THE CLEVERDALE MYSTERY.
After Mannis fled so precipitately from the parlor of the Hamblin
mansion, George Alden was the first to break the silence.
"Friends!" he exclaimed, "I am George Alden, whom you have supposed
dead. A great wrong or mistake has made me its victim, and the body
lying in yonder cemetery is that of a stranger." Then, covering the face
of his wife with kisses, he moved forward, and deposited the insensible
form of Belle on the sofa, when Fannie Alden sprang quickly toward him,
and hysterically embraced him, exclaiming:
"Yes, it is indeed my brother! Oh, what happiness!"
The fright occasioned by the sudden appearance of the supposed dead man
having been dispelled by Alden's words, all except members of the family
withdrew. In a few moments the efforts at restoration were successful;
Belle opened her eyes, and said:
"Was it a dream?"
Beholding the form kneeling beside her, feeling the warm breath on her
face, and seeing the loving eyes looking into her own, she cried:
"No--no--it is true. Oh, George, my husband, is it indeed you?"
"Yes, Belle, and I have returned never to leave you again."
Her joy was accompanied by hysterics, and she sobbed and laughed
alternately, her arms encircling the neck of her husband.
"You must not leave me--oh, it still seems like a dream--but where is
he? Had I married him? Oh, it is horrible!" and she closed her eyes, as
if to hide the memory of the scene.
"But yourself, George?" she continued; "tell us where you have been all
these long, long, weary months."
"Calm yourself, Belle. Be satisfied that we are reunited. My story is a
long one, and after you recover from this excitement you shall know all."
Senator Hamblin, although greatly bewildered, was thoroughly convinced
that George Alden really stood before him. When the apparition burst so
suddenly upon him, he reeled, and for a time nearly lost his senses, but
when he saw his daughter clasped in the arms of the intruder, and heard
the words that fell from her lips, fright was superseded by surprise.
His heart was filled with both fear and joy; the former overwhelming him
as he thought of his responsibility for all the trouble of the past two
years; yet joy taking possession of him when he beheld alive the man of
whose death he had believed himself the immediate cause. When he had
fully regained his composure, he grasped George Alden's hand, and said:
"Forgive me; I have deeply wronged you!" He stooped as if about to fall
upon his knees, but Alden said:
"No, no--not that, sir! Say nothing about those matters at present.
Surely this joy should wipe out all scores between you and me."
News of the return of George Alden, who had been mourned as dead,
quickly spread through the community, and Cleverdale could scarcely
credit the news. The hotels, stores, and street corners were scenes of
excitement; men of all classes discussed the event, and the return of
George Alden caused even greater wonder than his disappearance. When
the news reached Sargent, he exclaimed, "Alden returned? Thunder and
Mars! I must skip out of this at once. Wonder what has become of Mannis?
Well, it is every one for himself in this deal. Good-by, old Cleverdale!
good-by! Perhaps I'll see you later." An hour afterward, Sargent was on
a western-bound train, and the community was rid of its worst villain.
The following morning all arose early at the Hamblin mansion; Belle
would not allow her husband to leave her side even for an instant, and
for the first time in many months joy and happiness were visible in her
eyes. Fannie Alden had remained at the mansion, and, all anxious to hear
the wanderer's story, an hour later the family assembled in the parlor
to listen to the remarkable revelation.
"Before George commences his story," said Senator Hamblin, "I must
remove a crushing load from my own heart."
He then related every detail of the part he had acted in the conspiracy,
taking upon himself all the odium belonging to him. He gave such a
pitiful description of his terrible sufferings of mind and remorse
of conscience, that all present were deeply affected. The proud man
was truly humbled; his penitence, for once, was not assumed. Fully
exonerating his son-in-law from the charge against his integrity, he
took from his pocket two envelopes, and placed the intercepted letters
in the hand of George Alden.
"I am a guilty wretch," he said, "and deserve all the execration you can
heap upon my head. To save myself, I even urged my daughter to marry
Walter Mannis, after all the suffering I had caused her. I have been an
unnatural father. Despise me--all of you--for I deserve it."
He was utterly prostrated, and Belle, leaving the side of her husband,
threw her arms about his neck, and said:
"Papa, it is all over now; let us bury the past. Cheer up; George has
returned, and will forgive and assist you."
"I agree with Belle," said George. "You have had your share of
suffering; let us try to forget the past, and keep our secret from
the outside world. Your financial matters need not distress you
further, for my fortune is ample to help us all. But the body in yonder
cemetery--what can you tell us about that?"
