CHAPTER LVIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 2

CHAPTER LVIII.

IX THE RKCTOR'S APARTMENT. The cab containing Dr. Goodwin and Colonel Fitzgerald, after bo>vling along Ox-foid-street for a few moment?, turned into Harlcy-streeb, and drew up before a plain, three-storied biick house. " Here we are. Come, Colonel :" said the good doctor, as, without waiting for the help of the servant, he opened the door of the cab and stepped out, followed by Gerald Fitzgerald. On Dr. Goodwin's recommendation Gerald took a hot bath, and Jubal having been despatched to a fashionable tailor, who&e establishment on Oxford-street was but a few blocks off, got every requisite for a gentleman's full dress laid out for his use. Gerald made his toilet, and fhen went down to join his old friend in the parlour ; buta keen sense of sorrow overshadowed and oppressed him. Grief and remorse returned together with augmented forco and poignancy. In this dark and heavy mood of mind he entered Dr. Goodwin's green parlour, where he found the rector seated at a table busily engaged in looking over a pile of old letters and documents. "I see you are busy over your papers. Pray do not let me interrupt you Dr. Goodwin," he said. "You do not, I assure you, Colonel. These are letters relating to the identity of Gabriel Haddon's heiress. 1 was merely arranging and numbering them according to their dates. I have got through with my task, and am quite at your orders, Colonel." To prevent Fitzgerald from falling deeper into his sad reverie, Dr. Goodwin resolved to engage him on the subject of Gabriel Haddon's missing daughter. "Pray, give me your attention, Colonel Fitzgerald. What lam about to tell you I consider really very important. I warned you that you would be greatly surprised— indeed, Imighthavesaidshocked— athearing the name of Gabriel Faddon's daughter." "Yes," murmured Gerald Fitzgerald, still sadly abstracted, for he was trying to remember how Gertrude looked in the last glimpse he got- of her face. " Now, whom do you suppose to be the long-missing daughter of Gabriel and Lily Haddon?" inquired the rector, trying to arouse his moody guest. " Whom do you suppose her to be ? Some one you know, I assure you, bub who ?" " Gertrude," -murmured Fitzgerald, scarcely knowing what he said. "Gertrude? Nonsense! What are you thinking of. my dear Colonel? Gertrude is a child in years—not 17 yet; This woman woman mußt be middle-aged. Of course, nob Gertrude." " Then I don't know." "Then listen. The lost daughter of Gabriel Haddon is discovered and identified in--" "Who?" "Magdala." "Magdala!" echoed Gerald Fitzgerald, now thoroughly aroused. "Yes, thai) poor, mad wanderer, whom, we have known for nearly seventeen years as Magdala,' is the daughter of the late Gabriel Haddon and Lillian, his wife, and the undoubted Heiress of some half a-dozen of the wealthiest uianoip in 1 , the Wilde county!" '"\ ' ' . ..„'■'. • ' Heaven q]£ heavens )" exclaimed Colonel ■ Fifczgej&ld, aghast. "''l thought I "should wake you up at last," quietly remarked Dr. Goodwin. " But are you sure of this astounding statement/ ?" inquired Fitzgerald.

"Perfectly. I have all the documents. There is not a single break in the chain of evidence," calmly replied the rector. " This is the most stupefying piece of news I ever heard in my life," exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald in unabated amazement. "I need not, however, weary you. .with all the documentary evidence of the statement, or even with details of the toil and trouble by which I obtained suph evidence. It is all safely locked up in yonder table drawer, where you can find and examine it at your leisure." "Thank you, Doctor. I will look at it in due time." "Then I will just simply tell you the story, and keep the proofs to be produced when they shall be called for." "Yes." ''You have doubtless heard, Colonel Fitzgerald, how Gabriel Haddon married Lillian Vale in opposition to her grandfather's wishes ?" "Yes." " And her grandfather, Hiram Slaughter, contrived to separate Lilian from her husband by a perjury — making oath before a magistrate that &he was a minor and his ward, and that, therefore, her marriage without his consent was illegal, when, in fact, she was of age and was the lawful wife of (Jabiiel Haddon.' "Yes, I know that." " You know, also, that Haddon was prosecuted and imprisoned on the charge of abducting a minor ?" "Certainly." " But perhaps you do not know that during the imprisonment of Haddon, General Slaughter took hi& unhappy granddaughter to England, where he subjected her to the influence of poisonous sedatives, whose deadly action on her brain and ner\ous system reduced her almost to a state of idiocy V " I have "heard even that." " And while she was in this, irresponsible state he placed her in a private hospital, where she became the unconscious mother of a female child, whom she never beheld, whose birth she never even suspected." " Certainly, that also I have heard." " Can you wonder, then, that this hapless offspring of a poisoned, crazed, unconscious mother should have been bom with the seeds of insanity in her organisation, and should at last have developed into that moonstruck maniac, Magdala ?" "No ! no ! but it i& a sorrowful, tcniblo story !" "It is ; but now to my statement." "I succeeded, about ten weeks since, in tracing the physician who kept the private hospital where this unfoitunate child was