THE MYSTERY OF HADDON'S FERRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 180, 3 August 1887, Page 7

THE MYSTERY OF HADDON'S FERRY.

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CHAPTER XXL VLEAIS OF GBEENWOOD. 1 w ga id that it would have taken IMZ. learning, genius, and industry * j lawyer, a French detective, 8 Siquary to trace out the and relationship of the <*5f iS >RowleySj slaushters md fitzgeislds> ~ four great families who, SU'f 6 Xs oW ned the whole of 0* th? t f wi* the exception of WJde «untj' publjc H»ddoß, S- 1 the court-honse, the gaol, and fi£££ Rebuilt at the county-*-JKK2£ *•iand r ong themIn° ffrVouent had been the marriages, *Ir*' S!£«L and" re-marriages among f^no'herald could have possibly jfeSKj **" much aklu was the old nursery °DC6S therf flourished in Wilde ***■ Stoin Mr Gerard Greenleaf, of who' married almost as many fcn^Henry the VIII. of England, JlfifeS as many children as King JlftoSS except *c youngest, had Jfiia the Revolutionary War. fn&Stoerß, except the youngest, AWtto tuitions of the family, r, among their relatives, SSit^itValds, and.Slaugh-

*Se exceptional boy and girl were the two • u-n of bis last marriage, and were born jjjjj, father had attained the ripe age of the commencement of our Smaiden lady of thirty-seven-, ana the JS» of her bachelor brother s house. "wreater.contrabt in personal appSar«a mind and manner was ever seen than Jt easting between this brother and 'Steal Greenleaf was a tall, gaunt (S fared red-headed and red-bearded S, with' merry blue eyes broadly Stalin a ringing.laugh, and a frank, Si™ cordiality when he was rimed and in a good humour; but a man Lck and violent temper, of reckless nd and act, when, wronged or oiiended. Hecared little for agriculture, leaving 6 plantation to be managed entirety by an "seer He was fond ot hunting, fishing, funbline, fiddling, feasting, dancing, and, { short, of all manner of pleasurable untunes, and especially of practical joking. It might be said of him, as it has been aid-of many another "ne'er-do-well," that "la was no. man's, enemy but his own." Bat those jolly good fellows who are no in's'enemybattheir own often contrive, fjtkmt any malicious intent, to do a vast JalofW to all men and women who kppen to be connected with them. This was especially true of Royal Greenhad the best heart, with the worst habits, of any man in the county. Bit if he squandered hundreds of dollars a dissipation that all witnessed and conimd, he also lavished thousands upon ttasands apon charities that few knew usdnone praised. Bis'bouse was always full of thriftless ud indigent friends and relatives, who «is. often and stayed as long as ever the/pleased, and not only ate his dinners mrafik his wines^ which was perfectly and proper, but lamed his horses and kite his guns, wore out his clothes and krowed his money, without scruple or mm, and also without blame, for all Eoral Greojleaß possessions w^eref everybody's else's as well as his, so really royal mhe hy nature as well as by name. Besides, this multitude of frequent ifongersjhfe' had" seme regular dependents riokd & natural claim npon him. Fist among these was, of course, his Finger sister,; Miss Susan Greenleaf, the feaud stately maiden lady, already menfeed as: sudw, perfect contrast to her tote.

hvia really thirty-seven years of age, Ist she did not look over twenty-fieve. Ss was tail and slender, with a well-set fejlj the hair on which she wore closely piaitedand wound around her head. She Wan oval face, small, regular features; (dear, pale complexion, and deep blue ft with a. very demur, reserved expsssian. She dressed richly and plainly »fork colours, and she carried herself ttry erect in walking. .*»> Susan was an ardent reader of toaaises, and her character was modified adherconduct modelled by the character m conduct*ofher favourite heroines. She w toll many, suitors, but she had never Jtaw!, because among all the Greenleafs, MWeys, Slaughters and the Fitzgeralds of "ffitle, she could not find any man who Qtteremotest degree answered to fche deo£ her favourite heroes. Her novel was " The Children of seAbbeyf her pattern of all female exMace.ifas Amanda Fizallan ; her model «•>«■ manly perfection was Lord MortiW6,

