Rock Island Argus., 1906-12-12
DAILY. STORY.
THE HUNcHBAck.

don from New Zealand a hunchback
named George Melville, aged twenty
four He was not only hunchback.
but there was a cast in one eye, he
was almost bald, and his voice was as
harsh as ravens.
How Melville became possessed of a
large sum of money was another mat
ter that was never fully explained. His
arrival in London was one of the most
brazen things a man ever did. He had
a dozen forged letters. and, giving out
that he was immensely wealthy, he
rented large house and Installed him
self and began to mingle in society.
He was called delightfully."- eccentric -
his gross ignorance was termed pic
turesQue," and inside of n month he
had the run of three or four clubs and
had been taken up by society.
He determined to marry. Perhaps
he fell in love. perhaps not. At any
rate, he selected the daughter of a
member of parliament and made love
to her so fast that she was swept off
her feet and gave him her hand.
a certain widow not yet thirty years
of age had set her cap for Melville.
and when she had made sure that she
had lost him she determined on re
vengc. She had a cousin who was an
officer in a eert-in regiment then sta
toned in England, and she knew he
had served in New Zealand. She went
to him for information, and the cat
was soon out of the bag. Captain Bur
ton had read and heard of the million
aire hunchback, but owing to illness
had not met him. He had never met
any one of that name, but when asked
to set his memory at work he recalled
a certain incident. Ten years previous
while on n hunting expedition on the
Ashley river, on the east coast of New
Zealand, he had trouble with a squat
ter and his son. The latter was n
hunchback and had shot at him.
The captain had little idea that the
millionaire and the squatter's son were
one and the same, but he took his
chances that they We're. He threw
himself in the way of the man and at
once identified him, both by his voice
and his deformity. Forty years ago
New Zealand was a long way off
from England. There was no cable.
few steamships, and letters took
months to go and come. Their idea
was to expose the man at once. The
captain made up his mind to bluff him
down in his own house. He would
either compel him to leave London or
expose him. The officer did not figure
that the hunchback would attempt to
strike back, but went almost at once
and secured an interview. He was
graciously received, and he felt that
he had made no mistake in the identi
fication. The boy of fifteen who had
held 4 rifle within ten feet of his head,
finger on the trigger and eyes blazing,
had simply become ten years older and
changed his squatter's dress for fash
ionable clothing.
There is no doubt that the so called
Melville also recognized the officer
This the latter had not counted on. He
gave not the least sign, however. The
captain had plenty of moral courage,
and as soon as he could bring it around
he boldly charged Melville with being
an impoStor. His charges We're met
with smiles. Instead of being offend
ed, the hunchback said that he was
only too glad that the officer had come
to him. If there was the slightest
doubt in the mind of any one, that
doubt must be set at rest. He would
welcome the fullest and closest inves-
tigation. If Captain Burton would call
at certain hour next day, birth GER
tificate, title deeds to lands, letters
from prominent people, and so forth
and so forth. would be placed before
him. The New Zealander would also
have present Il banker and two prom
inent merchants to vouch for him in
his faroff home.
What we are the most certain of is
the very thing we can be tripped up
on. Let the man who has lived at 264
Blank street be told that the number
is 26S and that the other will bet him
20 to / and he can be bluffed out. He
is too sure to be sure. The too sure
witness is spelling cases in court ev-
cry day in the year. The captain was
sure and not sure, and the result was
that ne was soon wishing he had not
meddled with the case. He had made
his charge, however, and must go
through with the affair. He was at the
house at the appoire,d hour and there
found two respectable looking men who
were introduced to him as the mer-
chants spoken Of On the table were
many papers, and the hunchback ex-
planned that the banker was expected
every moment. While the four waited
it was only natural that the wine
should be passed around. All We're
talkative and friendly. and all drank.
Then one of the merchants began to
talk about an adventure he had had
with the natives of New Zealand. The
captain was following him closely
when all at once he lost the run of the
Then the room began to
dance around with him. Then wheels
began to turn In his head, and he lost
The wine had been drugged. 1t was
two dayS later when the caDtain awOke