{one manuscript page missing}

 

“Take a seat, my son, and tell me all about it,” resumed the lady. “First, speak to the doctor and thank him for attending you so patiently and nursing you back to life,” added the lady. Albert walked with unsteady step to the doctor and extended his hand, which the doctor grasped warmly.

“Doctor, I am grateful for what you have done for me. If you had known whom you were attending, and how unworthy I was of attention, you would not have—”

“Yes, I would have attended you all the same,” said the doctor quickly, detecting the import of the young man’s words.

Albert sat down on the sofa to tell of his wanderings, when he suddenly recollected what he had heard when at Brookland about Mattie Sowers being stabbed the day after he was missing. A startled look of fear came into his face.

“Mother, I am suspected of stabbing Mattie Sowers. Everybody at Brookland suspect[s] me. What shall I do if I am indicted on such a charge?” inquired the youn[g] man.

“You, suspected of stabbing Mattie Sowers!” repeated Mrs. King in a hollow voice. “Why, I don’t know what you are to do. But, tell me my son, tell me truly, did you do such a thing? Were you so depraved as to try to kill Mattie Sowers, either by stabbing her or shooting her? Tell me truly.”

The young man placed his hand on the family Bible, as it was laying [sic] on the centre table in front of him. He placed his hand on it and said in an impressive voice:

“In the presence of you both and also in the presence of Almighty God, I solemnly declare I had nothing at all to do with the stabbing of Mattie Sowers—or the shooting at her either—I knew nothing at all about it until I got nearly well. Ella Armstead told me about it, I declare this before God.” The young man’s words were very impressive. “Do you believe me, Mother and Doctor?” inquired the young man.

“Yes, we believe you,” said Dr. Maltby and Mrs. King in one voice.

“Mother, I am going to be a better man,” asserted the young man. “I am going to brave this out. Since I see you and Dr. Maltby believe me innocent, I will lead a better life. William said he forgave me all I did against him—but he don’t know what I tried to do. Mother, I tried to kill him!”

“You tried to kill William Reed! Oh Albert, whatever caused you to do so?”

“Money!” The word fell listlessly from the young man’s lips as he wiped a tear from his eyes.

“Tell me all about your wanderings, my son,” said Mrs. King. “I want to hear where you have been and what has been your occupation since you left home so unceremoniously.”

“I will tell you all, Mother,” was the young man’s reply. “I went up to Greenwood Church with William the last Sunday he was here—for he went away on the next day—I came home here and got some of my clothes, telling you I thought it would be more handy to have them at the mill. I went from here to the mill and, breaking William’s trunk open—no, I unlocked his trunk with a false key and took out a suit of his best clothes—also two shirts and a pair of low-quartered shoes—I carried them off to a den I had found in Ash Hollow. I came here that night and took my trunk away. I had help, but I will not betray any but myself at present.

“I stole a horse and wagon and hauled my trunk out to my den in Ash Hollow—well, I stayed in my den until Monday night. I then went to Brookland and got money to travel with, for I had been hired to kill William Reed or get him out of the way. I got one hundred dollars and started off to catch William. I stole another horse and wagon to take me to Harpers Ferry—I drove the whole distance by daylight [the] next morning, and got on the cars with a through ticket for Chicago. I arrived in Chicago on Friday evening, proceeded to one of the first-class boarding houses, and called for the registering book. I found the name of William G. Reed on the register, and after finding that, I had my name registered as “Marcus Jones.” I was satisfied that I would soon accomplish my work, so after assuming an appropriate disguise I undertook to watch him. I succeeded very well for a day or two—then I missed him and could not get on his track again. I, however, found out after a long while that William had gone to California, so I concluded I would give up the idea of ever killing him. But [I] didn’t let my employers know it.

“I sent to my employer for more money and received it—then I went into high living. I changed my place of board and took a more stylish boarding house.

“My funds at last were nearly run out and I wrote for more, but never got any or heard from Brookland at all.

“I started for home about the last of June, and I was on my way to my den in Ash Hollow early on the morning of the second of July. It was very early and some highwaymen knocked me on the head, and finding I had no money, the[y] pounded me nearly to death. Fortunately, Kent the detective was out roving early that morning, and he found me, so he says, and took me home—that is to Brookland. There, by the medical skill of Dr. Maltby, I was nursed back to life, for I could not have lived if someone not skilled in the medical profession had attended me.

