Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-08-23

her husband-by going away with him
and she agreed to it, or he thought she
did, but if the man hadn't been blind az
an idiot, he ought to have seen that she
was up to mischief when she said
the words. Her promise was to
leave her husband and stay with hin,
until death should part them, and she
had the pistol in her fingers at that
minute with which she shot him dead
the next. / saw it all, but / wasn't the
only witness to the deed. They didn't
hear KEY turn in the door or see il
open. but l did. and Rodney France
came in Just in time to hear his wife s
promise, and to see her act. The pistol
was still smoking in her hands when she
looked up to see him there-his own
pistol, as was proved at the hearing
She fell down, as dead for the time as il
she had been shot herself.
'sHe made a search through the rooms
I've thought since it was to remove
any signs of her being there-and you
may be sure, as | had kept myself hid
den before, l didn't show myself then.
| Well, along about midnight he went
away. taking his'wife with him. She
only come out of one faint to 90 into
another, meanwhile, and l haven't a
doubt but he carried her every step of
the way home 1t wasn't long after
ward until l got out myself. l don't
mind saying that | had a fright that
night which made an honest man of me
for the rest of my days. I was only a
boy then. and afraid of my life if it
should be found out that l was there
that night. thinking that the murder
might be laid to me. l knew what
| justice meant when it lay between the
rich and the poor, and before daylight
came | was twenty miles away. l
didn't follow up the course of the trial;
in fact, to avoid knowing anything
about it, for fear I'd be taken as wit
ness. if nothing worse, l 'prigged a
wipe and got myself sent up for three
months. When came out l went back
| to Riverton, and found that he'd given
himself up and been hung for the MUIR
| der, and no one there knew what had
become of his wife. 1 kept my own
knowledge to myself, for / had an idea
| that the day would come when | would
make it tell.
"And the time did come. l knew
Mrs. Oliphant the first time | sat eyes
on her-knew that my hold on her was
worth a fortune to me-but there were
some things which I couldn't under
stand. Power Oliphant was supposed
to have married Miss Rose Sanger
ford, and my first impression was that
Mrs. France had deceived him by tax
ing that name. Research showed me
that such could not have been the case.
Rose Sangerford and Mrs. France were
two distinct people. won't enter into
details, but / struck clew when l
found that all three of them had been
in Cuba the year after his marriage and
your fathers death. | went to Havana
and found grave marked Rose, wife
of Power Oliphant.' and after that the
rest was easy. | discovered that he had
been in Kingston before leaving the
West Indies. l went there and had my
reward in unearthing an old register in
which second marriage was recorded
between Power Oliphant and Rose
Mignon France.
"Al this does not concern you so
nearly as the rest which have to tell,
that g rest being the story of her own
identity, which the reader already knows.
There was nothing in the whole history
which Harmon Quest had not ferreted
out, enough Heaven knows.-to crush
the girl who listened with stilled breath
and a dumb sense of anguish that for
the time overcame keener pain. She
could not realize yet the magnitude of
the disaster which had befalien her. 1t
was all over at last. She was free to 90
with the last words of the lawyer ring
ing in her ears:
"As speedily as possible / shall take
the steps necessary to put you in poses
sion of your fathers legacy. 1t will be
a step down in the world from your late
position as Power Oliphant' heireSS, but
in the event of there being no will, as
I'm inclined TO think is the case, it a
provision which you can't afford to de-
spise.
"Oh, one thing more. / may as well
tell you that your fance, Mr.. Earring
ton, has dropped to the racket, and
knows all about this, barring the mere
fact of your mother being guilty of that
murder, and from such symptoms as
I've noticed, | am inclined to think he
will go back on his bargain. 1 may be
mistaken, but if he does desert you, it's
as well to be prepared
That was his parting blow.
Dana left him, and on the way to her
room met Madame harrington.
Il have been looking for you," said
the latter. my dear,I have sent for
.Launt. Of course, no matterhow press
ing the reasons, we will not leave you
now. May l 60 in with you, Dana?
They will be coming to you for instruc-
tions unless-unless Mrs. Oliphant soon
returns
The strangeness of Mrs. Oliphant' s
absence was exciting comment through
out the house, but Dana was not called
upon. Mr.. Quest appeared and took
the reins of government. He consulted
with AleXia, and issued all necessary
orders. Lex went about with swollen
eyes, and shed floods of tears, but her
native good sense asserted itself; she
was anxious to be of use and to spare
Dana needless pain. The long hours
of that long day wore on. and Dana was
shut up in her own room alone. r She
had refused all companionship,. had
shut outzNfadame Harrington and Lex,
had only opened the door once, and that
was when a maid had raped and