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Show T THE MISSING MAN By MARY R. P. HATCH Author of The Bank Tragedy" Copyright. 1 892, by CHAPTER XXI. A The Test stillness so tense as to be almost painful succeeded the plaintiff's words, and the summons to admit the defendant while the plaintiff passed him on his way to the seclusion of the office. Mr. Hamilton, for such he was, undoubtedly, whether the true or false claimant, was deeply moved, as was apparent to all when he stood in the witness-bo'before them all. His face was pallid, his eyes were gleaming, his hands were tightly clenched. All glances were riveted upon him with .astonishment as he said in a strange tone, not waiting to be questioned at all: I will go to get it. I will go to get x it." Twice he said it, and then stood looking at vacancy rather than at the judge. The judge directed that the counsel for both parties atjd the jurymen attend the defendant to his destination, if not too distant, and see the search take place. Meanwhile the court would adjourn until one oclock. And His Honor went to dinner. The sher iff followed the thirteen, who filed down the street toward the bank building, no doubt the place to which the defendant was leading them. Tall, erect, impassive, he passed on as in a dream, never hesitating, never speaking, neither looking to the right nor to the left. Thus he led them to the bank and up the steps. Pushing open the door, Mr. Morley explained their errand to the cashier. It is in the vault, the safe, the small drawer, said the defendant, and the cashier successively opened each receptacle except the drawer. 1 I have no key to that. he said. have never been able to find it. The directors told me nothing was ever kept in it, because it was not accounted a safe receptable, being poorly constructed. in the place of another, and to bass this they are compelled to set up tts absurd story of the twin brother. There is no twin brother, for he died in Infancy. Ashley was visited next morning -- rw-in jail by his wife. He denied that sb was his wife, and she did not contradict him until afterward. Then she t Copyright. 189S. 1900, by S. R. Crockett.) said that she was his wife. Ashley .CHAPTER XXIX. Continued. moved to smile in spite of the sobergot clear on the plea of being insane, "Madam. said Werner, with dignity, ness of the circumstances. and was sent to the asylum. From go to KernsA-r- g you must. The enWhat news bring you, good enthere he escaped, was supposed to is near to the city, and your lligh-ne- s voys? emy at awhile worked have been drowned, night fall into their hands. We have brought the most part of a mill, and then came to Grovedae. "You have heard what I have said! the Palace Guard with ns five hunwhere he got employment in the mill tapped the oaken floor with her dred good lances and all hungry-bel-liehere. He gave his name as Primus foot. for victuals and all monstrously Edes, said he was never married, But, could not write;' indeed, he appeared Besides madam, let me beseech thirsty in their throats. SU which. Prince Hugo raises Plassenburg to be very Illiterate. He worked as a common hand at the mill until he Joan turned from her chief captain and the Mark, and, in ten days he chanced to meet Mrs. Hamilton at impatiently and walked toward the will be on the march for Courtland." God send him speed! I fear me in church and fell violently in love with door of her private apartments. Werher. ner followed his mistress, with his ten days it will be over indeed, said hands a little outstretched and a look Joan. He began to persecute her w'ith atof What, does the Muscovite press eager entreaty on his face. tentions, and finally won her interest "My lady, he said, "thirty years I you so hard? by finding her little boy who wandered He has thousands to our hundreds, away to the woods and got los,t. Mrs. was the fa:ful servant of your By so that he can hem us in on every Hamilton made him sundry presents father tm I have served you. the memory of those years, if I have side. and professed to think he resembled Never fear," cried Boris confidenther husband. Ashley, alias Edes, be- served you faithfully My father taught you little, if ly; we will hold him in check for yot gan to learn to write, and learned asafter thirty years you have not learn- till our good Hugo conies to take him tonishingly fast, writing the name on the flank. Constance over and over again. He ed to obey. Go to your post! Then Joan bade the gates be opened himself to von up and drew Werner violin Orseln a play. began purchased Ashley was a fine player, ns we shall and saluted. Tiien he wheeled about and the horsemen of Plassenburg, and clanked out without adding a word strong men on great horses, trampled prove, and he was also well educated. In. more. Mr. Hamilton could not play at all. Neither was he an ingenious workThen, without resting, she wont to For a moment after the door closed the wool market, which had been man. Ashley was. Mrs. Hamilton put on mourning and had a monument upon the men, Joan and