"Nothing, for I was the victim of that deception. Ah, there has been a
deeper game played than I expected."
Senator Hamblin's revelation surprised all present, but no more so than
a telegram that was suddenly brought in.
It read as follows:
"HAVELOCK, ----
"SENATOR HAMBLIN: Benjamin Harris shot and killed Walter Mannis
this morning. The body of Harris's daughter was found in the
mill-pond, and a letter left by the unfortunate girl charged
Mannis with being her betrayer."
"What a narrow escape was mine!" exclaimed Belle. The Senator's eyes
sought the floor; Alden's arm encircled Belle. Then the young husband
related his story, beginning at the time of the terrible accusation and
telling every occurrence up to the time of his departure from Chicago
for Cleverdale.
"Never did a train move so slowly as the one that bore me on my
homeward journey," said he. "I dared not send a telegram--being
ignorant of matters here; but as the cars neared Cleverdale two men,
seating themselves directly behind me, began to talk, and from their
conversation I learned a wedding was to take place that evening. When
the names of the contracting parties were mentioned, my brain whirled,
and for a moment reason seemed about to leave me. Then, as they spoke
of the mystery and sadness enveloping the whole affair, and the deep
sorrow occasioned by my supposed death, I learned of the suffering that
my precious wife had experienced. In a few moments, the train stopping
at Cleverdale, I alighted, and looking at my watch saw that the hour
appointed for the ceremony was only five minutes later. Jumping into a
carriage, I gave the driver a gold piece to drive his best. The rest you
know."
"How you have suffered!" said Belle.
"Yes, we have all suffered. But now let the curtain drop upon the past.
Whatever the outside world may think, the secrets of this drama must
remain locked in the hearts of those present."
The narrations concluded, Senator Hamblin was apprised of Sargent's
flight, but the information did not disturb him; he merely said:
"Another character gone whose presence here is not desired."
George Alden was warmly greeted by his old friends, his first appearance
at the bank being the occasion for a spontaneous levée. Many crowded in
and warmly grasped his hand; for it is not every day that one can shake
hands with a man who is hero, dead-alive, and millionaire all in one.
The mystery surrounding the whole affair gave Cleverdale abundant
opportunity for gossip. The secret marriage; the flight of George Alden;
the mysterious body found in Reynolds Grove; the contemplated marriage
of Belle with Walter Mannis; the prostration of the expectant bride;
the wedding-party; the abrupt return of the supposed dead, and the good
fortune of the latter; the sudden disappearance of Sargent, and the
withdrawal of Senator Hamblin from politics, were events that stirred
the gossiping clubs of Cleverdale as they never had been before. The
body which had played a leading part in this story was disinterred and
buried in another place.
After recovering from the excitement, George Alden held an interview
with his father-in-law, and arranged to pay all his indebtedness.
Senator Hamblin was to withdraw permanently from politics and retain his
position as president of the bank. The astonishment of the ex-Senator
was great when the financial affairs of the late Hon. Walter Mannis
were shown up and that individual proved a bankrupt. The forged names
of several well-known men were found on notes which Mannis had used in
city banks, and among this forged paper the name of Senator Hamblin was
discovered.
Belle's health being already much improved, it was thought a journey
would be beneficial; and as she was desirous of seeing Mrs. Nash, a
visit to Chicago was arranged, where the young couple spent several
happy days. While guests of the kind woman, the wayward son returned,
and there was gladness in the mother's heart when she learned that her
boy had become a better man.
Belle's health returned; the roses again bloomed on her cheeks, and her
eyes flashed with their old-time brilliancy. Then an invitation brought
George Alden's late partners to Cleverdale, and a happy reunion took
place between the "Three Boys," as they were called in Colorado.
Plans were at once made for a residence on the grounds adjoining the
Hamblin homestead, and a few months later a substantial and commodious
residence was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. George Alden; a suite of rooms
being prepared expressly for Fannie Alden.
Mrs. Hamblin saw with gladness the happiness of her children, and
reoccupying the old place in her husband's affection, her joy was
complete.
Later on, George Alden entered into a copartnership with others, the
Cleverdale Woollen Mill was rebuilt, and the old company's great
manufactory again rattled and clattered through the busy days, to the
substantial delight of many who owed their lives, in a double sense, to
Alden's manliness.
Time passed on, and excitement over the events of this story gradually
subsided, but to this day many conjectures are indulged in, for the
gossips never got at the heart of the story, and no one has yet been
able to solve THE CLEVERDALE MYSTERY.