The Democratic advocate., 1892-07-30

was to meet certain Mr.. Dallison, who
had agreed to buy Redmayne's interest in
a couple of coasting schooners for the sum
of e250. As the missing man had arranged
his program, so had he proceeded to carry
it out. He had settled his business at the
kilns in due course, and later on, had met
Mr.. Dallison, who had paid him the amount
agreed on, partly in notes and partly
in gold, after which theyhad dined
together, and had not separated till
between and Z o'clock, by which
time it was quite dark. In reply to
question at parting, Phil had said that
friend of his-not mentioning any
name-had promised him lift home in
his trap. But be that as it might, so far
as could be ascertained Mr.. Dalison was
the last person who had spoken with him.
From the moment of his quitting the roof
of the Red Lion hotel Philip Redmayne
had vanished utterly.
In the course of Monday notice had been
given to the police, and description of the
missing man circulated far and wide 1t
was now Tuesday night and no tidings
whatever of him had come to hand. Minis
firm belief, reiterated again and again, was
that her husband had been lured to some
spot and then murdered for the sake of the
money in his possession, and although l
pointed out to her how unlikely it was that
any one except Mr.. DallisOn could be aware
that he had so large sum about him, |
could in no wise shake her conviction on
that point
Well, time went on, till month had
gone by without bringing any clue to
the mystery of Redmayne's disappear
ance. Meanwhile poor Mimi was having
bad time of it at the lodge. Phils unex-
planned absence brought to light state of
affairs which both surprised and shocked
me. Not only was he proved to have been
head and ears in debt, but the lodge itself,
together with whatever property he had on
which money could be raised was mortgaged
up to the hilt. At the time Of his disap-
pearance he was virtually bankrupt. OF
course, the extravagant style of living into
which he had so weakly fallen after his
marriage had something to do with this sad
state of things; but few words with Mimi
let fall one day told me all | needed to know.
For the last year Phil had been speculating
on the stock exchange, with what result
was now patent to all the world.
In order to stem the storm in some
measure Mimi, by my advice, removed
from the lodge into some quiet lodgings in
the town. Everything she left behind
went to the hammer, and the horde Of
clamoring creditors were to some extent
appeased thereby.
The little woman bore the change, great
though it was, in way which did not fail
to elicit my admiration. The mention Of
Phirs name nearly always brought tears te
her eyes; but in other respects she was quiet
and selfpossessed in a remarkable degree
She never wavered in her belief that her
husband had come to his end through foul
play, although | must confess that | my
self had strong doubts on the point. As a
matter of course, not until some absolute
proof of Pills decease should be forthcom-
ing would the Stork insurance company en-
tertain Minis claim for 95, 900, which her
husband had settled absolutely upon her
within few weeks of their marriage.
Not long, however, was it before the
requisite proof was forthcoming, and that
in way as startling as it was unexpected.
l had gone to call upon her one morning on
matter of business, when could not help
noticing that she was several times affected
by brief fits of nervous trembling, such as
| had never remarked in her before 1t
seemed to me that she was far from well,
and so | told her, recommending at the
same time that she should at once call in
medical ADVICE,
"You are mistaken, dear Uncle Josy, !"
she replied. 81 am not at all i'll; at least not
in the way you think. l know it is very
silly of me TO say so; but | have been
frightened On, terribly !"
''In what way have yOR been frightened,
my dear?"
"By dream. You smile, dear uncle;
but wait till have told you what it was,
| dreamt it the night before last and again
last night, exactly the same dream. Hor-
rible, horrible"
She shuddered, and pressed her fingers
to her eyes, and for few moments
seemed altogether overcome.
Then she went on to tell me that in her
dream she had seen two men, both strang-
ers to her, carrying between them the in
sensible body Of another man, which she at
once recognized as that of her husband
Emerging with their burden from the shell
ter of the wood, they carried it up piece
of rising ground beyond, till they reached
the summit of low cliff, close against the
face Of which were built the lime kilns al
ready mentioned Then, after. swinging
the body to and fro few times, that it
might acquire momentum, they gave ii
one final swing, which sent it flying over
the edge of the cliff, full into the wide-gap-
ing mouth of one of the kilns.
Such was Minis singular dream as re-
lated by her to me, No wonder that her
nerves were shaken by it after all she had
gone through little while before