Margaret turned into a soldiers hospital. Here made to erect to the memory of her stood in silence regarding each other. she found Theresa von going husband. She often opened her winSuddenly Margaret ran impulsively from bed to bed smoothing pillows, vioto Joan, clasping her about the neck. dow to listen to the strains of the anointing wounded limbs, and assistI know! she said, looking up into ing the surgeons in the care of those lin played by Primus Edes as she who had been brought back from the her face. knew him. fatal battlefields of the Alla. to flew blood a With with the returned Then Mr. Hamilton great leap Theresa von I.ynar rose to meet Joan a straightforward story of loss of Joans neck and brow, then as slowly as she entered. bethan detenfaded her his for Silently the young as reason the paler away, leaving memory girl beckoned her to follow, and they fore. tion from home, and, very honorably, settled up the bank troubles, as ne What do you know? she faltered, went out between long lines of pallets. affirm not Remember, when all is over I shall and she feared, yet desired to hear. said he could absolutely That you love Conrad! said Mar- keep my vow I Joan began, as they that he had rot done what was alleged paused. of him, for he knew nothing of his garet, very low. Joan, I am so glad And I also will keep mine! reacts after he left Grovedale on the fif- so glad! sponded Theresa briefly. teenth of May. Mr. Carter and his . Margaret, I am shamed for ever I am Duchess and city Governor children received him with open arms. it is sin! whispered Joan, with her only till the invader is driven out, Not so his wife. She preferred to arms about her friend. Joan continued. Then Isle Rugen is doubt him. Mr. Hamilton took up his Joan, you will yet be happy. to be mine, and your son shall sit in place in the mill and in the communiThe Duchess shook her head. seat of Henry the Lion! ty, unchallenged by a soul except his It were best for us both that I the"And what of Prince Conrad?" asked of to him were wife. Reports brought should is what I pray for. Theresa quietly. her affection for the man known as avert heaven this thing you May Joan was silent for a space, then she Edes, but he paid no attention to them, know Hot what you say. except to call him to the office and And the two women went into the answered with her eyes on the ground. Prince Conrad Khali rule this land warn him against being seen on his attiring room with arms still locked as is his duty Cardinal, Archbishop, premises. about each others waists. And as In about a week afterwards Edes often as their eyes encountered they Prince; there shall be none to deny him so soon as the power of the Muswas shot there by some one unknown, lingered a little, as if tasting the new covite is broken. He will be In full to common. in awaken had which Edes himself, knowledge they probably by alliance wilh Hohenstein. He will He Hand Sword Hamilton. of Then those of Joan the suspicion against Mr. form a blood bond with Plassenburg. were averted, and she blushed. was ill for three or four weeks afterAnd when he dies, all that Is his wards, and when he was partially reshall to the children of Duke covered he professed to recollejt that 'It was night in the city of Courtland, Mauricebelong 1 and his wife Margaret! he was Hamilton instead of Edes. and a time of great fear. Ever and shall never marry!" to believe his Mrs. Hamilton professed anon from the east, where were the God forbid," said Theresa, looking statement, or at least did not deny his camps of the opposed forces, there at her, that such a woman as you claims. Proof would be offered that came a sound, heavy and sonorous, should die without living!" letwrote him a before his illness she the like distant thunder. Whereat ter, calling him her dearhusband, and frSsjhted wives of the burghers of CHAPTER XXX. signing herself Calla Lily, as she Courtland said, I wonder what mothto her ers son lies sometimes did in her letters now'. Hearken to The Wooing of Boris and Jorian. s friends, it being a pet name applied to the talking of Great Peg, the Jorian, said Boris, adjusting his schoola when her fair, stately beauty cannon!" soft under-Jerkebefore putting on his girl. At the western or Brandenburg gate body armor, thou art the greatest be continued.) (To there was yet greater fear. For the fool In the fcorldi" news had spread athwart the city that Hold hard, Boris, answered Joilan. A New Definition, a great body of horsemen had paused Honor to whom honor thou art Former Mayor Patrick Collins of In front of it, and were being held in greater by a foot than I! Boston told this one as the Irish cab parley by the guard on duty, till the Well," said the long man, let us driver had narrated it to him in DubGovernor of the city, should not quarrel about the breadth of a Joan, Idy lin. Cabby took a fare out into the be made aware. finger nail.. At any rate, we are the country' one night. The gentleman roused Governor of The the fools In the world. city, greatest paid him well, and told