Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-11-10
q Serial Sturp.
FIVE MILLION POUNDS.
BY T. WEMYss REID.

~ Mluu1O1V OUlsOUi
BY T. wEMYss REID.
CHAPTER RXIV-CoNr1NUED.
RIFT IN THE CLOUDS.
sTel me, dearest, who were the persons
whom he charged with being in this plota"
aOh, believe was the chief sinner Of all
He several times met me when was alone,
and accused me of it Then he hated Film
ter, and said dreadful things about him, and
even about DR.. Branksome. But I never
knew what the plot was to which he re-
ferred"
was saying about hima"
@Of course he did. Why, think that,
next to me, he hatel DR.. Branksome the
most, and remember his saying once that
he could have sent him to penal servitude If
he liked
an DR.. Branksome's presencel"
"Yesn
was startled by what Ihad heard, for
rememHkred how Branksome had disclaimed
any knowledge Of the meaning Of Gregson's
language to me In the railway train when I
had reported tito him. Some strange fan
cies stole into my brain.
4Tell me, Daisy, what do you think Of DR..
Branksome himseHp
She glanced9p at me, and that troubled,
doubtful look which had noticed more than
once at Scarborough passed over her face.
II do notk know how can answer your ques-
tion,n she said, after q pause. and speaking
very slowly, as though weighing all her
words. DR.. Branksoms Is wonderful man.
Inever met any one like him When I am
with him he can make me do everything he
wishes-or nearly everything. It is only
when I am away from him that doubt and
fear him"
sThen you do doubt and fear him some
timesi"
ayes, when he Is not near me- When he
Is, hardly seem to have any will Of my
own. It is very strange. I cannot explain
it Sometimes think he Is very, very
good man; but there are times when think
very differently Of him"
sWhen did you see him last, Daisy| l
asked, feeling as though were on the brink
of some great discovery.
1.-THE day before the trial began. Did you
not knowl Has he not told yous"
sHe has told me nothing"
sThat is strange, for he promised that he
would do So He brought me my will, which
it seemed that it was necessary ! should sign
before was tried"
"Your will! don't want to pry into
your private affairs, my darling, but must
ask you If you left anything to DR.. Brank-
sonnet"
Anything! Why, I left everything to
him, Of course-that is, everything but some
little things I want you" She stopped,
blushing rosy red. ..l.a
aDo you mean you left all your uncle's for
tune to Dr.: Branksomep A.. .-......,
EYes; you BEE he was the trustee appointed
by my uncle, and he did not need to tell me
that he was the only person to whom could
leave my uncle's money"
In an instant saw, as when the blaze Of
summer lightning illumines the wide land.
scape for miles at stretch, the whole con-
spiracy, in the tolls Of which my darling
had been caught But that vivid flash OF
consciousness faded almost as quickly as 1t
came, and left me once more cropping in the
twilight-not, however, before had taken
by bearings, as it were, afresh, and had seen
that our real position was altogether differ
ent from what, up to that moment, had
imagined it to be-
DAISY" said, trying hard to subdue my
excitement, Hare you aware that the power
Of attorney which you signed the other day
makes me for the present absolute master OF
all your propertyl You have constituted
me your other self. While you are in con-
fnsment here can 60 where will and do
what please in your name, as your repre-
sentative Are you willing that should
make full use of these powers!"
aOh, yes" she cried; 3who can use them
betterq
aThen, darling, shall make my first use
Of them by putting veto upon you
want You to promise that you will on no
account allow DIR. Branksonne to SEQ you
until we meet again. You know they will
allow no one to visit you now unless you de
sire it Will you promisea"
II viii promise anything you wish"
"Then I must tell you that shall 60 direct
from here to Great Lorton, in order that l
may search the hall from the roof to the
cellars, if necessary, for proof Of your inno-
cence. The first thing have to find Is that
parcel of strychnia. Can you help mea"
She shook her head doubtfully. ~ wish
I could; but I cannot recall what did
with 1t"
GBy the way" said, 3do you know thisF
Itook from my pocket the rusted knife or
dagger which had found on my bed on the
night that slept at the hall
She looked at it, and then the color dyed
her cheeks once more.
@Where did you find it7' she asked.
aIn nv bedroom-the haunted chamber"
aAh, rememberp she cried, II remember
now where placed the poison! 1t is in the
secret passage leading to the haunted room !"
@Do you indeed remember, my darlngi
Are you sure?"
aQuite, quite sure. Stay, let me tell you
all. On that night when my uncle heard,
after he had said good night to you. of what
had passed between us in the garden, he
came to my room. had not gone to bed,
for was thinking Of all that you had been
saving to me- We had dreadful scene, as
you know. Some one had poisoned his
mind. He told me should never see you
again, and was in despair. Then lremem-
bered that you were to sleep in the haunted
room, and that there was q private stair
leading to it from the drawing room cor
ridor. T resolved to send you letter,
80 that you might not leave the hall
thinking that I was unfaithful to you.
Nv maid and I had discovered the
rassage shortly before, and knew that it led
ND to your room, which was entered by
means Of sliding panel Iwrote the note,
and gave it to her to take to your chamber
when she was certain you were asleep. She
went with it; but returned almost i'm
mediately to say that she could not move
the panel We looked about for something
by which to open it, and I saw this old knife
in its sheath. It was given to me as a curl
osity, years ago, by an old sailor. Taylor,
my maid, took the knife, and went back to
your room When she returned she told
me that she had placed the note upon your
pillow, but that at the moment when she did
so you had moved in your sleep; and in her
fright she had left the room at once, forget
ting to bring the knife with her."
aThen there was no ghost but the one you
sent to me, darling! But about the strychnia;
for that is about the most important thing
Of all now"
II placed it on shelf over the door by
which the secret stair is entered. It was the
sight of the knife which reminded me i'm
mediately of the placa."
Irose breathless with excitement.
any darling, by Gods help, all VII yet be
well. But must not delay moment