Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-04-30

first opportunity, hoping against hopa
that no breath Of scandal would pass
her doors. When the patient had re-
covered her ratified faculties a new
complication arose. She thought thai
DR.. Porteus and Mrs. Van Nlissingen
were in league to poison her, and at
sight of the physician she screamed
and wept.
On the third night after Mrs. Broad
.hurst's hysterlcal collapse, Mrs. Van
Vlissingen, filled with enmity and plan
ming to recover her lost lace, was sit
ting at her front window biting her
finger nails. A carriage drove up to the
door below, and the millner raised her
window to watch. A stranger got out
Of the carriage and waited. Presently
DR.. Porteus came down the street and
the two men entered Miss Broadhurst's
door. In q few moments they came
out supporting woman between
them. Mrs. Van Vlissingen could see
that it was the invalid, for she seemed
to struggle feebly with her attendants
and her bonnet, disarrayed, was falling
from her white head. In a moment the
three had entered the carriage. the doc,
slammed and the vehicle drove off.
The next day the milliner renewed
her expostulatOns with Miss Broad
hurst, but the latter, red-eyed and
weeping, would not say s word. That
enraged Mrs. Van Vlissingen, and she
summoned q council of war with the
other women of the house. After much
whispering. pouting and wagging OF
heads. they all admitted that they had
lost things which had never been re.
stored. Mrs. Van Vlissingen, the most
combative and cunning Of the party.
was appointed a committee of one tc
recover the p!under at her discretion
Secrecy was agreed upon and the mllli'
ner, keen for the quest, began Il system
of espionage. cross-queStioning and per
secution that almost drove Miss Broad
hurst to insanity. But she would say
no more than that she knew nothing
Of the plundcr, did not object to a
search of her mothers room and would
not tell where her mother had gone
That was the suspicious part OF 1t
Miss Broadhurst would be neither ca
joled nor frightened into disclosing her
mothers Whereabouts. ITS thieves
plot" thought the milliner. and she
searched every trunk, box. closet and
corner of the old wOman's vacated
room. TIL, search yielded none of the
missing trinkcts.
Then Mrs. Van Vlisscngen, spurrcd
TO desperation, thought OF DR.. Porteus
Evidently the solution Of the mystery
and the recovery OF the property de
pended upon finding the old woman,
She accosted him in q lonely spot noal
the park, but he denied any knowledge
of his patients retreat. He seemed
quite flustercd when she recited the
full purport OF her determination, but
when she limited Mt possible charges OF
coliusion between himself and Miss
BToadhurst he turned pale He would
not tell who was the other man who
helped remove Mrs. BroadhurSt. in
sisted that he had left the carrag" at
the corner and would promise nothing
except that he would try to recover
the missing property.
Two days after a morning OF detect
i've work on the part of the miiilnci
was rewarded by Il sudden meeting
with the doctor in the park. He was
standing in secluded spot talking tc
a stranger When he saw Mrs. Van
Nlissingen he seemed glad and called
her to meet his companion.
He'll tell you all he knows about
Mrs. Broadhurst, if you'll promise tc
keep the secret. 1t would ruin Miss
Broadhurst If her secret got ont said
the doctor. The woman promised, and
the man, speaking in matter-of-fact,
frank way, said:
Il can't recall everything Mrs Broad
hurst had. She had only a cloak and
bonnet over her night clothes. but ]
remember she wore a chain, some sill
yer bracelets, three or four rings
A"
ANY old laceT interrupted the
woman.
Lets see. Yes, come to think, she
had Il lot of embroidered stuff about
her neck. can't really recall every.
thing You see. Miss Broadhurst was
anxious to keep the affair secret
Never mind Miss BrOadhurSt'
snapped the impatient Mrs. Van Wis
singen: "whcre is the old woman
where are those stol-that jewelry and
that lace?"
"Oh, they're all out at Graceland
You see we buried her just as she was
| supposed that she had been orna
mCnted in that way in fultlllment OF
some wish OF hers. You see, we under
takers are accuStOmcd--'
But Mrs. Van Vlssingcn had fed
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