him to "look from a rare There are others, said Jorian, Jerkslumber, leaped on her under the seat. went clattering with an ing his thumb over his shoulder In There cabby found a quart bottle of horse and escort through the unsleeping streets. the direction of the womens apartpure Irish whisky, and he sampled it Looking out, Joan could see a dark ments. He also gave some to immediately. A plague on all women! growled mass of horsemen, while above them to Telllike it. the horse, who seemed a forest of the little fat man, his rubicund and in the pale glinted starlight ing the story cabby said: shining face lined with unaccustomed Afther Id been givin av th baste spearheads. come you, strangers? Whence A plague on all women, discontent. ony foor or foive dhrinks he got gay; cried Joan. I say! What can this Theresa von he did. Th first thing Oi knowed Oi From Plassenburg we are! came I.ynar want in the Muscovite camp, wor in th shafts pullin th keb, an back the answer. that we rnust promise to convey her th baste wor up in th sate lashin me Who leads you? safe through the fortifications, and wid th whip, makin me pull harrd Boris and Jorian, officers then put her into Prince Captains Wasp's an dance. of the Princes bodyguard. hands? inWell, what was the result? Let Captains Boris and Jorian apThink you that for some hatred of quired Mr. Collirfs. and deliver their message." our Joan you remember that night at proach Oive niver give th baste another With whom are we in speech?" Isle Rugen or some purpose of her drop frm that day till this. own (she loves not the Princess MarYes, but what was the result that garet either), this Theresa would benight? You were drunk, of course. tray the city to the enemy? Oi wor not dhrunk, at all at all. Tush! Jorian had lost his temper Were you entirely sober? and answered crossly. "In that case, No, Oi 11 not lie about it. Oi wor would she have called us in? It were not intoirely sober. easy enough to find 6ome traitor If neither drunk nor sober, what among these Courtlanders, who, to was your condition? obtain the favor of Prince Louis, would PittsOi wor on th defensive help to bring the Muscovite in. burg Dispatch. Well, sighed his companion, tis well enough said, my excellent Jorian, in Arkansas. Opera but all this does not advance us an See you had a comic opera here Inch. We have promised, and at eleven said the patent night before last, o the clock we must go. What hinchurn man, who had just come to ders, though, that we have a bottle of town on one of his periodical visits. Rhenish now? How was it? I notice the bills promised a great scenic production, and all s Thus in the hall of the that in the Castle of Courtland spoke the Come here! hissed the two captains of Plassenburg. All the landlord of the tavern at Polkville, time they were busy with their attirArk. Hooking a forefinger through a ing, Boris in especial making great buttonhole in his guests raiment, he play with a tortoiseshell comb among led the astonished man off from the his tangled locks. Somewhat more porch, out across the yard and around spruce was the arraying of our twin behind the smokehouse. comrades-in-arm- s than we have seen "And what of Prince Conrad? That's what they called it, on paperit. Perhaps it was the thought of the 's scenic production but my wife cried the unmistakable voice of long dangerous escort duty upon which they (she aint anywhere around within Boris. had promised to venture forth thal With the Princess Joan of Hohen-stei- night; perhaps hearin) said you know how women Court-lanGovernor of the city of the best are, May we come in? cried an arch said Joan, firmly. but kind o skinny ones; wife, when voice from the doorway. Ah, we have Come on, Boris; those Courtland caught you. There we knew it! So she seen the chorus in tights well, from the way she acted then and what knaves will not shoot us now. That said I to my sister not an hour agone shes said to me most ever since, I is the voice of Joan of the Sword Women may be vain as peacocks, but sorter surmise that she considered it Hand. There can be no treachery for prinking, (fandifying vanity, comwhere she is. San Franan obscenic production. mend me to a pair of foreign war capHo, below there!" cried Joan. tains. My lords, have you blacked cisco Call. Shine a light on them from the upper your eyelashes yet, touched your eyesally port. A Great Light. brows, scented and waxed those beauThe lantern flashed out, and there, tiful mustaches? Sister, can you look Homeless Holmes Dis here paper says dat soap is good for moskeeter immediately below her, Joan beheld and live? Boris and Jorian saluting as of old, And to the two soldiers, standing bites. with the simultaneous gesture which stiff at at attention, with their combs Petered Pete Say, I been all me Iif wot dat stuff was good had grown so familiar to her during In their hands, enter the sisters Anna She was and Martha Pannenheim. more full of the days of Isle Rugen. fer. fl' Loo had Shepard and them, that he seemed familiar with all their past