Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1894 — “NOBLESSE OBLIGE.” [ARTICLE]

“NOBLESSE OBLIGE.”

On the night of the 3d of November, 189—, James Carlton brought from Paris two magificent rubies that lie had picked up at a sale, and which, considering their history, were dirt cheap at the price he paid for them. They had belonged to the unfortunate Marie Antoinette, and had been sold by a mistake, of which the shrewd dealer had been quick to avail himself. It was too late when he reached home to take them to the city,and he, therefore, in the presence of his son John Carlton, deposited them in a safe that stood in the corner of his bedroom. Over the mantelpiece in this room hung two old horse-pistols, and taking them down the father loaded one, laughingly observing that at all events trie report would alarm the neighborhood. About two o’clock in the morning he was awakened by the sound of fire arms, followed by the slamming of a door. He reached out for the pistol that he had placed on the ehair beside him, and found it gone. He heard someone rush across the hall and try the front door; then he heard footsteps on the stairs, and his son rushed into the room with one of the pistols in Tnsnand. r ’flie so’n’s story was that he had a I restless night, and that about two o’clock he heard some one moving about very quietly in his father’s room, which room connected with his by a swing door. Pushing this door open he saw, by the light of the nightlamp, a man in the act of closing the safe, and before he had recovered from his surprise the fellow slipped quietly out of the room. Catching up the pistol that lay on the chair by his father’s bedside, he followed down stairs, across the hall and towards the kitchen, the’ door .of which stood open. When he challenged, the man whom l he suspected of having stolen the rubies turned and presented a pistol, and young Carlton fired. It was a very cleat, moonlight night, and he distinctly saw the thief stagger. The next moment the kitchen door slammed to, and when he reached it he found it locked. He then ran to the front door and found it also locked &nd the key gone. Hurrying up to his father’s room, he discovered him fitting up in bed as already described. He threw up the bedroom window, which looked upon the street, and called “Police,” and when an officer came he found the back door locked and effected an entrance by a window. On examination it was discovered that the keys of the safe were in the safe door, that the rubies had disappeared, and with them a number of sovereigns. When old Carlton went to bed that night, he remembered perfectly well that he had put his keys under his pillow. The most rigorous search failed to furnish any proof that the house had been burglariously entered. One of the pistols was missing, as also were the keys of the two doors. When Carlton senior reported the loss of the jewels to his two partners, the younger of them unhesitatingly declared that John Carlton, the son, was the thief, and, refusing to accept the senior partner’s offer to make good the loss, he took out a warrant at once.

Evidence was adduced to show that the young man was heavily in debt, and when it was further proved that he and his father were the only persons who knew the secret of the safe, he was at once committed for trial. ****** Dr. Castell sat in his snug study, smoking what ought to have been the pipe of peace, but the troubled look on his pale, handsome face betokened an unquiet mind. He was thinking of Alma Talbot, who just one month before had refused him, and that, too, for Jack Carlton, the man who, on the morrow, would most assuredly be branded as a thief. “What would she do?” was the question he asked himself, and as he sat there turning it over in his mind, the answer came to him, as surely as one noble nature can answer for another. She would be true to her promise through good report and evil report, and would wait faithfully for the man whom she believed innocent until he came back to her from prison. No! there could never be any hope for him, that the beautiful woman whom he loved with all his soul, would ever fill the place he had so often fondly assigned her. In the midstof his gloomy thoughts there came to him the sound of the night bell, and, going to the door, he found on the step an urchin scarcely tall enough to reach the bell. Would he come to see dad f Who was dad? “Mr. Bly, what lived in Green’s Alley —and he was awful sick, and would the doctor be sharp?” And so presently the doctor came out, and followed his guide to the slums. Up a rickety stair he passed to find a man

tossing on a miserable bed, and beside him a woman, whose rags betokened her poverty. The patient complained of intense pain, and by the light of a tiny candle the doctor came across traces of a wound just above the hip. “Row did you get this?” The man’s answer came readily enough. He had been handling an old pistol, and it had gone off and wounded him, and, although he lost a deal of blood at first, the wound had healed and he was able to get about. Soon, however, he felt intense pain whenever he tried to move, and now was mortal bad.

