Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-13
LONE HOLLOW;
Or, The Peril of the PGnrOyS.
A Thrilling and Romantic stcr-

"Grandpa grandpal speak to me-" cried Grace Penroy, shrilly, seizlng one of his hands.
 The chill of death was in the old palms, and on tho instant the girl realized the truth, that the kind old man, kind to her at least, would never speak again. He was dead, had died without looking again upon her face. The thought was q most painful one to poor Grace. She could not weep then, for indignation held sway in her heart Turning upon Captain Starbright, she cried:
 "You promised to send for me and did not. Cruel manH'
 Then, without waiting for a word from him, she walked with bowed head and sor- rowful micn from the room.
 Scekmore Gripes glided to the door with a cat like tread and turned the key in the lock.
 ",You should have taken that precaution bcforc," he said, piercing the Captain with his little gray eyes.
 " It was an oversight on my part" admit ted Captain Starbrght
 "Which may prove your downfall"
 Don't croak, Gripes, whatever you do."
 |" The situation warrants it."
 "I hope you are not ready to throw up the sponge.
 WI hat can we do?'
 The heartless lawyer penetrated his com panlon Wltn Stancc.
 "This calamity is so sudden am not pre- pared to statc," answered the Captain, pacing the room with uneasy strides.
 "No will has been made" remarked the lawyer. 'Dcath thwarted you there"
 "And the property goes to the next ot kinl"
 Certainly"
 Starbright t! ought of Mrs. Penroy and groanod. He knew that she hated him, and would be only too glad to order him kicked from tho house should she come into posses sion. Should he permit this pale, worn-out woman to win the millions for which he had been schemlng so long? No, he could not think of it. He believed now that mistake had been made in giving that potion to the old man. Although it contained but one drop of the ''cough drops" obtained from Mother Cabera, that drops had, the Captain believed, proved fatal. "One minute more of life and the will would have been signed" uttered the Cap tain at length, with groan. "That is true" Captain Starbright bent over the docu ment as 1t lay spread out on the table. With name signed at the foot it would be legal document, as it was it was only so much blank paper Tho Captain was not tho man to permit fortune to slip through his fingers when there was a way to prevent it. IA few strokes of a pen would fix that" he said in low tone, glancing at Mir Gripcs. Tho lawyer looked wise, but said nothing. | Perhaps he was keen enough not to advise | ID such an emergency. "It was evidently the old mans intention to sign the will," pursued Captaln Star | bright
 "1t was his first intention," returned Mr. | Gripes, significantly. "There is a million at stake, Mr. Gripes." The lawyer nodded. "Just turn your back one moment" Seekmore Gripes did so. He heard the scratch, scratch of pen, | then the Captains voice: "See here, MT. Gripes." The lawyer turned about and came for ward, pccring over the Captains shoulder | at the paper now lying on the table. One | glance suftccd to show that the will bore in proper place the name of Morgan Vandible. "How is thatl' "It looks fair," admitted the lawyer. "It is fair. I have only carried out the | old mans wishes" "His first intentions, certainly" | "Well, first intentions are the best ones,'' | asserted Captain Starbright. 'l want you to take possession of the will, MT. Gripes, and bring it forward at the proper time" "rhere are no witnesses as yet" ''True; that important part must not be l forgotten. Will it do for me to sign as | onee"
 | 'If no contest is made there might be no | objection" returned the lawyer. l "I haven't any fear of that There is only one living direct heir, and she is willing and l anxious for such disposition of the proper ty as this will decrees.'
 Then the Captain signed the paper as a l witness. Mir. Gripcs noticed that he wrote l the name ''Clinton Brandon" l My middle name,' explained the willy 1 Captain. "Should it be necessary, could deny that it was me that signed. Isn't that l propers" l Possibly"
 Seeknore Gripes was a man of few words, and he was not lavish of them on the pres ent occaslon. It might be that he did not wish to fully commit himself to the power | of Captain Starbright He was willy and keen, and was seldom caught mapping.
 ''If another witness is necessary you will furnish one, MT. Gripess"
 "Pcrhaps''
 "Remember, there is million at stake .''
 A gaunt smile twitched for an instant at the thin, wrlnkled lips of the old lawyer. He made no reply, but folded and thrust the forged will into an inner pocket.
 Day was beginning outside, and the weazen-faced old man prepared to de part.
 "We will meet you after the funeral, MT. Gripes.''
 "Probably."
 "Every thing seems satisfactory. bic you good day for now"
 After pressing Lawyer Gripes' hand the Captain showed him to the door. The lawyers horse stood at the gate, waiting his masters return with no little lmpa tience, manifested by pawlng and an oc casional whinny.
 It was not until after day-dawn that the death of old Mir. Vandible was made known to all the inmates of Lone Hollow. Mrs Penroy manifested more feeling than Cap tain Starbright believed her capable. Grace
 retired to her room and refused to see any
 one.
 Sam was dispatched to Stonefeld witt orders for the undertaken, who arrived at