Pittston Gazette

              lUcst Newsnaoer in the Wyoming Valley. PITTSTON, LUZERNE CO., PA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1889. A Weekly Local and Family Journal. r.NT%»I.INHEID IWSO.) /\1 ' ♦'«»*-. XL. So- u- ' ' CHAPTER XV. his don of infamy, so as to hide all evidence of his iniquity, the widow drew Carol to the window. or lanciea be aid, the head of a man outlined in one of the windows against the light background. "They say this place is haunted, because of singular noises heard hero at times, but I found they originated in a very common-place mannor, for the loft above this mill was occupied by a troop of wild cats and during the night tliey wore wont to indulge in a meleo that to superstitious ears sounded like the shrieks of deadly foes, and their falls from rafters that ended each combat was to them a repetition of the old murder that took place here. I remedied all that by shutting up the holes In the wiudow by moans of which they gained ingress, and ever sineo that time I havo never been bothered by any unearthly sound. Whatever that wu» we heard Just now, Iteamo from the interior of the mill and will boar investigation; so, if you would do us the favor, sir, the time Is at hand." proceeded to dress the wounds, and the skill ho exercised in this proved him to be a young physician of more titan ordinary talents, which was in fact the truth, for Jack was a graduate of Heidelberg, in Germanv. unly those wher have suffered lor years can truly sympathize with the afflicted. gin, liarbara Merrllea, ana then, with your face and sweet words, you tried to lure me to destruction. home" he provided lor his poor patients, one would imagine much that was pleasant, from padded cells to elogant furniture and Brussols carpets. Alas! for the reality. The cell of Nora Warner was a fair sample of those in tho institution, with the exception of a few comfortable ones that were occupied by those whose relatives really cared for them, and who had not suspected what a den they were sending tho poor unfortunates to. .411 t'»r l li ■ it- »i THE MAD-HOUSE DOCTOR. Who sees in ea h sorrow t ha Aud, knowing that all tiling for Secure is that soul in (he mi ist of »'l' There they could plainly see a man walking rapidly away from the raiil. What had he been doing there? Once he turned and looked back, but they had no light in the room, and, besides, his attention seemed directed toward, the main part of the old mill. The idea gave him such a start that he fell over a piece of old machinery that lay rusting upon the floor. This was tl.e racket that had reached the ears of Carol and the widow. In the midst of her tears, the lady was startled by a loud, authorative rap upon the door, and, somewhat confused, she hastily dried her oyes and answered the summons. "Did I love you? My God I even at this minute I can feel my heart throb because of your presence, and the blood rush like molten lava through my veins; but I do not fear, for I have ground it down Into subjection. I will forget the past as If It had never been, and It will be well for you to do the Bame so far as I am concerned In It, but may you to your dying day hear In your ears the heart-rending cries that come from that mad-house —that come from your poor wife, Nora Warner!" \ FTER his dnel \\Vhad 8° foulIy 1 wrongod, C a p t. v _ Cirant had writ«• ton to Doctor Mwi Grim, and In an- Wi\ \ /"A ewer the mad- MljHl house doctor had i 8 0 n e- witha mwm couple of his mcn' recapture f/Mt the patient who M'/M had so miracutf/M^/%SP W///\ lously escaped, and whose flight fortune had undertaken to hide In several ways, for tho very girl with whom she exchanged clothes either committed suicide or else was accidentally drowned. Unquestioning boas nealh e«»h rod: gether, He had a case of remedies with him, and before leaving the old mill on his search for lost Nora, ho left the medicines to be used lathe h:imLsuf Carol's mother. When she opened the door, she uttered a low, almost inaudible cry, and would havo fallen but for the support her hold afforded her. Oh, blest is that ben t tha when In J Uy the As soon as he. could recovor he fled hastily from the mill, turning once to look back, as has been said before, and then plunging in among tho trees like a hunted stag. Can cling to this hops a-; a binl to i s iteDt, Anlsay, with a faith by each trial maK Sponger •Thi de»r Father knows it i a I;or 111 - bes^ tempest. Carol recognized Capt. Grant, and her heart beat rapidly as sho wondered whether he sought her. The (leteotlvo possessed a magnificent constitution, and Ills wounds were not fatal, so that ho w as In a fair way for speedy recovery, being in oxoollent hands. Besides that, the burning deslro for revonge upon tho man who had dealt hln aueh a cowardly blow, was enough of ni Incentive to keep him alive, for It brought bis will Into play. Tho curtain of fifteen years had been swopt aside by the hand of fate, and those two, who had loved and parted in the past, were now brought togother over the grave of their only child's hopes. Each blossom of lope in our lives mpD lebii; Whatever mysterious errand brought the duelist Captain to the mill at that strange hour, he had no idea how eloso he had been to his missing bride. Had there been a witness to tho hurried burial? He shuddered at the thought, but found It impossible to decide whether it had been real or a spocter of his im- With the exception of a small iron cot, fastened to tho floor, and a chair, secured In the same way, the ceil was entirely destitute of furniture. The walls were damp and cold, and from the barred jwlndow one could look down into the grounds of the asylum. Or swi pt by adversity's pitiless blast 1 he elouilsof misfortune o'ershaJ w our pith- CHAPTER XVI agination Face to face stood Lawrence Richmond and the wife he had not once seen since that bitter parting. The words burst from him like a pistol shot, as If by magic the cloud was lifted, and he saw into what a terrible mistake the young girl had fallen. His eyes were opened to the truth, but it only served to make his blood flow more rapidly with indignation and anger. "What!" 4ud friends of a lifetime prove f alt-eat the last; The head may b Csad and the way may be lone'y. And rough be the path by the weary feet CHAPTER XVII THE DEAD WITNESS. FROM THE JAWS OF DEATH. Jack was perfectly willing, and the three immediately entered tho main portion of the mill by means of a door in tlw back of tho widow's humble kitchen. They had lighted a lamp in tho place of th«D dim caurilo and woro thus enabled to Jook around tliom Ifl ail glpectiafts. Tho widow was his attendant, for Carol could not stay In the house, such was the tumult of her thoughts in regard to Roger. Beyond tho great stone wall the prisoner could see the waters of the Potomac glistening In the afternoon sun, as stood there one day, her white hand/ crossed, and a strange look upon h"' face. 0 pressed, Yet faith'pleadth ever, oh, fail not to trust him ' The dear Father knows -ir is all for I he b St.' AWRENCE Rloh-Dnd was thunerstruck when C saw C a p t. ■ant walk into CHAFfER XIX. j 1  T was twilight. The ticca were moaning a r quiem for d parted day, and the last tingp of red was dying out of the Western sky, when Carol suddenly sat up ptrftight, and hei heart seemed tc "I Willi THROW YOUR LOVE FROM ME But for the fact that Jack, for prudential reasons, hail talked of all other subjects before his departure save tho one they woro Interested in, they might havo learned that which would havo fallen liko a