Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-23
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI
A DARK CRIME
The face at the window was not a pleas
ant one. Fingal had seen and recognized 1t
as that of the strange man, Don Benito.
One instant only it remained at the window,
then disappeared in the crowd.
Captain Starbright stood staring like one
bereft of sense.
HE is gone"
"Gone," answered Fingal. "Who was
itr'
"How should knows"
eff you do not, your actions belle your
words" declared Fingal, grimly. Ito me
he seemed like mailman"
HE is MADAM escaped lunatic, "
breathed the Captain, gladly catching at
a loophole of escape. He ought to be
secured at once"
s'You will offer reward for his capt
ure-"
Captain Starbright, however, now that he
was out from under the magnetism OF
Louis Fingaps presence, fastened to
separate himself from that Individual, IN
wardly vowing, however, to learn more of
the hunter in the future, and if need be to
crush him.
Before Fingal could finish his sentence
the Captain had passed swiftly from the
flash.
sYou can't escape me that way, you Wiz
lain," muttered the youth, who seemed
deeply interested in the movements OF
Captain Starbright.
Quickly Fingal passed out to watch the
movements of the Captain. He glanced
keeEly up and down the cross street down
which Starbright had turned, but that III
diyidual was nowhere to be seen.
sConfound it," muttered the young
hunter, ''he seems to have given me the slip.
Clinton Starbright is like an eel, when you
put 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
imagined l was foolish to permit him to
escape. l should, in justice to all con-
cerned, have placed him under arrest.
And yet such a move might block the
game entirely, and prevent the ends OF
justice.
ssNo, must permit the Captain full swing
for little longer. The face of Don Benito
has startled the Captain, and that certainly
means something. l might be able to guess
the truth had the queer old fellow COM
pleted the story he was once telling. He
seemed sane enough then; he is at times,
and but for an interruption | should have
known all. However, danger menaces Don
Benito and must avert it If possible"
In the meantime the Captain turned
down the nearest alley, crossed block, and
thence passed down 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 to
return. AS he paced the floor he muttered
THE elements of danger thicken. The
man left for dead in California still lives,
although l believe 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 far to turn
back now
"Ihave entered the race and must con,
tinue to the end. The end What is it
destined to be? Success or failure! A bold
heart and strong hand will make it the
former. possess both, if 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 a small cupboard and drew
forth flask. He placed this to his lips
twice ere he spoke agaIn. s'Ah! that is the
pure Stuff he finally calculated. "That
gives me strength, aud nerves me to the
work in hand"
Thrusting the flask in an inner pocket he
passed from the room and the house He
did not go toward the 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 staff of native
wood, and gazed with eagle eye over the
scene. yer. - 'sf~-'-- =
sThe Doge has sent for me. There is to
be some reconciliation" muttered the old
man. II am glad of that Isaw him at
the tavern and he seemed gentle as lamb
it is we'll. If the gentle maid was only
here might send mes sage by her"
He paused. The sound of step attracted
his notice. He turned, lifted his staff, but
was too late to avoid the blow that fell with
the swiftness of lightning. In a silent
heap the old man of the gulch lay at the
roots of a tree. A stout club in the hands
of one of the twins had done the work.
Strong arms lifted the silent form and
bore it into the thick woods.
A third person followed the twins as they
entered the shadows of the wood. " I can not
trust the rascals," muttered Captain Star
bright as he glided swiftly after the twin
asSasslnS.
The two men, with their helpless burden,
paused at last beside a small pool some
rods in extent, the waters of which were
Swallowed by a thick growth of cedars. The
ground was swampy about the little lake,
and i solemn stiffness seemed a part of the
situation.
AS the twins deposited their burd en- on
the ground near the edge Of the water, the
third person passed quickly forward and
stood before them.
"Eh, Cap'n, you here?"
al am" answered Captain Starbright,
grimly. Il want no deception this time"
deception. Maybe you think
alt doesn't matter. Let the past CO., in
terrupted the Captain.
Then he bent and examined the clothing
of the murdered old man.
An ejaculation of disappointment fell
from his lips. He thought perhaps to find
valuable papers, and in this he was sorely
disappointed. 1t might be that he thought
the missing will was on the person of the
dead. 1t was not, however, and hence the
discontinue OF the wicked schemer.
One of the twins was working at some
thing near while the Captain was maxim g
this examination. He now came toward,
revealing in his hands a heavy stone about
which he had attached stout buckskln
cord.
sST,bic will foraynr hide tho yyorl, - muf-