The herald., 1894-03-18
A COLONEL'S PERIL.

Of General Woedhall. He followed It,
and found myself in the presence of a
white whiskered old fire eater, who at
once attacked me as though were an
enemy's position.
"'Know my friend Hardyment? Colo
mel of the Haramzadi Horse-most dis.
tinguished officer
''I confessed that had not the honor.
"'He's in trouble. They accuse him
Of theft. 1t has been put about that he
stole handsome decoration, a star SET
in brilliants, at the levee yesterday. By
George, it's monstrous! Don't you think
SOP
:" 4 should like to know the facts
suggested nildly.
"The long and the short of it was that
Colonel Hardyment, in the full uniform
of his corps, had been the day previous
to make his bow to royalty on his return
after long exile in the east.
''He had entered the palace and was
mixed up with the throng of dignitaries
pillars of the state, foreign diploma
fists, officers of both services.
"There he made the most of his time,
and with all the dexterity of an old and
practiced thief had collared everything
valuable that came within his reach.
''He was not caught in the act. But
wherever he went havoc and depreda-
ton followed in his track.
"'And what might the colonel say
HIMSELF OF course he has heard about
it from some kind friend
"'Not word. The fact is-Hardy-
ment-is not to be found
"'That of itself looks did not dare
finish the sentence.
"Ill shoot the man who accuses hint
Everybody's wrong, or else some onehas
! personated him.
"'But that would have been very diff
cult. First of all, the possession of his
uniform, the knowledge how to put it on,
and it would have been so easy to recog-
nize him, to detect an impostor. Such
man as Colonel Hardyment would be well
known.
"'Not in this country. He has not
been home for ryears, and there were very
few Indian officers at the levees.'
"'Were you?
"'Of course not. Doyou suppose that
this would have happened if had been
thereT
81 shook my head gravely. The whole
hgRRe lRHap5ta6 nshH ia at ia l6AE. st favorable
"'You must not overrate my powers.
Let us go at once to Colonel Hardyment's
quarters. Where does he live, or, rath-
er, where did he liver
sit was q modest residence-only one
room, in q house all chambers, in the
neighborhood of Pail Mall The porter,
who knew the general, accompanied us
up stairs and let us into his room with
his pass key.
"The room was all in disorder, cloth
ing lying about, uniform just as it had
been taken off thrown onto tho bed,
which observed had not been slept in.
"'When did you see the colonel last?
I asked the porter. ITO speak to, l
mean
"'The day before yesterday, sir
"'He has no servant of his ownT
Not now,' interposed the general.
He had man-engaged him directly he
came home-but turned him off week
or two ago. That was why he came to
live here, where he could get attendance
and be valeted.'
81 now made q more searching exani-
nation of the room. 1t had evidently
been ransacked, rummaged, rihed from
end to end. Everything valuable had
disappeared; there was not trace Of a
trinket; the jewel tray of the dressing
case was empty; the tops presumably
silver) of the bottles had been removed
and some of the best of the clothes.
81 saw no reason to exonerate thecolo-
mel until caught sight of bunch Of
keys on the floor, and STOPPING to pick
them up found also an unmistakable
picklock or burglars skeleton key.
sit was the first suspicion of foul play.
Colonel Hardyment, under the circum-
stances, would scarcely have left his
keys behind him. He might certainly
have forgotten them, but even that
would not account for the skeleton key.
"'Tell me more about the colonels late
servant, will you, General Woodhall?
Where did he get himT
Through an agency believe. Ras-
kelf was his name-a smart, soldierlike
chap-about Hardyments own size, had
rather look of him, indeed
'But even as l spoke there was a sound
of hurried footsteps on the stairs, and
some one broke suddenly into the room
avid, disheveled figure-dirty, unshorn,
an ragged clothes-who threw himself
all Of a heap in an armchair.
sit was Colonel Hardyment himself.
Concern, surprise, Indignation, were the
feelings expressed ON both sides, ,and con-
fess shared them and was deeply af-
fected when 1 heard the colonel's story,
which, after good dose of brandy he
was strong enough to tell.
"He had returned to his chambers late
one night from his clubwhen he found a
message waiting for him. An old sol.
der friend Of his, who had just come
home and was staying ut the Royal ho-
tel. Blackfriars had been taken suddenly
dangerously i'll. Would Colonel Hardy.
ment come at once in the cab sent?
He jumped in, was driven off rapidly
along the embankment, the long line of
lights on which were the last things he
distinctly remembered. Somewhere there
he lost consciousness vague recollec-
zion Of the odor Of chloroform chung to
him-and only came to himself long
afterward, as it seemed, and then hewas |