The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-06-06
Strange Experience IN tie LLfe
Of q Doctor.
(copyriEht, By ". a. Chapman.)
By A. T. MEAD

for England, but it so happened that
l did not leave India for several
months. During that time 1 was con-
cerned to hear that my special friend,
Dr. Collect, who had sent me the
cipher cable, had died suddenly. His
death had taken place on the very day
on which I had received the message.
We were greatly attached to each
other. and had been associated in
more than one Investigation Of inter-
est. Two days before l left Calcutta
for England I received the following
from Tregenna.
Dear Halifax: I am given to I'm.
derstand that you will be back in the
metropolis some time in June. I hope
as soon as ever you arrive you will
come straight down to Tregenna
Manor. I want to show you the boy.
He is as fine a lad as the heart of a
father could desire. Dayrell is still
in the country, and sometimes visits
at the Manor, but with my heir to look
at, I no longer mind him. In short, I
breathe freely.
Yours,
John Tregenna."
I was altogether unprepared to re-
ceive a letter written in this strain
in view of what I had heard from Col
lett. I had preserved the ~cablegram,
and now took it and read it over care
fully. There was no doubt whatever
of the meaning of the words. 1t stat
ed clearly that Lady Tregenna had
given birth to a boy, who had died
after ar hour of life. l could only
wait for the mystery to unravel itself.
I resolved to accept the invitation e.
tended to me, and in due course of
time I arrived at Cornwall.
Sir John met mi at the station. All
his taciturnity and gloom had left
him-he was now a laxative and
cheerful man.
THE boy is in splendid form, Hall
fax" he cried, as he wrung my hand,
land Lady Tregenna is also in fine
health. You will see her for yourself
in a few moments."
The baronet whipped up his horses,
and oon afterward we drew up in
front Of the fine old mansion. Lady
Tregenna was standing on the steps,
a nurse a little behind her holding a
baby in her arms.
well, Kate" called out her hus-
band, here is Dur old friend. Halifax.
Bring the lad along. Now. Halifax.
what do you think of him, eh?"
"He is indeed a fine boy" I re-
marked to Lady Tregenna. Curious
ly enough, I CHANGED to be in the
same hotel at Madras with your hus-
band when he received the cable.
gram announcing his birth"
I surveyed the infant critically. He
was a well-grown boy, with somewhat
large features, but l could not detect
the slightest likeness to either parent.
The nurse. a grave, middle-aged wom-
an. with a dark face and thin. com.
pressed lips, took the boy in her arms
and vanished with him around a cor.
ner of the house.
Look after Halifax, Kate" said
Tregenna. Il must go to the stables,
but will join you presently"
Lady Tregenna conducted me under
a thick arch of roses on to a small
lawn. where she seated herself by a
little tea-table. She motioned me to
a seat near her.
SIT is strange" she said, that you
should have been with my husband
when he received the message that he
was the father of a boy"
There is something else stranger"
I said, impelled by an unaccountable
impulse to force my information upon
her. Il also received a cablegram
in cipher from my old friend, Doctor
Collect, on the same night. It gave
false information with regard to the
matter. Collect told me that your
baby died shortly after its birth"
Her cheeks flushed crimson, then
turned pale. What an odd mistake
to make" she said. "That was abso-
lutely without foundation. But then,
Doctor Collett died on the day of my
baby's birth. He may not have known
what he was cabling to you about"
Il have not mentioned the matter
to anyone" I began, but at that in
slant we heard Sir Johns voice in the
distance, and Lady Tregenna mo-
toned me to be silent.
mot a word to him. she said in an
eager whisper. II would not let him
know for the world. He would think
it unlucky. You will promise?"
AS I did not tell your husband at
the time, I should have no reason for
repeating the news now." said.
Ills affection for the child Is quite
touching"
That evening Tregenna took me
into his study. and we spent = short
time examining the valuable photo
graphs he had taken in India of the
suns eclipse. Just before We parted
for the night he spoke again Of his
heir.
$50 you think the boy q fine little
chap. Halifax" he said. "And Lady
Tregenna-she seems pleased to be
his mother. eh?-that strikes you. too.
I suppose"
"You are wrapped up In him. at
all events" was my evasive reply, for
I had noticed from the start that the
mother scarcely eve mentioned the
child, and as far as I could see ap-