The Human Vampire; Or, The Elixir of Life — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. Vol J, No aL Miss James spoke sharply, and bronglit Dalia to her senses. ““Whaotdo I mane? | mane that thim is the very twins I seen in ould Morrison’s cottage in Hyde Park.” “You saw them. When?” «A couple of wakes ago. yant.”' ‘Well, Delia, I cannot help thinking you are wrong, but there is a large fortune waiting for youif you can tell where those children are.” “Well, I can tell where they wor whin I left Hyde Park,” ‘Dear me! what a pity so much time has been lost. You did not see this picture before?” ‘“No, ma’am; I dusted that curtain, but I did not pu it back, for I thought it was part of the master's religion to knpe it covered up. “Tt is only covered to preserve it.” Miss James did not know how to act. She longed for Mr. Hammond or Mr. Decker to return, so that she could inform them of Delin’s discovery. Mr. Decker was the first to enter the house, and Miss James met him at the door and eagerly imparted the information. *©Oall the girl” He sat down in his library, pale ond trembling. Delia appeared. ‘You are certain the children you saw are the same as the ones in that picture?” - ** Yes, sir, the self-same."” “You do not know how many times people have thought thay recognized the children, Tell me where you saw them, and who had charge of them.’ “Twas lving with an Gor doctor, and his name was Mor- rison. One day & woman eame to the dure, and she was black as a gipsy. The doctor had a long talk wid her, and the nixt day lre tonld me he had engaged another house- keeper, and he brought her home with the two little childer.” “TJ am afraid you are mistaken,” said Decker, ‘‘but put on your hat, and we will go to the place and see the children.” While Decker went to dress, Miss James came in. “Mr, Decker,” she said, ‘I wish to give you something which Mrs. Gordon handed me before she left Newport.” She placed the silver match-box in his hand. Ho started. ‘Where did Mrs, Gordon get this?” “On the floor in the nursery on the night the children were stolen,” “Tt only confirms what Gregory discovered,” he said to him- self. ‘‘I do not understand why if was not produced before,” he added, ‘*T believe Mrs. Gordon showed if to the detectives, and they said it had probably been lost by some of the parties who rushed into the nursery wheo the children were missed.” ‘*T dare say they were right.” He dropped the match-box in his pocket and said no more. Delin now appeared, and they hurried away in the carriage after the girl had given the coachman the address. Mr, Decker was silent during the drive. He now recognized that Madge had been in the room on the night of the abduction, for the match-box was one he himself had presented to her father, Thomas X. Herne, the gipsy horse-dealer. When they reached the cottage Delia sprang from the carriage and rang the bell. There was no reply. “Shure I believe the house is empty.” Mr, Decker walked around the cottage. fast shut, every shade drawn down. Whin I wor living wid Collan be- 8 Every window was *T'll go to the landlord and find out what this means,’’ said Delia, and she hastened away. She soon returned, running and breathless. “Come and talk to Collan, sir,” the landlord's door. Mr. Oollan was willing to give all the information in his power. Ho snid the old gentleman, Doctor Morrison, had called and given up the keys of the house. ‘The rent is paid up to the end of the year,” said Oollan. *« He told me when he first took the house that he liked to pay by the year, English fashion, and I had no objection.” “Wat about the furniture?” ** Well,” said Collan, ‘‘he told me he might return, but if he did not that I would hear from him.” « But the woman—the children?” ‘'T don’t know anything about thems ‘died. about o week ago.’ A Wat!” One of the little ones died.” ‘What doctor attended it? How long wa she gusped, and the carriage was driven to One of the children ‘‘The old doctor attended it himself. It was not ill long; it died of croup.” Collun was only in time, quickly as he stretched ont his arms to catch the wretched man as he sank upon the floor. “Tt was his child,’ eried Delia, who stood by speechless until now. ‘They were kiduappers, the murdering crowd! Shure didn’t I tell ye they'd murther them childer.”’ The nearest doctor was hastily called, and Mr. Decker was taken home and placed in bed. He was utterly prostrated. Mr. Hammond lad been informed of the sad news. He at once lodged information with the police, aud a warrant was issued for the arrest of Jabez Lohn and Madge Warren, for abduction and murder. The body of little Meta was exhumed, and the cause of hor death investigated. The doctors decided that death had re- sulted from suffocation. The physicians added that the child was reduced and worn as if by long ilincss. While detectives, spurred to fresh energy by the promise of @ magnificent reward, sconred the country for Jabez Lobn and Mudge Warren, Marshall Decker lay on what appeared to be his death-bed. There was no longer any doubt as to the identity of the children. Little Meta was easily recognized by all who had known her in life. An advertisement for the luckless Doty was inserted in the papers, and at length a reply written by one of the hospital nurses was received. Mr. Hammond visited the hospital and found Doty, who wept when he learned the fate of the little one he had tried to befriend. **T’ll never forgive that Delia,” he said, ‘*she promised me so faithfully; I wish she was a man, I'd thrash the life out of her as soon as I was able.” “JT wish you were well enough to help us now,’ Hammond. ‘‘Oh, I wish I was. Oh, for Heaven's sake don’t rest, sir; save that other poor little thing if you can. The one I loved the best is the one they murdered.”’ He bnried his face in the bed-clothes and gaye way to his grief. Mr. Hammond wiped his eyes. He laid his hand on the young man's shoulder, “Keep up your heart, we may catch them yet,” he said, honrsely. Every one in the hospital was informed that Doty had power- ful friends. As soon as le was able to be moved Mr. Hammond came himself and took him to the stately home which held so many sorrowful hearts. “Now, get well,” said the railway magnate. ‘When all this trouble is over L intend to send you to college. Yon shall study medicine in Paris, or London, or Edinburgh, or all three.” ‘Thank you, sir, but can’t I first help find that infernal old villain and that cursed fiend of a woman?” ‘They have been found,” said Mr. Hammond, solemnly. “Where, sir?” «You heard of the flood that washed away an entire town?” “Yes, I heard them talk about it in the hospital.” “Well, the bodies of the old man, the woman Madge, and the little child Sibyl, were among those recovered from the wreck of a railway carriage.” ‘Great Heaven! Then both children are gone?” ‘‘Yes, both. They will sleep together, my two poor little grandchildren. ‘Beautiful in life, in death they will not be divided.’” ‘*¥ am sorry I did not have a chance to avenge them.” oe Wisk it does seem hard.” “How does your daughter bear her loss?” “Ske kuows nothing of it. For the time Heaven has darkened her mind.” ‘That is # mercy.” “tis. I thank Heaven for it.” ‘But the father of the children?’ Mr. Hammond’s face dark ened. “T prefer to leave the subject of Mr. Decker’s conduct with- out comment,” said the old gentleman, with dignity. Later Doty learned the reason of his reticence. CHAPTER XXY. DISHONOR AVENGED. Lillian Armstead had, of conrse, been informed of every dis- covery made by her lover. Sho was not surprised by tho result of the cxamination of the vanlt in Savannah. The previous one in New York had pre- ’ said Mr, E€books.com