Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-02-28

bly excited, and flashing a quick
glance around him. he sprang into
the center Of the apartment, and
cried out to his followers:
"There's your man! / command
you to seize him I"
He was pointing to Dyke Balfour.
Instantly shrek rang through
the room, as Edith fell senseless to
the floor.
The man in tattered garments
staggered toward her like drunk
en- man. He pansed, pressed his
hands to his temples, and turned
his wild-looking eyes upon the az
frightened guests.
Friends" he cried, in a quiver-
ing voice, "don't you know me o.
Look at me. I am Clifford Har-
court :"
The next moment he was down
on the floor in fainting fit, beside
the unconscious woman.
II had all occurred In a very
brief space Of time. One minute
the calm old clergyman was OPEN
ing the ceremony that was to link
two lives together; the next, he
was covering in the remotest cor
ner OF the room, a picture Of con-
sternation, while Dyke Balfour
stood handcuffed between two bur-
ly officers of the law, pale and
trembling with guilty terror, and
Clifford Harcourt and his divorced
wife lay senseless on the floor.
AS soon as the people had parti-
ally recovered from their fright, the
insensible ones were tenderly cared
for. Balfour was led away and
confined temporarily in the village
lookup.
Then the whole startling story
came ont. and Pointville rang
with 1t for several days. The ex.
citement was so high that the au-
thorities were forced TO remove Bal
four from the village by strategy,
to save him from the summary
vengeance of an exasperated pop
ulace.
1t came to light that on the day
of Harcourt's sudden disappear
ance, two years before, Balfour had
met him in the city, and invited
him to take dinner at Balfour Hall.
He had accepted the invitation In
his usual friendly spirit, and was
still sitting at the table with his
supposed friend, after the meal was
despatched, when somebody dealt
him a murderous blow on the head
from behind. After lying uncon-
scions, he knew not how long, he
had opened his eyes to find himself
in dark, cell-like chamber under.
meath the house. Strong iron bolt,
and locks fastened him in, and q
small, square window above bis
reach, crossed by thick bars, was
the only opening that admitted
light to his gloomy quarters.
Dyke Balfour had come down to
see him, and with cold, pitiles.
: sneer on his handsome vissage, had
told him what to expect. He wa
never more to look upon God's
green earth, but was to be kept ir
solitary confinement there till hs
died. And all the while that tho
: scheming millionaire had played
, the part Of sympathizing friend
t to Edith, he had held her husband
! a prisoner under Balfour Hall. Har
!, court had been well fed during hi
D imprisonment, an old servant bring
q ing food three times q day, ant
: passing il in to him through small
!, opening in the door. cha
r Bslfour had tried several times
by threatening death in all IL,
!, most hideous forms-to make hi
}. prisoner write letter Mt his dicta
g tion. But Harcourt had firmly ant
steadily refused. The williams ul
= innate success in gaining his oh
2 iect, was due to a bit of counter
{; plotting on Clifford's part. Tn
e latter had succeeded in raising on
: Of the hinge fiagstones that compos
n ed the floor, and for two month
2 had been slowly, but surely tunnel
IS ing his way out. Consequently
when his prosecutor had urged th
'e writing Of the note for the las
a time, showing that he was now ter
ID ribly In earnest when he swore
"a starve him to death II he refuse,
a Harcourt had finally yielded, an
g written the lines dictated by Ii
T. arch plotter.