Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-04-26
"A TALISMAN."
BY HON. MRS. ME-.
CHAPTER III.

peared; exactly like his usual sigma
ture the one inscribed at the bottom
of the paper; yet he knew fully that
he had never written such a document.
never sent any cheque TO the bank
within the klst month.
This is forgery he said firmly,
indicating the paper still held in the
officers hand. Il denounce it as such
without the slightest hesitation. i
never wrote one word upon that
paper"
You can say all that at the trial,
SIR" was the sceptical reply. You'll
have every chance of explaining there,
of course. Meantime my duty is"
He made a significant step forward.
who was the bearer of this note?
who received the cash? WhenP
lIowP" Leigh demanded sternly
The officer madea gesture as much as
to say. you know all this much better
than J." bat no answered:
"A footman in livery presented
cheque and note-the carriage TO
which he belonged was waiting a few
yards from the park. You see in
your note Mr.. Leigh, you request that
the whole sum may be paid in gold,
and that struck the cashier as a little
queer; but thinking the man was your
own servar., and knowing the note
was genuine one in your handwriting
he cashed the cheque as requested.
Afterwards. when enquiries were made
he found the servants livery was Mr..
Beauchamp's, not yours; but the foot
man, on being privately questioned,
said that you were certainly In his
mistress's carriage at that time. He
had opened the door for you to get
into the carriage before he drove to
the bank, ard just gave the bag of
money into the carriage window into
your hands as soon as he had got ii. y
Leigh had staggered back and stood
white and silent, with a look of hor-
ror in his eyes which his companions
took for certain sign of guilt.
Rousing himself with an effort,
however. Leigh questioned in voice
unlike his own, hoarse and strained
and harsh:
''Did the man see me take itp"
He couldn't say for certain, ! be-
neve; there was crush just there,
and he had TO Jump quick back upon
his box, 10 get out of the way OF an
other carriage; but he knowed you
were there. Then they drove back TO
pick up Miss Beauchamp, who had just
got down at a shop near; and the foot
man supposes that when his young
Au in hn
see you when they reached home.
When was it, you ask? Yesterday
morning-no earlier!"
broken inarticulate exclamation
fell from Eberhard's lips; the look of
incredulous, o7er-powering, unbear
able horror in his eyes deepened, his
features grew more CHASTITY, more
haggard; he seemed paralyzed for the
moment, and the practiced eyes of his
arresters construed each sign into one
of confessed guilt.
you must come along with us now,
sir One OF them advanced and
grasped his arm. BEST come quietly.
as / said before, and we will call no at
tention To il"
you dare touch Inc. impertinent
curl"
Like lion rousing from torpor,
the soldier shook off the presump.ous
arm, then with one well-directed blow
from tho shoulder he laid his captor
fat upon the floor.
The second man made a dive at him
but Sims thought proper TO interfere
now, and caught the man by the shout
der, as he shouted:
Make haste, Mr.. Leigh!"
And Leigh dashed from the room.
and down the stairs. and out across the
b3rrack-yard, and into the street, but
as he ran, fleet, strong, long-breathed,
activ, as a stag, he heard behind him
the sounds OF pursuit.
With such start as he had gained,
Eberhard Leigh distanced his pursuers
with ease. He heard behind him their
shouts as naturally their number
swelled, and veritable chase began;
but he laughed 10 himself as, far ahead
of them all, he darted down stable
yard, and there waited, quietly recov-
ering breath, until he saw them all
sweep by. Then. doubling, he came
out OF the darkness, turned. and
walked along, by short cuts he knew,
swiftly but quietly in the direction OF
the Beauchamps' house.
AS he dashed from his own room he
had the presence Of mind to snatch IN
his hat, and the night was fortunately
dry one; his boots bore no traces oil
mud-his appearance showed no sign
OF anything unusual as he Gained
the Observation-Disclosures house and
easily made his way up the crowded
stairs, greeting friends and acquaint-
ances as he passed them.
But one person alone he had come
TO see-one face alone he searched for,
scanning the dazzling throng with his
steel-like grey eyes until they fell upon
Elvira, the belle.