The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-04

bonds.
Quickly enough followed our wedding
day. and the honeymoon in Paris, which,
bright and happy as IL was, still was Torn
overshadowed by suspense and anxiety:
We had constant news from home, and all
of cheerful, pleasant character But the
insurance COMPANIES had not settled, and
private letter from Absolon conveyed the
somewhat disquieting report that an agent
of the companies had been IN the town max
ing inquiries as to rumor that had some
how got about, that my father had recently
been seen Very much alive ana In perfect
health in his native place.
But it ali turned out baseless." added
Absolon, land if they don't soon pay up, we
will make them"
In the same hotel with US were staying
another newly-married couple, whose go
ings and comings excited much more atten-
ton than ours. The newspapers recorded
their movements with ornamental Hour
ishes; visitors arrived. blocking the court
yard with their carriages; Journalists came
TO interview Col. Woodward the renowned
American tinancier and milionaire; the
costume and appearance OF the charming
American bride was the subject OF constant
| comment. An accidental meeting IN the
| lobby of q theatre revealed the TACT that
Maud and Mrs. Woodward had been school
| fellows for a short time in England, and
| strong and sentimental friendship sprang
| up between the two young women. The
! American was q pretty, lively, amusing
| creature, and an excellent companion for
! where. The Colonel himself was rarely In
| their company Maud described him as
grave and gray. but very well got up for an
elderly man. The Colonel and had ex-
| changed formal visits. but we had never
| met l fancied that he avoided me; but
| there was no particular reason why. We
| should seek each others society. and no
was generally occupied all day long In re-
| ceiving official and financial people.
Whenever l returned TO our hotel after
| the shortest absence L was sure to make
| particular inquiries as TO letters and tele-
grams always dreadlng some bad news.
! But my partner continued to write In eX-
| cellent spirits-"One or two good accounts
| had been opened. The crops were looking
WELL and there was every prospect of
good year." But one afternoon telegram
| plications feared" i felt that the very
worst must have happened; complications
| meant ruin. We must leave by the train
| from Paris that evening. My wife. L was
| Woodward. l ran to seek her and bid her
| prepare for immediate departure. The
| Colonies servant admitted me. He WAS
sure the two ladies would return in
gaily decorated salon to wait their arrival
| and, to pass the time, took mp book of
! photographs. There was the ColoDePs bride
| IN every variety of pose and costume: there
| was the COlOnefs yacht; there were the
| ColonePs famous trotting horses: but where
was the Colonel himselfl Why. here, in
proud humility. at the very end of the vol
| ume, the Colonel himself. with his shrewd,
inquirlng. watchful air; and again, as II to
| show his wife what handsome young fell
| low he had been. the same Colonel-he must
have been only lieutenant then-with
curled ambrosal whskers But what was
| ined this last portraits Why. the cOnvic-
ton that it was perfectly familiar to me;
| that it was the fac-simile of the miniature,
mounted in locket. which my mother had
| given me on her death-bed. and which al
ways carried with me.
| tore the photograph from the book and
| took it to the window to compare the two
more fully. AS 1 did so l heard a slight
noise behind me, and there stood the Col
| onel, watching my proceedings with a
| strange look on his face. As L turned, he
drew a revolver from his pocket and COW
| cred me with it.
Put up your hands. you scoundreln
| You are mistaken, Col. Forester" re-
| joined. with as much caimness as / was
| master of, with that ugly weapon turned
full upon me. IL am not a thief. If you
| Kill me it will be murder, and You have
| guilt enough upon your soul without that
! What in thunder do you meanY eX-
[ claimed the Colonel, dropping the muZzle
of his weapon. but keeping his finger on
| the trigger.
DO you deny that YOU are the original
of this portrait; that You are Col. For
| esterg"
IF you know that you know too much,"
lie cried, and fire upon ne ut once.
| But the shot was fired an inch or two too
high, and just cut OFT a lock of hair. with
] out injuring the scalp. Next minute L had
closed with him. and tried to wrest the pis-
| tOl from his grasp. In the struggle our
| worst passions were aroused. | wreSted
| the pistol from his grasp, and was about to
! strike him with the but end of it on the
head, when, to my excited vision. hand
| appeared To be stretched between us-a,
! shadOwy hand-but one that | recognized
as my Mothers ] flung the pistol to the
| other end of the room.
Forgive me-" said. loosening my grasp,
81 forgot my promise to her."
| The Colonel sunk back upon n couch,
looking white and scared.
What. are you her son and mineY Are
| you Frank Forester? Well, L own up. L
have been a scoundrel perhaps. but not
| quite SO bad as you would make me ont.
| If seemed to desert her, it was because
| had sunk too low to hope to claim her.
And when fortune turned it was too late
| And now l am started in a new existence,
| and L don't want to be haunted by the
| ghosts of the past"
THAT was all very we'll" l replied: but
| he must do justice to the man he had plum
dered, whose ruin was now imminent, and
would involve his daughter and son-in- Law
| in the same evil fate
The Colonel sat an pondered. At last lie
said:
Look here, Frank, chuck in those life
policies, and that laundering mine, that
| old Bradford ought TO have made some
thing of, and I'll give you bill for fl00 900,
which is about what | lifted from your
| father-in-law. Now sit down and make
| out your contract note, and. as time passes,
I'll write a bill for the dollars. And after
that go our ways, and know each other
| no more"
Just as the Colonel had handed me this
| bill and 1 had given him an undertaking
to transfer the Thunderstorm cOllieries and
| sundry policies of assurance to his possess
| sion, Maud and Mrs. Woodward appeared
III the doorway.
| 'Your husband and mes been having
| deal" said the Colonel, shaking hands.
Sorry to lose you SO soon. My dear, you'll
| have to take leave of your friend. Sorry
to lose you, but we'll meet again, in the
| old country, perhaps"
We have not met yet But the bill was
| all right. | got ROthschllds to indOrse it to
their London house, and away we went for
| home as fast train and steamer could
carry us. At Dover we were met by a
special messenger from the bank, with
confidential dispatch enjoning me to see
our London agents, and use the most pow
| erful representations to get them to honor
our bills now falling due.
1t was John BarraclOugh who had made
| all the mischief. and Bradford added that
if assistance were not forthcoming before
morning the bank would not open its doors.
But. as things turned out, walked into
Messrs. Whatman Il Wilkins's, In Lombard