The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-05-28
affrighted Mrs. Holmes.
when was she last seen?" inquired

..Estelle said she left school at the
usual time, and she had afterwards
seen her crossing Avenue-road in COM
pany with this young Madding."
WAS that the fellow name?" asked
the young man.
Yes.
There is but one thing to do, and
that is to make the matter public at
once. 1t will make a scandal, but may
result in her recovery, Tor | am con-
vinced there is foul play. Heavens
exclaimed the young guardian, raking
his hair with his hands rs he walked
the floor, mo one knows what the
worst may be. Have you been in her
room, mother?-do you know whether
be a mere matter of money, it may be
worse"
Upon search, the valuable diamond
necklace and rings, which the girl kept
ever with her, were not to be found
Percy hastened to place the affair in
the hands of detectives, and the morn
irg papers had published statements of
the mysterious disappearance of Miss
Nenette Claiming, the beautiful heir
ess."
The sun was sending its red glare
through the small dusty window of the
hOvel, occupied as a dwelling by the
wicked woman to whom Arthur Mad
ding (sO-called), had given over the
charge of Nenette Claiming.
She was fitting accomplice for the
man who had so trusted her Avarice
L
nance as she bent over the girl, now
slowly reviying from the effects of the
heavy drugs which had been admins
tered to her.
But there was no clear awaking to
reality for the girl that day. Scarcely
had she opened her eyes than her com
panion poured down her throat the
mixture prepared, and Fenette re-
lasped into a heavy sleep.
Meantime Madding made his way to
the dock of one of the outward-bound
steamers.
His ticket bought, he enrolled his
name as James Dering, and awaited
the departure at noon of the steamer.
At the expiration of the day a man
knocked at the door of the wretched
hut, within which Nenette was impris-
oned. 1t was the man whom Madding
had called Damon.
He drew the old crono aside and
whispered:
''Io-morrow evening you are to give
her this. am then to row her out to
the middle of the river Have her ready
for me at eleven o'clock"
About the same hour of the evening,
a a leo l1aI 11ND,, Dar1y- HplD,ac
"A word with you, sir"
The anxious young man prepared to
listen.
You've advertised a reward for the
recovery of Miss Venette Claiming. If
you will come with me tonight, | will
take you to the man who abducted the
lady. Will you give me the full sum if
l show him to you-if | put you i'll
position to arrest him?'
81 will give you half for that, and the
other half if you will show me the
young lady, dead or alive"
The man hesitated, and glanced sly
ly at Venette's guardian, then seeming
to come to some decision, he said, ad-
vancing to him, III tone almost a
whisper:
''lf | take you to him, you can have
him watched; then if you'll promise to
give me fair time to get on the way to
Canada, where l want to 60, | can give
you hint of the whereabouts of the
young lady"
Il agree"
That morning had broken over the
earth heavily and slowly. A sombre
fog hung over the river as the steamer
upon which James Dering" had taken
passage made its slow way towards the
ocean.
Suddenly there came a crash-they
and in a disabled condition the steamer
was towed back to port.
1t was ten o'clock at night-the night
when Nenette was to be removed from
the hut, where, for the most of the
time, she had remained in a state of
Semi-cOnsciousness.
She was tonight, however. more fully
aroused than heretofore. She had be-
gun to realize her situation, and she re-
sisted the efforts of the woman to pour
any more of the heavy opiate down her
throat.
The old crone had summoned the
man Damon to her assistance, and not
withstanding the cries of their victim,
they were forcing her to swallow the
mixture.
What matter that she should scream?
Was there human being near enough
to hear?
There was a laundering jar of the
wretched dwelling, as though an earth
quake had shaken it, and the next in
slant the prosecutors were in the hands
Of a pair OF stalWart officers, and Percy
Holmes bent over ihe pale, dishevelled,
and exhausted Nenette.
AT the same hour, Arthur Maddinp,
G'iHS James Dering, cursed his fate in
the gloom of his rrison-cell.
AgOut him had been found the lost
diamonds which had been the spoil
which had lured him into deceiving We
nctte Charming.
His story OF temporary impecuniosity
had so impressed the romantic girl,
that she hal yielded to his pleadings
for an early marriage under the sup
position that they were To sail immedi-
ately for America, where he declared
money and position awaited him. To
this end she had loaned him her dia-
mOnds.
The game in his hands, he had
drugged the Girl and left her as we
have seen. making arrangements him
self to receive part of the reward offer
ed for her recovery when she should be
sent home. This last to be accom-
plished by the old woman with the ut
most secrecy.
But the game was up. One of the
men he had hired TO bring The girl to
the boat on the night of the abduction
had proved too sharp for him; "still,
but for that internal luck to the steam
er.'
A sad lesson had it been for poor
Eenette. and for months she yielded to
the weakness of reaction, which threat
ened to throw her into decline and
cut off her young life.
But at last travel and change of
scene brought back the old flow of
spirits, and Percy Holmes, now ever
her companion. now her lover, had the
right to become her lifelong protector.