bomb between tlicm. LIKE A TATTERED GLOVE." These«i that, uUh weeping, we s)»eJ for th OMETHING within seemed to tell Carol that the meeting she had looked forward to with such aversion, and yet, at the same time, "For whom do you take me?" he asked, coldly. Unquiokened, may lie whira it fell by 111 s m The prayer; that were wiutig f.orn our beai Master, Nora Warner had hastily drawn a pistol and fired, but her aim was rendered uncertain, owing to the excitement and the deceptive moonlight, bo that her bullet only iuflicted a flesh wound upon one of the men's arms instead of ending his life. eroom alone. Had he been iven any chance to state his beif to the others, i would have rorn that the DMier-d u el 181 Duld come back o more; that his ■Drds of parting "You yourself declared that you were Roger Darrel, and Roger Darrel is tho man who sent his wife to the asylum to be made mad. Surely the curse of Heaven must follow that man forever; surely the cries of fcls victims must ascend on high and reaoh the gjnat white throne. For myself, I forgive you freely, because I love—have loved you In the past; but in the name of those whom you have wronged in the past, I could almost ask God to crush you, broken-hearted as 1 am." On that morning she had received first terrible punishment, that of allo-sj, cold water to fall upon her head fjt 5. certain length of time, and she shui--.v_ dered even then at the recollection of that torture. She knew that the edict must have gone forth, that the doctor must have received orders from the to complete the terrible work, and there were times when a nameless chill crept over her frame at the bare thought of being made mad. '4'he mill was not £ very largo building, and had been arranged as such edifices generally are, only that the mad miller had attached his house to his mill, living and working under aRP fopf. deepest angui«h, Unanswered tetuam, though we cens. The detectivo ww more communicative, for l?is heart warmed to the widow as the one to whom lie owed his ilfo. IIo was a Russian by adoption, but in reality was a bom Englishman, which accounted for his spoftking tho language so properly. While he entcrtainod tho llttlo lady with long storios of the Araoriean ad venturer's doings in llussla; and holv, falling under the buu, It was discovered that.he was a plotter against tho life of tho Czar, the fact never leaked out that each of them had in mind a far different personage. prav u t, to ThC Father may hide for a moment his p. e-tiit ©, And the soul by its doubts anl i'sfais be distressed Beforo she could do more they were upon her, liko a couple of uiad panthers. When they iituocl within tho mill proper the young liuin lopped around hiru. lie saw but little of interest. The oW saw whs there, but rustgd an that it was almost in pieoes, and there wim gaping holes in thereof through which both rain air I sunshine came at intervals, aeeord- a strange eagerness, as though anxious to have It over with, was about to take place that day. She could not ISu" failh wk'spers low, ''Though he ?lf.y thee stand still as sh« yet ti ust him. The dear Father knows-it is all for the 1 Both of them were brutal men, as might bo expected from the business they carried on. They knew that the person against whom they wore pitted was but a weak woman, yet their orders had not boon of a merciful nature, and in the bushes near by stood a gaunt figure, clad in a long cloak and slouchcd hat—the infamous mad-house doctor himself—who would discharge a man from his employ should ho show a sign of mercy when lie had received no orders in that line. heavy footfall! outside. An interval of slletjoe eunuw}, and then there came a rap, loud and clear, upon the door of the haunted mill. and promise to be ■with them again in a few minutes after ho bad convinced the foreign detective— if such the stranger was—of the mistake ho had made were but empty braggadocio, and that in reality ho was In tho power of a man who had hunted long for him, and would not be apt to have the wool pulled over his eyes by his game. The 1 ghter afflictions, which but for a moment The Father hath *e t us his promi e to sea\ Are naught tj the weight of ihe glory eternal, And ftr more exee ding, whie'i (iod shall re veal. Carol hold hor breath iug to the time She could not imagine any one elsa coming at that hour than Roarer, and such had been the intensity of hor recent thoughts and feelings toward him that i bjv mo si to her she could not, dured not. meet bim faae to Jape. left®4 until shi had time to recover ber selt-pos*e»sion, A Strango party they were have explained it, "Save your pardon for those who ask it Miss Blchmond. As for me, I do not seek it. Looking back upon my past life, I do not see an event for which I may have occasion to blush. As for these things of which you accuso me, the day will come when you will realize what a terrible mistake you have made, and you will cry out to Heaven to cover your head. I am a proud man, and from no other lips than yours would 1 hear such words. You have now gone too far. Some day shortly I will seek you to show you the proofs of my innocence ; seek you to prove all that I evor claimed to be; seek you to show that it was the taint on toy family name 1 feared, not because I had ever done aught that could bring disgrace upon myself or the one I loved, and having done this, I will throw your love from me Hko a tattered glove, for It was false—false." Up to this time, in the midst of these horrors she had maintained her reason simply because of her strong will, but none knew better than .Nora Waraci that ere mfiny weeks passed, if the watei torture wete continued, she would be a: stark, stariW mad as any inmate of thC place. \ Her heart hik! toward the man debted for her i seemed as thoup hate had settl Heaven bo kind free she w end of the world b tain justice. First of all stood Jack, a la:ap in one Jiand and his revolver iu the other. Just lmck of him was the little widow, holding the heavy kitchen poker, while Carol brought up i,|D* twiiiKmined with that favorite weapon of woman, a broom. but In her heart she felt that, Whoa the sun wont down that day, it would have witnessed their parting forever, never again to meet, except as the most distant strangers. When she left the mill she wended her way slowly through the forest to a favorite spot of hers, and, reaohlng It, sat down at the baae of a huge elm tree. It was the summit of qulto an elevation, and tho view on either hand was perfectly grand, embracing, as it did, so many vistas where openings occurred, through which the eye ranged far away to tho river, and to a still greater elevation. .Koine day we shall kuow why the c Riven, •ss»'s wer Thus the torriblo mistake was allowed to becomo deepor, and the characters in our story dfifto4 ftlQng as the stern docroo of fato willed. When the aage!s wil summon in home to i u Where With faith lost in sight, and with \i*i fijowu cltarer, When, therefore, Nora Warner struggled in their fierce grasp, as though she would break away, the men used violent Fancy the old man's consternation and amazement, therefore, when, after the lapse of a short time, the adventurer coolly stepped through the open window leading out upon the veranda. So she remained back while her mother went to tho door. He had mentioned to tho widow the fact that the adventurer's' hand had been branded when he was sent to Siberia, so that ho was now compelled to always wear a glove, but this did not seem so singular to tho lady, for the fact remained that every