The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-09-26

y
he cried, fiercely.
Excuse me, governor, returned the other,
coolly. MIR. Monk, of Monkshurst, / be-
ieven
"That's my name"
''Sorry to trouble you on such a day, but /
should like few words with you"
Il cannot stay-I am going to be marriedl'
80 heard" said the man, lifting his hat
and bowling with a grin to Matt. Glad to
see you, Miss. How do you do? But the fact
is, Mr. Monk, my business won't keep. Be
good enough to step this way"
Full Of some unaccountable foreboding, in
spired partly by the strangers suave, yet
determined, manner, partly by the reappear-
snce Of tho caravan, Monk alighted, and
followed the other across the grass to the
close vicinity of the house on wheels. The
little elderly man followed, and the man who
had first spoken went through the ceremony
of introduction.
This is Mr.. Monk, sir. Mr. Monk, this
gentleman is Mr.. Lightwood, of the firm of
Lightwood q Lightwood, solicitors, Chester"
And you-who the devil are youT" de
manded Monk, with his old savagery.
"My name is Marshall, Christian name
John, though my friends oSll me Jack, ;" an
swered the other with airy impotence. ''John
Marshall, governor, of the detective force"
| Monk now went pale indeed. But recover
| ing himself, he cried, Il know neither Of you.
warned you that was in haste What do
you wantf Out with itl'
| The little man now took up the converse
| ton, speaking in prihl, busineSS-lke voice,
and occasionally referring To IA large note
| book which he carried
| ''Mr. Monk, you are, | am informed, the
sole male heir of the late Colonel Monk, your
cousin by the fathers side, who was supposed
| To have died in india in tho year 1867
YES, that's true What thenF'
| ''On the report of his death, his uame being
included i'll an official list oNoficers killed and
wounded in action, and it being understood
| that he died without lawful ISSUE, You laid
! claim To the demeSne of hOnkShuISt, In
| Cheshire, and that of the samename in Angle
sea. Your Calm was recognized, and in loG0
You took possession"
We'll Have You detained me to hear only
what l already knew"
| Pardon me- | have not finished. | have
| now toiuf0rm You that you inherited under "A
misconccption- first, because Colonel Monk
was married and had issue; secondly, because
| he did not die In India, but reached The shores
| of England, where he persisted in the sail-
| wreck of the vessel Trinidad on Christmas
| day, 1SG4H
Monk was hvid. At this moment Jones,
who had been watching the scene from "A
distance, came over, painting and perspiring
i'll ill-concealed terror.
"Bor', Mr.. Monk, what's the matter2 Look
ye now, we shall he late fer the wedding"
As he spoke, Marshall, the detective, clap
ped him playfully on the shoulder.
i "How dye do, William Jonese | have
often heard of You, and wished to know You.
Pray stop whore You are. III talk to you
presently"
Il don't know what you mean, " Monk now
said, with logged desperation, with all this
rigmarole, Mr. Lightwood, or whatever your
name is 1t seems to me yen are simply raw
ing. If am not my cousins heir, who is;
tell me thatI'
His daughter = s,iid the man, quietly.
''He never married, and he never had q
daughter"
Ills daughter, an infant twelve or four
teen months old, sailed to England with him.
was shipWreckel with him, but saved by a
special Providence, and has since been living
in this place under the name of Matt Jones ,
''Your intended bride, You know, added
Marshall, with an insnuating smile. 'Hullo,
, where as the young lady"
Monk looked round toward the dog-cart
and on every side, but Matt was nowhere to
be- seen.
81 see her go into that theor cart" said
William Jones.
''Call her cried Monk. I'm stay no
longer here. Listen TO Inc, you two. Whether
3 you are telling truth or lies that girl is 60
; ing TO become my wift-I have her guardians
consent, and she herself, l may tell YOU, fully
! appreciates the honor am doing her"
"Indeed' said Mr. LightwOod, smiling.
UNFORTUNATELY l. Us Miss Monks lesal al
wiser, must have IA say in the matter Doubt
less this marriage would be very pretty ar
/ rangement for keeping the late Colonel
Monks fortune and property in Your pos
session, but | cannot conscicntiously ap
, prove of the Young lady's marriage to al
; assassin
IAN assassin what-what do You meanF
l gasped Monk, staggering as if from a blow
TEL him, Mr.. Marshall.
can right, sir. Well, you see, Mr.. Monk
3 of Monkshurst," continued the detective
grinly, yet playfnlly, you're accused o.
, making away with-murdering in facts
young gentleman who came to Aberglyi a
few weeks ago in that little house on wheels
, and this nice friend of yours 5here he again
slapped William Jones ON the shoulderl is az
cused of being yonr accomplish"
''No. no | never done i'll I'm limo
cent, l ann cried William Jones. "Tell
EN-, Mr. Monk, tell 'em-rd nowt TO dc
with it,"
''S5ilence, you fool, said the oG.ler; then he
added turning on his accusers, You are q
couple Of madmen, Think / know nothing
Of the young man you speak of i have heard
that be- is missing, that is all; but there is nc
evidence that any harm has come to him, fol-
his body has not been found"
. Here Marshall turned with wink to VII
!, ham Jones, and nudged him in the ribs
Don't You think, now he asked I'll
might be worth while looking for it in thu
little underground Pdrior of yours, down
alongside the sea-"
William Jones uttered despairing groan
and fell ON his knees.
Pm ruined !" he cried ooh, Mr. Monk, ii,
your doingl Lord help mel They know
everything"
Curse you, hold your topguel' said Monk
with look of mad contempt and hatred
''These men are only playing upon your fears
but they cannot brighten nue.
''Nos" remarked the detective, lighting hi
cigar, which had gone out II think we shall
even manage that in time"
As he spoke he carelesay and as if mad
, vertently, drew out a pair of steel handouts
which be looked at reaectively, threw up ant
caught underhand in the air
"You accuse Inc of assassination" sai6
Monk, trembling violently. Il warn you h
beware for viii not sliiIer such accusation
; without seeking redress. II you have an,
proof of the truth of your prepoSterou