The Portland daily press., 1895-07-24

brigand's staggering reply-a cardboard
box containing mans ear packed in saw
dust-and inside the lid these words were
scrawled:
No less than 4.000 Part Of his exceIIency ii
sent free so that he may hear your decide which
was final.
In after years that day always remained
impressed with startling vividness on bis
lordship's memory. What with his wife's
continual fainting fits, his three daughter
in consecutive Mysteries, their conscious
intervals being employed in upbraidine
him in such severe terms that one would
have thought that the poor man had him
self cut his sons ear off; his own mental
anguish as he remembered that the future
head Of his house would never be able te
hear both sides, the horrid possibility Of
getting the wanderer back for nothing, q
piece at a time, and the fear that at that
moment further tortures might be in
course of in1iction-he often marveled not
only that he survived it, but that reason
did not altogether forsake her totterina
throne.
And the climax was reached when, in
the softening shades of twilight, Lady
Methwick and her three daughters, dressed
in black, went in solemn procession to a
distant part of the grounds, where beside
rippling stream and beneath a spreading
tree, the gardener had already dug a
grave. There, with fresh brssts of tears
and passionate sobs, the bo9eof sawdust
with its precious freight was solemnly
buried, and cairn built over and about
its resting place.
The outgoing evening mail carried two
letters, one to the brigands agreeing to
their terms, the other to friend of the
family, who happened to be consul in
the near neighborhood, inclosing a draft
for 44, 900 and begging him to put himself
IN instant communication with Giuseppe
and obtain the captive's release.
The consul did as he was desired, and in
compliance with elaborate Instructions
from the robber band, who were evidently
taking every precaution against being
trapped, proceeded alone one evening car
rying parcel Of 1000 sovereigns to an in
dicated spot on the outskirts of a forest.
Here he was met by sunburned, black
bearded giant picturesquely attired in his
native dress, who carried a rifle, while a
couple of revolvers and a poniard adorned
his sash. Motioning to the consul to fol-
low him, he proceeded but few PAGES into
the forest, then halted and blew a long,
low, peculiar whistle on his fingers.
Approaching footsteps were Immediately
heard, and there emerged from among the
trees the whilom prisoner, alone AS he
ranged up to the side of his deliverer the
gold was handed over, carefully counted,
and then, with low bow, the robber
turned on his heel, at once disappeared,
without having uttered word, and the
consul and his purchase were free to de-
part
Methwick Hall was ab1aze with light on
the evening of the heirs return to his an
cestral home. The female portion of the
family had spent the. day in alternately
laughing and crying for joy and were now
in state OF intense excitement anxiously
awaiting the return of the carriage from
the station. Presently the sound of wheels
was heard drawing up to the door, an6
mother and sisters, rushing out, fell upon
Robert, hugged him and kissed him and
half dragged, half carried him into the
house, but it was not until after they had
been for some time assembled in the libra
ry that there flashed across their minds the
remembrance of that horror that lay bur-
led beside the stream. His mother first
made the discovery:
why, Robert, you have two ears!''
Two ears, motherl Have not always
had two?"
But we buried one of them"
The Hon. Robert was evidently in the
dark, and when they explained he declared
truthfully that he knew nothing about it.
AS a word painter proved decided fail
ure, considering the adventures which they
expected him to recount. He had nothing
to relate, simply monotony waiting for the
ransom, and no matter how they piled him
with questions he could tell them nothing
of the doings of the gang, for he said he
never saw any Of them except the one who
had him in charge.
A few days after his return, pleading
the necessity Of visit to west end tailor,
he travelled to London, after receiving strict
1nJunctions and giving a promise to shun
his old haunts and companions Arrived
In town, he at once proceeded to Tom
Langton's chambers, and his first words to
his chum were.
II say, Tom, what about that ear, and
why wasn't told of it?''
"Well, I thought you might object, and
as it was desirable to bring things to
climax got it from the dissecting room
at the hospital through student"
1T took me quite by surprise when they
me Of having two ears and told
me they had buried one of them. But
about the money!
81 have told the fellows that you have
negotiated loan and empowered me to
pay your debts. Here are the I o U's that
have bought up and the total amount is
s2, 996. The remaining Ell, ,004"-
"You will please keep for yourself as ar
ranged, for the double purpose of paying
you for your trouble and buying your per
petual silence"
Thanks, cid chap. will be silent as
the grave, but, say, had difficulty in
keeping silence when we had her majesty's
consul in the forest. I never wanted to
laugh SO much before. Tit Bits.