time she had met Roger Darret he had had gloves on; so she did not think it worth while to mention this part of the story to Carol, soeing that it confirmed the dotcctive's ideas rather than disputed them. We shall see as God sees, aud shall know it While thi'y stood thus there came to their oars a plain, unmistakable groan that made them start, ami a cold chill ran through their fjrampet. always been very bitter to whom she was in'arceration, but now it was best How eagerly she listened, and yet with what trembling, to hear that well-known and equally well-loved voice, She had not reached a determination even yet, but it seemed to her that there was something wrong with the man she worshiped, for he did not appear as iDerfect in hci eyes as formerly. FET1OT) BY FATE One of them clutched her delicate throijt in a fiendish manner. Her hat had come off, and tho long ringlets, which had been suffered to remain on her measures. There was a look upon his faoo that none of them could fathom, for it seemed to be a mixture of triumph, cunning, dread and Heaven only knows what not. n tho very blackness of |d there, and, should inough to ever set hex \uldloliow him to the [t what she would ob- Th.-t. s exease enough for thl In tie- place Ihfir surroundings were ghostly in the- extreme, and made more so by tl» wile of haunting romance that was supposed to hang over the old mill. head during her long confinement in the asylum, blow about in the night breeze. A Thrilling Virginia Romance "You see 1 convinced the fool he had made a big mistake, as I told you I would, and ho has gone on to Richmond. Some one misled him, but it is all right now," said tho tiaptain. Alone with her thoughts she was accustomed to seeking this spot, and It seemed as if her very surroundings gave her comfort, yet nothing could ease the terrible pain that tugged at her heart-strings. "Carol, where is Carol?" she huskily cried: "I must see her before they take mo awav—see her and tell her." To her astonishment it was a strange voice that fell upon her voice that was full of eagerness and trembling. The subject occupied her thoughts bj day and by night, And it was all that kept h£r alive. I Love and haty are two terrible emo tions, but in a case like this the lattei was certainly the stronger of the two, and the more capable of causing this wretched girl to retain her reason . Then again, they had been talking of a mad-house, and each one had conjectured tho terrors of such an institution so thar their minds were full of horror, and ready to receive any new impressions much more quickly than usual. Though she had only seen Roger a few times, she had been wonderfully impressed by his manner and looks, and she had made up her mind that if these terrible charges against him proved truo she would never trust 4 man again, no matter \yhat his reputation might bo. BY EMMA S. SOUTHWORTH "Shut up!" cried ono of tho keepers. "I have to beg your pardon for this late visit, madam, but I am looking for a friend of mine, and her continued absence has worried me more than I can tell you. Have you seen Nora Warner?" A form clad in white came bounding out of the mill door. Lawrence Richmond noticed several things that excited his curiosity. She held a book in her hand, but it did not occupy her attention, for her gaze was far away, and her mind evidently upon the one subject nearest her heart. Copyright 1888, by Laird & Le*. In the first place tho Captain was whiter than he had overseen him before, and seemed to be trembling somewhat. She uttered a low, piteous cry, and held out her hands for him to stop, but he went on mercilessly, for she had roused the lion. [continued ] "I am hero, Nora Warner. What would vou say to me?" she asked, Still they showed no new signs of turning back, and Jack even led them on ly, the direction from whence he thought the groan had come. Suffering in silence, she would not let him know after that how cruelly lie wounded her, and, and as a consequence they had parted to meet no more. easterly Then again he had a handkerchief bound around his left hand, and it seemed to have been bleeding too much for him to have on a thorn in passing.These were the words she heard Thus she sat, when the eager eyes of an approaching man fell npon her, and tho spectacle brought him to a sudden pause. There was that in her attitude that brought most vividly to his mind their first meeting, when she sat by the brook, with a copy of Tennyson in her lap, watching the gambols of a little dog; and, as he gazed, Roger stifled a groan of despair. It was terrible to see his life look so dark before him, when he had fought against It so—terrible to have all his noble alms and purposes, together with his life's happiness, buried in one common gravo by the evil deeds of one with Whom be was not even oonnected, save by family ties. Captain Grant had realized that he had made a false step in wedding her—foi she was really and truly his wife—and his only remedy for it, seeing that he had other plans in view, was to shut hei up in this mad-house, and leave the res? to the doctor, who knew his businesi well. "I camo to see you—to toll you that it was all—that he—Roger Dar—good—find out. My God! help me—I am choking— Carol started, for she realised that this person, whoever ho might be, was aboyt to receive a shock. Evidently he was quito unaware of the terrible fato that had overtaken the poor girl, and that she was by that time, if still alive, confined -with'in the walls of the mad-houso that had before been her prison. Poor, broken-hearted Carol wandered out each day, waiting for that dread interview which was suro to come, and yet which seemed unaccountably delayed. "Once you told me your love was as durable as the rocks of the cliff; that through good and evil report you would trust in me until my lips sounded your death blow. How has It come out? At the first breath of suspicion, your love shudders and shrivels up, turning to loathing. If that is your priceless love, then Heaven help the next man upon whom you bestow It. I am going, Miss Richmond. What! Are you still dumb? We shall meet onco more, and when you see me as the man I am, apd not in the guise of a villain who chances to belong to my family and wears my name, then perhaps you will deign to offer me your forgiveness." This was in the South, and immediately after had come that .terrible shock to Lawrence Richmond by which he lost three of his four children. Ho gave out among his Virginia friejjds, or at least it was naturally understood, that ho had lost his wife with the children. dving!" This tiiuo his face brighteneJ, for he saw tho hole in tho great chimney, and sh lding up to it he cried into the orlfle e: Again it sounded in "Wicir oars. '•In the name of Heaven take your hanCl from her throat, you wretch. Don't you see you are killing her! Help! help!" and in her excitement Carol sprang at the keeper, seeking to release the one whom he was choking into insen- He made no comment, though his suspicions were aroused. What had bocome of Roger? He had said he would still bo her friend, and yet to all appearances he had deserted her. Could it bo ho had made the alarming discovory that his secrets wero no longor hidden from them, and that he dared not. face them? Perish tho thought 1 The Captain did not seem disposed to renew his assault upon the old man. In. deed, what had passed since then seemed to havo quieted his spirits in a wonderful manner, and he was even ready to believe tho story of Lawrence Richmond in regard to his suspicion that