a~„"
VOL. XXXIX.
Tutt's Pills
lUu M f] n „ mil. m a - .
K | ww. n DIUOWV HTO
>wm Of these pn£u If you * °
they will promptly relieved he nan sea.
and nervousness which follows, restore
iff* and remove gtoomy last-
sT) * i,girco *^ il
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THE ALAMANCE GLEANER.
The Siege of
The Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
*.
Copyright, 1911, hy Meredith NkiekM
SYNOPSIS
Hartley Wiggins ts In love with Ceoflta
Holllster. His friend Arnold Ames meets
an elderly lady at the Asolsndo tea rooms.
She Is Cecilia's Aunt Octavta, an eccen
tric woman of wealth. She Invites Ames
to Hopeffletd Manor. Ames la fascinated
by Franceses, a tea room girl.
Ames sees Wiggins meeting Ceclllau se
cretly at Hopefleld Manor. Aunt Octavla
is a great believer In the potential Influ
ence of No. 7. •
Ames sees mysterious men watching the
house. He hears of Heseklah, Cecilia's
sister. Wiggins calls upon Cecilia. The
chimney smokes mysteriously.
The house la said to have a ghost. Ce
cilia tells Ames she Is in deep trouble and
asks him to urge Wiggins not to ceil upon
her again.'
Wiggins regards Ames as a rival. Aunt
Octavla dislikes "Wiggins because his an
cestors were Tories. Wiggins Is Interest
ed in both Cecilia and Heseklah. Cecilia
baa nine suitors.
Ames meets Franceses in an orchard
and learns that she Is Hewklah. They
see nine silk hats cross a stile.
. Aunt Octavla shows Ames the pis pan
try. Cecilia fears Hezeklah loves Wig
gins. Her nine suitors oall.
Cecilia rejects Professor Hume sad.'
makes a record In her silver book. The
butler tells Ames a British oncer's ghost
haunts the house.
Amss finds CeoUla snd bar father, Bass
ford HoUister, fencing on tile roof. Hol
llater Is there unknown to Aunt Oct*vis.
Holllster vsnlshes mysteriously through
the ball wall. Heseklab tells Amss she la
prohibited from visiting Hopeflsld Manor.
Ames seeks plans of the house, but finds
Aunt Octavla has Just secured them. Ce
cllla's suitors are Jealous ot Amss.
Amss assures Cecilia that HaMklah la
not in love wltb Wiggins. Ames makes
another »«»♦ tatuil-**!' gheat
Anna learns that Hopeflsld Minor se
cretly Incloses an old Revolutionary houaa.
Apparently tha ghoat la Lord Arrowood.
a rejected suitor.
Tha chimney smokes again. HaMklah
la the mischief maker. Amaa helpa Hese
klah to elude her Aunt Octavla. Hese
klah mysteriously dlsanpeara.
Cecilia, m great dlatres, aska Amaa to
find her silver notebook, which haa been
taken from ber room. Amaa suspects
Hezeklah.
Hezeklah acares the suitors with a jack
o' lantern, apeak* slightingly of Wigrlna
and glvea Amaa the notebook.
ae was again belligerent. 'lt may
have occurred to him that I might
know aa much aa he, but at any rate
he grinned. It waa a saturnine grin I
did not like.
"I'm starving to death at tbe door of
an inn, and you must excuse me. Hare
you seen Hartley Wiggins lately?"
"I have Indeed. He'a taken to lonely
horseback rider He'a off somewhere
now. He hasn't the stamina for a con
test like this. One by one Hie autumn
leaves are falling," he added, with spe
cial Intention, "and I have given you
your chance."
"Thanks, light bringing Socrates
from the lands of the )galallas. For
•o much courtesy I «hall take pleasure
In reading all your posthumous works.
Let ub cease being absurd."
With thi* I left him and entered the
low raftered office. It *u really a
pleasant lounging room, unspoiled by
the usual botel office paraphernalia.
Dick had followed close behind, and as
I paused, hearing voices raised angrily
in the dining room beyond, I turned to
him for an explanation. As the snitors
had been the only guests of the Inn
since their adrcut, I attributed the com
finotlon to strife in tbelr own ranks.
