THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JOHN ACKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1119, 18 January 1870, Page 3

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JOHN ACKLAND.

A TEI3 ; E STOEY. IN THIRTEEN CHAPTEBS. — CKAPIEB K. (From "All thß Year Sound.") In the following extraordinary narrative nothing is fictitious but the names of the persons. Me. D'Oiley, the watchmaker, was a strange mixture of practical shrewdness and an inveterate appetite for the miraculous. Spiritualism had not then been invented. Otherwise Mr. D'Oiley would surely have been one of its most enthusiastic disciples. Bat; on the subject of animal magnetism, electro-biology, presentiments, clairvoyance, and second sight, Mr. D'Oiley was great and terrible. The whole story of John Ackland, in all its details, had been discussed in every circle of Richmond society, high and low. Mr. D'Oiley was well up in it; and he had formed very decided opinions about it. He confided them to the wife of his bosom. "Just look at the case without prejudice," said Mr. D'Oiley, in the confidence of the nuptial couch. " How does it stand, ma'am? It is well known that Cartwright owed Acklaud a large sum of money. It is equally well known, ma'am, that Cartwright never had a large sum of money — of his own. How, then, did he get the money with which he says he paid off his debt to Aclarid ? . There are only two ways, my dear, in which that man could have got that money. Either by a loan from some other person, to be repaid at the shortest possible date, or by a forgery. The first is not probable. The second is. In either case it would have beon a matter of vital importance to Cartwrighfc to regain possession of the money he paid to Ackland. In the one case, in order to liquidate the second loan on which he must have raised it ; in the other case, to recover the forged draft before it fell due. The moment he had succeeded in securing Ackland's receipt for the money, he had nothing more to fear from Ackland. Why did Cartwright talk so much about his transactions with Ackland ? Why did he show about Ackland's receipt for the money, if it were not to avert suspicion from himself after Aekland's disappearance, by making every one say, ' Cartwright could have had no motive to murder Ackland, for he owed him nothing?' Mark my words, Mrs. D., time will show that John Ackland never left Virginia alive, and that he fell by the hand of Philip Cartwright ?" " But in that case," objected Mrs. D., " why has the body never been found ?" " Time will show," replied Mr. D'Oiley, oracularly. " But you don't suppose that dead bodies are in the habit of walking about with their heads in their hands and showing themselves off, like waxworks? Eh?" It is needless to say that both Mr. and Mrs. D. believed even more in Miss Simpson's magnetic gift than did Miss Simpson herself. That young lady, whenever the subject of John Ackland was referred to, assured her friends that she did not doubt she had talked a great deal of nonsense about Mr. Ackland, but she had not the least recollection of anything she might have said. This subject was inexpressibly distasteful to her, and she re* quested that it might not be discussed in her presence. What was very extraordinary, and very much remarked, was the invincible repugnance whi6h, ever since that day at Glenoak, Miss Simpson appeared to entertain towards Mr. Cartwright. She studiously avoided him, and if ever she happened, unavoidably, to find herself in the same room with him, or oven to meet him in the street, it was noticed that she became visibly agitated, and turned away her eyes from him with an expression of horror. She either could not, or would not, give any explanation of this conduct, but gradually and imperceptibly Miss Simpson's studious avoidance of Mr. Cartwright affected the relations and intimate friends of this young lady, with an uncomfortable and unfavourable impression in regard to that gentleman. Nor did time, as it went by, improve either the fortunes, the character, or the reputation of Philip Cartwright. He was constantly absent from Glenoak, hauntinn the hells, bars, and bowling-alleys of Richmond and all the neighbouring towns, apparently with no other purpose than to get rid of time disreputably. He drank fiercely, and the effects of habitual intoxication began to render his character so savage and sullen that in the course of a few years he entirely lost that personal popularity which he had formerly enjoyed. Poor Virginia Cartwright had a sad and solitary life of it at G-lenoak. Her father's affection for her was undiminished ; nay, it seemed stronger than ever, but there was a fierceness and wildness about it which was rather terrible than soothing. And he himself had yet the grace to feel that he was no fit companion for his daughter. He was rarely with her, and, though numerous friends at Richmond and in the neighbourhood never ceased to urge her to visit them, and always received her with a sort of compassionate tenderness of manner, yet their kindness only wounded and embarrassed her. For Virginia Cartwright was sensitively proud, and proud even of her disreputable parent. So the poor young lady lived in great seclusion at Glehoak, of which she was undisputed mistress ; and where, by her care and good sense, she contrived to prevent the property from, altogether going to the dogs. CHAPTER XI. One afternoon in January (a bright clear frosty afternoon, when the ice was white on the James River), Miss Cartwright ordered her pony carriage and drove herself over to Richmond. It was just six years since the date of John Ackland's vist to Glenoak, and Miss Cartwright was just sixteen years of age. Any one who saw her as she drove into Richmond that afternoon, with the glow in her dark Southern cheek heightened by the healthy cold, would have admitted that Virginia Carfcwright had nobly fulfilled John Ackland's prophecies of her future beauty. People turned in the street to admire her as she passed. After visiting various stores where Miss Cartwright made various little purchases, the pony carriage stopped at the door of Mr. D'Oiley, the watchmaker, and Miss Cartwright alighting, left her watch with one of the shopmen to be cleaned and repaired, and returned to her by the postman, as soon as possible. Just as she was leaving the shop Mr. D'Oiley entered it from his back parlour. " That is a very valuable chronometer of yours, miss," said Mr. D'Oiley, taking up the watch and examining it. " Not American make. No, I never saw but one w/itch like this in mv. life. May I ask, miss, where you puronaseij ft ?" " I did not purchase it," said Virginia. '•It was a gift, and' l value highly. Pray be careful of it, and return, it to me as soon as you can." So saying/ she left the shop. . . ' Mr. D'Oiley screwed his microscope into his eye, opened Miss Cartwright's chronometer, and probed and examined it. Suddenly a gleam of triumphant intelligence illumined -jMr. D'Oiley 's features.

