Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-09-03

Uueu Will u uoW ptIpOSo III u10-to dNcAko
her fathers cruel fate, to bring TO justice
the red-handed murderer Of John Osgood.
The girl made no rash denunciation of
the assassin she had recognized in the per-
son of Elmer Warren, She knew the
depths of cunning and ingenuity to which
he would descend to carry out his criminal
designs, and with an unerring instinct she
adopted the same crafty methods of pro-
cedure, confident that she would yet attain
the end she so longed to reach.
When a new element of interest in the
case Edith Leslie, had met with such cruel
wrongs at the hands of her inhuman foes,
Wild Nan did not forget the friendless girl.
Her heart going out to crushed, desolate
creature in distress like herself, she re-
solved to rescue her from the power of her
enemies; but she never told Edith Leslie
all she knew.
In the eliminating scene at the works, in
which Percy Sherwood was struck down by
the assassin's knife, she foresaw still deep
er complications in the case unless she act
ed PROMPTLY. It was her hand which di-
rected heavy missile through the glass
door, overthrowing the lamp and leaving
the apartment in darkness, to carry out her
plan to rescue Edith. Then, when she had
removed the distracted wife to the outside
of the old works, she had returned to carry
out a portion of her plans, the result of
which was secret in her breast, only di-
vulged in part to the anxious, surprised
Edith Leslie, when she whispered to her
the words:
"Your husband is still alive"
And that husband, recovered from his
wound, but, remaining in hiding for some
mysterious reason, was directing all the ac-
tons of Wild Nan. He had at least sup
piled her with sufficient means to carry out
their plans, and sufficient information bear:
ing on other subjects to enable her to pro-
ceed intelligently and promptly.
For as if from thorough knowledge of
the place the disguised girl found no diff
Guilty in ascertaining the location of the
footsteps-the cottage where Beatrice Ave-
nal resided, the censral point in the dark
schemes of Elmer Warren, from which had
diverged SO many singular and complicated
trails
She rang the door-be and answered the
inquiring look of the servant replying to
her summons by saving simply:
Il wish to see Mrs. Ward.
The servant glanced sharply at her and
hesitated ere she admitted a stranger, evi-
dently acting under instructions previously
received. She did not leave the door, but
called the name of her mistress within the
hall, and retired as Mrs. Ward came to the
door.
Nan bowed courteously, and drew letter
from pocket, handing it to her hostess.
The latter seemed to be familiar with the
handwriting, for she flushed excitedly and
opened the door for Nan to enter, ushering
her into the parlor, and then proceeding to
open the missive, murmuring the words
From Mr.. Sherwood"
"Yes, madam, replied Nan; "it was writ
ten day since, but this was my first op-
portunity to present it.
The matron started slightly as she
perused the epistle, and then looked up at
Nan quickly, suspiciously.
"You say you received this note from
Mr.. Sherwood" she asked.
"Yes, madam"
"And you are aware of its contents?"
Perfectly, for I dictated the note. It
reads that Mr.. Sherwood is in sickness and
trouble and he Deputies me to see you in
regard to matter of vital importance, in
which he asks you to earnestly cooperate
with me-"
THAT is true, but in this note he men.
tons girl as the messenger, not man.
Mans face broke into quick smile.
"Oh, see," she cried. 81 do not blame
you for suspecting me, as 1 forgot to ex-
plain. I am the girl mentioned in the
note"
"You?" said the woman in some surprise
Yes, but. disguised, an assumption
necessitated by the occurrence of circum-
stances l had not foreseen."
Mrs. Ward, glanc1ng keenly at her face,
was annarontlv cafiSfiad aa fn har last cfofo-
ment, and then said
Mr.. Sherwood is in trouble, you say"
"Yes, he is badly wounded and at the
mercy of enemies he dares not arrest
until he has learned more of their plans. l"
And he has sent you here"
"To ask your assistance in enabling him
to outwit his foes. Madam" said Nan
earnestly, Il have strange, tragic story to
tell you, and when you have listened to its
details, think you will agree with me that
to overcome the iniquitous plots of Mr..
Sherwood's foes it will require the exercise
of more than ordinary shrewdness.
Seated by the side of the matron, Wild
Nan proceeded to tell her all that had oc-
Cured since the night Edith Leslie had
been taken by her supposed father to the
old works. She traced every move of the
plotters, the visit to the garden, the mur-
der of Armitage, the rescue of Percy Sher-
wood by herself, and finally her visit with
the recovered papers to Leslie.
Then, in still lower tones, she proceeded
to relate the plan Sherwood and herself had
formed to outwit Elmer Warren and his ac-
compice, Reuben Leslie.
Diverging from the natural course of the
narrative, she incidentally referred to the
mystery of Beatrice Avenal, in plain terms
| I'D &lo& I. I,l AL Ill
Considering every point, her auditor
breathlessly listening to every word, Nan,
earnestly intent on unfolding her plans,
neither knew that white-robed, pale faced
woman had come to the open door of the
little parlor and stood looking in at them
with eager, startled eyes.
1t was Beatrice Ayenal, but from that
beautiful face had faded all the singular
tokens of insanity SO visible at the time of
Edith Leslies last visit.
The eyes were calmer, the frame less
tremulous, and more intense intelligence
was manifested in the features of the un-
fortunate Beatrice, for the paroxysm of
rage and jealousy which had rent her soul
when she was confronted by Edith Leslie
had resulted in a wild delirium, from which
she had awakened new creature
Mrs. Ward had only believed her new,
tnoughtful frame OF mind brief respite
from the sad mental blight which had
clouded her brain in the past. She little
dreamed of the sentient thoughts which
were struggling for the light, obscured
thoughts readily comprehended by Beatrice
Avenal, as the latter now listened to the story
of Wild Nan.
As the latter concluded her graphic re-
cital, the woman whom Elmer Warren had
claimed to be the wife Of his half brother
| glided before the amazed vision of the
two other occupants of the room, and, pale
and agitated, sank to a chair, regarding
them with startled eyes and face traversed
by the most poignant emotions.
Great heavens! she has overheard usl"
cried Mrs Ward. arising in alarm. III
will agitate her already tortured mind to
new distress"
But the calm, steady tones of Beatrice
Avenal sounded a strange surprise to her
startled soul.