Jf notwithstanding the romantic and satunental character of her mind, Miss s? ff? lea- excelled in practical good r**:. She, kept her bachelor brother's ™>* m. snch perfect order that she was JSk , as the model manager of the Wbourhood. And to keep Am house zr* as it was by. a multitude of I*3, was no easy task. yf -i M^ Sasan > who»ifc may be said, a*™ I,* to her place at the head fc«f bachelor br°ther's establishment, 5l aS kn °ther sister> Dorothea GreenjWbo, by atijimprudent marriage, would Sot her Claim to her brofcher's »fe6reenleaf> however, did not think 4rtmTt a warm ••welcome to this *s£r poor £ister and her lifctle nCf ptaJnofanEaßfc tiWnX h¥, foun4ered in a gale in l^ w the night of the thirteenth of 835 n j\ half a dozen sailors an outward bound % wal W llved to tell the tale. noken; nearly unfco death by *taTS *t^ they could to conwas months before she was able 1 upon her hn£^T «\« ga"ant husband, £ lb«3SJ e Sj jf .orPhan daughter^

SowetT"f ATOREENW ooD. . laShtt d e eiedmmiraer ,tt*iln». I'">«'ihollalian.

< < Thanks, dear Br Goodwin. ¥cay lam wonderfully" well ' This morning, when I first came out into the sunshine, however, just- as- all the beauty and glory of theLord's earth was flowing into my soul a pan°- suddenly smote me with the thought thatWdear grandfather was not here to enjoy it with me as of old ; that he was deep buried in the dark- grave; and the sphere of death enveloped me and shadowed all my souljust as suddenly as you have seen a black cloud pass over the sun s disc and darken all the earth ; but just as suddenly came the reaction; before my oppressed spirit had time to moan, the cloud passed from before the sun, the stone was rolled away from the sepulchre, and my beloved and venerated guide stood revealed—not in his visible form, not to the eyes of flesh, but in his beautiful, ascended shape, and to the vivid insight of love nearer, dearer, more intimate than ever. Mr Goodwin, I thank the Lord and 1 am aThe' old minister lifted Ins hat and gravely bent his grey head, and said nothing. . -r-r v i The carriage, after leaving Haddons Ferry turned into the river-road leading down toward the Old Red Sandstone Church. It was a rough and narrow road, with the gloomy precipices of Wolfe a Ridge on the right, and the rapids of Wilde River on the left. But the splendour of the midsummer morning sun lighted up all the scene with life and joy; the perfume of innumerable wild flowers filled the air with fragrance ; the songs of myriad birds celebrated the jubilee of nature's awakening. Five miles below Haddon's they passed under the venerable towers of the Summer Manor House, built high on the ridge abova

them. "This day, one week ago, there were grand preparations going on in that house, my dear," said the old minister, driving slowly as he gazed up at the magnificent old structure. " Yes ; I Ijeard a great deal of talk about it," answered Gertrude. "It seems a pity it should have been postponed. It was a marriage made in heaven, if ever a marriage was made there. It was a marriage.of love as well as of worldly wisdom, a union of hearts as well as of hands. It was also to have united in one young pair all the great Kfegerald estates in Wilde county, i had intended to be prosent at the marriage : but, alas ! instead of assisting at.a wedding, I was called to officiate at a funeral," said the old minister, with a sigh, as He touched his old horse and drove past the Summit. "Will the wedding be deferred for any great length of time ?" inquired Gertrude, with sympathetic interest. "I do not know, my dear. 1 have not heard. But I fear that the death of General Slaughter was not the only cause of the postponement of the wedding. I fear that there has been some serious misunderstanding between the fiery-tempered younc couple. Fiery temper is the only fault of the Fitzgeralds. But what can we expect ? It is an Irish-Italian race, with the grand virtues and vices of both people. It is said that Miss Fitzgerald'has left the Summit Manor House, and that' Colonel Fitzgerald still lingers in Washington City." " Colonel Fitzgerald arrived last night. I myself brought him across the river. He went on to the Summit Manor House as soon as the storm was over," said Gertrude, quietly. The old doctor slackened his horse's pace, and turned and looked at his young companion for a moment, and then paid : " (Jerald Fitzgerald returned last night ? What does it all mean ? Well, ! bupe.nmv. that all will be as it should between the pair," he added meditatively, ;^ he touched, up his horse and drove oil in perfect silence.

