The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-26

in his room, and the captains mind was too much of a blank to be able to carry any message.
 One night Drayton House caught fire. Tn the confusion Alfred and Captain Dodd escaped. It was Edward Dodd himself who rescued them from the burning building. but before he or any of the attendants could in- terfere Alfred bent only on liberty, had mingled with the crowd and dis appeared, followed by Captain Dodd.
 Edward had recognized Alfred. and, overcome by engagement. had inquired at once of the asylum authorities what he was doing there In answer they showed him the records which certified to Alfred's insanity.
 When he told the news to Mrs. Dodd that energetic woman at once said: My husband will make for the sea- and. accompanied by a private detective. she started at once for the coast.
 Alfred had at first fled without any definite objective point and so had allowed the captain to direct his course. But. arrived at Folkestone. he set about maturing his plans; resolved to return at once to London. seek out the Dodds, explain matters to Julia ana engage an attorney to begin suit against those who had wronged him
 | While he was off his guard Captain Dodd gave him the slip. seized boat and went out to sea in her. Alfred saw from the cliffs the boat put into a neighboring port. He hurried thither, but all trace of the captain had dis appeared. The young man then has tened to London. but did not arrive there before a note from Mrs Dodd came to Edward saying that the two fugitives had separated and that track of the captain had been lost
 Arrived in London, Alfred found out the home of the Dodds. where the faith ful Julia received him with transports of affection. She now learned for the first time what her brother and mother had kept from her-that Alfred had been confined in an asylum. Alfred's story convinced both Edward and Julia of his sanity and of his | wrongs. While they were talking Mrs. Dodd arrived from her fruitless search. She started at the sight of Alfred, but | he poured out his story to her ana begged her compassion.
 "All that you say is evidently true but what have you done with my hus- bandY And she swept maJestioally from the room.
 This attitude toward Alfred was steadily maintained by Mrs Dodd She persisted in holding him responsible | for the disappearance of her husband, and whenever Alfred called she would | leave the room.
 Alfred's case was at once put in the hands of a good lawyer. and 1t was de- cided that he should return to Oxford | and complete his course, the laws delays" giving him abundant time to | do so before a verdict in his case was | likely to be reached.
 The best Alfred's attorney could do | n this suit lawyers engaged by Richard Hardie persistentiy fought from com ing to a trial. So year dragged away. Now among the people visited by Julia in her work as a district mis- sionary was an old man, a crossing sweeper. who called himself Barking ton. The name struck Julia, as it was l the name of her native town. When l Burlington learned the name of his benefactress he gave utterance to some exclamations of remorse which start" led the girl. and she related her ex- perience to Green. the private detective who had been employed from time to time upon Alfred's case.
 One night, just before the day when | Alfred's case was to come to trial. this old crossing sweeper appeared at the house of Richard Hardie.
 You know your old clerk. sir?' he
 "Ah. yes We'll what can do for you?" asked Hardie in secret terror.
 Why. I have lost that five thousand you gave me and am sure you will give me another five thousand"
 Absurd" cried Hardie. You are dreaming. Why should I? What can you prove against me '
 Well" replied Skinner. for Bark ington and skinner were one. T have got the receipt! Oh. yes MT. Hardie. you may start: but picked 1t up off l the office floor and have held 1t all l along. I only just found out you were | fin London. sir"
 | Thoroughly trapped. Hardie made an | appointment to meet Skinner the next night and pay the money. But Skinner did not keep the appointment. The wretched man, trying to warm him self with a charcoal fire in his attic room. had suffocated himself and lay there lifeless.
 | On that same day Alfred got his yer | dict and was officially a sane man once more Meantime Green the detective | had been following clues relating 10 skinner Calling with Edward at the old mans squalid lodgings and get ting no answer to his knocks he broke in to find corpse; and In It's hand was clutched the missing receipt.
 Who will take charge of this?" said Green.
 | A deep voice behind him replied. T will. IL is mine"
 The intruder was Captain Dodd. re- stored to his right mind. When he had disappeared 1t was because he had shipped as an able seaman on a man of-war. Not until he was on board and the ship at sea did they discover that william Thompson" was as they put 1t. softly" Soon thereafter a sudden shock which he suffered while rescuing a youth from drowning re- stored the captains mind just as a sudden shock had taken it away.
 After the transports of his reunion to his wife and daughter were over the captain was impatient to see Ed ward. and. learning that he had gone with the detective to Barking gton's lodgings. he followed and arrived just [ as the receipt was discovered. 1 A short time afterward Richard | Hardie sat alone in his dining room Before him was a glass of wine ant a small bottle of poisin The game was up! He had invested all his wealth in margins" on Turkish securities which had steadily gone down. H. could not hope to realize by closing out now anything like enough to mee the obligations which stared him in tho face, That day Dodd's lawyer served | notice on him that the receipt fol