Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-04-05
A COLONEL'S PERIL.

"One da5" said Mr.. Myvart, "a card
was brought in 70 me hearing the name
of General Woodhall. be followed it,
and found myself in the presence OF 3
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 Haram3ad HoJse-most dis
officer
81 confessed that had not the honor.
"'He's in trouble. They accuse him
of theft. It has been put about that hs
stole handsome decoration, star set
in brilliants, at the levee yesterday. By
George, it's monstrous! Don't you tlAink
soP
"'I should like to know the facts
suggested mildly. .t
'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 a word. The fact is-Hardy-
ment-is not to be found
"'That of itself looks did not dare
finish the sentence.
"'I'l 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 leyees.'
"Were' your
"'Of course not. Doyou suppose that
this would have happened if I had been
| thereP
ST shook my head gravely. The whole
thing looked fshy in its most favorable
hght-kleptomania at.least.
"'You must not overrate my powers
Let us go at once to Colonel Hardynent't
quarters. Where does he live, or, rath
er, where did he live?' e
SIT 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
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 hat
been taken off thrown onto the bed
which observed had not been slept in.
"'When did you see the colonel lasti
I asked the porter. ITO speak to,
mean
"'The day before yesterday, SIR
"'He has no servant of his own"
"sNot now,' interposed the general
He had man-engaged him directly h
came home-but turned him off a weel
or two ago. That was why he came t.
live here, where he could get attendanc
and be valeted.'
'I now made more searching exami
nation of the room. It had evidentl,
been ransacked. rpmmaged, rified from
end to end. Everything valuable ha4
disappeared; there was not trace of
trinket; the jewel tray of the dressinj
case was empty; the tops (presumabl
silver) of the bottles had been remove
and some of the best Of the clothes.
81 saw no reason to exonerate thecolc
mel until I caught sight of bunch q
keys on the floor, and STOPPING to pic
them up found also an unlnistakabl
picklock or burglars skeleton key.
"It was the first suspicion of foul play
Colonel Hardyment, under the circun
stances, would scarcely have left hi
keys behind him. He might certainl
have forgotten them, but even tina
would not account for the skeleton key.
"'Tell me more about the coloneps Lat
servant, will you, General Woodhal
Where did he get hinY
Through an agency, Ibelieve. Ra'
kelf was his name-a smart, soldierlik
chap-about Hardyment's own size. ha
rather q look of him, indeed
"But even as spoke there was asoun
Of hurried footsteps on the stairs, an
some one broke suddenly into the room
wild, disheveled figure-dirty, unshorr
in ragged clothes-who threw himsel
all Of heap in an armchair.
"It was Colonel Hardyment himself
Concern, surprise, Indignation, were th
feelings expressed on both sides, and cor
fess shared them and was deeply a
feeted when heard the colonel's story
which, after good dose Of brandy, b
was strong enough to tell.
HE had returned to his chambers lat
one night from bis club when he found
message waiting for him. An old so
dier friend Of his, who had just com
home and was staying at the Royal ht
tel, Blackfriars, had been taken suddenl
dangerously i'll. Would Colonel Hard!
ment come at once in the cab sent2
"He jumped in, was driven off rapid
Q along the enbankment, the long line
lights on which were the last things
distinctly remembered. Somewhere thel
i: he lost consciousness vague recolle
. ton of the odor of chloroform chung
b him-and only came to himself lor
Q afterward, as it seemed, and then hew'
0 awakened by sharp sense of discor
: : fort and pain.
6 "He found that he was bound haI
z and foot to the bench on which he Ia
i Then the pale dawn broke and gave
J. 5:-- EaLt into the den in which he W