The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-10-09
THE DOCTORS RUSE.

AneHe was via scene thht May
morning about the old mansion that
had been for years the home Of the
Molten family. Under the great olms
shading the lawn which sloped to the
golden willows by the busy brook at
its foot, farmers were talking excit.
edly while brandishing pilchiorks,
corn knives and an occasional rifle
handed down from pioneer ancestry.
At intervals 3 more distant neighbor
would come numbering to the rendez-
vous on plowhorse or arrive putting
and perspiring by some eross.cut foot
path. While they we're approaching
organization the young doctor from
the village FIVE miles down the valley
came swinging around the curve from
the wood below, urged his gallant
mare at the finish Of hard run and
alighted at the broad front steps
where he was met by Florence Not
ten.
From the summit crowned by the
mansion the pretty country side
seemed an Arcadia uncontaminated by
the outer world. It's people we're a
simple trusting folk who livedin peace
and thought no wrong They never
so much as locked the doors or win
dows yet at the Notten's the night be-
fore there had been murder and a
burglary. The father, mother and
daughter had been bound and gagged.
The house was stripped OF money,
jewels and plate. It was Florence
who first worked her wrists from the
ropes that confined them. She freed
herself, released her parents and than
rushed to the den which faithful Old
Tom had fitted up over tho horse barn
and would not have exchanged for the
guest chamber. he was gone Then
she rang the dinner bell IS an alarm
and the nearest neighbors came run
ming in response. One OF them APP
preaching by the hedges beyond the
barn had come upon the body of Tom,
who had been killed by a cruel blow
upon the head.
A messenger had been sent for the
doctor, mounted men carried the
startling news to the entire commu-
nifty and the rally on the lawn was to
send out searching parties, a useless
but well-mesnt plan. Mrs. Molten
had been an invalid receiving daily
calls from the young physician dur-
ing the three years he had been in
the village. The shock had been too
much for her, aud within An hour OF
his arrival that eVentful morning she
was past all human aid. The doctor
had been in love with the beautiful
daughter for months, and, with pro.
fessional egotism, thought that he had
learned her every mood. He knew
that though stately and mature, she
had not lost the flush OF youth, and
that behind her self-reliance there
was the susceptible tenderness
of girlhood. But now she ap
peared to him in a new and puzzling
light. Her face was white but firm
and set. In her great brown eyes
there was flame that would have
queuched every token of tear. She
declared that life would be worthless
to her until she knew who had robbed
her Of mother, and they had beer
brought to Justice. More than this
it was conveyed to the knowledge 0
the doctor by some occult snbtlet.
that SO long as the tragedy o
the mansion remained unexplained
his suit would be a hopeless one,
Promptly he went at the task thu
assigned him. The two burglars ha
done their work in the dark and with
oat noise save muttured curses whe
old Mr.. Molten made a vigorous re
sistanee. Two women servants VIII
had been with the family for year
slept in the wing and heard nothing
Henry Writ. a college friend Of hs