Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-07-24

nad always felt certain that sooner or later
her lover would ind her, and effect her de-
liverance. Now that she knew he was alive
she could not be unhappy.
j did not choose 10 ask her why she had
felt so certain on the above points. wished
TO add no more puzzles 10 the one which, to
tell the truth, exercised, even annoyed, me
more than l care to say. But ala ask her
ii, during her incarceration, her Iailer had
ever laid his hand upon her.
She told me that some short time after her
arrival a stranger had gained admittance TO
the house. Whilst he was there the man had
entered her room, held her arm, and threat
ened her with violence If she made any out
cry. After hearing this, did not pursue the
subject.
GARRISON and Madeline were married at
the earliest possible moment and left En-
gland Immediately after the Ger .mony. A
week after their departure, by ClrristOn's re-
quest, L forwarded the envelope found upon
our prisoner to Mr.. Ralph Carriston. With
IL sent a few lines stating where and under
what peculiar circumstances we had become
possessed OF 1t. l never received any reply
TO my communication, so, wild and improba-
BILE as 1t seems, | am bound TO believe that
Charles CarriSton's surlnise was rlght-that
Madeline was decOyed away and concealed,
not from any ill-will toward herself, but with
a view to the possible baneful effect which
her mysterious disappearance might work
upon her lovers strange and excl able organ
lZaton; and | firmly believe thai had he not
in some ineXplicable way been firmly con-
WINGED that she was alive and faithful to him.
the plot would have been thorough success
and Charles CaTistOn would have spent the
rest of his days in an asylum.
Both Sir CharleS-he succeeded TO his title
shortly after his marTiage-and Lady CARTS
ton are now dead, n | should not Ia e vent
ured TO relate these things concerning them.
They had twelve years of happiness. II
measured by time the period was but short
one; but feel sure that in it they enjoyed
more true happiness than many others lind in
the course Of pTotTacted life. In word,
thought, and deed they were as one. She
died, In Rome, OF fever, and her husband,
without, so far as l know, any particular
complaint, simply followed her:
| was always honOred with their sinceTest
friendship, and Sir Charles left me sole trust
ee and guardian TO his three sons; so there
are now plenty of lives between Ralph Car
riston and his desire. | am pleased to say
that the boys, who are as dear to me as my
own children, as yet show no evidence OF
possessing any gifts beyond Nature.
| kown that my having made this story
public wilNcause two sets Of directors to fall
equally foul of me,-the matteI-of-fact prOsaic
man who will say that the abduction and
subsequent Imprisonment OF Madeline Row.
an was an absurd impossibility, and the
Bcientitic man, like myself, who cannot, dare
not believe that Charles Carriston, from
neither memory nor imagination, could draw
a face, and describe peculiarities, by which a
certain nan could be identified. L am far
from saying there may not be simple natural
explanation of the puzzle, but i, for one, have
failed to find it, so / close this tale as / began
it by saying l am a narrator, and nothing
more.