Roger Darrel had been tho ono who had committed this daring abduction, though, of course, as they had not the slightest proof, they could not do anything in a legal way. "Hello! where are you?" Escape was the only thing that occupied her mind besides those ideas of revenge upon the man through whose villainy she had been incarcerated in this frightful abodtx Plans feasible and oth&PRife filled her brain, and. as she OGSapnhfended what a terrible state her affairs were in, she can be pardoned for creeping bitter, scalding tears. Her mother retainod her self-possession though she know full well there was a blow in store for this gentleman, whoever he might be. The answer came immediately, and yet was so mufljed that they oould hardly distinguish it. As time passed on and tempered the blow he began to see It in another light, as a judgment from heaven for his actions toward his wife. ibility "In the chlmncy. For Heaven's sake, get ino out quick; I believe I am dying!" Tffere was but one way to accomplish /his; Jack realized tho fact at once. "Keep back 1" he roared, thrusting her aside, "and thank your lucky stars It ain't you we've como after." At the very time when these misty Ideas were passing In rovlew through the wearied and troubled brain of Carol Richmond, the object of her thoughts, poor Roger Darrel, was pacing his library like a caged animal, groaning now and then and showing every cvidenco of distress and despair. His stubborn spirit would not yield enough to permit him to make an investigation, even when little things came involuntarily to light that gave him to understand that she was Innocent. "Step in, sir, and bo seated. Do not refuse, for I have that to tell you that will strike a blow at your heart, perhaps, though I know not what relation you bear to Nora Warner," she said. By this time Nora Warner had completely lost her senses, and lay like a log in the arms of tho keeper. Ho hunded the lamp tq the little widow and replaced his revolver, feeling that bo would have no occasion to use it, at least Vi tho present. Both Carol and her mother were too much horrified to say a word more. Still he had already gone over all this field, and there could no good come of flghtlqg the battle over again. Many women would have given up in Bheer despair, but that was not her way, tor she possessed a most determined nature.Guilt hardens a man, and there cannot be found any one more stubborn and unforgiving than the one who knows he has made a great mistake and is in tho The news seemed to affect the Captain, for apparently ho hated Roger with an intensity such as is given by tho tiger for its prey or its foe, but ho did not remain at tho house more than a couple of hours. Wondering!}*, and with a great fear at his heart he obeyed her request. Then ho commenced enlarging the orlDlce by tearing down tho brick, always working downward. With these lattor words, he wheeled. One flash from his eyes and he had gone —gone from her in hot anger; gone to collect the proof that was to overwhelm her, while she sat thero, and bowing her head, wept bitter tears, for the spell was again upon her, and she would have believed him innocent of those awful sins, even should the whole world accuse him. He was one of your smooth-tongued villains—a scoundrel of the first water— and yet he w— always pretending to bo so tender-heartei. . hat he often deceived those who did not know him. Doctor Grim now advanced, "Do not keep mo in suspense, madam. Nora Warner was very dear to me. In Heaven's name tell me what h is hap pened the poor girl," he pleaded. Try as ho would, he found 11 Impossible to think of Carol without allowing his mind to dwell on love, and ho was nearly frantic with tho continued fight he had gone tliroueh. If Carol had declared that, so long as Nora lived, they would be nothing but friends, he would keep his part of the compact manfully, and try to hide from her tho fact that his great love was slowly, but surely, killing him. Examination showed to her that there ■was no hopo of escape so far as forcing a "way out of the asylum was concerned; whatever she did would have to be accomplished by subtlety and cunning. wrong. Sometimes he had difficult work, b'n it. the end he always succeeded In his task, and the result was that at tho end of ten or fifteen minutos ho had cleared the way to within a foot or so of the ground. The meeting indeed was such a singular one as imagination could never conceive. "There is no use of our lingering here, crying over spilt milk. When we are ready for the ceremony again, we will meet onco more," and with this the valiant Captain left the house. It was second nature with him, and, while torturing the poor souls committed to his fiendish care, he was wont to'apologize to them because tho red-hot iron was so cold, the end of tho lash worn off a trifle, the thumb screws aged and .all such cold-blooded attempts at ferocious "You knew something of her former history, I presume?" inquired tho lady. tie nad promised to bo a friend to tho girl he loved, and though this was easy to say, yet when It came to attempting it he found he had before him the most difficult task of his life. These two had each looked on the other as dead- for many years back, and to think of their meeting here and recognizing one another by means of tho picture of him who should havo been tho connecting-link between thom, but who, instead, was the source of misery and discord! She had a double objoct in view; the idea of finding out what he knew and whether the story of Nora Warner, as told to Carol, were true, Then stepping in, ho bent down and raised tho form of the foreign detective in his stout arms. Ah! little did tho poor fellow suspect what evil influences had been at work since he had parted from the one he loved, or what a terrible reception he was about to receive. The doctor had been careful enough to have the bars at the windows socure enough to resist the efforts of the wildest maniac, and her puny strength would have availed nothing. True, she had a small bottle of aquafortis secreted on her person, which she had secured when free, so as to be ready in case of recapture and incarceration but her cell was quite a distance from the ground, and she could conceive no wtiy of lowering herself, even should she be so fortunate as to break the stout iron bars with the use of the acid. CHA1TER XX. It "was about midnight, and the moon in tho east showed quite a slice off one side, yet her light, though .reduced several degrees, was strong enough to show all the path6 through the forost. DOCTOH GRIM AT HOME. "There is nothing of her past that I do not know, madam, and if she has come to grief I am well aware of tho source. Lot a hair of her head be injured and her villainous husband, Roger Darrel, must settle with mo. Delay no longer, I pray you, for every second is torture to me." When ho had laid him on tho floor of tho mill, ho bent ovei to examine the man's ghastly wounds. Tho detective gained in strength so rapidly that in a few days more he hoped to leavo those who had stood so nobly by mm, anu mart, upon nis irau 01 ven- N tho Potomac! The "princely home" provided for his mud wife by Capt. Grant —otherwise tho insane asylum of Dr. Grim—stood upon the left bank of the river, and close to the Recovering himself, therefore, he strode forward. wit. '•Who did this foul deed?" ho asked in horror. The world would never again look so dreary to tho lonely woman, and Carol had found one whom she could confide in, now that even her father had turned