"You'd better take a look at those
fellows. I've quit them—quite out of
It Remember that," said Dick.
The dining room door was slightly
ajar, and I flung it open.
Ormsby, Bhallenberger, Henderson,
Hume, Gorse and Arbutbnot bad been
engaged with cards at a round table in
an alcove, bat some dispute baring ap
parently risen, tbey stood in their
places engaged In acrimonious debate.
As near as I could determine, someone
of them- I think It was OrnMfcy— Iwish
ed to abandon the game, Which bad
been undertaken to determine in what
order they should be permitted to pay
visits to Hopefield in future, the calls
together having grown intolerable.
They were so absorbed that tbey failed
to note mgfcnppea ranee.
"It's no good, 1 tell you!" cried Orms
by. "There's no fairness la this unless
all take their chances together?"
"Ton ought to have thought of that
before we began- This was your
scheme, but because the cards are run
ning against you you want to quit I
say we'll go on!" This from Render
son,' who struck the table sharply fes he
concluded.
"You knew Wiggins and Dick wereat
going in when we started, and you sue
not likely to get them in bow. Tow
anxiety to cut the rest at us out by
any means seems to hare unsettled
your mind," shouted Gorse, "I say
lefa drop this and stand to oar original
agreement that no man speak till the
end of the fortnight"
, "After that whole scheme has bean
torn to pieces like paper! There's ben
nothing fair in this business from the
start! We ought to hare kept Acrawood
here and held together. AM we ought
to hare got (id of that Ames fellew
he didnt beioag In this at aD!"
Ormaby's voice rose to a disagree
able squeak as he closed with this in
to he the only ens of the group who
had not loot fcisaeneee. Be wae In the
farther corner at the elcor*, out of
sight from the door, but I beard him
distinctly aa be addraaaed the
suitors with rising anger.
"We're acting like cad* and end*
of the most contemptible sort! I only
agreed to this game to satisfy Ormaby.
The idea of ear sitting here to draw
woman in the
a»y interest IK w *3 uad fed
me farther Into the room, and hearing
my step they all turned and faced me.
Dick had continued at my aide, but
the black looks they sent onr way
They Failed to Jlote My Appearance.
were Intended, I thought, rather for
me. My appearance rousM Ormsby to
a fresh outburst.
"You're responsible! If you hadn't
.forced yourself upon the ladles at
Hopefleld these wouldn't hare been
any of this trouble!"
"You're only an Impostor anyhow
YOB went to the house to fix a chim
ney and seem to think you're engaged
to spend the net of your natural life
there," protested Henderson.
Then they dropped me and assailed
Dick.
"We'd like to know what you expect
to gain by dropping out You got cold
feet mighty sudden," bellowed Ormsby.
Gorse and Henderson paid similar
tributes to the apostate, 4vhose melan
choly grin only deepened.
Henderson rallied for a final shot
at me.
"A good horsewhipping is what you
deserve," he cried, leveling his anger
at me.
"Gentlemen,'* I began, not without in
ward quaking, "you have spoken loud,
words to me, and in reply I
must say that your vocal efforts sug
gest only the melodies of the braying
jackass and that your ntanners, to
Weak mildly, are susceptible of con
siderable Improvement."
"You leave this neighborhood within
an hour," boomed Ormsby, and in his
efforts to tree himself from his chair
It fell backward with a crash that
echoed through the long room.
"Then summon the coroner by tele
phone, for I shall not be taken alive,"
I answered quietly, trying to recall my
youthful delight in Porthos, Athos and
Aramls.
"Come along, let us put him out,"
Henderson was saying In an aside to
Ormsby
"You wore.playing a game here for a
stake not yours for the winning," 1
continued. "Now I suggest that you
shuflie the pack—you three, who are so
full of valor—shuffle the pack. I say.
and draw tor the jack of clubs. Who
ever Is the fortunate man I shall take
pleasure In pitching through yonder
voir charming casement."
"Agreed r cried Henderson, and the
three dung themselves into their chairs.
The alacrity ot their consent had un
nerved me for a moment. D'Artagiiiiii.
