Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-10-06
CHAPTER XVIII.

1t seemed as Ii DIR. Peeie nad some INK
Iing in his mind of the fact that the even
ing visit of his young colleague was or
deeper import than usual. AFTER one
glance at Arma thwaite's face he turned
his own away from the lamplight ana De
gan his accustomed questions about the
DAYS work in a hurried and nervous man
ner.
II am afraid l am going to open sub
Iect which distresses you, SIR said
Frank. but | have come, as l think
Won foresaw that l should do, to point
In my knowledge of certain cases within
your practice, when my remaining ignor-
ance becomes iusupportable, and my mind
Is continually tortured and even distracted
In nv work by the thought of certain hide
ous wrongs the object at which l can
only guess at. You remember the words
you used to me when | first came, CON
cerning secrets which l WAS to learn II
decided to remain 'here. | do not wish TO
\ force your confidence. sir; but shall be
grateful to you if you viii at least let me
Nell you what l have found out for my
sslf, and advise me as 10 my future CON
duct in the matter.
II advise you"' said the old man SOL
emnly and bitterly. Il tell you, Arma-
fhwaite, it was my inability to move in
me down. and made me take refuge be
tween these four walls from evils l could
not witness and could not cure. Are You
anxious, knowing SO much as you do, to
draw back from the post!'
"On the contrary" answered Arma-
thwaite, fervently, Il Rave conceived,
rightly or wrongly, that | was brought
here for the express purpose of releasing
Alma Crosmont from the unhappy cir
,.umstG aces in which she is placed, and
/ can honesty say ii is the object l have
at present more at heart than anything IN
rhe world. DR.. Peele, you must surely
agree with me that her mind ir in dan
ger. You have influence with Crosmont;
he is anxious to retain your good opinion.
Can you not induce him to send his wife
away for a timeE
DIR. Peele looked at the youn man with
solemn, plaintive earnestness, and shook
his head.
"No," said he; Ito save her would be to
put Aphra ii danger, and l am bound by
oath to her father to stand by her at all
costs"
ITO stand by Lady Kildonan?
"Yes."
And the danger for her-what is that?'
"Ah, 1t is a secret which nobody in the
world knows except herself and me-"
Her husband. Doesn't he know
doesn't he suspect it:
NO. You shall learn it In good time;
but we will take the other story first
Alma's." He paused. arranging the ma
terial of mis- narrative in his mind. Then
be began in a low, monotonous voice.
He told how, twenty-five years ago, the
house where Ned CrOsmont and his wife
lived was a private lunatic asylum, Kept
by a relation of his, doctor of reputa-
tion and ability. Here Alma's father. a
musician, had been sent by his wife's par
ents He had gone mad over writing an
opera called Psyche" He was also
possessed of mesmeric powers, which he
had exercised over his wife until she lost
all control over her own will.
The mad musician remained in the asy-
ium until his wife's parents fetched him
out again, when they thought she was GO
ing TO die. 1t was near the birth of her
eniIa. II LOST sight OF nrm,- ,v.itinueJ
DR.. Peele, "for someryears, and when 1
did see him again, ,spoor fellow, he was in
Q rapid decline, and had by that time
worked and worried himself into state
good deal nearer lunacy than any he had
passed through when in the asylum. His
wife was dead; he was In very bad CIR
cumstances. But he had tiny girl. born
20 he told me, while her mother was in a
mesmeric trance; IN her name, Alma,
perceived a connection with that of the
heroine Of the famous opera, and in hel
syea liked to fa1E-apd %. am sure