against her. It was wonderful almost beyond belief. Patients confided to his care were never expected to see tho outside world It was at this time that the strange and wonderful scene was occurring in front of the old mill, and during which Nora Warner fell into the power of her oldtime foe, tho man most hateful.to her oh earth—the mad-houso doctor. geance. His footfalls camo to her ears. again Whcn tho little widow came to know him she found that ho was a most agreeable person, but his profession made him reserved, and this acted aS| a barrier between them upon tho very subject m which she was just then most interested. Once they had been wont to send the blood rushing to her face until neck, cheeks, forehead and all were crowned with a woman's glory—the blush of innocent love—but now, alas, how sadly altered ! True, there were many mad persons under his roof, but it is extremely doubtful whether there was ever an insane person brought to him. There was something frank in tho young man's voice and way of speaking that went straight to the lady's heart, and she knew that ho was honest and manly; honco she sympathized with him in his sorrow. The time passed quickly, and midnight had come almost before they wero aware of it. Horrible as it may seem, the doctor had all sorts of terrible contrivances for making people mad, and often nothing more was needed than shutting them in a dark dungeon, allowing cold water to fall on tlieir heads, or tickling the bare soles or their feet an hour each day until tho simplo but barbarous torture caused the mind to collapse. As he left the house tho Captain cast several glances over his shoulder in order to make sure that he was not followed.When she knew that it was Roger who was drawing near, her face whitened until it resembled the drivon snow, while her pearly teeth seemed to penetrate the scarlet lips, and from those glorious eyes there gleamed a strong light, such as may be seen in the orbs of a poor, hunted deer brought to bay, and turning upon his hunters. Thus it was slio saw no reasonable plan open before her by means of which sho could hope to escape from the demons who held her—escape from the terrible fate that, like a groat abyss, seemed yawning to engulf her. Hor sympathies and motherly love were of courso all enlisted in behalf of her child, and she was in arms against the man who, to all appearances, had caused such suffering to come upon Carol. descent by which They were still talking about the past and present, and even the future, when they were astonished by a knock at the door. the water could It was not a picturesque The very fact of his doing this would 6oem to indicate that ho was bound upon some errand that would not bear inspection."I see you are her friend, sir, and as such I shall confido the facts to you. Nora Warner has again fallen into tho hands of those demons from whom she once before escaped. The mad-houso doctor has been here." bo reached, building. There was a something dark and forbidding about Its exterior even on the sunniest days, that seomed to spea\ n thunder tones of the secrets it contained. A gloomy pile of masonry, with small, Iron-barred windows, and surrounded by a high wail—there It stood, a curso upon the face of nature. She saw the sun sinking toward the west with mingled feelings, such as can only be experienced' and appreciated by one who stands behind prison bars, looking out between iron walls, and surrounded by all the horrors of a private madhouse. Her meditations were interrupted. The rattling of a key in the lock brought back to her the immediate situation. and she turned just in time to see tho door open and the figure of a man enter. Instantly all was alarm, for they could conjecture nothing else than that pursuit had been made by the enraged bridegroom and some or the wedding guests, and that they had finally como to the very place where the missing brido had been bidden away. She saw that tho young girl had lost all interest in life, and her heart was sore within her, for she knew of no remedy for a disease like this. Carol was constituted very like hor mother, possessing tho same prido and firmness, so that in all probability there lay before hor a life of suffering that was sad to contemplate. Once among the trees he made his waj rapidly to a point where tho shadows lay densest, and there upon the ground laj the from of a man silent and motionless. This was the wretch who stood before the two women and suavely begged their pardon for their having witnessed such a spectacle. "My God! is it possible?" Naturo had stood much, but nature could stand no more. Tho time had come when she must give vent to her mingled emotions or die. There was a gritting of the strong teeth and even in the candle light sho see that the man's face paled in tho comprehensive knowledge of what this meant. It was the mysterious foreigner The elder lady proved herself fully equal to tho emorgeney. "My men have generally to deal with Buch desperate madmen that they dare not give one half a chance for fear of their lives. They know, also, that this woman is a desperate character. Perhaps they have gone a little too far, but better that than that she should have been struck upon the hea ', which is tho way we oTten have to deal with them. The Captain had proven too much foi even tlie keen detective, and his mannei of convincing the mau-hunter of the mistake ho had made had been a forcible one. In the struggle, and before Capt. Grant had struck a favorable spot with his knife, the detective, whom he held under his knee, having knocked him flat with a sudden and terrible blow, caught two of the fingers of his gloved left hand botwoon his teeth, and almost bit thetn off at a point below the end joint. When Roger had come close to her she turned her face and looked at him. He could not help giving an exclamation. It would seem that the tide of pain and sorrow that afflicted these two innocent women had reached its flood, but this was not so. Could those walls have spoken, wha' terrible things would they have told— stories of the poor creatures who had entered there rational beings, but whose minds had become shattered beneath the awful tortures In vogue there. Every day and night those gloomy, forbidding walls resounded with the wild shrieks and lamentable groans of the wretc hed people who beat upon tho doors and toro it their hair in the wildest manner imaginable.She sprang up and hastily placed a large crock over the candle. Then Carol felt herself hurried into a closet. She then went on to tell all that had occurred, and he heard the news with the aspect or a man who suffered and yet made no sound. "Good Heaven! Carol, what is the matter with you? Your face is like death, and your eyes shine as with a fever. There is that upon your features that reproaches me, aye, stabs to the heart. For God's sako tell me what you intend to say, for something warns me tho worst has not yet come. Are we not to be friends, Carol?" A minute later she heard tho widow boldly open the front door. Before doing so, the lady had armed herself with a pistol, for she knew not what desperate need there might be. There yet remained in store for them ordeals that would try their courage and even the new bonds of lovo that linked them together. "Curses on his head!" he muttered fiercely when sho was done; "he is the worst devil on earth, and tho time will come whon retribution will fall upon him, and it shall be my hand that deals the blow. If he has dared to harm a hair of her head, I shall torture tho