I was sure, would have fought thorn
•11, but I consoled myself as tbe curds
rattled on the bare table with tbe re
flection that, considering the fact tbat
I had nover in my life laid violent
hand* on a fellow being, 1 was con-
ducting myself with admirable assur
ance. My weight boa always hung
well within 180, and physicians have
told me that I was Incapable of taking
on flash or muscle. Any oue of these
men could easily toss me through the
window 1 bad Indicated a* a means of
their own exit.
Bbailenberger caught my eye and In
dicated with a alight Jerk of the bend
that I bad better run before It wan too
late. The painstaking cAre with which
Henderson bad fallen upon the cards
waa disquieting, to put it mildly. Dick
nudged me in the ribs and offered to
hold my coat
"It will not be necessary," I replied
lareiassly. "Tender your services to
the other gentlemen. Come, gentle
men—hurry. Let us not waste time
here."
"if Ormsby turns up the card yon're
a dasd man," Dick waa muttering
gloomily.
"They're all alike to me," 1 replied
loudly. "Mr. Ormaby is very beauti
ful. I shall hope not to disflgure trim
permanently " But as I spoke my
tongue was a wabbly dry clapper In
my mouth.
1 waa bending over now, watching
the three ixen pick np the carta, and
ooce, when 1 misread the Jack of
spades tor the Jack of dobs, a shud
der passed over me. They were down
to the last card, and Onnaby's band
was on it
Then 1 looked at the floor to steady
myself, and hope leaped within
tor than, hy Ormaby's foot-a Urge
and heavy one-lay-en upturned cart,
the Jack at eluba, wboee lone symbol
stsgaHUd Itself enormously in my
'"t'thls'moment I became coßSctons
that something bad occurred to dis
tract the attention of the other men.
who were staring at some one wbo
IUMI fntcred DolfltkMlf,
*0 satiates, you ssem immensely in
teracted "in the turn of tboee cards, |
am glad to bars arrived at the critical
moment Mr, Ormsby, will you kindly
■ft the remaining cart ftwa the
table f"
. Uise Octarla stood beside me. Me
waa drnaeed in a dark brown riding
hdWt—the feather In bar fedora bat
cDDhtiizid bar mini l ft rink ifr
GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 5, L 913.
"Geutieuieii*." 't~cTi«d, jiolntlng to the
card, "what trick Is this? Can it l>e
possible that you have lx»en trifling
with me In a fashion' for which men
have dlfd the world over by aword and
pistol:"
"Kindly- explain, Arnold, the nature
of this dlfllenlty." Miss Octavla com
mamled.
"Simply this. Miss Holllater. If I
must answer. I imd offered to flght
these three gentlcjnen In order. It waa
agreed that tbe man who drew the
Jack of clubs from the pack with
which they had heen playing should
be my first victim. They have ahuflled
their own carda and have drawn the
whole pack and there lb no jack of
clubs in the pack! The only possible
explanation is one to which I hesitate
to apply the* obvious plain Saxon
terms."
"It dropped out, that's all! Vou
don't dnre pretend that we threw out
the jack to avoid drawing It!" proteat
ed ormsby, though 'I saw from the
glances the trio exchanged that they
suspected one another. Ormsby and
Gorae bent down to look for the miss
ing cord, but before they found It I
stepped forward and drove my list
upon the table with all the power 1
could put into the blow.
"Stop!" I cried. "I gave you every
opportunity to Btand- up and take n
trouncing, but 1 need hardly say that
after this contemptible knavery I re
fuse to soil my hands on yon!"
"Do you Insinuate"—began Ilender
aon, jumping to his feet.
".Gentlemen." said Miss Holllster,
lifting tbe riding crop, "it is perfectly
clear to me that Mr. Ames has gone aa
far as any gentleman need go in pro
tecting hla honor.".
With one sweep of her crop she
brushed to the floor the three piles of
cards that lay on the table as they had
been stacked when drawn.
"Arnold," she said, with Indescrib
able dignity, "will yon kindly attend
me to my horse?"
CHAPTER XXII.
Under the Old Flooring.
