The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-04-26

Slareu ABOUT MIN nercely, put saw no one.
Then he strobe back to the bleeding form
on the ground, still holding the smoking
weapon of death.
At this moment man rushed down the
path from the direction of the house and
confronted Wentword.
1t was Captain Starbright.
$50 it has come to this at last" cried the
Captain, in an awful voice. 81 feared it all
along. Poor Grace to die by the hand OF
a miserable mudsillp
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ARREST
For one moment the two men glared
fiercely at each other.
Austin Wentword was too terribly
shocked to realize his position, or the full
meaning Of the words uttered by Captain
Starbright He even allowed the Captain
to take the pistol from his hands, when he
bent and lifted poor Grace in his arms and
moved toward the house
There was CONSERVATION among the
servants when the young mechanic en-
tered the house with his bleeding burden.
Mrs. Penroy met him and screamed with
fright, and tainted on seeing the blood.
To Mrs. Penroy's room the young man
made his way, and placed Grace on the
luxurious bed. Then, with pallid face and
trembling fingers, he examined the wound
in the head of his betrothed. He was un-
able to ascertain the full extent of the
wound, but believed it fatal. Captain Star
bright at once dispatched a messenger for
physician, the nearest one being at Stone
field, ten miles away. With this messenger
he sent note which the man promised to
deliver to the county sheriff.
Soon after the accident a visitor was an
nounced-Louis Fingal, the young hunter.
Wentword met him with a groan as he
extended his hand. In tremulous accents
he told the youth of what had occurred.
"And you think Grace will diel"
A tear stood in the young hunters eye as
he put the question.
Il fear she will"
"Then retribution must fall at once on
her assassin" cried Fingal, in a stern
voice.
"That it shall"
Both men turned to see Captain Star
bright standing near, the same spirit Of
evil that he had ever been since his appear
ance at Lone Hollow.
"You here" exclaimed Fingal.
a am. No one has a better right.
mean to see that the murderer does not es-
cape"
"You know him"
sHe stands there" pointing at Austin
Wentword.
Fingal regarded the young mechanic in
silence. He saw the pallor on his face
deepen, caught a resentful CLEAN IN the
eyes. and realized that the words of Cap
tain Starbright had struck deep.
"This is not the time nor place to resent
such language, Clinton Starbright," re-
turned the young mechanic, in low voice,
almost hushed under the shadow of his
awful grief "When l am assured that she
will live, or death intervenes, then | will
settle with you, sir, in a way that will prove
satisfactory"
Then turning to Louis Fingal the young
man took his arm and led him away. In an
other room, with the door locked to keep out
intruders, the two young men sat and con-
versed long and earnestly.
"Just as my happiness had dawned it is
awful to have it snatched from me by the
bullet of cruel assassin" groaned Austin
Wentword.
at is awful" agreed the young hunter
"Can you imagine who could be so wicked
as to do thisl''
81 can not"
sit is Captain Starbright's work." de-
clared the young hunter. ''He is wicked
enough for any thing. He has plotted to
gain the Vandible fortune, and nothing is
too black in the way of crime that he will
not do TO gain what he seeks. That man
must be watched. l have not seen the will
left by Morgan Vandible, but knowits con-
tents from one who has read it, and it is so
worded as to leave every thing to Captain
StarbrIght should Grace die or marry
another. Depend upon it, Austin, it was a
hand hired by the Captain that fired the
bullet at Grace tonight"
at may be so. l can not believe that one
so pure and good has an enemy in the
world"
ssShe has enemies only as she is an OBJ
stacle in the way of that DEVILS greed. He
must be watched"
'Mr. Fingal, quite agree with you," re-
turned the mechanic, sadly. Tine Captain
must be watched, and / know of but one
person who can do it successfully"
s.Well!''
81 mean Lura Joyce. She is at Stonefeld,
and You know where. If you would only
60 for her should feel under everlasting
obligations to you. l like that, girl, and be-
heve now that Grace isis i'll, she would
gladly come"
"Of course she would,'' agreed the young
hunter, touched deeply by the emotion
evinced by Wentword. Il will go for the
girl myself. / know her like a book, and
am sure she will not delay coming one
moment when she learns that her cousin is
injured"
.sYou are very kind
"Not word of that sort. Austin. like
you and Grace, and hope that you may both
live to be united and happy in spite Of the
Vaccinations of contemplate villain"
Then Fingal turned from the room.
Austin Wentword sat like one in dream
until he heard the outer door clang behind
the departing hunter, then he leaned his
head on his hands and moaned in an agony
of spirit
A pair of glIttering black eyes looked in
upon the sorrowing young man, the malev-
olence in their depths indicating how Ven
omous was the heart beneath
at is well The game is now completely
in my hands, muttered Captain Star
bright, as he passed down the hall TO the
front door, after glancI:g in upon the
bowed form of Wentword. He stood on the
steps and peered down through the trees
to the road and the gloomy hollow beyond.
Night held full sway now, and mist hung
over Lone Hollow, as if the blue armament
was mourning for the beautiful girl so
cruelty stricken down this night.
Captain Starbrlght became nervous after
little and began pacing the wide veranda
with solemn steps and slow, his chin bowed
upon his breast, a thoughtful, troubled look
IN his eyes.
He remained pacing here until the roll of
wheels announced the coming of the ply
stefan from Stonefeld
Mrs. Penroy and young Wentword Were