lives, while - the other claimant did not. The testimony of these witnesses was very strong, and upon it the plaintiffs counsel relied much for the success of the case. The last witness to be called was a man from Valparaiso, who testified to the fact that Ashley was known to him. and that he recognized the defendant as the man. The plaintiff he had never seen but once before. He stated that he had been engaged in various nefarious undertakings with Ashley, who he knew to have been in Boston at the very date when the altered note was presented at the bank. That since then li? had been converted under the auspices of the Salvation Army, and had seen in a newspaper the advertisement inserted by the plaintiff's counsel for information regarding the suit, and he had answered it in person. When he left the witness-stanand the case closed for the plaintiff, there were many among the audience, and among the jurymen, too, if their faces did not belie their minds, who were more than half persuaded of the claims of the plaintiff. Next day Mr. Ferguson spoke for upwards of an hour in an easy, graceful manner natural to him, and his outline of the case held the enrapt attention of every person in the court room that morning. There was little of labored tegument, but starting with the supposition that his client was suffering a fraudulent attempt at ejection from his own premises, he proceeded to put the matter before the jurymen in this light. He said in substance something like the following: My client, who is none other than the true Vane Hamilton as you can see for yourself, his looks fully corroborating my statement returns after an absence of many months to his home. He has been in the habit of taking his yearly outings in May, as he is inclined to bilious difficulties and d S Jjn . die--th- at Mar-graf- n - At this moment Tony Osborn came I found it not forward with a key. long ago, he explained, under the t corner of the safe. "Try It, said Mr. Morley, but the cashier handed it to the defendant, who inserted it in the lock. The jurymen crowded forward to see what was in the drawer. Nothing, evidently, but a piece of tissue paper, unless that paper contained the diamond stud. It did. A flash, a gleam, and the defendant thrust it into the hands of Mr. Morley, Instead of his own counsels. For my wife. Give it to her, and then he fell prone on the floor. Had he fainted? Was it a fit? The doctor was called and pronounced it the last, but he soon revived and was in a short time apparently as well as ever. He attended the afternoon session of court, and was the center of curious interest to all. Indeed, it was generally admitted that he had triumphed by leading the jurymen straight to the hiding place, though it could not be denied that the other claimant had indicated the place just as surely by his words. Strange that both should know what was a secret except to one of them and to Mrs. Hamilton! She seemed dazed by the circumstances, while a hopeless, dejected look settled over her countenance. Tony Osborns testimony was taken in the afternoon, and told against the defendant, since it was plainly made evident that he had distrusted him from the first. said Mr. Morley, "Mr. Osborn, have you any reason for believing that, the claimant is not the true Vane Hamilton? None, sir, except the color of his hair. He has stood every test I have applied to him. He knows all about the affairs that took place at the bank when we were there together; he seems to be the true Vane Hamilton as I knew him. Two witnesses testified that Solomon Marks had been seen by ' them near the mill on the day before the shooting of the plaintiff, and that he appeared to wish to avoid recognition. Next, several citizens of Grovedale were examined, and they testified that they believed the plaintiff to be Vane Hamilton, for he had told them of many instauccs l no" a r,n!y to himself is not so well able to pursue his business in the spring as in the summer. Far from making any mystery of the matter, he has invariably told his wife that he went away for his health. On one or two occasions he had other business of a special nature connected with the mill which it was believed best to keep secret for a time. You all know how that is, and that ladies are sometimes apt to mention such matters in their confidences with other women, so that they leak out, often to the serious detriment of their husbands business. Knowing this, Mr. Hamilton did not always-explaithe full reason of his trips, and his wife chose to make a mystery of them. They had nothing to do with seeking for a twin brother. That silly fiddle-faddl- e has no part in the defense. The only other children born to the Hamilton parents were a boy and a girl, who died in their Infancy. The confession of Hannah Sargent is of no account, she having told at least half a dozen different stories about the matter. When Mr. Hamilton was away he was taken with a peculiar malady, a species of insanity. He forgot his name, place- of residence, everything. Mr. Barnstead, I shall prove