born. He had retii ed on a fortune and was living at Brighton. I went down there and interviewed him. He was quite an aged man, seventy-five or eighty years old, I should judge ; but his faculties weie good and his memory clear. He perfectly lccollcetecl Lillian Haddon ; had once been deeply interested in her lri&toiy, from one strange circumstance. She had not been introduced to him and entered on his books as Lillian Haddon, but as Annie Feudal; while all her under-clothing and linen were maikcd with the name of Lillian Haddon. " The nur-ae it was who first noticed the lady's real name on her linen, and the spoke of it to the doctor, who counselled her to take no notice and to hold her tongue. But there was still other evidence of the lady's identity as Lillian Haddon. In her lio-om was found a worn letter, enveloped and directed to Gabiiel Haddon, ITaddon's Feiry, Wildeville, Wilde County, Va., U. S. This letter the nuroc took chaigc of. It seemed that the poor, guauled gill had got a chance to write it, and that then phc carefully concealed it about her person, waiting for an I opportunity to post it. That letter is still in existence, tied up with some others, in that table-drawer." Colonel Fitzgerald glanced towards the placo of deposit, but said nothing. Dr. Goodwin continued : " The physician told me that the young patient continued to be known in the hospital as Anne Fendal, though he and her nurse felt sure that her true name was Lillian Haddon. She remained with them for several months, during which she continued in a very infirm condition of mind and body, so that when she became a mother she knew nothing of what had happened. Her babe was placed out at nurse, and at the end of a month the young mother was removed by her guardian ; and the doctor never afterwards heard of her. He gave me, however, the address of the nurse who had attended Lillian Haddon during her illness in the hospital, and also of the woman who had taken the babe to bring up. I found both these women living in London --the sick-nurse still plying her useful trade, though now a woman past sixty, and the child's nurse now the wife of a thriving market gardener, near Norwood. "The next day I made a visit to the market gardener's wife, who, having lost her own first child, had taken Lillian Haddon's to nurse. I found the woman to be a buxom dame of about fifty-five, In ing at Norwood. She gave me an unbroken history of the child from the day when sho answered the doctor's advertisement, and presented herself at the hospital as a wet nurse and took away the new-born infant with her to Norwood, down to the day the same child, grown to be a woman, a wife, and a mother, took leave of her and sailed for Virginia, to look after the relatives and the estates to which she had discovered herself to be the heiress. "And this was the woman we have known as Magdala?" exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald. " The very same. The young nurse became very much attached to her nurseling, so that even after all the remittances from her mysterious guardian ceased the woman and her husband still loved and cherished the forsaken child. They had her christened in Norwood Church, and gave her the name of Magdala Haddon, and the hospital nurse who had attended her mother stood as one of her sponsors in baptism. They tried to find out the guardian who had so faithlet&ly abandoned her, but they, failed utterly in their attempt to trace him. The worthy market-gardener and his good wife prospered greatly during tho years that little Magdala was growing up; as if their protection of the deserted child had brought a blessing to them. They made money, bought a larger piece near their own, moved into it, and while the husband carried on the market-gardening business, the wife took lodgers, assisted by Magdala and her own younger girl. Well, one summer, when Magdala was about fifteen years of age, there came a gentleman to lodge with them whose name was Adam Lackland." "tVao?" exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald, bending his dark brows wistfully upon the speaker. " Adam Lackland." " Ada** Lackland !" " Aye ! You may well stare. I thought X should give you several shocks before I could get through with my narrative," said the rector, quietly. \ "Adam Lackland; why, that was the name of the man who was tried in Washington two years ago for ,the murder of. ■ Buckhuret S" exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald, amazed. , " Yes,- that was the man, pr, at all events', the name of the man." "The name is very peculiar, but not more bo than the man who bore it ; it must have been the same. Pray go on,"

