melancholy man, whom
everybody liked, but with whom nobody
could boast of being intimate, had set eyes
upon him, and his great gray house, stand
ing on the edge of the Lincolnshire wolds
and looking out toward the North Sea, had
remained uninhabited, save as regarded
the corner of IL which he himself occupied
That he never breathed the fresh air his
servants were prepared to swear; yet, since
he never called in doctor, it was to be
presumed that his health was good, and as
he attended to all business matters con-
nected with the management Of his estate,
there was no reason for suspecting him of
insanity. Various explanations of his ex-
traordinary behavior were given by his
neighbors. 1t was said, of course, that he
was suffering from some horrible and dis
figuring disease; it was also said that he
had been crossed in love; while some peo-
pie asserted that he never recovered from
the shock of seeing his younger brother
drowned by the capsizing of a canoe iE
Western Canada. Certainly it was imme-
diately after his return from that fatal
shooting expedition that he had adopted
his present singular mode of life; still it
seemed scarcely in accordance with the
known attributes of human nature that anv
man should bury himself alive out of
grief for the less of a brother, however
dearly loved and deeply lamented. At all
events no informotion was to be obtained
from the quiet, patient Hardy, who had
but one answer to the many inquiries adj
dressed to him.
Mr.. Morgan does not wish to be seen.
l am not allowed to tell you more"
This devoted man was not only his mas
ter's Private Secretary. but his body serv-
ant and house-maid into the bargain No
one but he ever entered the bedroom on
the ground floor tenanted by the recluse;
his hands performed all necessary mental
offices and although, no doubt, he re-
celved handsome salary, his life must
have been a hard and dreary one. The
tenantry had chat with him from time
to time and found him, as everybody else
did-kind and polite, though not COM
municative. During the hunting season
he sometimes came out and rode straight;
he was such good, unassuming fellow,
and he had such face that he acquired
certain popularity without seeking for it.
He was not gentleman-indeed he never
attempted to conceal the fact that he had
originally entered Mr.. Morgan's service in
the capacity ola yalet-but he looked and
conducted himself more like gentleman
than many whom birth entities to claim
that rank.
In the course of ten years almost any
conceivable order of things ends by meet
ing with acceptance. and the butler at
Walnthorpe Hall, who had at first had
good deal of trouble in getting rid of i'm
Fortunate persons who declared that they
must and would speak to the master of the
house, was now very seldom called upon TO
answer the door-bell He was, therefore.
mildly surprised when, one afternoon, fly
drove up the avenue and out of it stepped
bronzed, stalwart, middle-aged gentle
man, who said in matter-of-course tone,
MIR. Morgan at home ~
"Mr. Morgan never receives visitors,
sir" replied the butler.
"Oh, he'll receive me-" said the other,
smiling slightly. as he in the house?"
HE is, SIR but Pm sure he won't see
you. You can see Mr.. Hardy, the Secre-
tary, if you please, sir. What name shall
/ say?"
"You needn't give any name" answered
the stranger, after hesitating for mo-
menu ''Tell Mr.. Hardy, whoever he may
be, that there is gentleman here who
wishes to see Mr.. Morgan upon matters of
importance. Pm not an ordinary visitor,
you can say"
The result of this message was that the
newcomer was presently conducted to the
library, vast, somber apartment, which
looked as if nobody had sat in it for half
a century. He sighed as he let his eyes
roam round it, standing with his back to
the fire and stroking his grizzled beard.
"How well remember the old room p he
muttered. at seems to have changed,
though, and l suppose Phillip must have
changed, too, or he wouldn't have de-
serted this room, of all others. What can
he mean by refusing to see anybody ?"
Mr.. Hardy entered, as though to an
swer the question. Mr.. Hardy, with his
bald head, his gentle blue eyes, his thick
set figure and broad shoulders, had rather
the appearance of refined specimen of
the squirearchy than of private secre-
tary. He bowed and said "You wish
to see Mr.. Morgan, i am told Unfortu-
nately that is impossible; but am accus-
toned to act as his Intermediary, and /
shall be happy to convey any message
from you to him."
Thanks" answered the unknown; "but
| will not trouble you. l prefer to see
him myself"
You can not see Mr. Morgan, sir"
returned the secretary politely but firmly.
lie has seen no one but me for many
ha fvlt
break through his rule"
But why has he seen no one? What
Is the matter with him? What object
has he in condemning himself to solitary
confinement p
That ] am not allowed to tell you,
sir; / can only assure you that he will
not see you"
expect he will when he hears who
i am. Be so good as to tell him that
his brother Robert has come back from
Canada, and is waiting in the library"
Mr.. Hardy never laughed, but a faint
swered, "Of course | can deliver that
message if you insist upon it; but as a
matter of fact Robert Morgan died in
Canada ten years ago."
He was supposed to have died, you
mean. In reality he did no such thing;
he recovered and settled out there, and
by degrees amassed modest fortune.
As / am Robert Morgan, and as l can
prove my identity, you'll allow that my
word is pretty good authority
Mr.. Hardy looked steadfastly at the
speaker, who returned his gaze without
finching. After some seconds of silence
the former said: "You are aware of
the circumstances under which Robert
Morgan died-or was supposed to have
died
Naturally / am but we won't allude
to them further, if you please"
The secretary made No ra;oipdar The