Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-10
WALTER BLOOMFIELD
by RoBlIRT BoNNER,s S

4 wound at the back OF your head, and
quite senseless. Everybody in the
house was alarmed, and one Of the
women fetched Dr.. Thurlow. At first
We thought you had been struck by
burglar; but DR.. Thurlow diSproved
that by your wound, which he has
shown was caused by fall. Why
you went into the crypt we know; but
exactly how you came to fall as you
did you must tell us, if you can, when
you get quite WELL"
"Why was it went into the crypt,
do you think?"
1--WE suppose you heard the same
noises that old John heard, and went
downstairs to ascertain the cause 1t
I is strange that both of you should be
so mistaken. Nobody had broken into
the house; all the outer doors We're
fast, and nothing is missing. One cir
cumstance none of us can understand
is how certain lantern came to be
lying by your side; it belongs to the
stable. and l have never known 1t to
be brought into the house. But l am
J talking too much; DR.. Thurlow will be
| back in a minute and lecture me for
disobeying him."
! Your conclusions are as l thought
they would be- Has DR.. Thurlow
gone homer
mo; he is with John"
"Why with John?"
THE old man is very i'll; he has not
yet recovered from his fright at t.nd-
ing you as he did,
"Ah! have much to tell you which
should make you angry with me for
concealins it from you so long; but
you are so good and gentle with your
foolish boy that 1 don't suppose you
will be-"
My Ernest would have to act very
differently from anything J. have ever
known of him to excite my anger"
declared this best of fathers. Il have
nothing to forgive; or, If l have, / for
give you with my whole heart before
1 know what is the offense you charge
yourself with"
At this point our collOquy was inter-
rupted by the entry of DR.. Thurlow.
He stayed but very little while how
ever, and having expressed his salts
faction with the condition Of both
his patients, and promising to call
again in the evening, he took his de-
parture. AS soon as the sound Of his
footsteps in the corridor had died
away, | resumed the conversation
with my father.
Tell me what are the matters I
have raved about since that night in
the crypt" l said. 1T may be that
you know something of what l would
tell YOU"
My fathers face relaxed into smile,
and his eyes twinkled in manner pc
culiar to him in moments of amuse-
ment.
"Oh, we will tell you about that in
years to come"
What was it l talked about?" l
asked again
MANY things. l don't remember a
tenth of Them"
Tell ME n few that you do remem-
ber," urged.
About vast stores of gold coins
being stolen from this house-about
the beauty of your aunt Gertrude's
sister-about the Rev. Mr.. Price-and
lot of similar nonsense which / may
perhaps rccollect more of by-and-by.'
mo, father; it was not nonsense |
talked about, but sober fact; though
maybe didn't know what was say
ing at the time. In very truth, as true
rs you are listening to my words, you
lave quite recently been robbed of
an immense treasure in gold" And,
raising myself on my elbow, l ac-
Qualnted him as clearly and briefly
as | could with the information / had
obtained from Roger Trueman's Rec
ord and OF my consequent action and
It's result.
NV father, who soon became deeply
interested, suffered me to continue my
narrative without interruption. When
| had ceased speaking he made no ra-
mark, but rested his face upon his
hands and appeared lost in thought.
After waiting some time, and finding
tha. my father exhibited no sign Of
remarking upon my story, I asked him
if he did not now believe that he had
been recently robbed of quarter OF
4 million sequins.
Il believe l have been robbed of so
much treasure" he assented; "but l
hope and pray it was not recent"
"What an extraordinary wish! l
exclaimed, astonished. "Surely the
chances of recovering the treasure are
much greater if it was lately stolen
than they would be IL it was taken
away years ago"
"Do you know, Ernest" said my
father, appearing not to notice my re-
mark; "your uncle Sam was talking
20 me about that very treasure the
fast evening you saw him here"
Then its existence was known to
you bothw
mot exactly. 1t WIS known to all
his family that Roger Trueman-Roger
the Renegade, or Roger the Alchemist,
rs he was variously called-broughti
with him from Turkey an immense
treasure of gold and jewels; but none
of lis ever knew what finally became of
them, and for more than y hundred
years nobody has troubled to inquire.
But have always understood that my