Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-02

tnen remembered boto DESCRIPTION OF the
wretch who had been wounded byTim Kinnard
while spying upon them, bleeding like stuck
pig from q wound In the neck" And then again
came the memory Of the topers' gossip in the
.'bottling works'-of the crank who threatened
injury to Vance 4 Kinnard, and the grisly sug-
gestion that wells have been torpedoed into de-
struction for spite before now.
why should an ordinary agent muiiie mp
his face like that?" Nella questioned, with q
thrill Of terror. Ned and Tim have an enemy
who would destroy them IL he had . chance,
and this would be the chance IL he WAS willy
enough to seize it. I shall get there FIRST and
warn them or drop on the way" And away
she went. skimming across the snowy ground
as II she had wings to her feet
Ihe torpedo man had long round to drive
In comparison with her short cut; but her
ground was exceedingly rough and treacher-
Gus, besides bristling with stumps left to rot,
so that the girl was almost exhausted by the
time she had reached the road on the opposite
side, with only few seconds 10 spare. The
torpedo man came up, mufied mp TO the eyes
as before, with his head drawn 10 one side, but
his eyes met Nella's full stare. She threw mp
her hands and burst into . hysterical laugh.
Its Joel-Joel Hartmann gasped she, and
as he was now abreast she stepped forward
pushing back her veil to show her lovely, agi-
tated face. stop, Josll It's I, Nellar' cried
she.
He gave . savage cut 10 his horse, which
bounded on. snorting with pain, and he never
looked back. Am I going mad2' shivered
Neila- What in heavens name does IL
mean2 That was Joel Harriman-it was-rd
know his ewes in spite Of . hundred disguises.
But his neck? True, haven't seen him FOR six
months, not since Ned struck oil He always
wrote instead Of coming. Yes, il was Joel, and
he knew me well enough. Oh what does il
mean Meanwhile she was pressing on after
the torpedo man. The tall derrick and cluster
ing Offices Of Kinnard 4 Vance came into view
and she could make out two well-knewn figures
hurrying out to meet the stranger. She was
lying over the CLASSY road now and was almost
within hailing distance and the man was about
fifty feet from her on the one side and the two
partners on the other.
He looked back over his shoulder at her, and
although his fine horse was running az full
speed already he gave him yet another brutal
cut with his whip. Another bound of the tor
tured animal, violent jolt Of the sleigh ct his
heels and up shot q dazzling fame-man.
horse and sleigh were all enveloped in it-and
Nella knew no more. The shock had msrci-
fully thrown her to the ground, stunned.
When she opened her eyes she was lying on
the sofa in Ned's pretty parlor tenderly
watched by her brother close at hand and by
Tim at respectful distance. Both looked pale
and shocked.
my precious girl, to think that this should
| be your welcome home, said Ned, kissing her
tenderly; And how did you drop down here
on your feet, anyhow"
''Is he-is he" shuddersd Nella, and could
not finish the sentence.
'.Yes, Nella, stone dead" returned Ned.
sadly; But what ever possessed him to drive
like that"
at was Joel Hartman" cried Nella, burst
ing into nervous tears. 1T was, indeed; met
his eyes and he knew me-" And she Gold her
little story clearly she could.
The partners heard in CONSERVATION.
1T all fits in uncommonly complete" said
Tim aside. Come, let's see what the BOYS hey
mic rod Ind vrha Cd had II H.
poor little frightened sister her own dainty bed
room and made her promise to lie down and
recover her strength and spirits by a nap, the
pair went out to the shed, where some of the
workmen had laid out the poor remains OF
| the torpedo man under q sheet and such arti-
cles as they could find on a bench. From
among these Tim selected charred memoran-
| dunn book, and sure enough the name they
found on its first page was Joel Hartmann S.
Further on came a rude diagram of the ground
plan of a well and its premises. which they in
| stantly recognized their own, and under
meath was the first draft of q letter completing
the description and the address of an oil broker
| in Chicago.
Il guess Nella's right" muttered Ned, shak-
| ing his head. This wouldn't fit the well now,
| though it would have to q dot the night we
| struck it. Joel Hartman was the spy dis
guised as a darkey and he thought 10 sell our
secret and ruin us. We were too many for him
then; SO this was to hev been his revenge. Tia,
| lump of smash is his watch. Here's his initials
| inside the case and this here charm I've seer
| hangin on his chain thousand times."
Il wonder why he hated u.s." said Tim.
81 guess he was jealous Of you, Tim an after
he'd heerd We tell that story about him he knew
we'd never let him hev Nella."
Well well. poor wretch, he's got his 70
the pretty parlor to find Nella bewitchingly
dressed in the soft silks Tim had prophesied
| for her and determined to throw OF the de-
preston which did so little honor TO her home
coming, not to speak Of the great delivsrance
that he. too, was to have his reward-the
sweetest, most satisfying reward earth could
| have given him
''You mustn't grieve about this, Nella, for be
| amt worth il" Tim had ventured to say in g
timid aside, while Ned was busting about some
thing in the other end Of the room.
Il can't grieve, Tim, for he died in the At
| tempt to murder you, said she, looking at him
| with her heart in her eyes.
"An' you never really cared for him?" whis
pered Tim. with eloquent response in his.
| "At his best even when believed him Ned's
good friend and helper, he told me he was lend
ing him capital for this venture. when all hi,
| part in it was to try to sell his knowledge OF
it-even then I knew that it would kill me tc
marry him."
"Oh. Nella, why did ye promise him, then?'
Because Ned wanted me to, and you
she checked the involuntary admission and
| averted her blushing face.
'And such a coward that dared no,
speak a word for myself" he burst out, Selling
| her little hand between his own and fond
ling it tenderly, and her shy. sweet eyes were
fascinated toward his dark glowing ones, and
a strange glance passed between them and JUS
then Ned turned around and caught the tab
| leau.
Thank heavenl that's all right ct last,
| sighed he.