Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-13
LONE HOLLOW:
Or, The Peril Of the Penroys.
a Thrilling ana Romantic Story
or Love and Adventure.
n1 JAMES n. MERRILL. AUTHOR OF BOGUS
UHL. FISHER JOE" AND
OTHER STORIES
tCopyT1Af, 1889, by the 4. " kellogg Ne,rs-
paper CoDapdny.1
CHAPTER XXyI-coyr1srzn

CHAPTER XXVL-COSrISUEp
dc paused. She made no attempt to in
terrupS him, and he proceeded:
men you put in an appearance at Lone
Hollow realized that my chance of VIM
ning the heiress was lessened. knew how
you mated me. and felt alarmed [ wished
you away, anywhere but in this house.
Even under the sod." and she smiled
grlmly as she interrupted him.
NO. In that you wrong me,'' he assert
ed, 1mrressively. II did not plan to harm
you, could not do that; for to be honest
"itnyou, Lura, you are the only girl who
ever stirred the inner depths of my heart
Ii you had been the heiress instead of
trace could have wooed with tenfold more
nre- But let that pass. endured your
presence without attempting to abate it.
mat night, when you disappeared so mys-
terlously, and during the days that followed
when turned heaven and earth to find YOU
was really sad at heart, although elated at
the thought that you would not be likely to
trouble me again.
Il was getting on swimmngly with Grace
when, to my surprise, you suddenly re-
turned saw you enter the house and GO
TO Gracc Penroy's room then believed
that you had played trick on us all, on me,
Tor the purpose of beating me out of this
thought that was about to be defeated
when the wealth was ready to fall into my
hands maddened me, and lost reason and
GOODNESS.
THAT was why / assaulted YOU SO
furlously. 1 repented it afterward, and
have been longing to see you to ask your
forgiveness. L came near being killed by n
mailman myself. He carried YOU away, and
afterward feared that he had murdered
your
Captain Starbright had resumed his seat
during this narration, while Lura Joyce
leaned one hand on the table and contented
herself with listening in 4 meek way that
was surprising considering her fiery nature.
''Do you expect me to believe all this,
Captain StarDright.' she said, without
lifting her eyes.
II have spoken the truth. OF course,
have no means of compelling belief" he
said, in asubdued tone. II tell you honest
ly, am glad that You escaped from the
clutches of tho mailman"
He seemed gentle enough with me-" re-
sumed the girl. ''Wh hat became of the poor
fellow at last. haven't seen him of latc.''
81 influenced the authorities to send the
poor fellow to a mad house"
Did you know him!'
"No, only that he made an absurd claim
to be a brother of the late Dir. Vandible''
suddenly dropping the subject of the mad
man. s'Can you throw any light on that!"
at is a sad affair."" sighed the Captain.
81 would rather not talk of that now"
"Why has Austin Wentword been a.
rested."
at was necessary. In case Grace dies
tho fellow might leave the country
t'Then you suspect him of being the
assassin of the girl he loved, who was his be-
trotned, in fact!'
Her eyes were regarding him now with
their steely glitter, that rendered him nerv-
GUS always.
s'My suspicion amounts to conviction"
he said, coolly.
"You saw him commit the act2''
"Iam not prepared to say that. At the
proper time my evidence shall be forth
coming.'
"Indeed! Is this a part of your plot to
win the Vandible fortuneH'
He became uneasy under her gaze. He
realized that she was reading him like an
open book. He might deceive some women,
but not this grand, self-reliant girl, whose
strong mind and quick wit were more than
q match for him.
at is useless to prolong this interview"
he said, coming to his feet. ''You would
distrust one even if he'were to swear on a
mountain of Bibles. l am sorry, but in
l.
o much-abused man."
Then he strobe from the room and sought
the outer air.
"Sop' murmured Lura. Il am once more
on deck to watch and counteract your evil
influence, Clinton Starbright. If Grace
dies, you arc a doubly doomed man. The
idea that Austin Wentword fired that shot!
That yarn might fool the marines. but it will
not pass current with me- All! if you only
7 ntlin
tremble in your boots. 1t is just well
Won do not know. will now have an op-
portunity to search this house for the will
old Mr. Vandiple made long ago That,
believe to be- the only lawful document of
the kind in existence.
Is He told me that it was somewhere with
in the walls of Lone Hollow, and L mean to
find it and confound them all"
Then Lura went to the room where her
wounded cousin lay When Mrs. Penroy
saw the girl she uttered scream and fell
fainting to the floor.
II will be remembered that the widow did
not know of the continued existence OF Lura
Joyce. She had looked upon the girl as
dead, Grace having kept her secret accord
ing To promise, and her sudden appearance
was as startling as the appearance OF
ghost. 49,, ,,o,o,. sho
crossed the threshold. She rang for
Jncv- the colored maid, who, assisted
Inv Miss Joyce, succeeded in conveying the
faintinp woman to bed in another part OF
the great house.
Lucy was pretty thoroughly frlghte ned,
too. when she saw Miss Joyce, but Lura
soon satisfied the maid that. all was as 1t
should be bv assuring her that she had only
been AWAY on business, and that now she
was hack to care for Grace, and make her
home hereafter ct Lone Hollow.
Mrs. Penroy did not recover from her sec
ond fainting fit as from the first, and she
was unable to leave her bed Tor seVerai
days. w,;,,oa ,o,-
sciousness, but remained very weak and
REQUIRED constant attention. Lura gave
this and exerted herself to aid the wound
<ll o1rl in every possible way. Mrs. Fen
,-ov was too weak and ill herself to assist In
+oi;npc care of her daughter, aud so for the
zine Lura Joyce was complete mistress OF
the house. 49,. o.,,,
Dr Faxon gave assurance that Gracs
,vorld speedily recover, and he came to
Lone Hollow less frequently as the days
passed. s ,,.ou h.r
lover I,ura gave evasive answers. Inc
,o,,n1 man still languished in Stonefeld
;.,I awaiting the outcome of the shot. and
ina feared to make known the fact, since
.ho.k now might terminate the life OF
Grace.
In the meantime Captain Staroright al-
.o-noted between Stonefield and Lone Hol-
,,laasapk and even frleQ0ly