Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-02-24


will not disappoint me tonight. To watch
| that villain, and guard q precious life,
without making balk, is tiresome and
dangerous. II must be time, too, for that
infamous Captain to come nosing about
heard him tell Lucy that she need not look
for him in several days, but Judge that ia
be blind. Possibly, however, he may
have taken tho alarm. He was out until
late last night, and seemed pale and agi.
| tated when he returned"
The reader can readily guess why the
Captain was agltated on the previous night
The apparition at the pool had completely
unnerved him for time. On the morning
following he had driven away toward
Stoneield, assuring both Lura and Lucy
that he intended to be absent several days
Fngal had been where he overheard this,
but he had not believed it.
After listening a minute Fiugal closed
the window and turned his steps toward
Grace's room. He found the door closed,
and ut once applied his hand to the knob 1t
refused to yield.
Dropping to the floor Fingal attempted to
peer into the room through the l1eyhole. Nc
light glmmered there, and then the young
hunter seemed to realize for the first time
that something was wrong inside the sick
chamber. He thrust a small reed that he
picked from the floor into the keyhole
He then made discovery.
The hole had u >en stoutly plugged!
Something surely was wrong. He grasped
ne knob and shook the door.
NN""swer from within
shot to the hcar3 # Fingal He
I'd name Of Lucy and of Grace, hrt
received ': answer. A terrible fear OF
pressed The young huater's heart as he
turned from The door and hurried to the
stairs. lie sp> down 'N"s", three steps at
time, and in the arm
of the colorcd maidt
Lucy, you here:' demanded Fingal
,'arscly who is with Grace!"
Miss Lura, Lspcct''
Il DO not believe it,
But left her dar-"
Something is wrong" interrupted Fin
gal, selling and shaking the maid furiously
You haven't been faithful, girl The door
TO Grace's room is locked. Have you the
key9"
"Dced, marsc, hasn't"
Flngal stood irreSolute for one moment,
then sprang to tho outer door, opened II
and passed out into the night He hast
ened to the side of the building, to a SPOT
where light glimmered from an upper
window, the window of Grace Penroy's
room.
For an instant the young man stood
lrfesoIute; then, seeming to remember
something, ne sped to the rear of the OLD
mouse and in less than minute returned
bearing in his hands a ladder. 1t was but
short work to place this up against the
side of the house.
It, just reached the window-sill
A moment later the young hunter was
mounting swiftly upward. He soon gained
the top and although the curtains were
drawn ne found crevice through which
he could peer into the ROOM
What ha
nearly fall from tho ladder His hands
clinched the stone sill until the blood
seemed ready to burst from beneath the
nails.
In the center of the room stood Captain
Starbright, with look on his face that
was actually terrifying. 1t was only with
the utmost effort that Fingal held himself
from falling
The Captains hat lay on the floor. His
coat was off, his arms bare to the elbows
and he was evidently meditating some
terrible deed. Fjngal saw him move toward
the bed, gaze for one moment at the placid
face OF the apparently sleeping girl, then
bend forward with the look of fiend, and
Irvine his fingers about the throat of his
unsuspecting victim.
Great heaven! he would strangle herr,
gasped Fingal, hoarsely, almost losing his
hold in the intensity of his horror. With
mighty effort he steadied himself, seized
the sash, lifted it swiftly and plunged head
long into the room.
The noise and the unexpected appearance
OF the hunter startled the would-be assas
sin from his work, and he at once turned
his attention to the newcomer. He glareS
an instant in evident alarm, then, with an
'imprecation, sprang at they youth as he came
to his feet.
"Murdererr cried Fngal.
"Ha! the Internal hunter sneak. I'll
throttle you for this!" and Captain Star
bright, evidently completely mastered b,
rage and fear, sprang with the fury of
mailman at the throat of his unwclcome
visitor.
together the two went to the floor in o
struggle for the mastery. At the same
time wild scream filed the room. Grace
wakened by the combat, was terrible
frightened, and it was her voice that filled
the old house with its piercing notes of
alarm.
Fingal struggled desperately, but seemed
to BIO no match for the Infatuated Captain.
I'm throttle YOUR Kissed Starburht.
" on have meddled with me and my affairs
for the last time''
At this moment the long black hair on
FingaPs head came into the clutches of
Starbright, another moment and his locks
were free from the head of his antagonist,
with great cry Captain Starbright came
to his feet, quickly followed by the hunter.
A hand tried the door, and a voice without
demanded admittance. Unheeding this the
Captain stood staring at Fingal His
astoundment seemed too full for words
And no wonder,
Before him stood, in the person of Fingal,
another person entirely. There was no mis-.
taking that face, the pug nose, with mus.
tache brushed aside, that dancing, red
foretop.
"Lurd Joyce, as 1 liver exclaimed the
Captain.
The girl regarded him with folded arms.
breathing Short her eyes flashing, ner
white teeth cleaning. She felt herself
mistress of the situation. Her hand Shot
forward suddenly, bright object CLEAN.
ing at the end.
"Your race is run, Captain starbright,"
she uttered lowly yet fiercely. "Stand
aside, wish to open the door,"
He seemed to have no desire to thvart
her wishes while cooked revolver was
pointed toward his breast, and so he obeyed