Taking tUe watch with nitn lie withdrew in: to. the back parlour, and, carefully closJ; ing ihe door, took down from the shelf : .: : several volumes of bld ; ledgers, which he '■ tonin^'carefully. At last Mr. P'Oiley found what he was looking for. "The Lord," exclaimed Mr. D'Oiley, "the Lord has delivered Philip Cartwrigut into mine hand!" ' After nearly, an hour's secret consultation, with the wife of his bosom, Mr, D'Oiley then repaired to the house of Dr. Simpson, where he sought and obtained an interview with that gentleman. "Dear me !" said Dr. Simpson. "What - is the matter Mr. D'Oiley? You seem quite excited." ';,'" lam excited, sir. This is a mighty serious matter, Dr. Simpson. And truly the ways of Providence are wonderful. Now, look at this watch. Did you ever see a, watch like it before P" '" Not that I know of," said the doctor. ",J never did, sir, and I suppose I've seen as many watches as any man in these United States. Now, you follow me. Dr. Simpson. And keep your eyes, sir, ou this remarkable watch that you see here inimyhand.' Six years ago that Mr. Aekland, who ftas your. fellow-guest at G-len-bh% eall#dvat my store, and asked me to ele^n'this remarkable watch, and set it. I took particular notice of this remarkable watch, ■ because ifc is a -most remarkable i "watch, sir. And I took down the number of it in my books. I said to Mr. Ackland, when I handed his watch back to him. "This is a very remarkable watch, sir." "."Well, sir,": says he, " it is a remarkable watch, x but it loses time, sir." " Ifc won't lose time now, sir," says I j " I'll warrant that watch of yours to go* right for six , ye^rs now that I've fixed ifc up," said I. : Well, sir, and the watch Juts gone right for six -years. It's just six years and six , months, Dr. Simpson, sir, since Mr. Ackland got this watch fixed up by me, and took it with him to Grlenoak. And it's ! not six hours since Miss Cartwright called at my store, and brought me this very remarkable watch to fix up again." " God bless my soul I" cried Dr. Simpson." " You may well say that, Dr. Simpson, sir/ responded Mr. D'Oiley. " I said to Miss Cartwright, ' May I make so bold, miss, as to ask where you happened to -purchase this watch of yours ?' • Didn't purchase it,' says she, ' ifc was a gift,' and off she goes." "But you don't mean to say " "I do mean to say it, sir. I mean to say that I don't believe Mr. Ackland : would have given this very valuable chro- . nometer to v irginia Cartwright who was a, mere chit when Mr. A. was atGlenoak, I mean to say, sir, that I do believe, and always have believed, and always will believe, that Mr. Ackland was foully murdered." " Hush ! hush !" exclaimed the doctor : "you have no; right to say that, Mr. D'Oiley." "But Ido say it, sir." continued the watchmaker, energetically, "I do say it — to you at least, Dr. Simpson, sir. For I know that if you don't say ifc too, sii*, you think it. And I know thafc Miss Simpson thinks ifc. And I say more, sir. I say that the man who gave this watch to Virginia Cartwrighfc was a robber, as well as a-murderer. That's what Jsay, sir." , W"-Bufc you mustn't say it," said the doc- ' tor-,' " not .unless you are prepared to ' ' " Sir," said Mr. D'Oiley, " I am prepared to. place this watch in the hands of justice." " But you have no right to do anything of the kind. Justice will of course restore it to its present legal owner, Miss Carfcwright.' And let me tell you, Mr. D'Oiley, that this is a very delicate matter, in which any imprudence may easily bring you to trouble. Will you leave the watch — at least for a few days — in my hands? Miss Carfcwright. will doubtless he able to explain satisfactorily her possession of ifc. I will promise to see her immediately, and, if necessary, her father also. What do you say ? Mr. D'Oiley would not consent to,relinquish possession of the watch, which, as he again declared, " the Lord had delivered into his hands," but he reluctantly agreed to take no further steps in the matter until Dr. Simpson had seen Miss Carfcwrighfc. The doctor went to Grlenoak next day and did see Miss Cartwright: from whom he learned that she had received the watch from her father as a birthday gift, on the occasion of her last birthday a year ago. Where was her father ? In Maysville, she believed. But ifc was nearly a month since she had heard from him. To Maysville went the doctor, and the first man he met at the bar of the Maysville hotel was Philip Carfcwright. Cartwrighfc was furious when he learned the object of the doctor's visit. "Of course," he said, "the watch had belonged to his poor friend John Ackland, who had given ifc to him as a parting gift, the very day on which he left Grlenoak. And tell that scoundrel, D'Oiley," he added, " thafc if he don't immediately restore it to my daughter, I'll arrest him for a thief." /That gentleman, however, was neither disconcerted- nor despondent. ":Ifc is ray conviction, sir," said he, "it has long been my conviction, sir, that I shall be guided by the finger of Providence to unravel this great mystery, and bring detection home to as black a criminal as ever burdened God's earth, sir. And since you tell me, Dr. Simpson, sir, thafc I have no help for ifc but to restore this watch to its unrightful owner, I shall take it back to Glenoak, and place it in Miss Carfcwright's hands, myself."