The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-03-29
LONE HOLLOW:
Or, The Peril Of the Penroys.

Or, The Peril OF the Penroys.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF Love and Adventure
BIZ JAMES NJ. MERRILL, AUTHOR or "Bocus
BILL" "FBHER JOE" AND
OTHER SroRIEa
ICoprtoht, 1858. By TIE A. N. Kellogg Gfas.
paper Conpansl
CHAPTER XIV.
AN UNPLEASANT INTERRUPTION.
"Gonei The will comet II you have lost
thatpaper, Seekmore Gripes, I'll be the death
Of you, >" cried Captain Starbright, In astern
voice, in which anger and alarm were
mingled.
"The wind must have blown 1t out the
window" returned the lawyer. IA look
outside will make every thing plain sailing
again"
Procuring the lamp Mr. Gripes leaned out
into the night, flashing tho glow up and
down the porch that ran the length Of that
side OF the house. He saw nothing Of the
lost paper, and as there was scarcely q
movement of air, it was not likely that the
document had been cast out by tho wind.
was but . few feet from the window to
the porch. and both men proceeded at once
to search the premises.
No discoveries were made, however, save
that the imprint Of q Foot was found in the
garden where the ground was soft and
damp.
The track was followed to the sidewalk,
where all trace was lost.
Somebody is on to your tricks, Captain"
said Mr.. Gripes, after the twain stood once
more in the lawyers room.
A black look came to the face Of the dis
comfited Captain.
at seems evident that theft has either
been committed, or else -
The ferret eyes of the lawyer were fixed
in a keen gaze on the face of the speaker.
"Well, Captain!"
"Or otherwise yoa are playing q double
gamer
"Indeedi am gentleman, sir"
"Doubtless."
81 have professional honor at stake,
Captain Starbright. Rather than go con-
trary to my convictions of right, sir. l would
pluck out my right eye"
An incredulous smile moved the tawny
muStache OF the captain.
The lawyer did not seem to be offended,
however. Evidently he understood the man
he was dealing with perfectly. 1t would be
hard matter to AFRAID the feelings of q
man like Seekmore Gripes, who had been
for more than forty years a criminal de-
fender of the most constituencies type.
His class exist and prey on the public in
all large towns, as the reader knows, and
l., os,-,r,
is meant toward that large class Of honor
able men who make law their calling in life
There was no Disgusting the fact that the
will was lost Gripes knew that it was
stolen, the Captain could not be sure. In any
vent he was puzzled and deeply chagrined.
Il do not understand il, !" finally muttered
Captain Starbright. "Who could wish to
destroy the wiili''
THAT is not for me to say. Foa ought 70
be posted"
81 can think Of but one who would be ber-
Gifted by such villainy," said the Captain.
"Who rs thatr'
"Nrs. Penroy."
! Exactly"
SIT can not be that she has had hand In
Chs. She hasn't the requisite nerve to do
such thing"
IA weak woman, eha" smiled the lawyer.
81 find them the hardest cases in my expert
ence"
"Then you imagine that she, that faded
widow, without life enough to more than e.
ist has comprised ten miles of space at
Light, watched your movements with the
keen eyes of a detective, and at an oppof
tune moment snstched this precious pape-
from your tabler'
81 can't say that do 1t is for you to
draw inferences-n
"Do you intend to go back on me, Mr..
Gripesin
Mot if you show proper shrewdness."
"What would you adviser
THAT you find that will at the earliest
possible moment"
"But that may be impossible. The ono
who would steal the will would not hest
tate to destroy it."
"True enough"
.If the will is destroyed we lose every
thing"
Undoubtedly"
Mrs. Penroy being the only direct living
heir to Morgan Vandible would inheri.
every thing. know she hates me ana
she would not hesitate to"
81 see, l see,n interrupted Mr.. Gripes,
"But you must excuse ME from further con-
necessary for you to employ detective. II
this woman you mention is SO timid and
weak, she would hardly dare destroy the
will. 1t may be that she will be open to
compromise Move cautiously, Captain,
and see her at the earliest moment It's a
bad piece of business anyhow"
Then the little man resumed his seat at
the table and turned his back on his client.
Ignored completely.
This move q the part Of the willy lawyer
did not please Captain Starbright and he
secretly resolved on revenge at some future
time.
The Captain promised to call again and
then departed. He had left his horse at
one of the hotel stables. The distance was
nearly half a mile. He bad proceeded but
few rods when a pedestrian brushed against
him proceeding from the opposite direction.
At the same moment the Captain felt
hand touch his As the stranger swept on
Captain Starbright felt a bit Of folded pa
pc r in his palm.
Quickly he turned about and called after
the pedestrian. No answer was vouchsafed.
Then the Captain FASTENED on until the
rays of street lamp greeted his vision.
Under this he paused, and consulted the
paper so strangely thrust into his possession.
s.CLINToN SrARBRIGHT: The storm you
have invoked will soon burst. / give you
fair warning that you may be on the defen-
sive. Nothing you can now do will save
you from the gallows you have dared to
win the Vandible millions. The old million
aire left will, not the enc to which his
name was forged-you are left out in the
cold A FORMER FRIEND"
The note puzzled and enraged the Captain.
HIS thoughts reverted at once to the person
who had once before thrust note Of warn
mo into his hand-Irouis Fingal Doubtless