The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-05-05

{ nope not EiI NJ mOtHtT hp-
proves Of nay choice, and tells nae to
bring Jessica homs, and we can live
there till get settled in life"
"Humphl Very romantic. upon my
gonL Love Ia a cottage, and all such
fol-de-roll No such fooiishness as fret
love. DO you suppose ny daughter Is
willingf"
Il hope so, sir. / don't believe her
affections are engaged elsewhere.
Very likely. Vel. boy, I'll be
perfectly frank With gou. The time
has been when ! had a eight TO expect
that the man who came TO nae as yon
come now, should have wealth and po-
sition. But as We are poor nov, and
kuinble-yca IL the very dregs Of poy-
erty-I must ~; coGtent that he whom
nay child chooses should be- worthy Of
her, be able 10 support her, and
He came to within yard Of Edgar,
and deliberately concluded.
"And that he will golemnly engage
that he will never do her father any
harm"
@Do harm to you, sir2 Why, Of course
not How could Iln
"Pll tell you what / mean. There is
likely TO be search and inquiry made
after the man you say you brought TO
| my house last night. ] never saw him,
mind; ! have no idea where he went or
what became Of him"
The voice Of the speaker grew
harsh he seized the young man by tho
shoulder, looking fcrcely INTO his face.
/ Edgar was silent; this continued as
] (tf a hGmt tE. tFaVeleF
/ had begun TO alarm him.
Il hope he found his way TO the
! village; but the night was dark, he
I could not get directions, and he may
| have wandered OF there to the Great
/ South Woods, aud lost himself in the
/ swamp, IA ] have heard happened
once. Now don't you see how awkward
| it would be 10 have it known that the
man was right at my door just after the
/ storm was over aud never came In2 |
should be blamed for everything; there
/ are folks in the village who would ac-
| cuse me Of something wrong. DO you
| see why ! don't want 1t known"
Yes, sir" was the very faint reply.
"There are Just three persons who
1 know that this man WAS just outside
my house at that hour myself,
and Jess. Now, Edgar Van Wyck, if
/ you hope ever to make that girl your
/ wife, you must promise me never TO
| lisp a word Of what you know about
/ this"
al promise" came back, almost in
/ whisper.
/ "You must do more When any
/ body asks you, you must positively
deny having seen the traveller"
/ will-deny it-sir."
/ Swear IL" Bryson vehemently cried.
"Swear tor you'll never enter my
house again-Jess shall never look at
/ you'll"
Jaspers arm was fiercely clutched
! again, and eyes that were almost lurid
| glared into his own. He shuddered,
and felt that the shadow of some
dreadful mystery was enfolding him;
/ then he thought of Jessica, and muir
INJURED in a low voice the words, Il
swear"
| Bryson breathed deep sigh of re-
/ lief.
"Very good, my boy, he said. "Be
true to me in this, and you shall have
/ all the help with the girl that | can
give you. Come when you please;
| you'll be sure TO be we'll treated
1 They walked on through the wood as
they talked, and came to its further
/ limit. A'sharp, quick test was at hand
/ for Edgar Van WICK.
Two horsemen galloped up the lane
FROM the highway, drawing rein when
\ they had reached them.
"Hilloa, Tom" one Of them called
out. Have You seen anything of
/ stranger who got lost in the storm last
night?'
No. How was it?"
"The stage broke down over yonder,
and he is supposed to have started to
walk TO the village. He didn't get
there and the stage is waiting yet for
him. What became of him in that
storm, the Lord only knows. We
haven't found trace of him yet.
ITS all news to me-" said Bryson.
Gle didn't come my way"
"Do you know anything about him,
young chap"
The three men looked at Edgar.
mo" he answered.
We'll, It's queer affair" one Of the
! borsemen said; and the two turned and
rode back toward the highway.
BrYson and his companion looked at
each other in silence.
my fears were with cause, you see"
the former said. Something serious
has happened to him. If it be that he
got into the woody swamp, then he'll
never be heard of again. Where else
he can be, / don't see. Do your"
mo, sir"
"Now, one caution, and we will part
h.. Inna Inp
know that You were out last EVENING""
ayes, sir"
Does any one else know it ?-besides
US, / mean.
No, sir.
$50! There's going to be all kinds
of searching and questioning after this
lost man. Whenever you are asked,
say that you was out, but got home
Just as quick as you could, after the
storm begun. Nobody can prove to
the contrary, and it will be perfectly
safe for you to say this. And, above
all, stick to it that you saw nobody !
DO you mind 2"
The youth bowed He could not
speak.
"Thats well. Come over and see
Jess tonight. Good-byl"
When Bryson was lost to sight in
the wood Edgar Van Wyck threw him
self down in the grass by the lane-side
and wrung his hands.
40, what have | done~ he cried.
What has he done-what dreadful
secret is this"
Then he thought of Jessca and grew
calm. Presently he rose and pursued
his way home.
CHAPTER XL
on DANGEROUS GROUND
The sun was an hour high on mel
low afternoon of early October of that
year, when five horsemen drew rein on