Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-09-03
From the Chicago Ledserl
WILD NAN
Or
The OQtCaSt'S Secret!
A GREAT CHICAGO STORY.
By WELDON j. COBB,
Author Of "At Her Mercy" THE Love 81
Her Life" The Manacled Hand, This
Telegraph Detective" The Stolen
Bridegroom" Etc, Etc
A GREAT CHICAGO STORY.
iAPTER XVIII.
BEATRICE.

iAPTEh ANIlL
BEATRICE.
At hearing the startling words of the dis
guised girl, the man Rivers drew back with
peculiar aspect of face.
But duplicity and the concealment Of
emotions in a cause worthy the same had
made the girl proficient in her assumptions,
and her open, frank eyes disarmed the sud-
| denly awakened suspicious of the former
accomplice of Elmer Warren.
She supplemented and strengthened her
stated position by speaking quickly.
@You and need fear no traps from each
other, for If you do not come in with me l
will act alone"
you speak of crime, :" said the man,
hesitatingly. How did you learn of it?"
cit does not matter. l know that two
years since Elmer Warren murdered John
Osgood, and you know it, too"
Adroit knave that the hunted criminal
was, he parried direct thrust.
I'll" he repeated. How should
Because you were there the night it oc-
Cured"
She had bent forward and hoarsely whis-
pered the words in his ear. Never for
moment did she allow the man to dream
| that she was drawing him out.
She knew so little in reality, outside of
| certain note she had found in the pocket Of
coat thrown down carelessly by Warren
at Leslie's new home, and written by the
man Rivers, demanding money, that she
trembled when she feared that Rivers
might defeat her plans by avoiding her
efforts to extract the knowledge SO desired
from him.
He started violently when she charged
him thus indirectly with completely in the
crime. ffAts
Suppose was, he muttered, Il had no
hand in the killing affair.
"And in that lies your chance of safety,
said Nan quickly. You and must deal
honestly.the end, money What you
hesitate-hesitate for fidelity to Elmer War
rem, q man who would beiray you o-mor-
row if it would further his interests"
The eyes of the other cleaned murder
ously.
| Would he do that2" he hissed
"Has he answered your note, in which
you threatened exposure of his crimes un-
less he sent you money! Did you get that
money? No; with q fortune almost within
his reach, he counts on flying, leaving you
penniless; perhaps he even meditates be-
! traying you to the police ere he goes.
! He cannot" cried Rivers. worked up to
| the highest pitch of excitement by Wild
Mans words, and pacing the floor rapidly.
"Why not?"
Because. my only serious crime was in
accompanying him the night of the murder
near the quarry. But he did it; not I.
Mans eyes glowed like two living Goals
of fire, her breath came quickly.
Suppose he swears you did it?"
The man paused in his walk and cast
4 ,G
Nan.
Let him try i'll" he cried. "I am no
mans fool The night the deed was done
/ watched outside-I had no hand in the
crime, but when found he had killed his
1 man" ee
The intensity of anxious suspense was in
Mans eyes as she endeavored to hasten the
disclosures of her companion.
II provided myself with safeguard
against exigencies."
"a safeguard" repeated Nan, breath
lessly
YES"
What do you mean?"
| THAT when we got to our room, and he
divided the money unequally, when l de-
manded and he threatened, quietly pro-
vided myse with proofs of his part in the
crime
%Proofsi"
/ The words were almost gasped from the
disguised girls anxious lips, SO intense in
their expression Of eagerness and excite
ment that Rivere regarded her somewhat
startled.
Eyes," he said, simply; "those proofs
have now-evidences which, old as the case
is, he cannot deny"
| What are they?"
The mans lips closed firmly.
] That's my secret, he replied.
| "But in what shape2"
| "In shape enough to convict Elmer War
rem, never fear, replied the other. "Let
| me but once go to the police, who are now
/ looking for me for trivial crime, and fur
nish them with the knife with which John
Osgood was murdered, the envelope which
contained his money, and sustain the
charges l can make in addition to all this,
! and will be given immunity from arrest
on this last charge against me.
Nan discovered readily that the man was
too guarded to speak further concerning his
secret. She had ascertained enough al
ready and arose to leave the place.
Il am going, she said.
"And your proposition2"
Il will carry out. Listen to me. I know
where Elmer Warren is 1 can secure his
IL
you to-day, tomorrow, week hence, and
tell you that bold threat made by you will
win us large amount of money, will you
unhesitatingly follow my directions?"
Yes, cried Rivers, eagerly.
Then remain here patiently till I see you
again"
| She left the room before Rivers could
question her more. She descended the
stairs, reached the street, and left the place
by many turns and windings, to evade any
spy who might be sent on her trail.
The proofs at last. her lips repeated,
as she gained retired street. "There is
no need of carrying out my plans before ar
ranged, to delude Elmer Warren to an in
| terview with this man and secure his tacit
confession of his guilt by overhearing with
witness the secret Rivers might draw from
his lips. No, Rivers holds that secret al
ready, and he will speak when the time
comes. As for myself, the field is clear now.
/ With firm resolve start out to avenge my
fathers murder. and to rescue the Percival
fortune from these iniquitous villains at
one fell blow. III
They had called her wild Man." The
intelligence which cleaned in her bright,
thoughtful eyes belied every past insinua-
ton Of mental blindness.
| If Elmer Warren or Reuben Leslie could
but have read what was passing in her mind
at that moment they would have shuddereo
at the power she secretly held over their
unsuspecting selves.
For if a love of solitude and the memo
RES of terrible crime witnessed by her in
the past had driven the wanderer to an err
ratio life and made of her child of nature.
| wild and wayward, never had the quick mind
lost its balance
/ Whan ElTnor Warrn, bo5
the scene at the old works all the latent en-
ereY OF the wanderers mind had been called