The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-13
A COLONEL'S PERIL.

VI 0oueIdi WOOunall lie followed 1t,
and found myself in the presence of a
white whiskered old fire eater who at
once attacked me as though 1 were an
enemy's position.
Know my friend Hardyment? Colo
mel of the Haramzadi Horse-most dis
tinguished officer
Il confessed that had not the honor.
"'He's i'll 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 nonstrous! Don't you think
SOP
q should like to know the facts
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 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 i'll his track.
land 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.
"'fll shoot the man who accuses him!
Evcrybodys wrong, or else some one has
perSonatcd HIM
But that would have been very diff
cult. First of all, tho possession Of his
uniform, the knowledge how to put it on.
and 1T would have been SO easy to recog-
nlze him, 10 detect IN impostor. Such q
man as Colonel Hardymentwould be we'll
known
Not Ill this country. He has not
been homo for years, and there were very
few Indian officers at the levees'
"'Wcrc you:'
"'Of course not. Do you suppose that
this would have happened if had been
there:
81 shook my head gravely. The whole
thing looked fishy i'll its most favorable
ight-kleptomaniaa ut least.
"'You must not overratc my powers.
Let us go at once to Colonel Hardymcnt's
quarters. Where does he live, or, rath-
er, where did he livc:'
'It was Il modest residencc-only one
room, in house all chambers. in the
neighborhood of Pail Mall. The porter,
who knew the general, accompanied MS
up stairs and let us into his room with
his pass key.
"Tho room was all in disorder, cloth
ing lying about uniform just as it had
been taken off thrown onto the bed
which l observed had not been slept in.
"'When did you see the colonel last:'
/ asked the porter. ITO speak to,
mean
" The day before yesterday, sir
=" He has no servant of his own
mot now interposed the general.
He had n man-engaged him directly he
came homc-but turned him off u week
or two ago. That was why he came to
live here, where he could get attendance
and be valeted.'
81 now made 81 more searching cXami-
nation of the room. 1t had evidently
been ransacked, rummaged, riiled from
end to end. Everything valuable had
disappeared; there was not Il trace of a
trinket the jewel tray of the dressing
case was empty; the tops presumably
silver of tie bottles had been removed
! and some Of the best of the clothes.
81 saw no reason to eXonerate the colo
4 mel until I caught sight of bunch of
! keys on the floor, and STOPPING to pick
I them up found also an unmistakable
picklock or burglars skeleton key.
''lt was the first suspicion of foul play.
Colonel Hardyment, under the circum-
4 stances, would scarcely have left his
8 keys behind him. He might certainly
q have forgotten them, but even that
Il would not account for the skeleton key.
"'Tcil me more about the colonel's late
#seryant, will you, General Woodhall?
8 Wherc did he get him"
Il "'Through an agency, believe. Ras-
II ke,f was his namc-a smart soldierlike
4 chap-aEout Hardyment's own size. had
8rati:er IL look OF him, indeed
"Dut even rs spoke there was sound
&of !Nr:icd footsteps on the stairs, and
[&sonc one broke suddenly into the room
#n Wild. D.si!cve,od i;Sure--,iirty, unshorn.
ala ragged c.oihes-who threw himself
Nail Of Il l.e%p III III armchair.
lit WAS Colonel Hardyment himself.
8Concern, surprise, indignation, were the
$feeinGs oppressed on both sides and con
3 TESS shared them and was deeply af-
Effected when heard the coiones story,
Kwhich, after good dose Of brandy, he
Twas strong enough to tell.
n He had returned to his chambers late
~ 1po pio,t from, bis oil, !, ,,,la,, !,