Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-11-13

mo, think will rcturn 20 my friends"
he replied. They have been very kind to
me, and fear ther will be offended if I
remain away now. lou shall hear from
me in the morning. however"
| After reaching the door Mrs Ames called
him back.
| But ths-this man in the passage"
she said hesitatingly. won't he die thero
/ alone ?"
The world would not suffer much from
the loss if he did" said Roland. bitterly
81 will look after him if you desire, how
! ever"
That will be best" rcjoined the house,
keeper, mentally wishing that her brutal
husband had already recovered and de-
parted.
/ you can come withme to the door if You
/ like" said Roland. but leave the lamp in
the hall. will open the door softly and
! creep down in the dark t. see if he is still
there"
/ He soon reached the spot where Ames
had fallen and was gratihed to find that he
had taken himself off.
The housekeeper's face brigheened when
informed of this.
SO this is the entrance to the passage"
she said, viewing the panelei wall OF the
room. "Mr Wallingford never believed in
the only one who knew about it until your
poor mother cane here. 1t is strange how
she learned the secret"
Your husband showcdhcr one day while
good natured from wine she had given
him. explained Roland
"ue would rcvcr give me clue to it."
said the housck.cpcr, but used it himself
IN entering the house to eXtort money from
me. You have no objections to my tasten-
ing the door from this SIDE 70. Il few days,
Mr.. Walingford?" 7"
"On the contrary" replied the young
man. 81 am nEXious tn It it should be
closed forever. There is no knowing how
many of lis reckless associates may have
been informed of the existence Of the pas
fagc. hope | shall ncycr use it again,
for 1t makes me s!ludd.r TO think o. the
dismal rl.cc. As il is late enough now 10
admit Of my departure by the main hail.
sad Rolani. sltncins at lis watch. 81 will
assist you i'll fastening the door"
This was II task very easily performed.
and Roland WAS soon ready to depart.
"ron't f"rset what told you about re-
tainin-: possession IF the keys he said. as
he stood III the lower hall. "Ererytnin.
may depend upon t.at one point"
Il VIII not forget replied the house
remain always your friend
Roland was highly sr.,titiel jlt the result
of hIs visit. lis way seemed clear now
the immense property almost within his
grasp. Still HIS mind WAS by no means ut
rest as he walked along. As before, Bor-
thu. filled his thoughts, and all the bright
| pictures OF future happiness he tried to
draw seemed to want one sweet face TO
make them complete and perfect 1t is
true that he knew not how his suit wouli
| lie received, but he Ia al ikea that Bertha
Was not entirely indifferent to HIM. IL
/ would relin4uish every claim t, this prop
erty," he murmured, ii 1 could feel ;,,sur-
cd OF her love, for 1t cannot BRING me
happiness if 1t shuts me away from her
heart"
The young man was Indeed in a singular
! position. While he feared that Bertha
would regard HIM rs il very hasty fortune
hunter ii he declared his passion ut once,
he also feared that if he waited until the
whole truth wis known. she would turn
from him With horror :ls the cause Of her
brothers ruin. lie still believed that Eu
gene was equally guilty with the attorney
in the attempt upon his life, and did not
I doubt that, whcn the whole matter came
out, 10th would Lo dragged to prison to-
gcthcr.
He tried to think If IL way 10y which Eu-
gene mig hit BE- save. from trial on the
charge OF attempted murder. but could find
none without making Up his mind to leave
! the whole story of the assault entirely out
of the case. Eugene hid left the attorneys
room on that night JUS as kol ind had en-
tered 1t, and the young ,n;ln regarded the
fact rs very significant, and as strong ayi-
| dcnce against him:
! When he rr;lcned his friends house he
WAS still undecided. Resolving TO leave
| the matt, to be controlled entirely by fu-
/ tlirc events, he made his Presence at the
/ door known by Il h" kno h. ami was at
once admitted y Gr,vc', wac looked fur
/ rlcd and excited
''You will find Il ligh' burning in your
room, he whispered. 't;o up stains as
| qui-,ly us you can; tor Eugcnc and Mr.
Gray Me IN the sitting room. You will
! find he doctor up st,ira If you should need
| any l4clp."
Say i'll this Grover returned to the sit
tin.-rJom and Roland h,sten.d up stairs.
"Io return to whit | WAS saying" said
| Gray, as Grover rect d the room, this
! young man atvan, ed Imost singular claim
t. the property, and left my room i'll Il
/ great rage. II is my opinion that tho fall
which resulted in n!s death was caused not
by a misstvr, but ~ a tit produced by his
excessive eXci'em mt
"And you don't know who the man real
ly was ?" asked Ep ,, "nu.
"lhat is the strtn. rest ;rlrt OF it 9ll,''
replied the attornsy,"l never heard of him
! before
"Well," srid Eugene. "this is my first
| knowledge of second cliimant. ! wish
! the poor fellow hLl lived He might have
been the true heir after Ill"
"And if he was began the attorney
but Eugene interrupted him.
That would have ended the matter so
far as am concerned. should have with
drawn my claim ut once
Even if II decision in your favor could
have been procWcd!"
when the right of the case was considered
and ! should most assuredly have done so,
was the firm and manly reply.
''Well, well" said the attorney, "that is
neither here nor there now. The matter
was settled in strange way, and 1t is not
necessary to talk of what mi ;ht have hap
pened.'
"But don't feel quite easy about the
matter" said Eugene.
"You have nothing to fear, sir"
! 81 didn't mean that. | meant that am
not SO sure of my right to the property rs
/ i was before
Gray laughed.
"Never mind that" he said. you should
not question such good fortune
/ "Who was that person you was talking
u I IL