. The doctor’s practised fingers soon found, a swelling on the man’s back, and putting together what he had heard and what he learnt from his manipulation, he came to the conclusion that under that swelling lay the charge that the pistol had conr tained. He hurried home, and bringing back a pocket case and chloroform, explained to the wife that he could soon relieve her husband. It was, however, a longer task than he had anticipated, and when at length his forceps closed on the foreign body, he found it of such size that he had to enlarge the primary opening. Then when he had drawn it out. and laid it on the table, he found to his surprise that at the bottom of the wound lay another hard substance. This time he had little difficulty in the extraction. Taking up what he supposed to be the flattened bullets, he dipped them into some water, but when he took them out they were still red. He dipped them again, and rubbing them well, brought them close to the candle. The blaze of light that flashed at him almost took away his senses. They were jewels, and, even to his inexperienced eye, very valuable. He almost reeled as the truth suddenly came to him! With trembling fingers he dressed the wound, and telling the woman he would call again, hurried home. Long he sat and stared at the glittering stones. They were rubies, and from the description given by the elder Carlton were the very jewels that had disappeared on the night of the Bd of November.

How had they come, where ho had found them? Was Jack Carlton’s story of the man in the room true? Did he hold the clue that, if followed up, might prove his rival innocent? Should'he follow it up? Then began the fiercest fight with his conscience that Frank had ever fought. Let him hold his peace, and Carlton would be lost to society for years, perhaps. Then, as time went by, might not his devotion be rewarded? VVould that proud girl unite hejself to a man who had been publicly branded as a thief, and would she take to herself a dishonored name? Little by little the tempter’s whispers grew louder, until they swelled into tones that were likely to drown for ever the “still, small voice of conscience.”

And so the struggle swayed on all through the long night, until at last nobility of soul triumphed, and in humble imitation of Him who had once been so sorely tempted and had so gloriously conquered, Frank Castell cast Satan behind him ! And the first rays of God’s sun shone athwart the room apd rested tenderly on his bent head, while from each of the jewels that lay on the table there flashed up an answering ray as it were of triumph! ****** The court-house was crowded. The jury had retired to consider their verdict, and none doubted what that verdict would be. Hush ! Hero they come ! “Gentlemen of the jury,” the clerk was beginning, when there was a sudden bustle at the door of the court. Then voices were heard and a man was seen pushing his way to the front. It was Castell. A rumor went round that unexpected evidence had turned up, and the rumor was turned into certainty when a few minutes later the doctor wns seen standing in the witness-box. This was his evidence: First of all, he gave an account of how he had found the jewels, and two people in that court hung upon his words. Alma Talbot and James Carlton had never believed the prisoner guilty. Breathlessly they listened as the story went on. In a clear, steady voice that could be heard by the farthest listener in that eager crowd, the witness told how he had gone back to Green’s Alley' and found the man dying; how he had implored him to confess that he knew; and how, at last, he had obtained the confession in the presence of a reliable witness. William Bly had entered the Carlton’s house op the night of the 3rd of November, and had made his way to the father’s bedroom. He (Bly) was standing in the shadow of the bed curtains when suddenly the old man had risen and, with a bunch of keys in his hand, walked toward the safe. At this moment Bly noticed the pistol on the chair, and, stooping over, secured it and hid again behind the curtains. Then James Carlton took up the night lamp, and when its light fell upon his face, Bly recognized that he was walking in his sleep. Unlocking the safe Carlton took something from it, and stood apparently in thought. Suddenly he walked to the mantlepiece, took up the other pistol, and going to the dressing--table went through some movements as though he were loading it. Then, without returning to the safe, he came to the bedside, laid the pistol he was carrying where the other had been, and got into bed. Bly waited a few minutes, went to the safe, took the sovereigns and hurried from the room. He had taken the precaution to secure the keys of both doors. When he was challenged he presented the pistol, but before he could fire, he heard a report, and felt himself hit. He was able to get out and lock the door, and so escaped. i What really happened whilst James Carlton was handling the pistol can never be exactly known, but it is certain that he then put the rubies into the pistol, and when John Carlton

fired, he flpz-i them !tAc <he body of William Ely. It was useless for the ushers to call “Silence!” when the verdict of “Not guilty” was given, and, perhaps, only one man in all that crowd went home with a heavy heart. Fr*nk Castell will remember Alma’s kiwi on the morning of her marriage, until time shall no longer be aught to him.—[Tit Bits.