A mile further down the river they passed under the time-honoured walls of the old Red Sandstone Church, and then they turned out of the river road and struck into another on the right, leading away from the shore into a wooded pass between two precipices. "This-; is the private road into Greenwood. You never came along this road before, did you, my dear?" inquired the minister.

• "No, Dr.. Goodwin. I was never farther this way than the-chnrcbi It is a beautiful road'.,r'lt reminds me of th& Midsummer •IfighVs Dream, In .these deep green leafy ravines and caverns one^ migmV almost lexpect to see Oberori and Titania holding their fairy court," murmured, Gertrude dreamily. A mile or two of ■■ slow driving through the wildly beautiful wooded pass brought them out upon a green, glade, walled in by thegreen forest. In the midst of this glade stood the farmhouse and buildings known as Greenwood.

The dwelling-house was a large, irregular edifice, of great age, built, like most of the homes in this locality, of old red sandstone, and having a very steep roof, with many gable ends, stacks of chimneys, queer little balconiesand verandahß,anddddlittle corner stoops and porches, all so covered with ivy, creeping vines and climbing roses that its original design. could by ho, means be defined. The quaintly picturesque and attractive dwelling stood~in the midst of a lawn heavily shaded with great forest trees. Behind the house were kitchen and flower gardens, shrubberies, orchards, and vineyards. Beyond and all around were rich fields of grain, tobacco, and cotton (for though cotton was by, no means,- a staple article of produce, enough was cultivated on eveiy plantation to supply material for the negroes' clothing, which was,always at this time manufactured at home). A winding, shaded, grass-grown drive led from the road through the lawn up to the house.

" It is a lovely place ! It is so green and beautiful! Like a nest in the wild-wood indeed !" said Gertrude, in warm admiration, as the doctor's carriage drew up before one of the quaint little stoops. "You like your future home, then, my dear?" said Dr. Goodwin, in a tone of

pleasure. " Like it ? Oh, unspeakably ! But not as my future home. On, no. No place but dear old Haddon can ever be' my future home !" answered Gertrude, with tender

gravity "Ah, well, my dear child, time will show," smiled the minister, as he alighted from the carriage.

" Here, Hannibal, thou thunderbolt of war ! come and take the horse's head," he cried, beckoning one of a groop of negroes who were crossing the lawn. The smallest, thinnest, blackest, and oldest specimen of a negro man that ever wag seen came skipping, towards the carriage. '' Look at him, my dear. He is ninetyseven years old, and hasn't a tooth in. his jaws, or a hair on his head, yet he has the agility of a monkey ; but he is all nerve and muscle, you see," said Dr. Goodwin, as. he threw the reins to the aged groom, and assisted Gertrude to alight. "Are the ladies at. home this, morning, Hannibal ?" he next inquired.

" Mi?s Suey is home, sar; but Missis Doy Fitzgerald and Miss Pat is gone out riding along ob Miss Gerry, sar," replied Hannibal, jumping from* side to side; andbowing by jerks. "Why, is Miss Geraldine he<ce?" asked the old minister, with interest

" She am, sar," said, the old, groom, skipping about and bowing." " Stop dancing, Hannibal, and attend to the horse. You will teachhihvbad tricks," laughed Dr. Goodwin, as he. led Gertrude up some crooked stairs to a corner stoop in which there were two odd little green doors at right angles with each other, One Opened into Royal Greenleaf's,.small study, where he was accustomed' to keep- his ac-count-books and receh'e liis:omi-Eei\ The other opened into tho entrance.. hatl^vKere many other doors-led into; other rooms- arid a'winding sMirc*^?' S^ticttedij' to" the floors "abOve.

Dr. Goodwin rang-the bell and was admitted b~y a neat, bright mulatto girl, who opened a door on the right and showed the visitor into a large, cool parlour,- whose many, windows—three on the south and three on the west—were so deeply shaded with green vines that the sunshine., only entered "between, the leaves,in flickering golden sparks. The parlour was bare of paper, but.lime-washed ; smoothed white as new-fallen show; the fl6or was bare of carpet or matting, but was scrubbed and polished until it was clear and shining as ivory. The furniture was rich and heavy old mahogany, and the sofas and easy-chairs were covered with old-fashioned flower chintz. The broad fireplace oh the south side was filled with fragrant cedar boughs. Over the high, wrought oak mantel-piece hung a life-sized half-portrait of a stout, broad - shouldered, black eyed, blackbearded, piratical-looking scamp in the semi-naval uniform of a merchant captain. On each side of- the fireplace were glass cases, filling up the whole recesses from floor to ceiling. The case on the right hand was tilled with books, and the case on the left hand was filled with shells, minerals, stuffed birds, preserved insects and reptiles, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian toys, and other curiosities brought from foreign countries and. presented to the sisters. Other family portraits hung around on the walls in the spaces between the windows and the doors.

