Year: 1870

Among the potentates of Wall street few
held a higher position in the estimation of
all than Messrs. Archbold and Horton, and
great was the sympathy universally express
ed when the former, man of middle age
only, died suddenly at his residence, in the
vicinity of Fifth Avenue.


| For years previously to this occurrence
Mr.. Horton had dwelt with his partner and
his family, and Mrs. Archbold, on her hus-
bands demise, could look to no firmer friend
than he so. after the accounts of the firm
had been settled, snd she knew the amount
of the income she would be entitled to enjoy,
she begged him still to remain at her house
on the same footing us of yore. The az
rangement would be all the more pleasing
to her, inasmuch as she was the mother Of
three daughters, who were Just ripening in
to womanhood, and would feel the benefit
of q male friend, almost old enough to be
their father, and who had so long been as
sociated with them by terms of the closest
intimacy. Mr.. Horton was a man of about
forty-tive years, who had long been separat-
ed from his wife by mutual agreement but
did not suffer in the esteem of his neighbors
on this account, as it was generally conced-
ed that the fault lay entirely with the lady,
and he invariably himself deplored the mis-
understanding that had arisen. In word
Mrs. Horton was Jealous, and yet was una
bic to assign any cause for being So Dur
ing the few years in which she and her hus-
bank lived as man and wife, she was contin-
ually accusing him of infidelities, of which
she could produce no proofs, and their lives
had been rendered so miserable by this con-
tinual pickering that they had decided to
live apart for the future. AS they were
separated by no judicial decree, it was not
legally incumbent on her husband to pro-
vide tor his wife's maintenance, still he did
so, although the lady described the sum
paid her rs being totally inadequate to her
condition, and was ever striving to collect
evidence of Mr.. Horizons alleged irregulari-
ties, that she might be enabled to procure a
divorce and compel him by law to contribute
more bounteously to her support. This evil
dence, however, was not forthcoming, and
Mr.. Horton was accounted man of excel
lent moral character and behavior by the So
ciety in which he moved, and was blamed
by none, and pitied by all Personally he
was handsome, of tall statue and GOOD
presence, and possessed OF a most winning
tongue, which not only was of the greatest
service to him in his business, but made him
a universal favorite with the fair sex.


When Mrs. Archbold represented her for
fully into her plans. Anything that he could
|
orphans of his lamented friend, would afford
him heartfelt JOY, and us he was unblessed
with children of his own, in consequence of
the unhappy relations existing between his
wife and himself, he would, to the best of
his powers, save Mrs. Archbold every unnec-
essary trouble and stand as far as possible
in the place of a father to the three girls
Matters were thus amicably arranged, and
Mr.. Horton in time came to be recognized
as master of the house, and whispers were
circulated abroad, that, were it not for the
obstacle in shape of his wife, he would have
actually become so by contracting marriage
with the relict Of his deceased partner


AS we have only to deal with the eldest
daughter, Mary Archbold, it is needless to
introduce her sisters, or their uncle, who
likewise formed one of the household. Mary
was a charming girl of twenty, who haC
been completing her education abroad, al
the time of her fathers death, and had only
recently returned. AS it was known thai
7 she would inherit q considerable sum on he1
marriage, she was much sought after, anc
no dance or reception was thoroughly sue
cessful unless she was present. More thar
one gentleman was pointed at by rumors as
likely to win the prize, and the home circle
were ever urging her to make her choice
quickly. That her heart was engaged in
some quarter or other was the universe
belief, as her manner was strangely altered
since her arrival from the Continent She
grew thoughtful, and not unfrequently was
discovered in tears, but ever refused to give
any clue to the why or the wherefore; at
tributing her sadness to her not feeling
quite well, or some other equally trivial ex-
cuse. Thinking that it would be best to al
low matters to take their own course, and
otol1y Of
her mother ceased to speak with her on the
subject, and endeavored to dssipate hel
melancholy by providing all kinds of amusc-
ments to divert her. All was in vain, and
one day the house was thrown into the great
est grief and alarm, by her disappearance
She had gone out, as she said, to post a
letter, and nothing unusual was noted in hel
manner, but from that errand she did not
Z return, and her distracted mother was almost
heart-broken.


No one felt the blow more than Mr.. Hor-
ton After she had been absent some hours
he had been sent for from his office, and his
pale looks, and evident agitation, proved that
he had feared the worst. But he did not at
all waste time. The evil was done, and the
remedy was to be found


at may be-" he said, "only a girlish
freak. She may have run away to some of
her friends Let US Immediately communi-
cate with all to whom she is in the least
likely to 60" He assured Mrs. Archbold
that all would yet be well, and asserted that
it was preposterous to think of any great
harm happening to one brought up with so
much care. sYou must scold her finely
when she comes back, for giving us such a
fright"


All he could say or do, however, led to
no good result, and he was at last unwill-
ingly compelled by the constant entreates
of the mother to call in the aid of the police
Against this step he had protested most en-
phatically; he was afraid of the publicity
that must inevitable ensue, and of the conse-
quent scandal. His objections were over
ruled one by one, and the case was entrrst-
ed to well-known detective of this city,
with full power and authority to act in it as
he thought best.


The gentleman, crediting the old adage
that "twoheads are better than one" procured
the service of a companion who had often
been specially detailed for cases of this kind.
After having been put in possession OF all
the information that could be given him,
the character of the young lady, her dress,
the names of her companions with their ad-