Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-07-05
7AFAMILY SECRET.

try of Yorkshire. She was the ex-
ecutor OF her husbands property,
which she held in trust for their son,
who was also to receive another for
tune, bequeathed by an eccentric rela-
tive in Scotland, amounting to more
than a million sterling.
Tne one peculiar condition about
this last bequest was that if the young
man did not take possession at IL
o'clock upon his 25th birthday, it was
to revert to the next heir, between
whom and the late Sir Charles East
champ had existed a life long hatred.
The young man, now Sir Henry,
had always had a taste for travelling,
and when he had reached the age of
% had accompanied an exploring ex-
pedition into the interior OF Africa.
Nearly two years passed without any
word from him, until within week
of his 25th birthday, he returned and
took up his residence at the hall. So. :
A month afterward Lady East
champ was taken suddenly i'll with
malignant fever.
During the time she was tenderly
nursed by young girl, her adopted
daughter, and, thanks to her care, the
crisis of the fever was passed, and the
lady was on fair way to recovery,
when one morning the n1rse, awak.
ening from doze, found the lady ly.
ing dead and cold in her bed.
The physicians, hurriedly summon
ed, declared that she had died by
poison. g
Laudanum was the drug that had
been used, and the fact was learned
that the previous afternoon the lady's
adopted daughter had purchased it in
the adjoining village.
This adopted daughter, Clara Low
ell, was very beautiful girl, the
child of one of her former schoolmates
Lady Eastchamp had always treated
her as if she had been her own daugh.
ter, and now the girl appeared incon-
solabie.
Notwithstanding her display OF
grief, however, the circumstances ap
peared so strong against her that she
was arrested.
She admitted having purchased the
laudanum, in compliance with Lady
Eastchamp's request, who had given
the vial to her son. This, however,
the young man positively denied.
When asked why she had not sat
up with the sick lady as she had done
upon previous nights, she replied that
she had done so until IL o'clock, when
at Lady Eastchamp's own request she
had retired.
las for any further questions you
may ask she said firmly, i will not
answer them. Though l may have
suspicious, l do not know anything
except that l am innocent.
She adhered firmly to her resolu.
tion and the strlctest examination
could not extort an answer from her
Her obstlnacy had but the effect oil
confirming the magistrates in their be-
lief in her guilt, and she was consign.
ed to prison to await her trial.
Though such was the effect upon
the magistrates there was one pereor
who thought differently. This was 6
young detective who had been sem
from Scotland Yard, and his belief in
the girls innocence was firm.
tShe is hiding some family secret
not her own guilt he said to himself
and proceeding to the prison, he triec
to engage her in conversation, in th,
hope that some chance word woulc
give him clue to the mystery.
In this hope he was doomed to dis
appointment however, for the girl -e
mained firmly reticent; aud quite dis
couraged, he returned to the hal bu
with an idea that had before occurred
to him taking more definite shape ir
his brain.
If l could but imagine a motive,
he said to himself, Il would say it wa
the son who was guilty; but, no; ther'
could be none
Still the idea would not be Danish
ed from his mind; he watched th'
young baronet night and day. hu
without finding lie leas, confrna 20,
of his suspicious. '.~
He was on the point of giving i
up in despair, when. on the evenin,
before the funeral of the murdere'
lady, note was brought to him.
1t was from the Eastchamp iamil
lawyer, and contained but half doz
en- Words:
Come to my Office at once
The detective at once started t.
obey summons.
He found tie lawyer awaiting hir
with a flushed face and excited mar
ner.
"A most extraordinary thing h
said. Marvellous.
Before the detective could repl
they had passed into the private offic
and found themselves face to fac
with young man whose resemblance
to the young baronet was SO remark
able that lnvoluntarily he exclaimed
Sir Henry Eastchamp!'
Yes. the younp man answered