Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-02
WATERBURY EVENING DEMOCRAT TUESDAY. JDLY : 1889.

Many were the speculations indulged in as to the reason of this strange behavior on the part of the old master, but even if the truth were guessed, they had no way of ascertaining it.
 It was observed, however, that there was little love lost between the two mon, and this seemed to prove that the one was somehow in the power of the other.
 Lawrence Richmond had been mora moody than ever. He watched Capt. Grant from under his shaggy white eye brows with almost glare in his eyes, and once ill while there might have been seen upon his face an ominous scowl.
 Evidently it would have done the old man good to have been able to get his strong fingers upon the throat of the soldier, and have choked the life out of him.
 Serene in the enjoyment of his power, the captain thought not of danger, and yet he was not the man to be caught mapping.
 The secret that lay between these two men dealt with the past. and it hung over the head of Lawrence Richmond like the knife of the guillotine. The captain held the keen sword suspended over the rope, and when he willed it, all that was necessary was to let the weapon drop and off went the head of the master of Richmond Terrace.
 Every day that passed served to in- crease the feeling of mingled dread and hatred which the one bore toward tho other, and Lawrence Richmond was fast becoming desperate.
 This last demand on the part of the sol- dier for his daughter served to cap the climax. In spite of his terrible temper and strange actions at times which would seem to belle tho fact, this man sincerely loved his chil,:
 She was tue only link that bound him to past that had ,'1y,. full of happiness and sunshino until ase dreadful blow came which deprived him of his loved ones except Carol, and left him behind to mourn when he could not be con- forted.
 The Captain held his secret, and it must needs be a terrible one to cause a man of Lawrence Richmond's iron will to bow the knee to one whom he looked upon as his inferior. Could 1t be, then, that this frightful devastation in his household was the visitation of Providence, as a just reward for the crime of the past?
 Alone in his library the master of the Terrace paced to and fro like caged tiger.
 His hands were behind him, his head low upon his breast, and his every step quick and agile, showing his irritable, nervous temperament. That he was wrestling with some fearful question could be plainly seen, and there was only one thought that had power enough to chain his mind at present.
 So earnestly was he engaged in this strange species of amusement that he did not notice the presence in the room of the captain, until the latter gave utter ance to low, metallic laugh.
 It was strange thing for him to be hunting down this old man while at the same time he had an avenger on his trail In the shape of his antagonist in the duel Mora Warner, the wronged wife of Roger Darrel, who had escaped from the mad house and was on the trail of ven- geance. But it is ever thus with human nature-diamond cut diamond-the world over, and it would be indeed hard to find any object in the shape of mankind so low and insignificant but what there may be some to do him homage and fear the nod of his head.
 The old man looked. up quickly, and the keen.eyed soldier noticed wild, half eager look upon his face that he had never seen there before.
 "He has settled upon something; I can see it by the glitter of his eyes and the way he shuts his teeth. Havea care, my old gentleman, or you will find our claws nipped still closer, for no man ever plays with fire unless he gets his fingers burnt, and to you and the secret hold constitute that fire."
 Thus he muttered, as he waited for Mr. Richmond to speak.
 "You here!' said the other at last i; 'swhat q wonder knew it not for gen. orally I feel the evil influence of your presence like deadly vapor falling from the horrid upas-tree."
 "You are disposed to be both sarcastic and complimentary Mir. Richmond, but under the peculiar circumstances I can forgive you. I am come to ask a little temporary loan of you, which am sure you will not refuse-a matter of a mere thousand or two"
 Courses on you and your loans you will drive me to distraction yet. What If I should go mad? Why, man, I would tear you limb from limb, I hate you so. Do you ever think of the risk you are running in prosecuting me thus?"
 The old man certainly looked wild enough when he spoke, but the captain only laughed. He would have laughed had he been standing over a powder magazine to which the fuse was lighted, ana, indeed, to tell the truth, he was ac- tually doing that now. and he knew it.
 'sI have done nothing so terrible, my dear old gentleman. The case lies in a nutshell. You had your choice between providing for me with small portion of your immense worldly goods, or else los ing the whole of them, your liberty and, perhaps, your life. That you have chosen the former only proves your wisdom.
 "You hate me, you say. What cause have you to do SOP Had it been another man, duty would have led him to taking the other course, and you would have lost all No; on the contrary, you should thank me. There was always a chance