" Sit down, my dear Gertrude," said the old man, politely placing a chair for his young companion and seating himself by her side. "This is the two ladies' own parlour, sacred to the use of Mrs Doy and Miss Sue, and their friends. None of Royal Greenleaf' s wild bachelor cronies ever intrude here. That picture over the mantelpiece is a portrait of Captain Patrick Fitzgerald, late of the merchants' service, embalmed as a hero in the memory of his widow Mrs Doy, but considered little better than a.buccaneer by other people. That glass cabinet on the left is tilled with souvenirs of the captain's many voyages. That book-case-on the right, with its contents, is the property of Miss Sue Greenleaf. I ought to let you a little into the characteristics of these ladies, my dear, because you are to live with them intimately and long." "Thanks, dear !>r. Gocdwin. I would like to know something about them, that I may be better able to please tliem, :> said Gertrude, with humility. " There is not a doubt that you will please them, my dear ; and 1 hope and believe they will also please you. They are both very refined and intellectual, although they have not had all the advantages of education that might have been desirable for them. Mrs Doy is devoted to the memory of her late husband, whom she worships as a sort of hero and martyr. He died at sea, within a few months after their marriage, and she has lived a widow ever since, notwithstanding that her position here is a dependent one, and that she ha- had several offers from wealthy and independent suitors." " Ah, I shall love that lady. I know I shall love that lady. Such fidelity is so beautiful," said Gertrude, warmly. " I don't know, my dear, about such fidelity being so beautiful. I consider it rather morbid," said Dr. Goodwin slowly shaking his head. By the way, it was wispered, in Wilde country tea-parties, that the worthy doctor himself had been one of the suitors of the beautiful Doy, and that he had lived a widower so long, not from regard to the memory oi the late Mrs Goodwin, but in devotion to the charms of the implacable wuiow Fitzgerald.;

" rs»hc''cht

eriul, Dr. Goodwin?"

"As full of Lifer' as a bird, my dear, and as humane, sympathetic, and as much given to active charity as any woman 1 ever saw in all ray life.: Such is Mrs Doy. The cither sister, the maiden sister, Miss Sue Greenleaf, is extremely poetical, sentimental and romantic. She tries all real character by an ideal standard, and has never married, I verily believe, because she has never met any man worthy of being compared to her favourite heroes of romance. And yet, in all other matters, she is surprisingly practical and, efficient, and as the -mistress of heir "brotne'r's bachelor establishment, she is a model housekeeper and exemplary hostess."

"I—think-r-I shall likel her too," said Gertrude,, hesitatingly. "'Very likely, my dear; most young ladies do. Wonder why she keeps us waitiHg sa long. Ah! dear me! Here comes Ben Bowers !" exclaimed the doctor, in a tone of such annoyance as to elicit from Gertrude an interrogative echo of— "Ben Bowers?"

" Yes,. my dear; Ben Bowers, one of Royal Greenleaf's good-i'or-nothing hangerson. Heaven forgive me for saying it, and for my want of charity. Hush !" As Dr. Goodwin pronounced' the last catitionary word, the subject of the conversation entered the room.

Mr Benjamin Bowers was a fair specimen of a class of men to be found in every community, but most frequently, perhaps in country neighbourhoods in the Southern States—a hanger-on, a parasite, a sponge ; in modern language, a " dead beat," not from poverty or necessity, but from laziness and indifference. Very often it happens that such a one has property that he is too careless to look after, or a profession that he is too lazy to practise.