" Well, this young Lackland came tolodge with Robins, the market-gardener, in the summer when Magdala Haddon was about fifteen years of age. It seems that he was a very handsome young fellow, of pleasing manners, and, what was better than all, steady habits. He made a very • good impression on the honest people, who declared that they never had a lodger whom they liked better ; for though he was engaged upon a London newspaper he neither smoked, nor swore, nor broko the Sabbath ; besides, he kept regular hours." " He was a very exemplary young man, though a professional Bohemian. That being understood, proceed. What did he do?' "He fell' in love with the splendid beauty of young Magdala, and proposed to marry the girl."' " Well?" "Well, the foster-mother consulted the father, and then the curate, and then the god-mother, and between them all it was agreed that, though the girl was very young, yet the man was so steady, respectable, and well able to support her, it was better that po good an opportunity of settling her so satibfactorily in the world should not be lost ; but that, before the marriage, the young man must, in fairness,, be informed of the doubtfull origin of this child whom he sought as his wife. '"They sent for the young man and told him all about it. He heaid them with the greatest amazement, but made no comment until they had got through. Then he asked to be permitted to see the relics that had been preserved by the humble friends of the deserted child. After he had seen and examined them all, he, in his turn, astonished liis new friends by announcing to them that he was himself a native of Wilde country ; that ho knew the General Hiram Slaughter and the Gabriel Haddon mentioned in the long-preserved letter ; thafc he had heard of the Lily Vale who had run off with and married Gabriel Haddon ; that in Wilde county there was a difference of opinion about that marriage, some holdingit to be perfectly legal, others believing ifc to be otherwise ; but if that marriage could be proved to have been legil, and the girl Magdala identified as the child of that union, then was she the heiress of extenbive manois in Wilde county, Virginia." "Well, they married— this young Adam Lackland and Magdala Haddon ?*' " Yes, they married ; but from stress of circumstances they lodged with the old couple for several months, cluiing which young Lackland collected all the proofs, relics, copies of letters,- abstiacts from paiish registers, affida\it« of witnesses, and eveij'thing else that he could lay his hands on as> e\idcnce of the identity of Magdala. Had Jon with the daughter of Gabriel and Lillian Haddon, and the heiress of sundry nianoife in Wilde country. Fortunately, he wib wi->e enough to tase attested copies oidy, leading the oiiginal documents in the hands of those who had so caiefully preserxed them for so many years. Armed with these, he made preparations lor taking his young wife with him to Viigiuia, to sock out her father, Gabriel If addon, and her grandfather, Hiram Slaughter. But, in the meantime, the winter had drawn on, and he Mas unwilling* to expose Magdala to the discomforts of a £>ea \ oyago in cold weather, lie was easily persuaded to defer the tiip until spring hhould come. But -when that time arrived, another delay became necessary. The peiiod was appioaching when the young wife would become <a mother, and it was fKhi-ablo to put off their voyage until after the biitli of her child. In short they w.iited. Theii child, a lovely little girl, by Mis Rohinb'b account, was born on the lirst day of June. Mother and babe being in pei feet health, they completed their armngement-., and sailed for New Yoik on the t\\ cntj -eighth of the same month. And the kind friends they had left behind never saw them again.'' " I wonder how that could have been, fincc both Lackland and Magdala are still li\ing; and it seems that they had both been much attached to the old maiket gaidener's family.' "Heaven knows ! As for me, I have been wondering at everything relating to the case ever since I discovered the hospital doctor and followed up the clue." "Did they never hear from the young couple again?" I " Yes," once, and only once. They received a letter from Adam Lackland, dated New York, July the 10th, saying that they had arrived safe and in good health, and that they should start for Virginia on the following morning. Since that they have never recehed one item of intelligence concerning them " "Well, Goodwin, I have heard your astounding story ; yeb this remains — that the Adam Lackland and Magdala Haddon of your narrarive, the steady, God-fearing man, and the gentle, atlectionate maiden, arc so entirely different, so exactly opposite to the Lackland and Magdala of our . acquaintance, to the rough backwoodsman.*and the fierce mad- woman, thafc I cannot make them the same," said Colonel Fitzgerald. "Time, change rfnd circumstances have made them the same ! The Lackland and Magdala who, with their infant child, lefb England on the 28th of June, 18—, and arrived at New York on the 10th of July, < are the same Lackland and Magdala of ' our knowledge. I can trace every step of the girl's history, from her birth to her arrival in New York on the 10th of July, 18 — . Then and there she is lost sight of, by direct testimony; but her steps maybe followed by circumstantial evidence." " What evidence, in the name of Heaven ?" "Listen. Her letter to her fosterparents, dated New York, July 10th, 18—, announcing their safe arrival in port, also stated that they should leave for Virginia on the next day, the 11th. That would give them four days, easy travelling, to reach Wildoville, where they would probably arrive on the 15th. Do you follow me ?" " Yes." "Now, do yon remember the notable flood of the 15th of July, 18—?" "Perfectly." "Well," continued Dr. Goodwin, with a sigh, "you remember the day of the great [ inundation, when so much life and property were destioyed. It was on the 15th of July, just four days after Adam Lackland, his Avife Magdala, and their infant daughter were to have left New York for Western. Virginia, and the very day upon which they would probably have arrived." i " Yes. But, good" Heaven, to what does all this lead,?" exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald, much disturbed. * "I almost fear 1 td follow the clue, but I must do so, nevertheless. Listen. Lackland and his wife and child left New'Ycirk on the 11th of July, and were to have arrived at Wildoville on the fifteenth, the day of the great flood. But he was never herird of at Wildeville. - Adam Lackland was never heard of in Wilde country. -Now listen. 