Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-09-10
CHAPTER XXI.

|
| FoILED.
Throughout the remainder Of the nigh
| silence brooded over the lonely old house
| by the riverside. but sleep was a stranger tc
| The eye-lids of at least one inmate OF the
| place.
| Wild Nan had retiredto the room in which
| Edith had been coniEed prisoner. an6
had sought rest, but not slumber, on the
| rude pal ct it contained. her mind filed with
the plans she intended SO soon to place IN
execution.
| Leslie found respite from the torture Of
| a snllen, remorseful mood in the sodden
sleep Of intoxication, and his wife remained
In the same comatose condition she had
fallen into at the time Of her removal.
As to Warren, he finally stretched him
self on some chairs and slumbered pro-
foundly until the morning light
| He was the first to leave the building, and
when he returned he carried basket Of
provisions which he placed on the table.
| awoke his confederate, and announced to
Nan that the morning meal was ready.
The girl ate sparingly, but Warren en-
tered into thorough enjoyment of the
meal, rallying Leslie on his respondent
mind.
"Cheer up, old friend" he cried, reck-
lessly; @we'n soon be eating from silver
plate.
The mechanic glanced at his wife with o
dismal scowl.
"Oh, she'll not trouble you long. said
Warren, as he understood the source of
Leslie's annoyance. You've done your
duty by her, and what need you care for
the future?"
IF Ediths body should be found, sug-
oeefad T,eslie
What of it2" demanded Warren, quickly.
1T might be identified"
1WalI9"
And traced to us.
@We'n be far enough away by that time y
you have decided to leave Tonight"
Certainly. I shall procure tickets to-
day, and by midnight we will be clear of
the cty."
@You have secured q clergyman for the
marriage ceremony"
Not yet. but will arrange for that by
night.
Nan left them few minutes later and
returned toward noon with q package. She
had made few purchases and had hast
ened back without even seeing Edith, her
mind feverishlY impatient for the culmina-
ton of her plans that night
There was a room across the hall from
the apartment occupied by Leslie's house
hold, and there she had installed herself,
Warren smiling at her whims and hunor-
ing her by apparently taking no notice Of
them.
Mrs. Leslie had regained consciousness,
and Nan devoted herself to caring for the
sufferer through the long afternoon. The
mechanics wife pleaded pitlfully to see
Edith, but her husband silenced her with
savage oath, and Nan composed her mind
by whispering to her that Edith was safe
and under the influence of some medicine
Leslie had procured. The patient sank
again to a peaceful slumber.
Warren was gone nearly all day. 1t was
toward dusk when he returned. His flushed
face and excited manner indicated thor
ough confidence in the ultimate success of
his schemes, and his cheerful words and
free partakings of liquor inspired Leslie to
a similar condition of mind.
The two plotters were seated in the apart
ment where the mechanics wife lay, await
ing the termination of the lapse of time
which intervened before the expected ar
rival of the clergyman.
Leslie had asked Warren concerning Nan,
and he explained that her capricious mood
had insisted on the occupancy of the apart
ment across the hallway, which satisfied
the mind of the mechanic.
They did not deem their supposed tool
and ally worth suspicious thought, and
had abandoned oil idea of watching her,
Apparently Nan was as pleased as child
over new toy with the neat, dark dress.
heavy flowing veil, and quite stylish hat
| she had purchased for the ceremony.
They were not much in accordance with
such an occasion as a wedding. but Warren
thought not of this; only waited impatient
| ly the ceremony which would fully pre-
pare them to hasten forward to the royal
| fortune awaiting claimant across the sea.
1t was quite dusk when Nan, who had
been standing at the open door of the room
| in which she had installed herself, made a
| quick signal to form which had ap-
peared in the corridor from the head of the
stairway
The figure recognized her, and, coming
to her side, g1ided into the room.
1t was Percy Sherwood, and he glanced
eagerly at Nan.
as all ready?n she asked.
"On my part, yes.
"And Beatrice Ayenal?"
Understands fully and completely all
our plans, and is ready to assist us in their
execution.
| VERY well, then; see that you are here
within an hour and come at once to this
room. / will arrange for the rest. There is
one point"
aAnd what is that?" inquired Sher-
wood
Leslie
sWbat do Won meanP"
( aTbatit is better n avoid a violent scana
If nossibIe, These man are both armad I
bara ,,la,, ~ say,o,at \ them fa,T NV
tas hdfora ~ az Nil 5al,,da
Taslia by So,ne trivial eI-' evcnsa ~ con,a ~
this room and and once M here Won N mnst ,,y over. -
,,owar him bind him and ra5oov;,,e, 6;s
diso11ise. adopt II Yourself, -
Sherwood storted v;olan4lv
aTon snccaad i, daca;y;,,, worro,, ;f !
.oH -. - ,1.aJ - - =
IT. ao,,a ~ a04Io t,,ot - -. a.;a ~ .;4o
$500 We sllas Iii n - 49,; .u t sne ss;
t; ae;n =. =. .1a..1s suS