The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-10-18

proaching her. Here was something
which related to the continued
wretched condition OF her health if /
could only unraveI it, but if she pre-
ferred concealment 1 should certainly
make no endeavor to probe the mys-
terry.
business detained me for several
hours and / then called at the cottage
for the last time. more. 1 will admit.
10 crafty my curiosity than because l
deemed it necessary. y.-
Great WIS 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. lJ 30 E1-
"A troubled -half-frightened look rs
talked TO her caused me to take
sudden resolution l turned quickly to
her, saying: Tt must have been a
grave matter that caused you 70 cross
the ferry this morning in your present
state .na .r.fE -
''She made no answer, but looked
helplessly at me, her pale face flush
ing. then changing to aa ashen hue. i
had spoken in a rather louder tone
than was necessary, not noticing that
the door leading into an adjoining
apartment was a5ar until / perceived
the figure of a man standing in the
doorway. r-... rr..t
How long has this thing been going
on@ 1 asked. paying no attention to
the newcomer.
'' Direct your question TO me. IL you
please, he said. coming forward, when
l at once recognized the grace and
courtliness of a gentleman bred and
born. -..r.F r
q This young lady is my patient
and as such / am responsible 20 a GER
tain extent for her recovery or re-
lapse, and consequently have a right
to know what causes her protracted
illness. which 1 begin to believe Is the
result of other such Journeys as that to
which was accidentally witness to-
day. -rr-..
Seeing that it Was useless 10 con-
ceal the fact of her trip, he gave me.
after a consultation with the young
lady, a sketch of the facts surround
ing them which had so aroused my
curiosity. a.-.sr- r
''He stated that he had been engaged
in smuggling for some time, and the
of his sisters anxiety and onsequent
illness. He could not prevaif upon
me TO believe in his identity until he
donned the hunchbacl5 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 nos j 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 70 be the last,
and his sister had been so agitated
with fear that at her earnest cntreaty
he had sent carriage and she bad
been driven TO the landing. wlIsros she
had gone or board to he near him in
case of DISASTER She had never gone
before, and now that he had left the
dangerous business she would doubt
less r apidly recover.
The young man explained the in
genious pack which he had worn SO
long as a 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 il was
| fashioned enabling him to carry a
I weight scarcely guessed from its size.
/ He also said that immedia, ely 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 DO enabled 10 live
in comfort. As letter reached me q
few weeks later telling me OF their safe
arrival l am released from my prom
Use Of secrecy, but in my future move
ments 1 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.