'On bhonightof the great storm that preceded the flood, strangers arrived at the landing opposite 1 fladdon?s Feny. Thoy sliouted and called 'for thc-Boat. 1 'But no boat could have lived on thd 'Wilde that' night. They were safer where they were, under the shelter of the little ferry-hut on that side, or at least it was supposed so ; for that they were not «<afe even there was proved by tho

sequel. The next morning no trace of tiie strangers, or even of the ferry-hut, could be found. All had been carried away by the terrible flood of the night. But mark you. Below Wildevtllo, the insensible form of an unknown woman was recovered before life was quite extinct. She was resuscitated, but immediately fell into a violent fever, from which she arose Avith a shattered intellect. She could give no account of herself, and the only article found upon her person bore the name of Magdala. She was called Magdala, and always answered to that name." " Yes, she did ! she did ! The circumstantial evidence is very strong, very strong indeed." "Listen further, Colonel Fitzgerald. On the morning of that disastrous flood, a young female infant, of a few weeks old, was found in its little cradle, safely stranded among the water - lilies, at Haddon's Ferry." "Heaven of Heavens, Goodwin. To what does all this tend ? ' exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald, scarcely able to master his emotion. " Be calm, Gei'ald, and brace yourself ! This child was found by Gabriel Haddon, who took her in, adopted her and brought her up as his own." " Gertrude ! ' " Yes, he called her Gertrude. Now, do you know how he happened to call her Gertrude ? I ask for information." " Great Heaven, Goodwin, you have shaken me so that I can scarcely collect my thoughts ! Do I know why Gabriel Haddon called his little waif Gertrude? Let me see — yes ! Poor girl, she herself told me how it was. It seems one of the women, who attended to her on the morning when she was rescued, found a faintly-traced name on her little linen garment. The name was ' Gertie.' They took that to be a contraction of Gertrude, and so she was named Gertrude, so that- some faint clue might remain to her identity, and the little garment that bore the .name has been carefully preserved," said Colonel Fitzgerald, s triving to control his great agitation. "That also is an important link in the chain of evidence. For, mark you, Fitzgerald, the child of Adam Lackland and Magdala was baptised in Norwood Church by the name of Gertrude. I have the certificate of baptism and an attested abstract from the parish register among the documents. So it appears that your young wife Gertrude was really in fact, as well as by adoption, the grand -daughter of Gabriel Haddon and — failing her unhappy mother — the richest heiress in Wilde country." Gerald Fitzgerald started up and began to walk the floor with rapid strides. "There, Fitzgerald! You have my statement in full !" said Dr. Goodwin, " And you have the proofs of its correctness ?" " Yes, in abundance. You are at liberty to examine them. Moreover, I have no doubt that the most important witnesses in this case could be induced, if it should be necessary, to go over to America and give their testimony in the Wilde country court." "And yet," said Gerald Fitzgerald, sorrowfully, "though, for the ends of justice, these facts must be revealed, I cannot see any good that; can come out of the revelation. Magdala is a wandering maniac, who can never enjoy the property ; Lackland is a border rover, who will never stay at home ; Gertrude has gone where she no longer needs this world's wealth. But as for Geraldine — poor, proud Geraldine — she will be reduced to destitution. Well, Dr. Goodwin, your long quest has been a labour of love, without money and without price ; and at length it has been successful so far. What do you propose to do next ?" ' ' To return to the United States, seek out Lackland first, and ascertain what corroborative testimony he may possess ; then find Magdala ; then put the whole case in court." " One of the strangest things in this strange di*ama is the unexplained estrangement between that husband and wife, who seem to have married for love in the first instance. It would almost appear that Lackland did not even know of Magdala's existence when he proposed marriage with another woman." •' My dear Colonel, there are some mysteries connected with this story which I cannot even pretend or hope to solve until I see the parties to them. This sudden, violent and complete severance of husband, wife and child is one of them." " When do you propose to sail for America ?" "On the first of March. I find that every berth had been taken on the three ships that were to sail in February, but that there were yet some vacancies in the steamer appointed to sail on Saturday, the first of March. So I have secured a fine state-room amidships on the Europa." "Then, Dr. Goodwin, if you will accept my company, I will go with you."

{To be Continued .)