Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-03-12

AITYT6><X AsJ! ucI uuudlul di JOoi-
&~X2SS5SS ousy, congratulated
HSp> "a ~ us both on our new
SoNN&O happiness, and was
constant visitor
at the bedside. One sultry afternoon,
however, when my wife had fallen
asleep, and the nurse, having deposited
the infant in it's cradle, had followed
her mistress's example, she walked to
the terrible knowledge that the child
WAS gonev'
"Goner cried Ruthven.
"Ahi Mr.. Ruthven, forgive me. It
happened years ago, and it was but
tiny infant, but 1 can not recall that
mysterious loss to this day without
emotion. Yes, it was gone! stolen from
the cradlei disappeared! No one knew
Ehow-when-or by whom. All was
wrapped in mystery. Of course, we
searched and inquired high and low, but
without effect. The sad news could not
long be kept from my poor wife, who
had terrible relapse in consequence.
Before she was out of danger, my
brother George burst into the room in a
state OF frenzy, to tell me that his wife
had gone mad!''
mad?"
"COmpletely so. And she never re-
covered her senses again. She had
been out for an unusually long time,
and when at last she returned, her
speech was perfectly incoherent. In
her rawlings we discovered that it was
she who had stolen my poor infant
during its nurses sleep, and carried it
away some distance, where she had
dropped and left it. Her doctor. how
ever, always believed that in her mania
she had killed the child, and so also
had come to believe. We made every
Enquiry possible, but nothing was ever
heard of it again. Lady Flower never
recovered the shock. She died about a
year afterward, and have remained as
] am since her death"
"And your brother, Sir Frederick"
He did not long survive my Flor
ence. When he found his wife was
hopelessly insane he placed her under
medical care, and went abroad with his
child. In his last illness, however, he
sent for me to take charge of Carmen.
He was then haunted by the idea that
his wife would recover of her malady,
duo w dhS up, DIS IL were, 10 uuQ n1m
gone. He exacted of me, therefore, that
as soon as he was dead I should remove
her from the asylum in which she was
then residing and bring her home to
Abbotsville. AS I had no intention of
marrying again, and Carmen was
heiress to all the property, considered
poor George had a right to dictate in
the matter, and readily undertook to
carry out his wishes"
'Harkv' exclaimed Ruthven, sud-
denly, What is that?'
Both men started to their feet as
cries of distress became plainly audi
bic, together with the sound of flying
footsteps coming toward them down the
board staircase. Ruthven rushed to the
door, and opened it just in time to re-
ceive in his arms the form of Margaret,
who, with golden hair streaming down
her back and face pallid with terror,
chung to him with a grip of agony.
"Ruthven-Ruthyen save mer' cried
Margaret, Historically
MY darling. you are SAFE" replied
Ruthven, as his quick mind guessed at
once the solution to the mystery.
Where is BROWNE" exclaimed the
baronet, angrily. What is he about to
let this woman leave her rooms?'
Florence came to see mep' screamed
the maniac, ''and I brought her back to
you. See! there she is, with her golden
hair, but where's the child?-where's
the child? 1t can't be far off, for you
wouldn't have come back without it
would your" she continued, addressing
Margaret, who shivered at the sound of
her voice. you thought SO much of
the child-you did, with your golden
hair; but mine got the money-mine
got the money! and she began to dance
round the library, to the eminent dis
comfiture Of the baronet, who never
ceased to pull the bell.
Soon appeared Mr.. Brown and Mrs.
Bryant, with, faces full Of perpiexity;