The Iola register., 1889-04-12

ant one. Nngal hAd seen and recognized it
- that OF the strange man, Don Benito.
One instant only it remained at the window,
then disappeared in the crowd.
Captain Starbright stood staring Ike ono
bereft Of sense.
"He is gone"
"0one," answered Fingal. "Who was
mr.
"How shovld knowi"
"If you do not, your actions belle your
Words" declared Fineal, grimly. ITO me
he seemed like madmau."
"He Z madam escaped iunatic, !"
breathed the Captain. gladly catching at
. loophole of escape. He ought TO be
secured at once"
"You will offer . reward for his capt
ure-."
Captain Starbright, however, now that he
was out from under the magnetism OF
Louis Fingal's presence, fastened to
separate himself from that individual, in
wardly vowing, however, to learn more OF
the hunter in the future, and II need be to
crush him. -
Before Fingal could finish his sentence
the Captain had passed swiftly from the
room, and was around the corner like Q
fash.
"You can't escape me that way, you vii.
lain," muttered the youth, who seemed
deeply interested in the movements OF
Captain Starbright
Quickly Fingal passed out to watch che
movements Of the Captain. He glanced
keeEly up and down the cross street down
which Starbright had turned, but that in
diyidual was nowhere TO be seen.
"Confound It'll" muttered the young
hunter, The seems to have given me the slip.
Clinton Starbright is like an eel, when you
nut your finger on him he isn't there.
imagine had him completely under the in
fluence Of the drug, but it seems that the
cigar was not as heavily charged as l
imagined. was foolish to permit him to
escape ! should, in justice to all con-
cerned, have placed him under arrest
And ret such a move might block the
game entirely, and prevent the ends OF
justice.
"No, must permit the Captain full swing
for little longer. The face Of Don Benito
has startled the Captain, and that certainly
means something. might be able to guess
the truth had the queer old fellow com
pleted the story he was once telling. BE
seemed sane enough then; he Is ut times,
and but for an interruption should have
known all However, danger menaces Don
Benito and must avert it IL possible"
In the meantime the Captain turned
down the nearest alley, crossed block and
thence passed down q narrow street to the
stable where he had sheltered his horses.
He seemed to think that it would be time
lost in searching for Don Benito in the city,
since he ordered his animals at once and
was soon riding swiftly out OF the city.
He was not long in crossing the ten mile
stretch to Lone Hollow. he passed into
the house, to his own room, without disturb
ing the inmates, seeming regardless Of the
fact that Mrs. Penroy had once ordered him
to depart from Lone Hollow and never 70
return. Al he paced the floor be muttered
"The elements Of danger thicken. The
man ief. for dead in California still lives,
although believs him to be insane. What
Of that He saved Lura Joyce from my
hand last night There's method in his
madness. He seems to recognize me, and
while he lives the danger is doubled. He
must not live. have gone too TAR TO turn
back now.
have entered the race and must con-
tinue to the end. The end! What ID Il
destined TO be, Success or failure! A bold
heart and strong hand will make 1t the
former. Ipossess both, il do not permit
my nerves to be unstrung at the outset
"Mrs. Penroy threatens, too. Confound
the sex. will never trust . woman again,
never They are all treacherous. That will.
The loss of that precious paper has doomed
me to much trouble"
He turned to q small cupboard and drew
forth q flask. He placed this to his lips
twice ere he spoke again. "Ah! that is the
pure stufi," he finally calculated. "That
gives me strength, and nerves me to the
work in hand"
Thrusting the flask in an inner pocket he
passed from the room and the house. BE
did not 20 toward tho road, but walked
around the mansion and disappeared in the
woods at the foot of the hollow.
An old man stood on the verge Of Hang
mans Gulch in the twilight, tall and
slender, with long beard and hair of silver
He presented a patriarchal appearance as
he stood leaning lightly on staf Of native
wood, and gazed with eagle eye over the
scene.
"The Doge has sent for me. There is to
be some reconciliation" muttcred the old
man. 81 am glad Of that Isaw him al
the tavern and he seemed gentle as lamb
it is we'll II the gentle maid was only
here might send a mes sage by her."
He paused. The sound Of a step attracted
his notice He turned, lifted his stan, but
was too late to avoid the blow that fell will
the swiftness of lightning. In Q silen
heap the old man of the gulch lay at thu
roots of q tree A stout club in the handi
of one of the twins had done the work.
Strong arms lifted the silent form sni
bore it into the thick woods.
A third person followed the twins as the,
entered the shadows of the wood. 81 can no
trust the rascals," muttercd Captain Star
bright, as he glided swiftly after the twil
asSassins.
The two men, with their helpless burden
paused at last beside q small pool som'
rods in extent, the waters of which wer,
shadowed by thick growth OF cedars. Tit
| ground was swampy about the little lake
and solemn stiffness seemed . part Of th'
situation.
As the twins deposited their burden Of
the ground near the edge Of the water, tn
thlrd person passed quickly forward an,
| stood before them.
"Eh, Cap'n, you here!"
| 81 am" answered Captain Starbright
! grimly. 81 want no deception this time
| deception. Maybe you think"
sit doesn't matter. Let the past 60" in
| terrupted the Captain.
| Then he bent and examined the clothing
Of the murdered old man.
An ejaculation of disappointment fel
from his lips. He thought perhaps to I'm
valuable papers, and in this he was sorel
disappointed. 1t might be that he though
the missing will was on the person Of tn
dead It was not, however, and hence th
discontinue Of the wicked schemer.
One Of the twins was working at some
thing near while the Captain was maxim
| this examination. He now came toward
revealing in his hands heavy stone sbou
which he had attached stout buckski
cord.