The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-08
CHAPTER XVI.
GEORGE cANpLEMAs EXPLAINS.

covered that his surmlse was correct one.
CHAPTER XVI.
GEORGE cANDLEMAs EXPLAINS.
Treated with the greatest skill by tho doctor
who had been ca! led in from the nearest town.
and nursed with untiring devotion by his
give signs Of returning strength, and three
days alter ne had beon found in his terrible
prison he was able /" r9afe me extraordinary
He had left home in q furious passion on tho
morning Of the 10th, believing in his blind
between his wife and the writer of the letter he
found her endeavoring 10 conceal.
Rose Cand emas had not made COMPLIANT OF
her husband with regard to her love affair
with Arthur Strangeways. 1t had been little
romance and It had come TO an end in very
able 10 toll George that she had once been en-
gagged to another man. The match had been
broken of In consequence OF the old Bar9nets
shock and gone to India Rose. too had not
suffered 30 very severely. and whom George
Candlemas came upon the scene she knew that
Under these circumstances George Candle
mas. in his Ignorance, naturally put the worst
construction upon n letter which. on tho face
OF 1t. was capable Of n guilty Interpretation.
bofore ho wa, engaged to Rose. when they
were carving on candcStne and romantic
courtship; he Baronet eldest son aud she a
Governess in a family tho female head OF which
was very dragon Of proprlety. who would
have nut Miss Roses boxes outside the front
door had she had the slightest idea that tho
lady was corresponding with gentleman.
George Candemas to d his story t. his
mother. but not uut he had asked lter Rose,
and had been assured that though she had
been very i'll she was rapidly recovering:
And Mrs. Candlemas took care that tho first
surance that Ross was innocent Of all wrong.
that tho letter lie hal found had been forgot
ten in an old corner Of her desk when Art bur
Strangeways's otner letters We're consigned to
tho flames,
NV dear dear son" said Mrs. CandIemas.
as she lifted his head gently up ana placed her
tell You that dear Rose love-, you truly. and her
whole heart is yours: The letter from Arthur
ago. when they had foolish boy and girl en-
GaEem"nt.
Even in tho long agony Of those fearful days
and iChts OF hunger in the lonely woods. when
his voice grew too weak 10 shout and the pain
Of his injured ankle caused him to ia MT. he had
been haunted by the terrible thought that II he
died ltose would be free to marry this clandes-
tine lover OF hers.
He saw now how cruelty he had wronged her.
and he felt that he had been bitterly punished
for his n un I IeaIGusy
to find this man Arthur. and either kill him
or let him Kill mo. Had we met should have
ws n at Tank Vas hs ere
As soon as | had ascertained IRON Roses un-
clio Gwilcm that she had known the present
Sir Arthur Strangeways refused TO listen TO
any explanation from him, but took the train
and came Straight to Strangeways Hall.
The servants told mo that Sir Arthur was
away that he would not return until the even
/ left word that would call again on that
date. AMI naturally refused to give my name
or to state my business.
- It was late In the afternoon when reached
the hall had been directed at the station to
cut across the wood rs tho nearest way to the
hall. | returned 10y tho wood Being In an
excited and nervous state. tho failure 10 meet
with Sir Arthur hal increased my irritation.
down a moment - 81
tree in the wo ID to rost and think. and |
dropped of into a gloomy brown study.
Should 20 back homo to Rose and wait
quietly til tho 18th. or should GO to hoteli
was n prey to n hundred conflicting ideas.
I" sat there lost in my gloomy reveric so long
" Suddenly Through the darkness l heard d
cry, as thought OF distress.
" Istarted up and listened.
80 Iii. help. help Ill., there. help
To my utter aston ishment tho sound SEEM
cd to come from the clouds;
walked cautiously through tho wood in the
direction the sound seemed to come from.
awake, or am the victim OF some nightmare 2
The voice WAS from the skies!
" At that moment tho moon came from be-
mind the clouds. ana high above my head /
II understood what was tho matter In
moment. Tho 0eronaut was descending and
asked for assistance.
g ran forward, and he shouted down to mo
that the grnpne he had hurled out had become
ger unless 1t was freed.
" In tho temporary Gleam. OF moonlight I
managed to soc whore tho iron had caught
and twisted round the projecting branch
The situation was novel one, and in my
excitement an no. stop to think i there was
"Flingtng oil my hat ana "vercoat, ran to
tho nearest tree aud commenced to climb eau
Il found that the host way to reach the rome
was to steady myself on tina trunk Of u hugo
old dead oak tree which stood by tho side Of
ha trna IA IN thn 49, ~,
balloon was now commencing to swing dan
gorousiy
loose the grapnel and iroe the rope. There
was violent Jerk. the balloon suddenly rose
and dashed away, and lost my footing and
slipped in moment down tho hollow stem OF
tho oak tree.
In falling Injured my ny. ankle severely. Tho
When i came to my senses 1t was daylight.
tried to climb up tho inside OF the treo. My
foot was useless. and every movement gave me
ii sh puioi. but tho wood deadened my Voice.
mo one could have heard me, for hours and
hours passed on. and still remained there
%,Thank God. there was little rain water in
hollow OF tho tree
Presently began TO leol the pangs II hun
ger, and was 80 cramped that my hands and
At lat utterly exhausted, Gavo myself up
Tor Lost. AMI Slrpl.
II don't know how long was there. only
presently all seemed Ike q dream. / know
nothing. only In some indlstinct way, that |
WA, going 10 end my life whore | Was.
Now and then woke to the agony Of hum
ger and the pain OF my ankle, but my mind
ceased to dwell on tho horrors OF my situation.
When WAS found | must have been quite
senseles5, for l remombtr nothing of it."
Sir Arthur StrAnReways as soon as his guest
was able TO receive u visitor, came and tom
derGd his sincere sympathy to the sufferer. Sir
Arthur wa intensely relieved whom tho uatient
began TO improve ami was able to give u full
account OF what had bcfallen him.
Had he died Sir Arthur believed firmly that
Binks would never have rested until he had
secured his lSir Arthursl conviction as tho
of George Candlemas
George CAndlemas. restored at last to health
and happiness, was the first person whom
Rose met whom she came down stairs after her
long Illness The mGe;ing was Il tender and u
fearful ono II will o many u IonG day before
Rose has another secret fom her hus band and
before George tandlemas Is Je tluus.
sergeant lilnKS IL quite convinced that he
had u tremendous professional triumph. and
that II Is entirely due to his marvellous skill
and cunning as detective that George CANDLE
mas was found at last
Biz Arthur StrangeWays has renowned Go.