A STABLE BOY held Miss Octa
vla'a horse ot the inn door.
Her face, her figure, her voice
. expressed outraged dignity as
ahe "tested the saddle girth.
"You need never tell me what had
happened to provoke your wratb, for
that is none of iny affair, but 1 wish to
say that your coudu' t rind bearing won
my highest npproval. They had un
doubtedly hidden the jack of clubs to
avoid the drubbing you would have
administered to the unfortunate man
who would have drawn thai card If It
had been in the pack."
"1 waa not 111 the slightest danger at
•ny time. MIMS IJolllster," 1 pretested.
"By one of those tricks of fate to
which you and I are becoming so ac
customed t!;o card hud fulteu lo the
floor utiuot| ed. If you had not arrived
•o opportunely the lost Jack would have
been discovered, the cards reshuffled,
and very likely Mr. Ormsby would have
been dusting the Inn floor with me at
this very minute."
"I refuse to believe any »uch thing."
declared Miss Octavla, who bad mount
ed and continued speaking frAui the
•addle. "Tour |>erfect confidence waa
admirable, and I shudder to thluk of
the terrible punishment you would
have given them."
If Mlsa Octavla wished to view my
performances In this flattering light It
•eemtd unnecessary to object.
"It was only a pleasant Incident of
the day'* work, Miss Holllster. I'm go
ing to engage a squire and take to tbe
open roud as soon as all this Is over."
"As soon as all what Is over?" t' t de
manded. eying me keenly.
"Oh, the work I'vo undertaken }o
here. 1 flutter myself that I have maeitj
*ome progress, but within twenty-four
hours I dare say tbat we shall bare
seen the euV'
"Tour words are not wholly lumi
nous Arnold."
"It Is much lietter thnt It should be
•o. Vou have trusted me so far, an.l
I have no Intentkm of falling you now.
If I say that the crisis la near at band
In a certain matter tbat Interests you
greatly, you. will understand that 1 am
not striking Ignorantly In the-dark."
"If you know what I »u«pecl yoa
know, Arnold Ames, yon are ewn
•hrewder than I thought you, and yon
had already taken a high place in my
regard."
"Will yon tell me Just bow you
en me to visit the lan at thla particular
hour?" '
"Nothing could bo simpler. I had
luncheon at the bouse of a friend on
whom I called. Cecilia Imd left ma
to continue ber ride alone, and on my
way home I thought I would ride by
the Prewiitt Aruis to see bow the
yuentn were faring Tou *ee"-*b*
paused and gar# a twitch to ber bat
to proling lay. •aspens*--"yoa see, 1
t»wu tbe I*reseott Arms!"
With thin ahe rode away, •ml not
caring to risk * further meeting, with
ibe angry suitors from whom Mini
OctavU had readied m« by so narrow
• margin, 1 net off across the field to
ward Ifopefleld.' From tbe utile 1 aaw
Mlaa Octarla in tbe highway balf a
call* distant, aendlng bar born* alone
•t a spirited egmer., I reached the
bonne without further adrcntures, waa
•erred with a wNI luncheon ID toy
room, and hy tbe time I bad changed
my ' lothra Mlaa Octavla nent ma word
that I'epperton bad arrlred.
Mlaa Octarla aad tbe architect were
cymrenring earnestly when I reached
tbe library, and from tbe abrnptneaa
with which they eaaed on my en
trance I Imagined i bat ! bad been the
subject of their talk. Pei>pertoo It net
only one of tbe finest arcbltecta Amer
ica baa prodeced, hot one of tbe Join
eat of fellewa. Fie graaped my band
cordially and pointed to tbe Breplace.
"to you're «t hurt found one of my
Jo be to overhaul, bare yotit Too
mnetn't let tbla get oot on me, old
man; It would abatter my reputatloor
"Please obeerre that tbe Hoe la draw
ing splendidly pew," I answered. "A
ghost bad'been strolling op and down
the chimney, bat now that 1 bare
found hie lair be will not trooble Mlaa
Holliater'a trepiacee again." ___
"I Hare waited for yonr aniral, Mr.
