Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-07-05
THEPLOT AGAINST HAWLEY.
CHAPTER I.


HOW THE PLOT ORIGINATED.
Near noon, the 5th of September,
1852, man laboring under great
excitement was walking hurriedly
up Broadway, New York. His
features were flushed and convulsed,
his glances wild restless, his whole
mien indicative of keen anguish.
Turning to the right into Bleecker
street, he soon reached plain three
story and basement brick house, to
which he gave himself admittance.
care you there, Ruth?" he called
from the hall.
A step was heard overhead, fol-
lowed by the rustling of dress,
and young lady descended the
front stairs. Despite several points
of marked contrast, there was a
family likeness about the couple
that proclaimed them to be brother
and sister.
"Why, what's the matter, Luke?"
cried the latter, starting at sight of
the disturbed countenance that met
her view. care you ill?"
"I've just received bad news" :"
replied the brother, leading the way
into the parlor-''news which has
given me terrible shock"
"Shock? You! What has hap
pened?"
''In a word' Clara Aymar is mar
ried!"
"Married!" echoed the sister, re-
coiling. "Clara Aymar married!
Is it possible?"
eyes, married! the girl I've been
laying siege to for years past-the
only girl / ever cared pin for.
Imagine the shock this event gives
me. Pm nearly crazy"
"Then you really loved hcr?"
"Zored her! / must have aror-
shipped her, or else this thing would
not have so completely upset me-"
ooh, as to that, the loss ola thing
always gives us an exaggerated no.
ton of its value" said the sister
philosophically, as she sank languid
ly into an easy chair, and smoothed
out fold in her snowy morning
robe. "You are simply shocked, as
you say. But by tomorrow you
will laugh at the whole matter.'
"Don't, Ruth" implored the bro
ther, sinking heavily into the near
| est chair. "Clara Aymar is more
to me than my life! My love for her
is delirium! It's no such passing
fancy as you suppose, but an ever
lasting passion-a rage-a flood of
molten lava! And I've counted all
along upon marrying her. True,
she has rejected me twice, but l
thought she'd change her mind"
"Shc was in no way committed
to you?"
"No, of course not. She has
never given me any encouragement.
But am none the less surprised. I
supposed that everything was favor
able to my wishes. I knew that she
was still young to marry-an Or
phan-without money and without
friends-presumably without suit
ors: and flattered myself that she
couldn't always remain insensible
to my attentions"
"You reasoned wisely enough, of
course, Luke; but reason never de-
cides these matters," declared the
sister, with a sort of contemptuous
compassion. "a Wilma chance
meeting-a smile or a word-a
moments wednesday, trifie-
these are the things by which mar
riages are brought about. But who
is the bridegroom"
"Ah! that's a point that will
touch you a little, I think. Can't
you guess who he lisp"
81 haven't the least idea"
"Well, then, he's Will. Haw-
ley"
The sister sprang abruptly to her
feet, clasping both hands to her
heart. The changing colors Of her
brother, his agitation, his anguish,
all passed to her own features.
evil. Hawley?" she gaspcd. "Oh
you don't mean it, Luke!"
"But I do though. It's Gods
truth. Clara Aymar and Will.
Hawley are husband and wife"
! A heavy fall succeeded. The
sister had tainted. She lay upon
the floor as one dead.
"Did she think that much Of
Hawley?" muttered the brother,
astonished. 81 didn't suppose
He FASTENED to bring a pitcher oi
water and bathe the white features
and then set himself to chafing the
clcnchcd hands.
Capt. Luke Pcdder was twenty
seven years of age, with an ori
ginally light complexion, which had
Redeemed with generous living and
bronzed with exposure to wind and
sun. His form was of the averag,
size and height, and his features o
r the most ordinary type. He wal
singularly selfish and unscrupulous
! but Of gentlemanly manners, being
well educated and used to goot
society. His ability as a navigator
was fair for a man Of his age ant
experience, but he owed his posi-
ton as commander of a fine Austria
lian clipper, more to respect fol
his late father and to sympathizinl
favor than to his own merits.
Miss Ruth Pedder was two year
younger than her brother, and con
sequently twenty-five years of age
although she owned to only twenty
c She was tall, thin, and q little in