life out of him." The man whispered in reply, for he wm weak and almost dying. Jack uttered a smothered curse, and, gaining his feet, cried in a voice that froze Carol with hor- "wno DTD THIS FOUL DEED." He was a now hand—at least sho had never seen him before during tho long period of her stay at the asylum, though he may have been engaged during her absence. "But Nora Warner is not mad. By what right do you drag hrsr away from here?'' demanded Carol, recovering her voice when she found she had at least a polished scoundrel to deal with. Singularly enough, two incidents happened on tho same day that struck homo to their hearts, and it actually seemed as though some unseen fate was moving on, bearing them with It and gradually widening the chasm that separated them from those they loved. The moon had arisen since tho time Of their arrival at tho mill, being in her last quarter, ana it was easy to seo tne figure of a young man standing outside. The murdered man lay just where he had fallen, and realizing this, the Captain vanished among tho trees, returning in leas than ten minutes leading a horse already equipped which he had secreted in the forest to have ready in case of an emergency, for he was one of those m;n who always make sure of a way to retreat before proceeding any depth into their schemos. "Some more of that devil's work. May the curse of Heaven blight him and his forover. He Is ono of Satan's fiends, and when we meet I s/iall send him to tho roaster he serves. Witness the oath !" In staturo ho was rather tall, and his dress proclaimed him a ruffian, while thero was something about his language that spoko of a previous acquaintance with tho "ould dart," namely, tho Green Isle. Then sho laughed—such a hollow mockery of a laugh. It was no more like the ringing merriment of old than she was like the artless girl whom Roger had met that fateful day. No wonder all those connected with tho asylum became hardened; daily life with luch surroundings was enough to deaden the heart of any man, no matter what mercy and goodness had Dl.«clt there before."Well, sir, what is it you wish?" C manded tho widow, with some severi The doctor laughed and at the same time managing to show the weapon with which she was armed, without appearing to do so intentiona Uy. "You are no judge of that, miss. Learned men have so decided. These insane creatures could often deceive the devil hims.-lf — begging your pardon. They have deceived me fully throe weeks at a time, but in the fourth, at the full uf the moon, they proved themselves as mad as March hares. I would stake something that this one now has been gaining your sympathy by relating a long rigmarole about a cruel husband. There, I can see by your face that it is the truth She tells every ono frhat, when in truth she has the best of" husbands, who provides her a prineoly home and all the comforts of life. But I must tear myself away, ladies. There is my card. If ever you should wish a place oi retirement for some poor demented relativo who Is better there than in tho world, remember yours sincerely, Timothv Grim, M. D." When he became calm he mado inquiries, for it seemed that Nora had only told him tho circumstances of her past without certain particulars, and ho was glad to bo shown the torn card which the doctor had left behind him, and which Carol had thoughtfully picked iip from the place she had thrown it on the previous night. CHAPTER XVIII, Though Roger Darrel had not yet made his appearanco sinco tho time of his separation from Carol, the widow knew he would soon come," and heneo sho was continually on tho lookout for him. She had promised her child not to say anything to him, leaving the whole matter to her, and whon she camo to think about it she realized that it was best. His face was dirty and red, the latter probably tho result of debauchery, and there was a half-comical, half-devilish leer In one of his eyes that would have made some people laugh, and others shudder, according to their disposition. THE HAND OF FATE. "You come hero and ask me that—you, of all men on earth? Does not your heart reproach you, the heart to which human misery appealed in vain? You toll me I look like death. Well, my heart is dead, and to you belongs the blame. I live, and yet do not live; I breathe the fresh, pure air of Heaven, but there is nothing fair in my sight now. A blight rests upon all the earth. When the eye Is distorted all objects upon which it falls assume the same phase. So it is with me. Need I say more, sir?" The other seemed in nowise abashed and but for the fact tliat the moon was at his Luck she might* hav D smile upon his face, as thoug ilj- recognized the little device so extremely feminine. In one of the little cell-like rooms was Nora Warner. HE words of the They had brought her back senseless, and when she awoke to life once more, it was to And herself within the confines of the hated asylum where sho had aleady spent so many months of weary igony. Peon the Presently ho was mounted upon the horse, with the body of the foreign detective in front of him, and held in such a manner that it looked like a comrade asleep while he rode, with hi° head hanging upon his breast. young man came very near killing Carol Richmond, for, of courso, she thought all along ho had reference to tho Roger Darrel sho knew and loved, and to think of him as a murderer, in ad- re ul Nora could not understand the trembling that seized upon tier as sne gazea upon this terriblo looking creature*. What did it mean? Was intuition tolling her that sho was to meet her death at the hands of this villain? Ho did not despair, for ho had rifiht on his side, and moreover was possessed of a certain amount of power which he could bring into play when the occasion demanded it. "I sook Carol Richmond; but do not think I come from her father. I have no He camo at last. The day was a lovely ono, with the birds singing among tho treos, and all nature looking beautiful. From tho far southwest a bank of clouds was rising, and soon a cliango would come over all' this landscape, for a storm was brewing. Up to this time Dr. Grim had not been very particular about inflicting any of the tortures of the place upon her, for his orders had principally been to hold her a prisoner. If sho went' insane, overcome by the horrors that surrounded her, well and good—in fact so much tho better—but so long as he received his pay and the captain was satisfied, tho dootor did not waste his time in dealing severely with Nora Warner, when he had his hands full at any rate. love for him in tho first place, for he bitterly wronged my father; though my mother paid him back in full and \ iade him curse her name. I am not what I seem. Will "you tell Carol that Nora Warner is here, and would speak with He kept In the densest portion of the forest for ho did not care to be seen by any one, though the chances of such an event at this hour would have been poor enough even upon the public highway, for the negroes were of too superstitious a nature to think of wandering about tho country when ghosts and goblins wero supposed to be abroad. Of courso this young man was tho'same whom wo saw in the company of Nora Warner at the time when sho fought her memorable duel with Capt. Grant, the ."Jack" whom tho duelist thought he had seen before and yet could not placo to save his neck. Ho advanced toward her, and sho Bhrank back apalled. What new system of torture was about to be applied to her? mi suiou ttiere, stricken dumb with amazement, aye, with horror. dition to his other