Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-07-29

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to mouth.
Yes. Forester. for it was he, had been
pardoned by the Governor Four long
years he had toiled in the brick-yard OF
the prison. Thoughts of self-destruction
often fitted across his weary mind. Often,
as he stood near the furnace of the brick
kiln, he thought that only one bold leap
into the roaring flames, and his misery
would be at an end.
He had received only two letters dur
ing his Imprisonment. One was from
Amy.
The other letter came from New York.
It was from lawyer, and read This is
to inform you that Allen Forester, Esq
your uncle, has departed this life. He
died intestatc. and you are the sole heir
to - The lstser was received two
days before he was pardoned.
Fortune avails me nothing, the world
thinks me guilty cried be-,
Ill
sForrester has come back I wonder
why in the world he wants to come to this
place again he's rich and has threatened
to shoot Jim Croker if he calls him a
convict again Such were the reports
that spread over the village like wild
fire.
At last the news came to the ears of the
miller. With muttered curse upon bis
enemy, as he called Forester, he assembled
the stairs leading to the second story of
the new mill that he had erected in place
of the one swept away. His steps were
noiselessly as he approached Amy's led
room. He looked through the key hole !.
A minute afterwards he wrenched open
the door and rushed into the room-he
had seen Amy signaling to somebody
AS he rushed to the window be caught a
glimpse of the figure of man as he dis
appeared behind projecting cliff was
the form of Forester He caught hold
of Amy's arm.
Who was that man ? Quick, tell me-
came from between his clenched teeth.
Amy uttered shrek of pain.
He dropped her arm and rushed from
the room, but soon returned with a load
ed gun in his hands, and dragged her to
the open window. The head of a man
could plainly be seen rising slowly from
behind the cliff. Amy sank upon her
knees The miller released her arm and
slowly raised his gun. He had recog-
nized the features of Forester.
Signal shouted her father, so that
| can be sure of him. [ want to shoot
him through his black heart
Mercy sbrieked Amy, raising her
hands
| Forester, who only saw Amy, now
crept slowly towards projecting shelf of
the cliff He did not know what Amy
meant by raising her hands. Soon he
stood at the extreme edge of the c T, not
more than fifteen or sixteen feet in a hori-
zontal line from her window. Thirty
feet below him the water of the cannon
roared over huge boulders, and behind
was solid wall of granite, twelve feet
high The shelf was only two wide.
Die. convict shouted John Cluny.
Forester heard the word convict .
saw the old man, saw the bri ght barrel Of
the gun as it was pointed towards him.
heard the report-then all was blank.
When his consciousness returned, he
found himself lying on the top of the cliff
1t was night A form was bending over
him. By the dim starlight he could dis
tinguish the features, but cold shudder
passed through his body as he felt a
hand upon his face, and heard the we'll
Known tones OF the miller:
He's dead and I ANITA bit sorry for
it, either. But what am going to do
with the body? I can't throw it over the
cliffs. Well, I guess it's best to stick to
my first PLAN
The miller took rope from his pocket,
passing it beneath the arm-pits Of For
roster, and dragged the body to cave
known only to himself. This cave was
situated close to where one end of the mill
dam was fastened by means of heavy tim
bers to the cliffs the opening was con-
cealed by clump of bushes
No one will ever find him there NUT
tered the miller.
When he entered the bedroom of his
daughter be found her lying upon the
floor insensiblc.
w.
When Forester awoke from his death
like swoon, darkness was around him.
Painfully he lifted himself upon his elbow
Bending aside the boughs he saw the
glimmer of lantern which stood upon
the dam close to the sluice gates. When
Forresters eyes became more accustomed
to the darkness, he perceived the forms of
two men who were bending over the
breastwork Of the gates. Soon the sound
of voices came to his ears-zhe heard his
name mentioned. He was about to creep
through the opening of the bushes when