by the evidence of his friend Hurd, did not see Hamilton on the fifteenth; that it was the next Thursday that he witnessed the meeting at Portland depot, instead of Friday, when Mr. Hamilton left home. The claimant is none other than the notorious Ashley, who got cornered at Portland depot that very day, and was arrested by the sheriff from Goodwill, Harrison county, Nebraska. You will recollect that Mr. Barn-stea- d in his testimony could not swear that he saw the meeting take place Friday; but Mr. Hurd is ready to affirm, on his oath, that it was nearly a week later that he heard the account from Mr. Barnstead, and that it was told to him as if it occurred on Thurs- day. Ashley was taken to Goodwill and incarcerated In jail there, and ft. was in that town his hair changed from light to dark. The prosecution does not deny .that this man, the prisoner, was the claimant, or that it was there the remarkable change in the color of his hair took place. It would be useless to do ft. They only venture to out In the rl"-- that be res arrested mischief th::' ever, and entirely unsutvj dued by the presence of the Invader at their gates. Russ or Turk, Courtlander or Franconian, Jew proselyte or dweller in Mesopotamia, all is one to us. So be they are men, we will tie them about our little fingers! Why, cried Martha, "whence this grand toilet? We knew not tfcst you had friends in tie city. And yet they tell me you have been in Courtland before, Sir Boris? Martlie, cried Anna Pappenhelm, with vast pretence of indignation, what has gotten into you, girl? Can you have forgotten that martial carriage, thos- - limbs incomparably Unit, that readiness of report and delicate sparkle of Wendish wit. which set all the table in a roar, and yet never bring the blush to maidens cheek? For shame, Marthe! Ha! ha! laughed Jorian suddenly, short and sharp, as if a string had been pulled somewhere. Ho! ho! thus more sonorously Boris. Anna Pappenhelm caught her skirts in her hand, and spun round on her heel on pretense of looking behind her. Sister, what was that? she cried, looking beneath the settles and up the men-at-arm- t! n. that-a-wa- d, My lords, have you blacked your eye- lashes yet? wide throat of the chimney, a dog barked. "Or a gray goose cackled! Or a donkey sang! said Jorian, who, being Ladies, vastly discomposed, must perforce try to speak with an affectation of g at his ease, you are pleased to be wltty." Heaven mend our wit on your Judgment! "And we are right glad to be your butts. Yet have we been accounted fellows of some humor in our own country and among men Why, then, did you not stay there? Inquired Marthe pointedly. It was not Boris and I who could not stay without, retorted Jorlau, somewhat nettled, nodding towards the door of the guard room. t "Well said! cried frank Anna. He had you there, Marthe, Pricked Iq tin; Faith, Sir Jorian pinked us both, fur indeed it was we who intruded into the gentlemens dressing' room. Our excuse is that we are tirewomen, and would fain pra$tjse yuj, office when and where we can. Our Princess hath been wedded, and needs us but once a week. Noble Wendish gentlemen, will not you engage us? (To be continued.) "Me-thoug- ht be-iu- Doing. kids stopped in front of the stand of a vender who sells unique toys and began looking his wares over. Want something? asked the man. How much is yer rubber balls? asked one boy. Five cents, he said. The boys were silent. Maybe youd like to have this auto? said the vender, showing another toy. Its 15 cents. . To this the boys did not reply. "How about the walking elephant?" asked the man. Ill let you have it for 20 cents. The hoys said nothing and the merchant showed them half a dozen other toys, quoting prices on them. Finally he grew impatient. "How much money have you got? he asked. came We aint got ro money, from one boy. Well, then, git out, trrowied the toy vender. And the hoys got. Kansas City Times. Nothing A couple of dirty-face- d Disappointed in Roosevelt. When President Roosevelt visited the Maine state fair in Bangor, three years ago, people came from all the surrounding towns to get a gll.pse was of and shake hands with him. standing in a small crowd just vefore the President arrived on thj fair grounds. Behind me was r large woman in a very conspicuors dress, and evidently from the courcry. She was standing with her mouth wide open, waiting. When some one cried r.he made a out, There he comes! rush by me that nearly knocked me over, but, when she got a glimpse of him, exclaimed, Good land! ..lie looks just like any other man, and appeared greatly disappointed. The Town Jay Gould Founded, Lackavanna county, Gouldsboro, Pa., which was named for the late Jay Gould, who was the founder of the town, he having operated a tannery at that place before he became either rich or famous, is a deserted village. According to the report of School Superintendent Taylor of Lackawanna county, its public school has dwindled to a paltry attendance of fifteen pupils and its tanneries end sawmills have entirely disappeared. |