Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-05-30
CHAPTER XXI.
.u - -.


Impenetrable gloom surrounded the per-
son who uttered these words, save for tia
small circle Of light made by strong
smelling tallow dip, that sputtered and
threatened to go out at any moment.
Weird shadows danced along the rafteEs
and played hide and seek among queer
little hooks. A young man knelt on the
rough boards OF the garnet at Lone Hollow,
with an old, battered, hair-coyeCed trunk
open before him. That which brought from
his lips the words opening this chapter no
held up to the light in his hand-a folded
legal document. yellow with age, tied with
red tape.
The young man who held up the folded
paper read on one side these words:
4" Last will and testament Of Morgan VaA-
dible"
Found at lastl'' again calculated thu
young man. My search has not been in
vain. have looked everywhere, and was
on the point of giving up, when, lol 1t pops
up like thing of life from the bottom.of
this old chest. Your course is we'll nigh
run, Clinton Starbright falsely dubbed
Captain, and
A soNnd below cut short the young mans
speech. He concealed the precious paper.
extanguished the light, and hurriedly naao
his exit from the close air Of the garrett
When he gained the hall below, which
was dimly lighted by brackst-lamps. cAe
mans face stood revealed, and we recog-
nize him as the genial hunter, Louis Fin
gal. He passed TO the end Of the hall, lifted
window and peered out into the night,
listening intently,
~ hear no sound Of Wheels" he NUT
tered. II hope DR.. Cotton and his patient
u.rsl a spa INT tnkt W eOk
that villain, and guard precious life,
without making balk, is tiresome and
dangerous. IL must be time, too for that
infamous Captain TO come nosing about. I
heard him tell Lucy that she need not look
for him in several days, but judge that to
be a blind, Possibly, however, he may
have taken the alarm. He was out until
late last night, and seemed pale and sgi-
tatsd when he returned
The reader can readily guess why the
Captain was agltated on the previous night
Tue appsPition at the pool had completely
unnerved him for a time. On the morning
following he had driven away toward
Stonefield, assuring both Lura and Lucy
that he intended TO be absent several days.
Fingal had been where he overheard this,
but he had not believed it.
After listening minute Fingal closed
the window and turned his steps toward
Grace's room. He found the door closed,
aud at once applied his hand TO the knob. II
refused TO yield.
Dropping to the floor Fingal attempted TO
peer into the room through the keyhole. No
light glimmered there, and then the young
hunter seemed to realize for the first time
that something was wrong inside the sick
chamber. He thrust small reed that he
picked from the floor into the keyhole.
He then made q discovery.
The hole had been stoutly plugged
Something surely was wrong He grasped
the knob and shook the door
No answer from within.
A chill shot 20 the heart of Fingal. he
called the name Of Lucy and Of Grace, bu,
received no answer. A terrible fear op
pressed the young hunters heart as be
turned from the door and hurried to the
stairs. He sped down these, three steps 81
time, and came near landing In the arms
OF the colored maid
"Lucy, you hereri demanded Fingal,
hoarsely. "Who is with Gracei"
Miss Lura, 'spect"
81 do not believe IT,"
"But left her dar-"
"SomethiRg is wrong" interrupted Fin.
gal, Selling and shaking the maid fuEicusiy.
You haven't been faithful, girl. The door
TO Grace's room is locked Have you the
keyin
deed, marse, HASN'T
Fingal stood irresolute for one moment.
then sprang to the outer door, opened II
and passed out into the night. he hast
ened TO the side Of the building, to 9 spot
where q light glimmered from an upper
window the window Of Grace Penroy's
room.
For an instant the young man stood
irresolute; then, seeming 70 remember
something, he sped 70 the rear OF the old
house and in less than a minute returned
bearing in his hands ladder II was but
short work 10 place this up against the
side ofthe house.
IL Just reached the window-sill.
A moment later the young hunter was
mounting swiftly upward. BE soon gained
the top and although the curtains were
drawn he found q crevice through which
be could peer into the room.
What he saw caused him 70 start and
nearly fall from the ladder. His hands
chnched the stone sill until the blood
seemed ready 10 burst from beneath the
nails
la the center of tho room stood Captain
Starbright, with q look on has face that
was actually terrifying. 1t was only WIKI
the utmost eh6rt that Fingal held himself
from falling.