The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-12-27


, the camp IA an upruar. and Nell Owen
missing since the previous noon.
She had wandered away from th
camp alone, they said, aud all searcl
had as yet failed TO reveal her whore
aboats Without an instant's delay, tn,
weary men resumed their trampinI
here, there, everywhere, but alter
week spent In fruitless indeayor, the,
Droke camp and returned to their nov
!. desplate home.
1he evening before they started, kar
ShNstz and Olive Dame were walkins
Il hy themselves along the brink OF tht
large pool the spring formed, and set
ting out on its long Journey some
where. They had been talking earnestly
and Karl in the course OF conversation
related the making Of John Owen 4
Will and bis picking up the book near
where the body had disappeared
Olive listened eagerly.
Did you read the will ?"
No, the time has not yet come"
Give me that book, she demanded
impeTiously, and he did so ut once. Il
am going 10 read what he has written
before Ii is too late"
Too late2" he echoed questioningly,
bnt she did not reply.
She was heaping Up q quantity OF
dry leaves, and when they were lighted,
crouehed beside them and holding the
book IN the glare read.
John Ovens, being of sound mind.
but m fear of approaching death, do
declare this my last will and testament.
4 hereby acknowledge Ross Emerson as
my dearly beloved son, and inheritor of
all nay fortune, barring the following
bequests To my dear sister Muncy,
tha sum Of $3.50, 600. To each of mv
dear nieces Sl0, 600 as marriage por-
tion, aud 10 Kare Shultz, also The son
Of my dead friend, $4,000 TO start trfrtn
IN basiness. lSignedl JoHs OWENS.
W4tnaasas KARL SHUETz,
JAKE HINES.
When she had finished reading Olive
brokh ont wrnthfully.
leu sthousand, indeed, I'll show
him. Catching the book by the covers,
abe shook the leaves loose aud before
Kari could hinder her, even had he
been minded too, she had held il in
the hlaze Of the fire. When the leaves !
weTs@hriseled and blaekened she fiu.g
i from Der, and turning, faced her
lover WITH q sSaked. trinmphant CLEAN
heirs 10 John Owens wealth.
And you viii be my wife" he AS
serted
~Yes, when you 50 desire"
-
Thus il transpired when tie estate OF
the late popular merchant was settled,
and the triumphant Olive entered upon
her rich inheritance there was quie.
and the two set mp grand |
in another quarter.
Aunt Mercy and Ross continued on at
the old home, both living in hopes that
the mystery Of their dear ones fate
might some day be unrayeled. A faint,
yet nnmentioned hope yet lived in both ,
their hearts that death had not forever
parted them. So hoping, exPectant, |
they lived on.
Ross had found himself obliged to |
take o clerkship in order to support
himself, and was still surprised over
such turn in his affairs. The loss Of
his dear uncle and the girl he was learn
ing to love so dearly, was a fer greater
blow than the loss of fortune, however,
and the work served tO occupy his [
thoughts and prevent his brooding.
4i4He FaH- sH until three months were
gone. Then one evening Rs Ross aud !
Mercy Owens sat together, talking as
usual Of the absent ones, the door
opened and white-faced, trembling
servant rushed in.
"OA. Miss Mercy" he gasped, Miss
Nell and Master"
Neither heard anything further he |
might have to say, for both rushed iUto |
the hall. to be confronted by the two !
50 long mourned, and-auother /
Upon this other Mercy Ovens gaze !
fell first OF all. She flung mp her hands |
with d gasping CRY and staggered back. !
A pair Of strong arms enoircled her in |
an instant, however, and when the |
others had quieted their transports this |
Is what they saw:
"A tai, bearded gentleman Of middle |
age and dighified bearing was holding /.
Marcy Owens in o close clasp His /
head, ,was bent, and his earnest, low !
spoken Words seemed 10 afford her !
comfort, for her face fairly beamed |
with happiness. John saw oil this with /
keenest satisfaction, and iu few words /
explained that this WAS the lover OF her |
youth, from whom she had been sepnr.
ated by the perady Of his wife.
Your wife, gasped Nell and Ross in .
concert.
John Ovens turned blank looking !
face upon Ross. and then in few /
quickly spoken sentences all Karl |
Shultx perfdy was brought 10 light
Owens' wrath was terrible to witness, |
and he swore that the false wretch |
should answer for ii at the public /
tribunal. IL was ordaingd otherwise. |
ncwever. An excited servant bad |
rushed across the city 10 Karl Shultz's l
residence, and told Of his masters re-
turn. Panic-stridken, the guilty pair
gathered together all the yaluablca |
possible, and fled, nor were they heard /
from again, for which tile friends were /
not sorry.
Little remains now 20 be told, save |
how the two SO long missing. had come /
10 be still alive. On that eventfnl day, /