The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-08-21
FAIRVIEW;
One September
Night.
By JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.
CONTINUED ]

All this, which passed hurriedly through
my mind as / stood by the bedside OF the
uuhappy Mr.. Whalley and felt my burning
indignation kindliug against the wretches
who had done the victim to death, must
have occurred with equal swiftness to the
conspirators at least to DR.. Beaumont.
At such crisis as this was, the minds of
such men as he move swiftly. lie saw,
when he had recovered from the first shock
Of the surprise. that the blunt, bull headed
rage of Ferrers must be restrained. The
possibility that had not detected the true
cause Of death; but if | had, the other
possibility that | might be bribed to silence
aud, in either event, the absolute necessity
Of keeping me in the house until time could
be gained in WhichtO determine what course
to take with these were the thoughts
that must have revolyed in his mind before
he interposed between Clayton Ferrers and
myself There was then, of course, no OPP
portunity for talk, for even whisper be-
tween them, by which an understanding
might be reached but between such men.
engaged III the accomplishment of the same
bad object, and familiar With each others
ways, signs and looks might convey VOL
ume of intelligence. Their first necessary
step was quickly accomplished, as we have
seen. | was shut and lockedin, a prisoner
III the hands of my enemies, in the hands
of men whose only safety was IN keeping
me locked away from the world, or In put
ting me out of it. This | knew; and upon
looking back upon my conduct at this time,
| can see now that my only safety in that
hour was to refuse to temporize one mo-
ment with these men; to instantly seek
egress from the building, shooting down
without hesitation any one who sought to
detain me, not doubling that / could Justify
Inn no oil
| say, is what | should have done; and
then the record of the next ten days would
have been very different; | should have
simply been in the Just hands of the law,
instead of the sinister hands of two pow
erful and INSCRIPTIONS villains. But who
is wise at the right moment? | did not
sufficiently appreciate the depth of the des-
peration of these men; and / relied too
much on the fact that / was armed, never
thinking that / could be overcome by their
craft and subtety.
With the dangerous intruder safely coop
ed IN this temporary prison. a hurried IN
teryiew of five minutes between these men
would be sufficient to map out a definite
plan of operations. | must be seen and
talked with; if it should appear that per-
fectly understood the meaning of the death
bed scene | had Just Witnessed, then must
be corrupted. Who could withstand the
offer of a bride of ten thousand dollars for
SO slight a thing as was desired of me?
Not poor, friendless physician like me,
certainly. Had | become interested in the
schemes of Hugh Staples, whatever they
might be? Money, surely-enough of it,
would win me away from that interest
If not-then the biudgeon! My silence
must be obtained. at any price
Here will occur the natural query-whY
i
the assassin-hke blow commenced with
me2 How did it happen that l was per-
mitted to live, on any terms?
OF all the things that | do not positively
know, which are connected V It'll this his
tory, this is the question which has troubled
me the most. Yet my reflection upon it has
suggested an answer which is perfectly
satisfactory to me. That they hesitated to
take my life out of any scruples of con-
science, is not to be thought of. They had
no conscience! To keep the wealth which
their plotting and their crime had won,
they were perfectly prepared to commit an
other crime; the only question worth while
for them to consider, related to their own
safety. This, | do not doubt, was the sole
consideration that saved my life. They
had the means TO put me ont of the way so
far to make my return to Berkeley so slow
and so difficult, that all the time would be
gained that they wanted. My sudden dis
appearance could be accounted for; they
could devise an explanation that the peo-
pie Of the village would believe, since my
absence confirmed 1t. Paulas narrative has
told of the hIdeous tale that was manu-
featured, and the credence which it OBJ
tanned Here, then. was safety for the
conspirators, so far as | was concerned; for
a time, certainly But on the other hand
another crime, another assassination, was
to be dreaded, simply from the double risk
of discovery that II brought. That muir
der will out Is true saying, as well as
trite one. Present safety could be gained:
but with the lapse of weeks and months
would come the lnsinuations of Staples,
and perhaps others; friends that | had, al
though humble, might begin TO doubt the
tale; circumstances would be put together;
suspicion once started would have free
course; vigorous search would be made for
the body of the poor Doctor, and Staples
might even succeed in obtaining an exam
nation Of that of Edison Whalley. With
two such murders upon their hands, though
for the time they might be utterly unsus-
pected. yet q constant menace of discovery
and ruin would hang above their heads
No; they did not dare to tempt discovery
and detection by taking my life also. They
could dispose of me where for the pres
ent. at least, | would not trouble them.
For the present. How long would that
be- | have reason to think that the plans
of these men We're entirely frustrated, and
Startling change III their intentions was
made necessary by my sudden intrusion at
Fairview. | p to that time they had prob
ably counted upon perfect safety in their
Infamous work. arising from the secrecy
with which they were accomplishing it.
They had thought that with their terrible
secret confined to two breasts-at most. to
three-aud those the persons who were
most interested in keeping il, they need not
fear the senlle chatter of Hugh Staples.
nor the tax of his household People
would laugh at them and their suspicious
II this was all that would threaten them.
they need not fear to live on at Berkeley.
their crime forever hidden. But here comes
upon the scene new character; Young
man Of ability, learning. and audacity; and
instantly their secret Is surprised Put
hun where he can DO no mischief for the
present. and what them Weeks may elause
before he can return; perhaps MONTHS but
the stubbornnesS that he has already shown
IN resisting bubes and insisting upon going
forth to blaZon the accusation to the world
and to the officers of justice is convincing
that be Is IN some way deeply interested in
TINS matter, and that, even through poverty,
sickness, and distress. he would, sooner or
later, make his way back to Berkeley. to
their undoIng. Besides-and here was a
thought that must have made their guilty
souls tremble.-if this man. whom neither
of them had ever so much as dreamed of
having the slightest interest in Edison
Nhailey or his affairs could thus, like n
bolt from cloudless sky, diminish the
Foundation of their carefully built security.
who could say what others might not also
be involved IN the schemes and undertak-
lngs OF Hugh Staples. How many more
s>eA This cunning old man enlisted in the
discovery of what was going on within the
walls OF talrylewt How many more, and