“My idea in coming home was to tell the people of Brookland that William was doing right well, but he wanted to borrow about a thousand dollars and had sent me after it. I was also intending to tell you that William and I were in the same business. Oh, how I did plot and play. I had on the suit of clothes that I stole from William, not thinking anyone would ever see the name. I left it on there, and behold, it betrayed me, and I am glad of it.”

When the young man ceased speaking, an impressive silence reigned Supreme for a considerable time. Finally, it was broken by Dr. Maltby saying:

“Albert, you must keep in until Friday night. The party goes on then, and we will go out, and there you can make a confession before them all.” Then, turning to Mrs. King, the doctor said: “You mustn’t let anyone know your son has come back, for the detective will have him lodged in jail before Friday if he gets the least wind of his return home.” Mrs. King looked bewildered:

“I hear you saying so much about a detective. Where is the detective? I never heard of him being here until you said so today,” said Mrs. King.

“Well, he has been here ever since last April, when Sowers sent for him,” answered the doctor. “For reasons best known to himself, Kent had his presence made a secret. He was thought to be a visitor of Mr. Sowers. As soon as he came, he had a dispatch sent to police headquarters in Sowers’ name, stating that Sowers didn’t want a detective. By so doing, he was not suspicioned of being a detective. I knew all the time that he was a detective, but as I was in the secret, I said nothing at all about it to anyone.”

“Were they hunting for my boy?” inquired Mrs. King. “Hunting him down, thinking he was the intended assassin of Mattie Sowers?”

“Yes,” answered the doctor. “They were, for his absence at this particular time, and the way in which he absented himself combined, tended to prove that he was the culprit.”

“Well, who is the real culprit? Can anyone tell?” inquired Mrs. King, for she was anxious to hear.

“Time will tell. We will know who is the real culprit ere a month passes by,” answered the doctor in his usual calm voice.

“Where have you been for the last two weeks, my son?” queried Mrs. King, turning to Albert.

“I have been wandering around, all through this country, begging my bread,” answered Albert truthfully. “I have been sometimes assuming the garb of the regular mendicant^[1] for the last two weeks. Then I put on, at other times, a false beard and, as I had some toys, I went about peddling, taking care to go to some large farm-house always about meal-time.”

“Why, you have had a great variety of life,” said the doctor. “You have at least learned how to make a living for yourself in various ways, should need be,” added the doctor.

“Yes sir. It seemed as if fortune favored me,” asserted Albert. “Although I was engaged in fiendish work, I had good luck all the way through, but I have changed my ways now, and I hope to be a better man in the future.”

“I am glad to hear you say that, Albert,” said Mrs. King. “I am glad you have consented to stop your wandering around as if you were crazy. And as Mr. Sowers, Mrs. Walters, and Mr. Armstead are going back to New England, I will go too, for I am tired of living here. I have had nothing but trouble since I have been here. You are willing to go, are you, Albert?”

“Yes, Mother, I am willing to go. I want to do all I can for you now to make up for lost time,” replied Albert.

“I think I shall go away from here too this autumn,” said Dr. Maltby. “I have got tired of Virginia as well as the rest of you. This is a dull town, anyhow.”

“Yes, very dull. I believe the rest of the ‘New Englanders’ are going to Boston, and I guess I will go there too,” said Mrs. King.

“Albert, they are going to open a large Commission House^[2] in Boston, and I expect you can get employment with them.”

“I hope I may be that fortunate,” asserted Albert. “I will be more faithful than I have heretofore been, for I wasn’t much account when I was in the mill.”

It was near supper time, so Albert went up to his room and prepared for supper.

Mrs. King told Ann and Dick not to say anything about Albert coming home. They promised they would not, so she was satisfied that her plan for keeping Albert hid would succeed. All she had to do was to keep him in the house as the doctor suggested. Well, supper time came and the three assembled in the dining room to partake of the frugal meal.

“This is the first time I have eaten a peaceful meal since I left home,” asserted Albert in the course of the conversation. “I hope it is not the last.”

“No, I trust you shall eat a great many more such meals,” said Mrs. King.

“Well, I must go out again,” said the doctor. “There is no rest for the wicked,” added he as he arose from the table and started to his office, which, by the way, was not very far away. He went into his office and prepared himself for going out. In the meantime, Dick got his horse ready.

Albert layed [sic] down on the sofa to rest, for he was very tired.

“Mother, I feel so much better since I have obtained forgiveness from you,” said Albert.

“I hope you will always lead a life hereafter that will not need forgiveness, but of the great one that rules the universe, he will forgive you,” said Mrs. King.

So the balance of the week passed away quietly with the people of Mrs. King’s household. And we turn our attention elsewhere.