Thomas County cat., 1889-08-29

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nized the figure of my patient oc.
cupying as secluded position as wa
possible, evidently with the purpose OF
avoiding recognition. 1 was positive
as to her identity, but something in
her shrinking manner caused me to
proceed again on deck without ap-
preaching her. Here was something
which related to the continued
wretched condition of her health if
could only unravel it, but if she pre-
ferred concealment should certainly
make no endeavor to probe the mys-
terry.
Business detained me for several
hours and l then called at the cottage
for the last time, more, l will admit.
to crafty my curiosity than because l
deemed it necessary.
''Great was my surprise to find my
patient in worse condition than that
in which had left her upon the day
before and unable to arise from her
couch.
"a troubled, half-frightened look as
l talked to her caused me to take a
sudden resolution. l turned quickly to
her, saying: 1t must have been a
grave matter that caused you to cross
the ferry this morning in your present
state
''She made no answer, but looked
helplessly at me, her pale face flush
ing. then changing to "a ashen hue.
had spoken in a rather louder tone
than was necessary, not noticing that
the door leading into. an adjoining
apartment was ajar until 1 perceived
the figure of man standing in the
doorway.
".How long has this thing been going
on? l asked, paying no attention to
| the newcomer.
Direct your question to me. if you
| please he said, coming forward, when
l at once recognized the grace and
courtliness of gentleman bred and
| born.
"'This young lady is my patient
| and as such am responsible to cer-
tain extent for her recovery or re-
lapse, and consequently have a right
to know what causes her protracted
illness, which l begin to believe is the
result of other such journeys as that to
which l was accidentally witness to-
day..
'Seeing that it was useless to con-
ceal the fact of her trip. he gave me.
after a consultation with the young
lady, sketch of the facts surround
ing them which had so aroused my
curiosity.
''He stated that he had been engaged
in smuggling for some time, and the
fear of detection had been the cause
of his sisters anxiety and consequent
illness. He could not prevail upon
me to believe in his identity until he
donned the hunchback outfit and re-
appeared as the companion of my
trips across the ferry. Again and
again he declared that he had only es-
capped detection through being asso-
ciated with me, and that not a trip
had been made in my society but that
the supposed physical deformity had
in reality been composed of jewels
and laces amounting in the aggregate
to hundreds of thousands of dollars in
value; that this day was to be the last,
and his sister had been so agitated
with fear that at her earnest entreaty
he had sent a carriage and she had
been driven to the landing, where she
had gone on board to be near him in
case of disaster. She had never gone
before, and now that he had left the
dangerous business she would doubt
less rapidly recover.
The young man explained the in.
genious pack which he had worn so
long as personal deformity, which
was fitted to a closely fitting con-
trivance that is worn by real sufferers
from spinal disease while endeavoring
to produce a cure, the straps and deli.
cate springs and steels of which it was |
fashioned enabling him to carry a |
weight scarcely guessed from its size.
He also said that Immediately upon |
her recovery he and his sister would |
return at once to France, where by |
means of the money he had earned SO |
dearly they would be enabled to live
in comfort As letter reached me /
few weeks later telling me of their safe .
arrival am released from my prom
ise OF secrecy, but in my future move
ments shall be careful to not again
be an innocent accessory to as gigantic
a fraud as delivering goods on both
sides of a well-watched, well-known
smuggling point. Chicago Times.
The Inquiries Had Purpose.
Johnny" said the farmer to q lad
Whn mad arrived with the summer