Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-10-23

aDr. Branksomeln I said, In establishment.
"You here!" /
He smiled with the grave air that I knew
so we'll, and, removing his glove, offered his
hand to me. What was tho magnetic infiu-
ence which the man exercised over all who
came in contact with him? I cannot tell. /
only know that, while l cursed myself for
my weakness, I didnot refuse his outstretched
hand.
He seated himself with great composure,
and said:
II must apologize for my untimely intru-
sion, but I think you will forgive me when
have seen Daisy, I understand, to-day. /
have not had that privilege myself. I want
you to tell me how the poor child is"
Daisy's name acted as a spell to save me
from the strange influence Of the man.
eyes" replied, II nave seen Daisy, DR..
Branksome, hut l can say nothing to you
about her."
He arched his eyebrows in mute surprise.
u think you carry your resentment too far.
I admire it, but it is unjust"
aHypocrite!" I cried, my impetuous tenn.
per once more breaking down all self-erected
barriers Of prudence. "Hypocrite and liar,
I know you nov Why do you come to me
with your smiling face, and your simulated
tenderness for the girl whom you have made
your victim-the girl whose very life you
have been ready to sacrifice to your devilish
plans? Go to somebody else, and smile. and
smile. aud play the villain with them. Don't
come to me. I tell you, I know YOU"
"Mr. Fenton," he said, rising to his feet, "f
grief has distempered your imagination you
ought at least be able to put some check
| upon your tongue when you receive Il gen
tleman who has come to you in a spirit Of
the purest friendship"
l laughed bitterly. Friendship, purity"
I cried. "Don't I tell you, sir. that have
found you out-that I know now for what
purpose this sweet girl whom you have made
POUR unconscious tool, and whom you have
now abandoned to q shameful death. was
adopted by you, given a name to which she
had no right, and palmed off upon n man
with whom she had no relationship. l know
it all, sir, and the meaning and end of it all.
Everything has been done on q grand scale,
I confess. Nobody thought that the magnifi-
cent DR.. Branksome was a vulgar s%coundrel,
plotting by day and night to obtain possession
Of M%auleverer's millions!"
aAh! I see it ALI" he replied, in tones in
which there was yelled irony, that found
It very hard to bear. II thought that it was
grief for Daisy that had turned your brain.
see now that you have been listening to the
SANDERS of a convicted thief, a discharged
servant, q would-be assassin, and that, In
auenced by his malignant fables, you are
inclined to mourn rather Mr.. Mauleverer's
money than the fate Of his niece. II that be
30, Mr.. Fenton, 1 must wish you good even-
ing. I can bear q great deal for Daisy's
sake, but I decline to keep any terms with a
man who really believes such ISLANDERS as
those which Gregson has impaired to YOU"
He turned to 60. A sudden thought struck
me. went forward and laid my hand upon
his arm.
"Dr. Branksome," I said, trying to keep
down the surging emotion which seemed to
stifle my u%tterance, II may have wronged
you. Idon't know. All 1 know is that you
are a wonderful man, and that, i'll spite of
the hideous crimes of which I cannot help
feeling that you are guilty, l am drawn
towards you in o way that l cannot explain.
sven to myself, Will you hear me when I
cry to you for mercy for Daisys See, ] will
grovel at your feet if you will but promise
to save her! Take all the accused money
that Mauleverer possessed, do with it what
? you will, but save her! AS You hope for
!, eternal happiness hereafter, us you dread
the punishment which sooner or later falls
upon every wrong-doer, bo merciful, and let
the poor child escape from the not that has
Oeen woven around uef.
As I live, when l looked up into that hand
some face, 1 saw tears i'll tho mans eyes.
My own were dim enough, but they were
!, not mistaken in what they told me they saw.
! He grasped my hand with the warmth and
. firmness of a brothers greeting, and for
!, once his measured tones were brok gu As IL.
, answered me.
! "Penton, you are an honest man! Forgive
, me if I used rough language just now. On
! my part l forgive you all your suspicious Of
: me. You shall hear from me again, and
: perhaps then you will not think SO hardly of
me as you do at present."
His hand was on tho door when he turned
and sid: 81 think my memory is failing.
a 1 had clean forgotten one OF the objects OF
my coming to see you. 1t was to a.s whether,
= on the occasion of your visit to Oct Lorton,
, you by any chance took away 9TH you a
|, small pocketbook belonging to me-a little
: , diary in which 1 make memoranda. in short
! hand, of things which happen to interest
me, but which are Of no Importance to any
= body else"
If he had put this question to me two min.
+ utes before | SHOULD openly AVE exulted
y over him.. As it was, SO great was the powe,
which this extraordinary man was able tc
WELD over those around him, that l all
swered him now in a manner that might
almost have led a bystander to imagine that
y I regretted the fact which l had to commu
:, nicate to him.
,, Eyes" I said gravely. II took possession
! Of the book you mention. I did not know
that it was yours; I imagined that it be
- longcd to Flinter. It is not in my possession
now. Bielski, the detective whom I en-
e ployed to discover Gregson, took it to Lon
- don with him yesterday, and I received thi.
message from him today"
\ i handed to Branksome the telegram which
y announced hat the secret of the cipher hat
been discovered. He glanced at it, and q.
- be did so / fancied that a slight pallor passe,
over his face, But he returned the paper t.
ME with a steady hand, and it was in a voic,
:, which showed no traces even of the emotion
= he had displayed when he responded to m,
appeal OH behalf of Daisy that he said:
sit is curious that they should think the,
) have discovered my cipher. The very fac
that they talk Of the contents of the book a
important, tells me that they are ntterl,
= wrong. But I must not datain Won lnnoa'
= Mr.. Fenton. I promise you that you shall
!. hear from me within the next twenty.fou
: hours"
= In another moment he had silently quite
the room.
The newspaper train" as it is called
- reaches York from London shortly befor
~ ten in the morning, It brought with
Bielski, who had telegraphed to apprise nj
, Of his coming, and whom I accordingl
= awaited on the platform. The detectiv
!. looked somewhat haggard and excited whe
he greeted me.
"Mr. Harding herea' he said. II nm gla
of f. want Won both have somethin