Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-05-15

vainly. He seemed completely in Des-
pards power, and carelessIy averred
that time wsu1d bring her to consider
q wealthy lover far more preferable
than one who had fortune and aname
yet to earn
Outside, revolver in his clasp, just
beyond the garden wall, stood Des-
pard, his basilisk glance fixed on the
lighted tower-room.
"If she seeks TO send message to
Dane ] will prevent it + he Kissed. 1T
would bring him here, and Dacre's
Whim to remain or treat with him
would be fatal to my plans. Hal she
dares.
Yes, the easement opened. A dove,
love-winged, missive-freighted, few
out into the night.
The cruel marksman steadied his
wrist. A quick report m ngled in echo
with despairing wall at the window;
the dove circled, ree.ed, and, limp and
disabled, disappeared amid the foliage
Of great tree.
II am revengedi"
The speaker was Despard, and his
dark face was aglow with brutal
triumph, as he glared down on his sec
ond helpless victim of the night.
Two miles across the country he had
gone straight flom the Dacre.mansion,
to the small villa where Victor Dane
made his summer home.
Dane was chemist. high in esteem
among scientists, and he had filed up
q room, kind of laboratory, where
he worked and experimental with re-
tort, acid and poisons. Here he had
received his messages from Adrienne,
two small windows looking north just
showing the turrets of the Dacre man
sion.
Lost in reverie, he had not heard
stealthy footsteps on the stairs. The
door had opened, and his rival Des-
pard, dealing him heavy blow, had
forced him senseless to the floor.
When he awoke to consciousness, Vic
tor found himself in an arm chair, tied
to it with strong cords, hand and foot,
and Despard glowering wickedly down
upon him.
Il said look your last on your Lowell"
he Kissed, venomously. Victor Dane,
this night I carry away wife and for
tune and you. All! / have a slow,
pleasant death for you! Gagged,
bound, count the minutes as they tick
away, and close your eyes to waken no
more. ! am revengedp
In mute horror Victor saw the prep
arations made for his murder. Near
by was large retort that held deadly,
noxious gas. His rival knew Of its
death-dealing qualities, for he had
shut the two windows closely, turned
on the nozzle, and the air of the room
began to grow dense.
"Half an hour-an hour!" Kissed
Despard, his face like that of de-
mon, "and I return to find you dead.
/ release you, remove your bonds, and
when you are discovered people will
say that you fell victim ha!-to
your love for science"
He left the room as he spoke. Vic
tor Dane, pale as death, tried to force
Ills bonds. They loosened, but, alas
.he insidious gas robbed mind and
frame of strength. His senses reeled,
his brain seemed bursting.
Tap! tap! tap!
At the window q futtering sound
greeted his dull hearing. Oh! would
help not me!-the base assassin re-
lent! "Adrienne, my Lowell" and
then
ap!tap! tap! Crash! but the limp,
palsied form was motionless.
"Saved!
With gasp Victor Dane opened
his eyes. That horrible throbbing and
choking was gone. The air was still
rank and dense, but mingled with it
was current of cool air, pure as crys-
tai, as it fought the vapor with which
it mingled.
With prodigious effort Victor loos
ened his hands. He was free an in
slant later. He stared at shattered
pane of glass. He picked up warm,
soft object lying beneath the window.
He. staggered, it in his hand, to the
stairway, to the lighted study, below.
The wounded, it had fall
tered from the shot of the cruel Des-
pard. Then, winging its fight pain
fully homeward, it had tapped at it's
accustomed window, shattered the
glass in it's frantic efforts to enter, and
had saved the life of its master.
Faithful dove! the message brought
at the cost of Lowell" murmured Victor,
brokenly. @Despard, would-be assas-
sin. the law shall prevent you now!"
He ran hatless from the place. He
stopped at the fist house. The sheriff
of the county resided there. When
Victor Dane again came forth it was
with companion, commissioned to
arrest Despard for attempted murder.
At the Dacre mansion they found its
owner, cross, whimsical, impatient;
Adrienne, yelled and in tears; the
trunks packed, the carriage waiting for
Despard.
But no Despardl Dacre stared in
credulously at the story of the sheriff.
He believed that Despard, affrighted
at his crime, had fled, and looked as ii
he was glad of it. He only scowled
when Victor, leaving with the sheriff,
said to AdrienEe In fervent tones:
"Couragel Do not be prevailed on
to leave here under any circumstances.
Despard's plans shall fail, believe
mel"
They sought Despard everywhere.
At morn, wearied and unsuccessful,
Victor and the sheriff returned to his
home. They entered the laboratory.
"Look! !" cried the sheriff in startled
tone, pointing to the floor.
"Despard!"
"Yes, and dead!"
Dead, and horribly disfiguredl Be-
side him lay an overturned jar, recog-
nized by Victor as having contained