I'epperton. that we might bare tbe
benefit ot yonr knowledge of tbe booae
In following tbe trail uf tbla ghost
whkh Arnold baa discovered. Bnt we
must gire Arnold credit for effecting
dl ' «Itnuf isurt
'".u3 f* / H '■ >
stroyed Ihe plans 1 obtained from your
ofllce HO that Arnold might'be fully
tested as to his capacity for managing
the most difficult situations."
When Mlaa Octavla first referred to
me aa Arnold, Pepperton raised bis
brows a trifle; tbe second time he
glanced at me laughingly. He seemed
greutly amused by Miss Octavla'a aerl
ouaneas, but ber amiable attitude to
ward me clearly pawled him.
"It takes a good man to uncover a
thing 1 try to hide. 1 said
you. Miss Holllster, about tbe retention
within the walls of this house of parts
of an old one that formerly occupied
the alte for the reason that I thought
you might refuse to buy tbe estate.
The geutlemau for whom I built Ilo]>e
field was superstitious, aa many men
of advanced yean are, aa to the build
ing of a new house, and as the alte be
chose Is one of the finest In .tbe country
he rotnpellod me to construct tills house
—which Is the moat satisfactory I have
built—ln such maimer thnt enough of
the old should lie kept Intact to soothe
his superstitious soul with the idea
that he had merely altered an old
house, not built n new one. Aa it ia
tbe architect's business to yield to
auch capricee, i obeyed him* strictly.
So there are two rooms of an old farm
house hidden under the east wing, and
it amused me once 1 had got into It to
preserve part of tbe old atalrwny and
connect the retained cbnmbera with
the upper hull of tbla bouae. 1 had to
patch the original atalr, which was
only oae flight, with dlacarded lmnlier
from thu old bouae, but I flatter myself
that I managed It neatly. I even anved
tbe old nails to avert the wrath of the
evil aplrlta. When the umbrella and
dyspepsia cure man, died—for be did
die, as you know—l believed the secret
had died with blm, as be was very sen
sltlve about his superstitions. Most of
tbe laborers on tbat part of the Job
were brought from a long distance, and
I aupposed they never .really knew Just
what we were, doing. 1 might have
known, though, that if a fellow aa clev
er as Ames got to pecking at the house
tbe trick .would be discovered. But the
chimney, old man—what 011 earth waa
the matter with-it?"
"It will never happen again, and I
promised the ghost never to tell how
It waa done.!'
"Ton were quite right In doing that,
Arnold, a ghost's secret* should be
•acred; but let us now proceed to the
hidden chambers," said Miss Ho.lllster,
rising without further ado.
She summoned Cecilia, to whom we
explained mattera briefly, and at Pep
perton's inggestion the four of ua went
directly to the fourth floor, ao that
Mlaa Octavla might see the whole con
trivance In the moat effective manner
poaalbla.
My awkward pen falters In the at
tempt to convey any Idea of Mlaa Oo
tavla's delight in l'epperton's revela
tion. She kept repeating her admira
tion of his genius, and her pralae of
my cleverness, which, to protect Hexe
klah, I was. forced to accept meekly.
When in broad daylight Pepperton
found and pressed the spring In the
upper hall, and the hidden door opened
with a slowness that indicated a real
ization of Its own dramatic valae, Miss
Octavla cried out gleefully, like a child
that wltneasea tbe manipulation of •
new and wonderful toy.
"Beyond any question," she kept as
serting, "beneath the chambers of the
old bouse down there we shall find the
bones of that British soldier who per
ished here, or It Is even possible that
a chest of hidden treasure Is concealed
beneath the floor."
We were lighting candle* prepara
tory to stepping down Into ihe dark
stairway, and Pepperton was plainly
hard put to keep from laughing.
Miss Octavla followed Pepperton
•lowly, pausing frequently lo bold her
candle close to the sfftlr walls, whose
rough surfactw confirmed all that Pep
perton had said of the preservation of
the old timbers. I had hronght a
handful of candles, and when we had
reached the dark rooms Jteneath 1
lighted these and set them tip In the
black eorne-s of the old rooms. In
•■vhlch, Miss Oetsvi* remarked, not
irren the w«!l paper had been disturb
ed. Tbe exit Into the coal cellar and
concealed opening* left for ventilation
wbicb had oar-aped me before, war#
du.w (minted out by tbe architect, who
kept laughing at tbe huge Joke of It all.
lllnn Octnvia nenrcbed thoroughly
for any ultra* of a trapdoor Inmeiith
which the bone* of tbe Hrltlab *o Idler
might repoae.
