The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-16

bly, an aristoCratic person.
Aud SO the Rev. II. Briggs, having wired to
say that he would he at Fitzwiliam Gardens
at II o'clock on the following morning, started
that very afternoon for London, and took up
his quarters for the night at the Grand Hotel.
He was in the very best of spirits that evening
after dinner; it was a relief to get away for a
while from the hypnotic establishment at Little
Pedlington, and us in all probability the present
case would detain him for few days in town he
purposed allowing himself some much-needed
relaxation He could not of course, think of
exacting any fee for his services-that would be
quite contrary to his principles-but even a labor
of love like this was fairly entitled to its travel
ing expenses, so that duty and pleasure would
GO hand in hand His anticipations, then, were
decidedly of pleasant nature when he retired
to bed at an early hour that night.
The morrow dawned-a day destined to be
forever memorable in the annals of hypnotism.
Now, whether it was that the morning was
gloomy or whether it was simply reaction
from the excitement of the previous day, it is
certain that the Rev. Il. Briggs felt much more
cautious and much less enthusiastic than on the
evening before. As he sat at breakfast he re-
read carefully the mysterious letter. the key to
which obviously lay in the word ssestrange-
LHSuI, ne NuOuSul over Jue various possible
causes of discord IN families, and constructed
several hypothetical cases. none of which offered
very agreeable prospect The depression
deopened as he iourneyed westward; the warn
ing voice of Letitia-"There is something l
don't like about that letter'-recurred to his
mind, and his blood curdled as the possibility
dawned upon him that he might be the victim
of some hideous conspiracy. But the wheels of
hn han 1nl
itself, and before many minutes Fitzwiliam
Gardens was reached. Too late to draw back
now And as he ascended the five steps lead
ing up to the door of an imposing. looking
house the Rev. A. Briggs looked wistfully at
the receding figure of the cabman, and felt as
though he were losing friend. He struggled,
however, against this weakness as unworthy,
and, bracing himself up morally, he rang the
bell.
In the few seconds which elapsed before the
door could be opened the visitors eye fell me-
chanically upon the window on his left, and he
noticed that the blinds were closely drawn.
There would have been nothing unusual in this
If the sun had been shining brightly, but con-
sidering the dull, leaden condition of the outer
atmosphere there seemed to be something pecu-
Iarly funereal in the aspect of that window
| These medtations were interrupted by the ar
rival of a solemn man-servant, who, on hearing
the name of Mr.. Briggs, conducted him at once
up stairs to the drawing-room-a large and hand
somely-furntshed apartment on the first floor
Barely had the servant withdrawn when upon
the ears of the agitated clergyman there came
rising up, apparently, through the floor from
the room beneath-the sound of violent alter
catlon-shrill exclamations of anger on the one
side, varied at intervals by the soothing tones of
a feminine voice on the other.
''Good Heavens ~ thought the reverend
gentleman to himself-and now, for the first
time, 1t flashed across him-''What if it should
pe maniac-adangerous and raving maniac %
And, sinking on the edge of an ottoman he
wiped the perspiration from his brow. He had
not nearly finished this operation when the door
opened, and Mrs. Doveton entered. She was
lady OF more than middle-age, with gentle and
renned though melancholy expression of face,
and she wore Widows cap on her head.
"lt is so good of you to come, Mr.. Briggs, "
she said after the first salutations had been in
terchanged 81 fear you must think me pre-
suming too much on the benevolence of a com
plete stranger, but if you knew what | have
suffered. 81 IT All Mr. Briggs, when the
affection we prize most of all things becomes
alienated from us it is hard to bear, is it not ?''
Every hard, madam he replied, somewhat
uneasily, for he was thinking of that noise he
had heard just before.
"Yes," resumed Mrs. Doyeton, s'ever since
lost my poor husband five years ago, the one
joy and consolation of my life has been in
watching over the dear creature he left to my
keeping. Our love has been mutual, and we
have been SO happy, Mr.. Briggs
Here Mrs. Doveton sighed and resorted to hel
smellng-salts
"And now," she continued, in tremulous
tones, ''all is changed-sadly, unaccountably
changed My darling, my beautiful darling
seems positively to hate the sight of me, and il
this strange, undutiful aversion cannot be over
come we shall have to part-so every one says
p" Oh Mr.. Briggs, promise me that you
will hynotize my precious Rosie, and,restore he
to her own tender, afIectionate self :"
At this point poor Mrs. Doyetons emotion
oyercame her, and she burst into sobs Th,
Rev. 40. Briggs saw it all now; his quick per
ception intuitiyely supplied the gaps in this un
happy lady's outpouring of woe. His fear
about the violence of the maniac were mitigated
1t was clearly a quarrel between mother anC
daughter, and those sounds he had heard-dis
quieting as they were-had proceeded from
young and perhaps lovely girl, suffering iron
some strange caprice or deusion. He was con
siderably relieved, and deep feeling of pity
not unmiXed with a certain romantic interest
took pOssessIono his soul. His self-confidence
; too, returned.
"Come, come, my dear Mrs. Doveton," h
said, with a combination of the spiritual dirccto