What a terrible crime ho must have been guilty of in her sight to call out this from the lips that had never spoken a cross word before. It began to anger him. Ho had suffered as man could hardly suffer twice in a lifetime, and she counted it as naught. her?" sins, would have been enough to have entirely crushed her. Up tho forest aisle came Roger, heading strait for tho old mill. His face wa3 palo and set, as though ho had conquered in his, battle, and yet none knew better than ho how weak human nature was when tho hour of temptation camo. "Nora Warner! Surely, I should know that name; and are you her child! Will strange things never cease? Nevermind what I am or what I know, but your mother was once a bosom friend of mine. How did you know Carol was here?" She watched him with startled eyes as he held up his hand, pressed his finger to his lips, uttered the one word "hist!" and then, gliding to tho door, bent his head in = a listening attitude. Did ho mean to murder her, and was he listening to mako sure that no one approached?While they talked, Carol had joined them, and her presenco was acknowledged by the young man with a polite bow. At tho timo she did not remember that her mother and herself had seen Capt. Grant, or some ono closely re'sembling him, leave the mill on the previous night somo timo between the hour when Nora Warner was carried off by her jailers and -daybreak. He turned to his men aud gave thom some hurried orders, upon wliich they picked up the senseless form of Nora Warner and strode awaf. Because of his taking such a roundabout way instead of goine direct, he was a much longer time in reaching the old mill than Rogor had been when carrying Carol there, earlier in the night. The little lady saw him coming, and while she spoke to him pleasantly, her eyes were watching his faco. Sho saw the traces of anguish there, such as never rested upon tho countenanco of guilt, and when he had gone to sook Carol, after her directions, she gave utterance to her thoughts aloud. Every now and then new patients arrived at the asylum, which was always full, and it might bo noticed that just preceding each new arrival a corpse was carried out of the baok door. There was nothing secret about this matter of burial, and the people living in the vicinity had little Idea of the hot-bed or Iniquity they were fostering In their midst. Ho was unable to say what had been Nora's mission in seeking the young girl again, but all he knew was that the poor, deceived wife had discovered something of the utmost importance which must be communicated to Carol without dolay if she would save her from years of intense suffering. - He was but a man, and much more gentle and forgiving than the majority. He had stood much and had never harbored even a thought against Carol and her love, but now it flashed across him that her iovo could not be so powerful if it gave way to an obstacle so small as tho ono he looked at. "That matters not at present. I knew it, and I'luust see her upon matters of vital importance concern! iur The affablo doctor lifted his hat to th» ladles, and Carol responded oy tearing his card iu halves and hurling it from her, which was a plain way oI showing her dislike of the doctor, who smiled in his grim way as ho strode away, muttering:Strange how his mind should have been turned to this quarter as a place of hiding. Surely there must have been something more than chance in it all. Again ho turned and advanced. Was that a grin of devilish triumph on his faco? She tried to cry out. but hei tongue olove to tho roof of her mouth, aad her limbs seemed paralyzed. Oh, God! what scntenco was ho about to pronounce upon her? "Nora!" piness Since last I met !'.(Dr rvaj r I hav All sho could think of was this ono fact, that besides being guilty of all those other misdeeds, her Rogor was not only a murderer at heart, but was in a fair way to become one in fact, for the unfortunate man upon the mill floor looked as though he wore dying. found out many things? that will alter the whole of her life, and probably bring peace and happiness where wretched sorrow now lives. When he found himself in tho immediate neighborhood of the haunted mill, Capt. Grant brought his horse to a sudden halt, and placed his dead charge upon the ground. Then, securing his horse, ho raised the limp form of the murdered detective in his arms, and, by the exertion of tremendous strength, bore it on. The future will disclose that. "Evidently the young beauty was not much smitten with the personal charms of Dr. Grim. I would give something to havo her under my caro for a few months." This was what she had been trying her best to tell when the brutal keeper choked her further utterance. "If that is the face of guilt, then my judgment of character is at fault. Place Roger Darrcl before me and I should havo doclared him the most honorable of men, noble and gonerous. Yet how the man belies his looks. If all is true, thon a greater villain never went unhung. May heaven give my dear girl strength to do what is right, no matter what the pain may bo." His faco gave no Indication of what was passing within him, for the sot look had remained, and besides, he was one of those men who had great control of their feelings, so far as exhibiting them is concerned. "Do not keep me from her. I entreat you Madame. That fiend has set the hounds from the asylum on my back again, and at any minute they m i v spring upon me. Then it would 'be toe. late, and she must suffer." It seems they had not given Nora Warner credit for the sagacity she possessed.When her eyes rested upon those gaping knife wounds in hia breast, Carol did not faint, but a terriblo revolution of feeling swept over her in reference to her lover. (TO BE CONTINUED The widow'had not dared to tell Jack the full particulars of that terrible scene, for she saw that he was of an excitable temperament, and also that ha loved Nora Warner, and she feared the result. It was enough for him to know that she was again In the power of those villains, and as he seemed to possess Nora's entire confidence, it might bo readily supposed that she had some timo In tho past given him to understand what manner of man tho doctor was, so that he could judge for himself what must have happened when tho girl was recaptured. She had escaped from the house, and fate had assisted to throw them oft their guard by sending the poor girl with whom Nora had exchanged her shawl and hat, to her death in the river. Ilad she known what the mad-house doctor was wishing just then, Carol Richmond would havo shuddered. Robert Urowiiiiijj's Social Lite. Whatever he may have seemed to her, it was now plainly evident that he was a villain of the deepest dye, and her heart was like lead when this conviction came to her and sho realized that she must give him up—must send him from her as if ho were a lepor, with tho scathing words tho case demanded. Finally he found his voice, and, in splto of his efforts, It trembled like a tightly-strung cord. Robert Browning goes out a great deal in society, and has an cspecial weakness for dinners. Ho is short, and stout, with white hair and a glow of ruddy health. He wears his hair quite long and has ,*i mustache and goatee. He enjoys the best of health and has an almost boyish flow of animal spirits and enthusiasm. Society is his life and lie is always en evidence. He dines out nearly every night and loves balls and receptions. Most agreeable in conversation, of course he is well posted on every subject, and his friends number the great men of the eutiro world. He is a great flirt and very proud of his conquests. Of courso all bow down to tho Browning name, one of the grandest in literature, much sought after by till classes of society. His presence is thought to put a most learned and distinguished stamp ou any reunion.