If I bad foreseen her iiereMence In'
clinging to tlie tradition of tbe 111 fated
Briton I abotjld hare taken tbe trouble
to'bide a (ew lione* under tbe flooring.
Mlaa Oct* tin bad brought a *tlck from
tbe coal room and waa thumping tbe
floor wllb It even while I'eppertoa tried
to discourage her further Investiga
tion*. We wero ail ranged about Iter
with our candle*, and those, with tbe
otlM-ra f bud Ibroat Into tbe corner*,
lighted the room well.
"I'm afraid you've aeen tbe whole of
It >ll*» Jlolllaier," aakl i'eppertpo
"The oldniou*e waa built after the
Revolution, I judge, but jfur llrtUah
eoldler *«« probably left hanging to •
tree and never burled at all."
Ml** Ik tn via bad been over the Soon
of the two room* twice and waa about
to denial. fthe made hf* laat atnnd In the
corner of the ei»*ller room, and aa we
ail atood holding our light* we were
conaclou* ibat the dull, moootonott*
thump suddraljr changed Ita tone.
"Do you bear that, gentlemen?"
Kbe an her gratification la the
rebuking glance abe gave ua. Calm
and unhurried, "he reeled a moment on
her etlrk, with tbe candle'* aoft glow
about her, a amiie Ineffably aweet oa
her face.
"The Uwbere ma/ haro rotted away
underneath. We didn't ralee tbeae
floor*," aald Pepperton," but we both
dropped to our knee* and brought all
the candle Hght to bear upon the floor
ing Boat and mortar, shaken loo** In
the deal ruction of tbe bona*, filled the
erack*. reppertoo. deeply abeorbed,
continued to *ound the corner with hia
kmcklea. _ _J_ r _
"It really look* aa though tb*M
board* bad been cut for aonte purpo**,"
be add, whipping out bia?lnlf*.
I nut to the kindling room and found
a hatchet, and when i returned be had
dog tbe dirt out of tbe edge* of tbe
floor plank*. Alienee held u* all aa 1
eet to prrlng up the board*.
r'l beg or you to exercise the great
est care, gpntlemen. if bones are in
terred we must do tbem no sacri
lege," warned Mls* Octavla. 1
By this time' we all, I think, began to
believe tliut tbe flooring might really
have been cut In this corner ot the old
room to permit the hUliug of some
thing. The old plunks clung stub
bornly to I heir Jolta, but after I
had loosened olu> tbe others came up
quickly, and the smell of dry earth
tilled the room Pepperton had. at Mlaa
Octavlu's .direction, brought a chisel
and crowb.t.~ from the toolroom In the
cellar, and Lo stood ready with these
when 1 tore up the Inst board, disclos
ing an oblong upace - about Ave feet
long and nllgUtly-over three feet wide.
We were nil excited nqw. The edge
of the bar struck repeatedly npatmit
.something that resisted sharply. It
might have been a root, but-wheu Pep
perton shifted the point of attack the
same booming sound answered to the
prodding. Pepperton now thought it
might be only an empty cask or a box
of no jntercxt wb itever, but Miss Octa
vla, hovering cl»*e with a candle, en
couraged us to go on.
We workoil on silently, Pepperton
loosening the soil with the bar while I
shoveled It out. In half qn hour w* had
revealed a long, flat wuoden surface,
wlili h to our anxious Imaginations was
the ]ld of smile sort of box.
It must have l»>eu nearly tl o'clock
when we dragged out Into that candle
lighted cbamlier a stout, well fashion
ed box. Tbe earlh flung to Its sides
Jealously, and It was bound wltb strips
of brass that shone brightly where tho
scr&plitK ot our tools bad burnished It.
