Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-07-16

messenger had been SO foully dealt with
Leslie placed her in chair and turned tc
Warren.
"We are here" he said; NOW what dc
you intend to do"
ITO endeavor to make it comfortable fol
her. Within the week she must be mar
ried to me. Within the month all traces q
your family must be lost to your former
friends. We must quietly drop out of the
knowledge of the community to reappear ir
England as claimants for the PerciYal fort
une"
But we cannot leave her here alone
II do not intend to. Can the driver Of
the carriage be trusted to keep silence or
What he sees and hearst"
Implicitly. He is deaf and blind, to al
intents and purposes where / am con-
cerned."
aThen do you stay here with the girl
And you?"
will return within an hour with tn.
means to make her comfortable, and with
q companion.
"A companion2"
Eyes; L Know an old woman I can trust
Oh, don't look so serious! I'm not goins
to load the girl with chains or lock her up
She'll stay willingly sacugh; but one wore
to Sherwood and our cause is LOST. There
fore she must be watched closely"
Midnight was tolling from distant bells
and a somber silence reigned over The
place when Warren returned. He had dis
missed the carriage, and wagon vel
loaded discharged its contents at the dool
Of the old works. and soon thereafter {
bent, sharp visaged old woman came limp.
ing down the road.
as this the place 2" she asked, in I
cracked, harsh voice, her clfish eyes glanc.
ing curiously around the desolate scene.
Yes, replied Warren.
And the girl?"
"Is in the room at the end of the hall
Help me in with these things"
He paid the driver of the wagon, anl
then directed his attention to removing thu
furniture into the room indicated. 1t com
prised but few articles of comfort, blu
once in place admitted of couch ant
chairs for the rough apartment to which h.
intended to consign Edith Leslie, at leas
as temporary prisoner.
Leslie watched the arrangement will
moody silence. The last article in place
and surveyed by Warren, with critical eye
the latter turned.
aWell, (" he said, we've made her com
Portable at least Now, old woman, yol
mind your task"
@Yes, to keep the gal here and not let he
out"
Correct. We will be here tomorrow
See that she doesn't get out, and if she at
tempts to, just give her spoonful of tn
! medicine left you"
All right.
The two men left the room and tn
place. Their forms, dimly outlined in tn
imperfect light of night as they threade,
the tortuous windings of the irregular road
struggling against the tempest and rain, re
sembled the figures Of two night prowler
returning from their iniquitous work
Neither spoke until they were clear of tn
deserted quarry pit, which dark and sombe
verged from the road.
Once past that, Warren had turned to hi
companion to speak, when he started wit
wild ejaculation of surprise, as borne o.
his ear there came, clear and distinctly
from the direction Of the pit sweet, melo
| dious voice. chanting the measures of
wild, echoing song.
Two words escaped his lips in low nut
ter of startled alarm. They were:
THAT voicel"
| But he supplemented the whisper with
quick question to Leslie.
"In heavens name, what is that?" h
asked.
"a woman"
Il know that; the voice tells me as much
but here, at this hour"
"You need not be alarmed" replied Les
lie. 1T is nothing but Wild Nan"
@Wild Man," replied Warren, mystifed O
the cool, Indifferent manner of his com
panion.
"Yes, she is an erratic creature, as harm
less as she is strange. She seems to hav
a curious attachment for the old quarry
Her father used to work here"
A sigh of relief broke from Warren
| lips. If for a moment some resemblance
! in the voice he had heard awoke forme
memories, revealing a dark page in his pas
life's history, the impression disappeare
as they trudged on toward the distant light
of fhe city.
But when, an hour later, the arch-con
| spirator and villain whose deyilish skill ha
that night developed plot intended to de
stroy oil the peace and happiness of trust
ing woman's heart tossed on his couc
restless and anxious, his thoughts frame
two words ringing in his ears with annoy
ing. haunting persistency:
wild Mani"