Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-04-13
A COLONEL'S PERIL.

enemy's position.
"'Know my friend Hardyraent? Colo
mel of the Haramzadi Horse-most dis
tinguished officer.
81 confessed that l had not tho honor.
ss'He's in trouble. They accuse him
of theft. 1t has been put about that he
stole handsome decoration, star set
in brilliants, at the levee yesterday. By
George, it's monstrous! Don't you think
soY
'I 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.
s'He had entered the palace and was
mixed up with the throng of dignitaries
pillars Of the state, foreign diploma
lists, officers of both services.
'sThere 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
"sThat of itself looks did not dare
finish the sentence.
"'I'll shoot the man who accuses him!
Everybody's wrong, OF else some one has
personated him.
"sBut 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. Sucha
man as Colonel Hardyment would be well
known
"sNot in this country. He has not
been home for years, and there were very
few Indian officers at the levees.'
severe your
"'Of course not. Doyou suppose that
this would have happened if I had been
there?'
81 shook my head gravely. The whole
bllIS5 lOCAON A1Glly al Alo A11Ooo Low VI eabAO
ight-kleptOmaniaa at least.
"'You must not overrate my powers.
Let us go at once to Colonel Hardyments
quarters. Where does he live, OF, rath-
er, where did he live?
SIT was a modest residence-only one
room, in 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 the bed,
which [ observed had not been slept in.
"'When did you see the colonel last?'
I asked the porter. ITO speak to,
mean
"'The day before yesterday, SIR
"'He has no servant Of his own
"'Not now,' interposed the general.
He had a 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 a more searching exami-
nation of the room. It had evidently
been ransacked, rummaged, rifled from
end to end. Everything valuable had
disappeared; there was not trace of
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 the colo
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 colonel's late
servant, will you, General Woodhall?
Where did he get hin?'
"'Through an agency, believe. Ras-
kelf was his name-a smart, soldierlike
chap-about Hardyment's own size, had
rather look of him, indeed
"But even as spoke there was sound
of hurried footsteps on the stairs, and
some one broke suddenly into the room
avid, disheveled figure-dirty, unshorn,
in ragged clothes-who threw himself
all of 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 [ heard the eolonels story,
which, after a good dose OF brandy, he
was strong enough to tell.
''He had returned to his chambers late
one night from his club when he found
message waiting for him. An old SOL
der friend Of his, who had just come
home and was staying at 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 TIE embankment, the long line of
lights on which were the last things he
distinctly remembered. Somewhere there
he lost consciousness vague recOllec-
ton of the odor of chloroform chung to
him-and only came to himself long
ftlGcL W OIL u, eao ~ ocSi1iS! Iilu CuGl liz was
awakened by sharp sense of discom-
fort and pain.
'.He found thai ne was bound hand
and foot to the bench on which he lay,
Then the pale dawn broke and gave
dim light into the den in which he was
imprisoned. 1t was a back scullery of
probably long empty and deserted
house.
s.He made frantic, fruitless efforts to
free himself and shouted at intervals
iii he was voiceless and faint from ex-
haustion. At last in one Of his widest
struggles the bench to which he was
fastened toppled over, and he came heavi-
ly to the ground.
..He must have lain senseless for hours.
When he regained consciousness, he
beard voices. Two men were in the
kitchen too busily engaged to take any
notice of him.
i" sWhere'n We stow it?
Here in the chimley, high up above
the damper. It'll lie there safe until to-
morrow; then veil fetch in key to
trade
"sAnd this cover said the first speak
er, giving Hardyment savage KICK.
nsT OF him ROT Leave him where he