We pried off the heavy lock with a
good ileal of dllDciilty, and when It
was free Miss Octavla asserted her
light to the 1 reusure trove wltb much
calmness.
"I should never forgive myself If I
allowed this opportunity lo pass. Toil
Biuat'iierinlt nie to bare the first look.*
CHAPTER XXIII.
THa Ghost of Adoniram Caldwall.
Wfc gathered close about her
as she knelt liealde the box.
My band aliook aa 1 held
tny candle, and I think Miss
Octavla was tbe only one In the. room
who showed no rervouxness.
We all exclaimed In varioua keya aa
the light fell upon tbe open cheat.
The musty odor of old garmenta greet
ed us at ouce. Tbe box was well fill
ed, and Its contents were neatly ar
ranged.
"It's hla ragged regimentals!" cried
Cecilia, as we unfolded an officer's
coat of blue and buff, sadly decrepit
and faded, "and he waa not a British
soldier at all. but an American pa
triot."
Timo and service had dealt even
more harshly with an American flag
en which the thirteen white atara
floated dimly on tho dull blue Held. II
had been bound lightly about a packet
of papers which Miss Octavla asked
Pepperton to examine.
"These are commlsidone appointing a
rortaln Adoniram Caldwell to various
positions In _ the Continental army.
Adoniram Imd the right stuff In him.
Here he's dls-barged nm a private to
become an ensign, rose from ensign to
colonel and seenia to have been In most
of the big doing*. Tor gallantry In
the recent engagement at Stony point,
on recommendation of General An
thony Wayne'-by Jove, that does rath
er carry you back!"
Half a dozen of those documents
traced Adonlrain Caldwell's career to
Ihe end of the flcvoltillo:) and his re
tirement from tbe military service Witt
tbe rank of colonel. A scaled lettei
attached to these commissions next
beld our uttcuilon. It waa addressed
"To Whom It .May Concern."
"1 suppose It t oncer's us as much a*
anybody." remarked Miss Octavla.
"What du you nay, gentlemen) Khali
wt open It?"
We all demanded breathlessly that
•be break Ihe teal, and. wo were soon
bending over her with our eights. The
Ink had blurred, and In'spots rust bad
obliterated the Writing:
I, Roger Hartley Wiggins, some time
known «s Adoniram Caldwell
" "Hartley Wiggins!" we gasped. And
1 felt Cecilia's hand clasp my arm.
Mlaa Octavla continued reading, and
•a she waa obliged to pause often and
refer illegible Hues to the reef of us I
If* hi* raffed reglmefitelel* erled
C**i!l*.
bare copied tbe following from the let
ter Ikwlf, with only alight changea of
punctuation and spelling:
I Ro*«r Hartley Wlggtaa, *otn* Km*
known m Atfonlram C*l4w*ll. baring DOW
r**um*d my proper nam* *n4 b*mg about
to marrt Mid having b**un tb* conatrue-
Uao of a habitation for my**lf wb*r*tn
to *nd my d*j«, truthfully Mt forth thee*
aaattera: s
My father, Hiram Wiggins of Rbod* 1»-
land, havln* aupporiad tb* royallat eaua*
la our lata war. for Independence and an
a*r*d by My frlendlinea* to th* patriot*,
and b*, wHb • • • brother* and *l*t*r hav
iag returned to England *ft*r tbe arao
uatlon at lloaton, I Joined th* Continental
troope umlar (Janaral Putnam oa LiOßg
Island In July. 1771 aorvln* Is vartou*
wmuaenda thereafter to th* bfgt of my
IgOTjAI
•II Signature /X^'
B$S Promotes DigrattotUCkwfi- « //• JT
ft? ncss and tesȣontalnj neter 01
Opium.Morphinc norMiueraL /. V\ . IT
NOT NAH CO TIP. • IKW
11! | I AN
!» satl? \ ■; \Y »
Is AJ- Use
fi-o WormsjConvulltasAwrah: I lkT _ A
Is "iST VA For Over
k Thirty Years
ty»j
Exact Copy of Wrapper. rMI MN t««R MMMNY, «I« to«« «n.
