Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-06-19

Croak nervously changed the crossing
Of his knotty little legs, while the banker
suddenly sank into his chair, growing
white and red by turns.
-Ha, ha, hal This is pushing the joke
to extremities, he stImmered forth, with
forced laugh.
-Ah be unco glaid to know the pair
sons, an to keep the twa O. them In my
cen, Master Hartwell, I" solemnly ejacula-
ted Mr.. Dalhousie, in the broadcast Of
Hebridean accents, and with another for
NAL bow he slowly unhinged again into
sitting posture.
Before proceeding formally with my
charges" said Mr.. Hartwell, suddenly as
suming q brisk, business-like tone and
demeanor, Il may deem it requisite to
preface them with little preliminary in
formation. In the first place, do you rec
ognize this lady and this gentleman as
Mr.. and Mrs. Jasper Marlowe?"
The banker made no reply, his face put
ting on q stony, impenetrable look, but
Croak answered, with smirk:
"Ahl we're in q court of inquiry, are
we2 And it's regular judicial examina-
tion, is it2 Well, we'll; think we can
safely say that we have no recollection
whatever Of the good-looking gentleman
and the yet handsomer lady in ques-
ton"
Indeed? Well, see that shall have
to open with the piece of information
spoke of. 1t is merely this: that a rascal
named Wormer was put under arrest
scarcely twenty minutes ago by one of
Mr.. Dalhousie's assistants. Further,
the said Wormer has proved as much
coward as rascal. He has volunteered
an informal confession of his completely
in the crimes of garroting and highway
robbery; this gentleman. Mr.. Jasper
Marlowe, having been the victim, in q
lonely London street, at or about two
O'Clock this morning, thus confirming
the self-accusing Acknowledgements Of
his comrades in villainy, and the chief
actors, one James Hoggman, alias Bug, q
professional thief, and one other, Will
lam Badgers, alias Southwark Bill, o
notorious garroter, both of whom were
| tracked down and arrested before noon
to-day, and who have since made the
revelations subsequently leading to said
| Wormer's arrest. Thirdly and lastly, in
| this connection, said Wormer In his
panic stricken confession directly charges
you. Mr.. Marlowe, and you, Mr.. Croak,
with instigating said garroting and high
permitted me, have, nevertheless, se-
| your arrest on these frightful charges"
He came to solemn pause.
Croak still managed to keep up a
CHASTITY -He, he, he!" and the banker,
who had pretty firmly helmeted himself
| by this time, remained as stolid as be-
fore.
"And yet these are but preliminary
charges, gentlemen, said Mr.. Hartwell,
resuming. Now, can you pretend that
you do not recognize this gentleman and
his wife?"
"The deuce!" exclaimed Marlowe, rous-
ing herself, with shrug of the shoulders;
"I have made no pretense to the con-
trary. recognized them both at the
| first; but what of it2"
Thank you," said Mr. HartwelL Il
may now proceed to my next charge sys-
tematically, if not exactly in chrono-
logical order. 1t is that you, Mr.. Mar
lowe, did feloniously and murderously
assault this same Jasper Marlowe six day s
ago, here in this office, at about this
hour of the evening; did strike him
senseless, and then, after robbing him OF
valuable paper, lock him up in yondel
vault, believing that you had murdered
him."
"It is false false as the father OF lies
himself" cried the banker, still without
changing gcountenance. This is the first
time in eighteen years that l have sci
eyes on that fellows face!"
"Softlyl There was witness of the
deed; that witness is not far away"
"Impossiblei I don't believe it! False,
false, false!"
I'VE shall see. Sir, you have played 9
mad, desperate game, but its madness il
about to recoil upon you"
Another slight pause, and then, as he
was about to resume, he was interrupted
by noise of hurrying feet in the ad'
joining hall. Then the door opened
swiftly and the boy Dip burst into the
office, wild and almost breathless from
hard running, and waving folded pape
over his head.
Master, master! Am in timer" hi
gasped, running up to Jasper and putting
the paper in his hands, needless of tn,
rest of the company. Il have been twent,
minutes trying to get into the garden;
dared not ring the bell; the back gate wa
closed and locked; at last I managed Il
scale the wall, and here I am. Here i
the missing paper at last. You must pro
tect me-Boncourt will want to kill M
for stealing it from him, as he stole
from Mr.. Noel. Tell me; is it right?"
Yes, yes; how can it be otherwisel" ex
claimed Jasper, drawing the boy affec
tionately to his side. and at the sam
time handing the unopened paper to MI
Hartwell, with q triumphant look. "Fea
not, Dip; all is well, and you shall be pro
tected.
Marlowe's impenetrability by this tim
showed signs Of yielding, while Croak'
face grew perceptibly grayer.
II The lawyer, Mr.. Hartwell, arose an
; began to unfold the document that ha
been put in his hands.
Before he could do SO, however, ther
occurred another and far more startlin
interruption.
A scream, in Gwendoline's voice, wa
] heard from somewhere above. Then fo
lowed almost instantly the report of
r pistol.
Then there was tremendous crash,
/ tearing away of vines from the outside G
t the house, the plunge of great mas
falling past the open window, accompf
MED BY dust, loosened mortar and seal
. tered leaves, and all was comparativel
silent for moment or two, when anotht
' scream was heard in another woman
, voice, directly outside, in the border {
t the strawberries.
l "He is dead! he is killed." cried Il
, last voice, in despairing accents. All
I. over!"
! CHAPTER XLm.