Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-05
fully hid the sheets away for fear lest the Captain should alight upon them.

fully hid the sheets away for fear lest the Captain should alight upon them. The trap was laid.
 Would 1t work?
 At last came tho eventful day, md Dame Nature could never have made a moro glorious one, for tho sun shone from cloudless sky, cool, delicious brcezes blew and everything looked bright and beautiful.
 The Captain regarded 1t al as favor;.- ble augury, little suspecting how tho clouds were hanging low in lis horizon. only waiting for tho proper timc to ad- vance, with thunder and lightning and engulf him in their shadowy darknnss. Between Roger and the servant, An drcw, conspiracy had been formed. and tho plot was no insignificant ono, cithor
 When Carol assumed her bridal robes she looked too sweet and sad for mortal eyes, and even the heart of the fierce old man throbbed with Q half -pitv when she directed a look at him, as If in mute en- treaty.
 He had hoped against hope. and now only anger and despair rcigncd in his heart. There was no chance of rescue left now. it seemed to him, and the sacri- flee must go on. though it cut him to the heart to sec hi; darling child welded to such desperate villain as he know tho Captain to be.
 Tho minister who was to perform the ceremony was q particular friend of Capt. Grants, and having been already prtmod by several glasses of hot punch, he would not have hesitated about uniting a man in the holy bonds of wedlock to his mothcr-in-law or own aunt.
 Being ill tho condition now that seemed necessary for his business. no scruples would ever prevent him from accomplish ing the desired end. and 1t could be set down as Q fact that he would do his part of the work. at any rate From the open wlnd ow, a pair of keen eyes watched all that was transpiring. Though many years indeed had passed away since he had set eyes on the interior of the Terrace, Roger did not seem to forget certain things about the mansion. with which he had boon familiar at that time, and, from among the vines outside the little balcony. he could observe with out being himself seen. Not twenty yards away, the swiftest horse in all the surrounding country was in waiting. hidden by tho trces. Roger Darrers was not the only form crouohed at a window and looking on, for | a man, dressed in black, and with a cer- these opening upon the piazza, and his | cold gleam in them, while from his mus l tached lips fell the words: At last I have run him downw The ceremony commenced. It was destined never to go through, and yet not through this mysterious for eigner, who appeared to have such an at | taohment for the soldier-duelist, came any interruption.
 From the easy attitude he had assumed, | 1t was easy to sec that he intended watch ing 1t through.
 "One wife more cannot hurt the rogue, for he has already had at least ten, so far 1 as my knowledge of him goes. AS for the girl, she loves him not, and 1t will only please her to learn that she Is not his wife. Tho Count plays his cards well, but that branded hand and the black glove have betrayed him."
 In the midst of the core mony, however, quite an unlooked-for eve mt occurred. l Both at Richmond Terrace and Darrcl Chace there were machines for manufac turing gas, such as is the general custom among the wealthy planters of the South ern states, and the whole supply was fur nished by Q single pipe. | When the minister was just propound, ing to Carol the solemn question as tc whether she would "talze this man to be your lawfully welded husband" the an swer to which would not hnvo been re- garded with much anxiety, even if it had been q flat refusal, sudden ana complete darkness came upon the whole house every gas-jet being extinguished on tho | instant.
 1 The effect can be imagined. 1 Consternation filled the minds o almost every one, and the few guest. present wore alarmed. not knowing wha was about to happen.
 1 Capt. Grant did not realize whether this was an accident or part of a deer laid plan to rob him of his intended bride; so in order to be ready for emcr gencies, he threw one arm around hcr.
 At almost the same instant, however Carol was jerked from his encirclins arm, and he received o blow on the heat that staggered him.
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 v,ll II