•biniy cr tn;sr,f."■ u«
now retuthpil to Khnde lel and mid ha*. I
learn, been makinK Inqulrtee touching my
whereabouts und condition, so that I hare
every hope that we matt become ream-
oiled. Yel mmy aervlcee io the country i
»er« agalnat hla wlihti and cauaed «o
much liarehneaa and heartache, and being
now come Into a part of the country
wtiere 1 am Unknown. I am decided to re
sume my rightful naine, that my wife and
children may bear It and In the hope that
I may myself yet add to It some hon
or. • • •
Nor shall my wife or any children that
may be born to me know from .me • • •
(badly blurr"tl). Vet. not caring lo de
stroy my sword, which 1 bore with some
credit, nor these testimonials of respect
and confidence I received as Adonlram
Caldwell st various times and from vari
ous personages of renown, both civilians
and In the military service, I plm-jt them
undsr my house now building, where I
hope In Ood's care to end my days In
peace. I would In like oaae make like
choice again.
Ten lines, followlnif Ibis were wholly |
Illegible, but Just before the dale (June
'IT, 1780) nod the signature, which wit*
written large, was this:
God preserve three American states that
thay endure In unity and concord forever!
We had all been moved by the reatl
lng of this long lost letter, and Mint
Octavla'a voice had faltered several
times.
"Mr. Wiggins once told inc thut his
greut graiulfiithcr had lived somewhere
10 Westchester county, but I fancy he
bad no Idea that Ilopafietd was the
Identical spot." remarked U4m Octn
vla. "It seems lii.timWHo, ami yet I
dare say tho hand of fate U In It,"
"Oh. It'S no wonilerfnl; go beyond lie
llef!" cried Cecilia, reverently folding
the letter, whlrb, I observed, she re
tained In Iter own hands.
"It's wonderful." added Miss Octa
via promptly, taking .the swoid, which
l'«|)l>erißo -hurt with dim-ull.v dhnvu
from lis bnlterod scabbard, "that even
a discerning woman like me could have
been so mistaken. I recall with humll
Ity that Inst fourth of July, at Berlin,
1 reprimanded Sir, Wiggins severely
because Ills family bad not been repre
senled In the wnr for American Inde
pendence. Ily the Irony of circum
stances It becomes my duty to present
to blin the very mvord that Ills adml
rable grrat Krandfiilhcr l*>re lit that
mometiti.ti'i Ktrnat'.'e."
Reverul cojiles of N'ctv Tork newspa
pers, half a clown Fri-tuli gold (oltts.
tbe miniature of a woman's fitco.
Which we assumed In Iw thai of TToter
Wiggins' mother or slsler, were l.rtcflv
eismlned; then by Miss Ottnvfa'n nr
darn we carefully returned evefrthlng
to the che>t. He vera I packets of let
ter* we did not oj en,
"Arnold," she sold when wo had
c losed the c best, "w'll you and Mr.
Pepperton kindly carry that bo* to my
room? No servant's hand shall tou i,
It, and I shall myself give It lo Mr
Wiggins at the earliest opportunity."
We had lost track of time in those
hidden rooms, preserved by the whim
of one man that the secret of i nothe,
might lie dlwot'ercd, ahd found with
snrprlse. after the chest had lieeti car
rled to Mis* Oct*via'* apartment*, that
It waa after 7 o'clock. W# had bet »i In
(TO W oumiamt.l
Itch relieved in 20 minutes by
Woodford's Sanitary Lotion.
Never fails. Sold by Graham
Drag Co.
J no. Anhut a York lawyer,
convicted of bribery, waa sentenc
ed to not leM than two nor more
than four years In Sing Sing pris
on.
•*• Kiev What Yea Are Taklag
When yon take Grove's Tast
iest Chill Tonic because the form
ula is plainly printed on every
bottle showing that U is Iron and
Quinine in a tnstlfss form. No
(fare, No Pay. 60c.
An order has been issued that
no womap will be allowed to ride
astride a horse In any of tbe pa
rade* at the Confederate Veter
ans' reunion at Chattanooga thia
week. - In the old days—and the
reunion la to. celebrate the old
old days—moat women rode horse-
NO. 17
The
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