Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-30

her: she advanced TO where Stephen
stood, and said quietly:
"Wbat are you doing here | sus-
pected your errrand TO night, and have
followed you lest harm should come to
yOu."
This she said so quietly and mno-
eenly that Stephen was deceived, and
believed her word when she said 1t was
attachment to him that made her fol
low him. i
ssWhv, what have You been doing =
Here's fresh blood coming from this
mans head, and here's blood ON your
erowbar. You have committed a muir
der" said Margaret, looking full at the
Tuflian. In whose ear th5 Devil wins
Dared again 1.-The dead tell no tales;
int there was something also IN hls
mind that forbade him 20 entertain the
idee suggested by the whisper Love
worked so far even in his breast rs to
make him blind 30 his safety. Mafga-
ret. however, was not unprepared; q
large stiletto, without sheath, was
under her shawl, really 10 use at any
moment,
Woolcombe did not answer her ques-
tions, but said IT was nnwise IN her To
run the risk Of coming down TO the
ship, whittier he had come for the pur-
pose Of seeing il he could render any
help.
81 do not believe you, Stephen Wool
conhe. said Margaret. cit was Tor no
GOOD. reason Won came. .SYOu came TO
pIunder and steal, thinking to do so
secretly and unresisted, but resolved
not 10 let life stand in your way, ifneed
were. as this poor man testltiss. ION
have killed hinl ms you have KILLED Youf
ogn wife, whose place yon think am
going 10 fill, as yon killed my father,
aud, as / believe, you killed Henry
WaoIcomba. You are bad MAJ. ~,
do not attempt violence to me, she
said. as Wooleombe's fingers twitehed
~ the lock of his pistol 81 sm safe
enough; but you shall bear me, and
Won shall answer two questions, or III
inform the magistrate OF what see and
of what / suspect. Where IL the treas.
IRE nv father left behind him, and
where il Henry WoolcOmbe2
There was something so new, and
vithai SO commanding in Margaret
Stapleton's voice and manner, that the
bad man quailed before it. The sud
den announcement of his crimes by
her, whom, after his way, he loved, and
whom be eOuid not have supposed TO
be acquainted with his euiit, staggered
him for the moment, till he remember
Ell that ehe could not have spoken from
knowledge, but from surmise. Then
he resolved 10 be himself again, aud 10
brave out with bad bOldness the
charge that had been made against
him. The Devil also told INN, once
more, that st the worst be had it IN las
power to make himself safe. Stephen
Woolcombe looked np,-tne light shed
by his lantern was the only light that
sione. aud fonnd lie conld not face
the eyes tnat looked him through and
through.
Abashed, and irritated too, he re
fused TO speak Till Margaret again com
manded him. Then he denied all
knowledge al her fathers treasure, aud
ali knowledge of Henry WO0leombe;
but Margaret was not so IN be put Oh.
Growing boideT az she saw more and
more clearly the extent Of her power,
she insisted upOn the information, tall
love having given place suddenly 70
hatred Ia the mans breast, he saw no
course open to him between confession
or fresh violence The returning tide
was beginning to hiss aronud the sea
ward timbers of the ship, the gray OF
morning was showing itself through the
omen scuttles and the rents IN the ships
sides: the dead captain under the ia
BILE. and the murdered steward lying
on the locker became even more and
more distinct, and as If the lantern felt
that its office must soon cease, the
wick that was al IL began to reduce its
light an the presence Of the morning
twilight.
"Why should you wish to know the
fate OF Henry Woolcombe?' said Ste
phen.
Because 1 love him, and have loved
him, even when 1 seemed to slight him
for you. / love him3now, alive or dead.
/ demand that YOU shall tell me where
he is.
II cannot tell yOu where he is. 1
have not seen him since you have
''And yet you spoke to him the other
night when this ship was wrecked.
You babe him leave you, and you
threatened him ii be did not go.
Stephen now knew for the first time
that he had been watched on this occa-
sion. He shuddered as he thought Of
it, and now jealousy coming IN to the
AID of fear, he determined 10
put an end to both at once.
He determined to kill Margaret.
He raised MS pistol, and was about
to pull the trigger, when a vision
OF Henry WoolcOmbe, hike, but more
substantial than that which had per
picked him so many times, rose before
him, He had intended 10 bid Marga-
ret 90 seek Henry in the grave, when
this vision unnerved his arm. 1t
seemed as though his son, with the old
power IN his lace, stood between him
and his prey. Vainly he conlured him
to 90, and cursed him with all the bit
terness of his former curse. The vie
ION remained, and as the elder man
passed his hands across his eyes az if to
clear away the vision from them, the
ghost placed q grip upon his arm that
held him as a vice. Horror overcame
the rObber murderer; he swooned and
sank down, while Henry Woolcombe,
in his very self, alive, though i'll, stood
by L1m, and himself answered Marga-
ret Stapleton's irqniry, "Where was
he ?''
1t were long to tell how Henry Wool
combe appeared on such a scene.
Enough TO say he was OF the company
of the shipwrecked vessel, the only sur
vivoT, now that the steward had been
killed. Badly hurt the day before the
wreck took place, he had taken TO his
berth, aud stayed there in more or
a Al.