—London Letter. There-was wild entreaty in the tones of the girl, and, although thjfcreff to the asylum had startled th • iad nee She and her mother went in again, and the door was hatred. The moon, finding ingress through the open windows and great gaping holes in the roof, lighted up the interior in a crude manner, but the illumination was quite enough for hia purpose. He disappeared inside the old mill. "Carol, we stand here face to face. The past, with all its joys and sorrows, lies behind us, the future beforo, but we livo only In tho present. Since, last we met you have changed wonderfully. Tell me why it Is you look with aversion where onco you loved." The doctor was enraged when he returned home, though ho did not show it. Indeed, the more serious his anger, as a general rule, the more smiling became his face, but there was death in that smile. moment, she believed the other to be or a Tho young girl was lost again in a new whirl of amazement and nameless horror. Was Nora Warner really insane, as the doctor had said? Somehow or other she could not believe it, even though many things seemed to point that way. She hacl no idea of what was in store for her whilo thus thinking of her child, and yet a crisis in her own affairs was rapidly approaching. sincere, and turning, totKc several steps toward the closet in which Carol had been shut. At this juncture her ears were snlutpd with savage oaths and a cry C.f alarm from the disguised girl, followed by the pharp report of a pistol. Thero was a large chimney at one side of tho milt. and. for some nuroose or other, a hole had been made in this, the bricks lying upon tho floor close by. Although sho could not comprehend in full what tho temptation would bo, yet she know Carol must suffer, and hei heart went out to her poor child, upoD whom Heaven had apparently frowned SC early. Had it been possible, she would nave liked so muoh to have been with Carol during this trial, but tho girl would not hear of it, and tho little lady's heart told her also that it was beBt not so. there ar£ somo battles In this life of ours which must be fought alone, when tho consciousness that all depends upon the unaided efforts of tho ono who fights nerves the arm much more than wou Id tho presenco of tho dearest friend. Her heart was now steeled against Roger, and" at their next meeting she must let him know that he could not even call her friend. He realized that by the escape of Nora Warner his Institution had been placed In very great danger, for had she gone to tho proper authorities they would have adjudged her perfectly sane, and then believed her story, which would have meant ruin, financially, to him. He trembled with fear and anger whenever he thought of the narrow escape ho had had, and Inwardly swore that- It should never occur again. Nora Warner was the first sane person to escape from the walls of his domain, and she should bo the last. Beforo a month went by ho would oauso her to lose her reason, and then If she should manage to get out, her talk would be an Incoherent jumble of nonsense. Even if Roger Darrel were ignorant of the cruel, heartless manner in which his wife was treated, would that lessen his restDonsibilitv in anv w«.v? He must suroly have been aware of tho nature of the place in which she had been put, and even a simple mind ought to be able to read tho character of the villainous mad-house doctor. Somothing in his voico arousod all the impetuosity of her nature. It required a herculean strength to raise the dead detective to this opening, but, as ho was not a man of over a hundred and thirty pounds in weight, the Captain succeeded in accomplishing it. As he let go his hold he heard the body fall with a thump to tho floor. Then all was quiet. He did not Intend to lose any time, but would start upon the trail at once. "Where oncol loved! You havo said it. It otter Barrel. Mav Heaven fnrtMvn you lor deceiving mo as you did 1" sho cried. Two brutal-looking men had sprang from tho neighboring bushes upon her. They were the keepers of the madD house. To rescue an inmate of a mad-house was something liable to prove a tough job, but he was a man of great determination, and would In the end accomplish all that he undertook. While Carol was thus thinking upon tho matter and deciding as to her future plans, Jack was examining the wounds of tiro detoctivo. "I deceived you, Carol?" ho echoed. "My man," said ho finally, "you shall live, aye, llvo for vengeance on tho fiend whose hand struck those cowardly blows." "Those were my words, sir; I will put them stronger if you wish—basely decoivcd me. On the vory night after you saved mo from that wicked wedding, Nora Warner was dragged away by tho minions of that wretch tho mad-house doctor, dragged off to misery and racking jiain, and by your orders. Do not attempt to deny it, sir, for I can see the assumed look of lnnocont surprise on your faco. You brought her to a living death, you ruined tho life of tho aios.v Baakien'a Arnica Salve* He had but a general idea as to where the asylum was located, but onco in tho neighborhood It would bo easy for him to find out all he wished. THK Best Kalvi in itie worm lor Ou iruises, Sores, Ulcers, Ra.lt Rh. u n. Few, ores, Tetter, Chapped Hands. OhD!hiDD' 'orris, and all Skin Kruptions, and r .-urnh Piles, or no pay required I; .B«;n mteod to nlvo perfect satisfaction woao refunded. Price 25 cent* p-»r box. • ®Vir j'e by Price .t Co., PitUion, and R. W. CamplDe]i West Pittdton. Neither of them seemed to think of rest, and it was near dawn when some noise in the unoccupied part of tho ruined mill reached their ears. She thought on for hours, He made no change, not even couching one of the bricks upon the floor, for though it had at first been his intention to brick up the oriflce in tho chimney, upon second thought he realized it was wiser to leavo things just as they were, for fear of exciting suspicion. The idea of a telephonic church is being carried out at Tunbridge Wells, England, where the pulpit of a Congregational church is connected with sixteen subscribers. Wo are told that ''these included doctors and apothecaries, clerks working in various parts of the town, an invalid lady who has been obtaining consolation frora the telephone for several months, and some laxy club men, who went inlo the thuig presumably mors from a spirit of experiment than devotion." Tho faco of tho detective lighted up and a ilerco gleam came Into his eyes, for he would ask nothing better on earth than this. 81l:78ij While they were yet talking, something very llko a muffled shriek reached their ears and caused them all to spring up. A few minutes later, while they stood listening, in dread suspense, and half suspecting that the iiisane asylum doctor had returned to bear them away to Gently raising him, Jack carried tho poor man into tho- habitablo part of the building; and laid him upon tho blankets prepared for him by the widow. Thon he That sho should be nervous after Rogor had left her was quite natural, for she imagined ail that could possibly happen. and her mother heart was touched with sympathy. As he turned to leavo he either saw. der. "What was tl\at?" asked each, In won- From the glowing description of tho mad-houso doctor, of tho "princely