The morning call., 1891-07-12
CHAPTER VII.
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS.


immediate vicinity of the cottage, in COM
pany with Kate and the mulatresS. a little
later Andrew HOLSTER called at the house
and satisfied himself that the health of the
patient left nothing TO be desired; that her
physical condition was in every way salts
factory Mentally, it is true, there was no
improvement percrptible, and when An
drew Hulister stood IN Molly'S presence
her condition wrung from him the admis-
Siou that her mind was irrevocably lost.
Lew Bankers position now became more
and more desperate. Mrs. Allaire's for
tune, which he had converted to his own
use, had not been sufficient to fill the pit
gaping at his feet There was one way in
which he might save himself. but 1t didn't
seem as if the thing could be accomplished
In time enough to do any good. While it
was true that Mrs. Allaire was alive and
well, it was also true that Edward Manson
was in the very best of health In the
wariest and most underhanded way. SO that
his action might not become known to Man.
son Lew Barker Lad succeeded in unearth-
ing this strange character hidden away in
the depths of his wild lands in Tennessee,
Strong and vigorous, hardly sixty yet,
with his mental and physical endowment at
its best, Edward Manson led an outdoor
life on these vast tracts of field and forest,
working off his surplus vitality by fishing
and hunting now on foot, now on horseback,
managing these extensive estates without
taking counsel of any one He was the
true type of those sturdy North American
farmers who live to be hundred, and the
only wonder is how they can bring them
selves to die at all.
There was, therefore, no use expecting
any immediate results from this source In
iact it looked as if the uncle would outlive
the niece. All hopes which Lew Barker
might have built up in this direction were
manifeStly topping, over and he found him
self face TO face with inevitable disaster.
At this moment two-thirds of Mrs. AL
laires fortune had already been exhausted
and there now remained in Bankers hands
but $500. Pressed as he was on all sides
by demands, this $500 was like a drop of
water in the Bay of San Diego. But while
it might be insufficient to enable him to
meet his obligations, yet in case flight
should become necessary there was quite
enough 10 put him out of the reach of his
pursuerS. And the time had come TO act.
Actions at law were now instituted against
Lew Barker, both fo- swindling and for
breach of trust and II was not long before
an order of arrest was issued against him,
but when the officers presented themselves
at his office in Fleet street. they were in
formed that he had not been seen since the
day before.
They at once went to Prospect Cottage in
search of their man, but he had left the
house in the middle of the night.
On that day. May 18th, upon reaching
Prospect Cottage, Andrew HOLSTER made
the discovery that Molly's fortune had been
entirely wasted. She was left without
penny in the world. Her dishonest guar
dian had not even left her enough TO pro-
vide for her immediate necessities. Mr..
HOLSTER was not long in deciding upon the
only course left open to him. 1t was to
transfer Mrs. Allalro TO some private estab-
lshment where she would be well cared for.
and to discharge the negro woman, whom
he al w ms mic
The retreat to which Molly was trans
ferred by Mr.. HOLSTER was the private es-
ta5lishment Of DIR. Btomley, who had al
ready attended her. Would these changes
cause any alteration in her mental condi-
ton? Il was hoped so, but all in vain. The
same indifference was noticeable under her
changed surroundings, and yet there was a
slight modification OF her condition, which
the keen eye Of the expert did not overlook,
a coming 10 fine surface OF shred of mater
nal instinct amid this wreck of reason. 1t
was noticed at times that she was engaged
in murmuring lullaby, as if she were &C.
cnpied in putting to sleep babe which lay
on her bosom. But the name of little Walt
never crossed her lips.
No tidings of John Allaire came during
the year 1876. And the same thing could be
said Of the Bankers. All efforts to unearth
them lad proved fTnitlesS. No one knew
whether they had gone or under what name
they had concealed their identity. The
truth was Lew Barker had good cause to cry
out against fate for not being able to main
tain his position in his Fleet-street Office. for
only two years after his disappearance the
contingency upon which his grand scheme
was based, became certainty and it may be
said that he reached port only to 20 to the
bottom.
Toward the middle of June, 1878, Mr..
HOLSTER received a letter addressed to
Molly Aflaire. This communication in
formed her of the unexpected death of Ed
ward Manson. who had been accidentally
killed. While out bunting a rifle-ball, fred
by one OF the party, had glanced and, strik-
ing him in the breast, had killed him in
stantly. Upon opening his will it had been
found that he had left his entire fortune to
his niece Molly Manson, wife Of Captain
AllaiIe.
Making rough estimate of realty and
personality, uncleared land, farmland,
sheep ranches and mill property, the fortune
left by the testator would figure up about
S2000,0O0. Did the news of Edward Man
sons death and of the large fortune left
by him come to Lew Barker's ears in his
hiding place? 1t is impossible to say.
Andrew HOLSTER, in his capacity as COM
mittee of the person and estate of Mrs. ALI
aire, resolved to sell the Tennessee farms
and wild and grazing land. The board and
treatment OF Mrs. Allaire at DR.. Bromley's
establishment would call for the expenditure
of very small portion of the income which
would be annually passed to her credit, and
hence toe Accommodations would in the end
make her one Of the richest women in South
eTn California.
When 1879 had come in there were none
hopeful enough TO think that it would bring
any change whatever in the situation, and
yet 1t did. The fact is that during the earlier
months Of the new year, DR.. Bromley and
the physicians attached to his retreat had
noticed unmistakable symptoms OF a change
in Mrs. Allaire's mental condition. That
calmness of despair, that stolid apathy
which she had shown for all the petty
details of actual life was interrupted by
moments of emotional activity.
1t was thought advisable to remove her
from Dr.. BrOmley's establishment, to take
her back to Prospect Cottage, back into her
own room; and when this had been DONE
there were on her part manifest signs of
interest awaked by finding herself amid
other surroundings.
With the coming of the first days of
spring-it was April then-the walks in the
nelghoorhood OF the cottage were resumed,
and several times Mrs. Allaire was taken
out on the beach OF Island Point. Her
eyes followed the movements of the vessels
IN the offing, and now and then she stretched
her hand out toward the horizon. But I'M
like the first experience, she made no effort
to escape from DR.. Bromley who walked
by her side. Nor did the noise Of the waves
as they broke foam-laden upon the sand
affect her undnly. Was there reason to
think that in her Imagination she was fol-
lowing the course of the Dreadnaught as
she sailed out of the port of San Diego and
her topsails disappeared from sight behind
the cliffs? Yes, perhaps so, for one day she
was distinctly heard to murmur the name
of John.
Yes, had il been that the Dreadnaught
was TO come sailing back again, could John
have returned home at this time and con-
fronted Molly suddenly, possibly she might
have recovered her reason, but, alas, what
idle speculation was it to look for the com
ing OF John. For this reason DR.. Bromley
determined to subject his patient to a
shock-a dangerous remedy withal but one
which might be followed by the best re-
suits.
On the morning of May 9th the two men
called for Mrs. Ailaire at Prospect Cot
tage. DR.. Bromley's intention was not to
re-enact the hearlrending scenes In any
manner, but to place Mrs. Allaire
in the exact position occupied by her at the
moment when her mind raceivPd its direfnl