Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
CHAPTER Lv.-THE LAST DISCOVERY.

CHAPTER LV.-THE LAST DISCOVERY.
II shall like TO turn farmer" Lord
Harry went on talking while Iris opened
and began to read Fanny's manuscript.
After all my adventures. to settle down
in quiet place and cultivate the soil. On
marketed we will drive into town to-
gpther''-he talked as if Kentucky were
Notwithstanding by side in a spring
cart | shall have samples of grain in
bags. and you will have basket of butter
and cream. 1t will be an ideal life. We
shall dine at the ordinary, and, after din
ner over pipe and glass of grog, shall
discuss the weather and che crops. Aud
while we live in this retreat Of ours, over
here the very name of Harry Norland will
have been forgotten. Queer, that! We
shall go on living long after we are dead
and buried and forgotten. In the novels
the man turns up after he is supposed
to be cast away Observation-Disclosures
dead long ago. But he never turns up
when he is forgotten-unless he is Rip
Van Wrinkle. By CAD, Iris! When we
are old people we will 60 home and see
the old places together. 1t will be some
thing to look forward to-something to live
fOr-eh?
81 feel quite happy this evening. Iris;
happier than | have been for months. The
fact is, this Internal place has hipped US
both confoundedly. L don't like to grum-
BILE, but Pve felt the monotony more than
a bit. And so have you. It's made you
brood over things. Now, for my part, l
like to look at the bright side. Here we
are comfortably cut off from the past.
That's all done with. Nothing in the
world can revive the memory of the
disagreeable things if we are only true to
ourselves and agree to forget them. What
has been done can never be discovered.
Not a SOnl knows except the doctor, and
between him and ourselves we are going
to put d few thousand What's the
matter, Iris? What the devil is the mat
ter?"
For Iris. who had been steadily reading
while her husband chartered on, sudden
iy dropped the book, and turned upon
him white face and eyes struck with
horror.
what is it?'' Lord Harry repeated.
On! Is this true?"
"What?'
81 cannot say it. Oh, my God! can this
be tru %
What? Speak, Iris,'' He sprang to his
feet. is it's it discovered?"
discovered? Yes, all-alI-all-is dis
covered!''
Where? Howe Give me the thing.
Iris. Quick! Who knowsa What is
knOWn?'
He snatched the book from her hands.
She Shrank from his touch, and pushed
back her char, standing in an attitude OF
MISUNDERSTANDING him as one would
watch a dangerous creature.
He swiftly read page after page, eager to
know the worst. Then he threw the book
upon the table.
''Well?" he said, not lifting his eyes.
'The man was murdered-murderedl
she whispered.
He made no reply.
You looked on while he was murdered!
You looked on c0nsenting! You are A
murderer!'
II mad no share or part in it. did not
know he was being poisoned"
You knew when | was with you. Oh!
the dead mantle murdered man-was in
the house at the very moment! Your hands
were red with blood when YOU took me
away-to get me out of the way-so that
SnOuid not know" She stopped she
could net go on.
Il did not know. Iris--not with certain
ty. | thought he was dying when he came
into the house. He did not die: he began
10 recover w hen tae doctor gave him MS
metlicine-after that woman went away
l suspected When he died, my suspicious
We're stronger. | challenged him. lie did
not deny it. Believe me, Iris, L neither
counSelled it nor knew of it,"
You acquIesced in it. You consented
,, You should have warned the-the other
murderer that you would denounce him it
the man died. You took advantage of
it. His death enabled you to carry out
your fraud with me as your accOmpllce.
viii mel / am an accomplish ia s muir
der''
No, no, iris; you knew nothing Of it.
No one can ever accuse you"
you do not understand. 1t is part Of
the accusation which make against my
self"
LAS for what this woman writes" her
husband went on, lit is true. L suppose it
is useless to deny single word of 1T. She
had hidden behind the curtain. then! She
heard and saw ALL If Vimpany had found
her He was ght. No one SO dangerous
as woman. Yes; she has told YOU exact
lv what happened She suspected all
along. We should have sent her away and
changed our plans. This comes of being
too clever. Nothing would do for the doc
tor but the mans death. [ hoped-we
both hoped-that he would die natural
death. He did not. Without dead man
we were powerless. We had to get dead
man. Iris | will hide nothing more from
you, whatever happens. l confess every
thing. | knew tnat he was going to die.
When he began to get we'll | was filled
with forebodings, because | knew that he
would never be allowed o go away. How
else could we find dead body? You can't
steal body; you can't make one up. You
must have one for proof of death. [ say'
his voice was harsh and hOarSe-'I say
that | knew he must die. | saw his death
in the doctors face And there was no
more money left fol- new experiment if
Oxbye should get we'll and 90 away.
When it came to the point [ was seized
with mortal terror. | would have given
up every thing-everythin see the man