The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-03-30
A COLONEL'S PERIL.


Zone day" said Mr.. Myvart, "a card
was brought in to me bearing the name
Of General Woodhall. He followed it,
and l found myself in the presence of e
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
II confessed that l had not the honor.
"'He's in trouble. They accuse him
Of theft. 1t has been put about that he
stole a handsome decoration, a star set
in brilliants, at the levee yesterday. By
George, it's monstrous! Don't you think
sOY
al should like to know the facts i
suggested mildly.
1.-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 a long exile in the east.
HE had entered the palace and was
mixed up with the throng of d~ignitaries
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. Blu.
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 a word. The fact is-Hardy-
ment-is not to be found
"'That of itself looks 1 did not dare
finish the sentence.
"'I1l shoot the man who accuses him!
Everybody's wrong, Or else some one has
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 a
man as Colonel Hardyment would be well
known.'
"'Not in this country. He has not
been home for years, and there were very
few Indian officers at the levees.'
"'Were your
"'Of course not. Doyou suppose that
this would have happened if I had been
there?'
II shook my head gravely. The whole
thing looked fshy in its most favorable
hght-kleptomania at least.
"fYou must not overrate my powers.
Let us go at once to Colonel Hardyment's
quarters. Where does he live, or, rath.
q, where did he liver
ut was a modest residence-only one
room, in a house all chambers, in the
neighborhood of Pail Mall. The porter,
who knew the general, accompanied US
mp stairs and let us into his room with
his pass key.
1.-THE room was all in disorder, cloth
ing lying about, uniform just as it had
been taken off thrown onto the bed,
which I observed had not been slept in.
"'When did you see the colonel last?'
I asked the porter. TO speak to, ]
mean
1.-The day before yesterday, SIR
"tHe has no servant of his own:
"'Not now,' interposed the general.
ii had a man-engaged him directly he
came home-but turned him off a week
or two ago. That was why he came to
live here, where he could get attendance
and be valeted.'
II now made a more searching exami.
nation of the room. 1t had evidently
been ~ransacked, rummaged, riied from
end to end. Everything valuable had
disappeared; there was not a trace of a
tinket; the jewel tray of the dressing
cas- was empty; the tops presumably
silver) of the bottles had been removed
and some of the best Of the clothes.
II saw no reason to exonerate the colo
mel until I caught sight of a bunch Of
keys on the floor, and STOPPING to picl
them up found also an un1nistakable
picklock or burglars skeleton key.
at 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 ever thai
would not account for the skeleton key.
"'Tell me more about the colonel's late
servant, will you, General Woodhall.
Where did he get him?
Through an agency, I believe. Ras
kelf was his name-a smart, soldierlikt
chap-about Hardyment's own size. had
rather a look of him, indeed
"But eve as / spoke there was a sound
Of hurried footsteps on the stairs, and
some one broke suddenly into the room
avid, disheveled fgure-dirty, unshorn
10 ragged clothes-who threw himself
all Of q heap in an armchair.
lit was Colonel Hardyment himself.
Concern, surprise, indignation, were the
feelingsexpressed on both sides, and l con.
fess I shared them and was deeply at
fected when / heard the ~colonel's story,
which, after a good dose Of brandy, he
was strong enough to tell.
HE had returned to his chambers late
u night from his club when he found 9
message waiting for him. An old sol.
der friend Of his. who had just come
home and was staying at the Royal no