Such was Mr Ben Bowers, a distant bachelor-cousin of Royal Greenleafs. He had inherited a farm which .was first mortgaged, and then sold. He had learned a profession that he lacked patience and industry to practice. And now he lived among his. friends, bestowing the greater portion of his time upon good-natured Royal Greenleaf and his affable sisters. In person Ben Bowers was short, fat and l-ound-bodied, with a full, fair, rosy face, innocent of any beard, and with light-yellow, curly hair, and.light-blue, laughing eyes. In manner he was free-and-easy, self-satisfied, and unconsciously impudent. He had offered himself to every spinster, and every widow in Wilde county ; not that he was prone to fall in love, but that he wanto'd to be taken care of. He had offered himself in turn to the beautiful Doy and.the sentimental Sue, and been gravely and politely rejected. He had offered himself to Miss Maxima Rowley, and had been ordered out of. the house, and threatened with a ducking in the horsepond. Lastly, he had offered himself to little fifteen-year old Pat, and bad his ears boxed for his presumption. And, in all human probability, he would offer himself to the queenly Geraldine, and the Ma-donna-like Gertrude, before the expiration of bis present visit. This hero now came into the room, lookins^- cool and comfortable, in his spotless white linen suit and broad-brimmed straw hat. He-lifted his' hat; in honour of the minister and: the lady,.as he said :

" Good morning, reverend sir. I come to you with the apologies of Miss Greenleaf.- She is engaged 311 st now with that poor, unhappy creature, Magdala, from Rockalorie, but she. will be with you in five minutes."

" Mr_Bavrers, this .is.Miss.Gertrude Hadf don, the granddaughter of the late Gabriel Haddon, r of Haddon's Eerry," said Dr. Goodsdn, presenting.his ward. "Oh!—ah !—yeß-! Humph! I see! Happy to/make your acquaintance, Miss. Knew, your grandfather slightly. A good man. One of the I)e6t of men, but weak, Miss —weak ! No man's enemy, Miss, not even 'his own,' as the saying is. Never heard him speak ill of a human being in my life. Do believe he would speak charitably of the devil. Yes, Miss, if Satan had ever assailed him with a strong temptation to murder his bitterest- enemy, old Hiram Slaughter, Gabriel Haddon would never have said, 'Get bhe&behind me,' but would have reasoned with him,in something like this style: ' Sata-h/my distinguished friend, I-h'ave hodottW) bu,t youJmean well by your counsels; bub I 'thjmc 1 you are mistaken.

'"'* g'l: TJ i *"—r? . 'i; i ■: —.; • , ; —a f: ;; Murder is disorderly. _ I think-it you will reflect you will see this thing in the same light that I do.' Yes, my dear Miss, that would have been the way in whioh Gabriel Haddon would have met a temptation of the devil. He would riot have been contented with resisting Satan; he would have tried to reform him."

"My grandfather was a saint on earth, and he is an archangel in heaven," said Gertrude, %vith meek. earnestness. " Doubtless," said Ben Bowers, quickly taking the cue from the little heiress of Haddon's Ferry, and hastening, to ingratiate himself with her. "" Doubtless. He was only too good. I had the greatest respect for him, Miss. And lam exceedingly proud to make the acquaintance of his granddaughter." Gertrude bowed gravely in acknowledgment of this courtesy.

"1 am told that Miss Geraldine Fitzgerald is staying here," said Dr. Goodwin, by way of changing the conversation and relieving Gertrude. "Yes, reverend 6ir; yes. You know since Miss Maxima Rowley has taken up her abode at Hill Top Hall, as the representative and successor of her late uncle, General Hiram Slaughter, there is no lady at the head of the establishment at the Summit Manor House, and Miss Fitzgerald being left without a chaperon in a widower's home, deemed that it would not be proper for her to remain there, notwithstanding that the old gentleman is her guardian, and his only son is her betrothed. So sho came to Greenwood a few days ago, and has been here ever since," Mr Ben Bowers explained. "Ah ! so that was the reason why tho young lady changed her residence," remarked Dr. Goodwin, in a tone of relief.

"To be sure it was ! There was an absurd rumour that a grave misunderstanding had arisen between Colonel Fitzgerald and his beautiful betrothed, but it was without the slightest foundation of truth," "Gracious Heaven! whom have we here ?" exclaimed Dr. Goodwin, recoiling as the door was suddenly thrown open, and a strange, wild-looking creature strode into the room, and.stood gazing around. It was a tall, gaunt, dark woman, apparently about forty years of age, clothed in a tattered crimson irown, with her wild, abundant black hair streaming like a pieteor behind her, and her fierce black eyes flashing about from point to point, as if she were in search of some foe whom she could not find.

(To be Continued.)