Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-21

being found. and they could never get
ont Of themselves. So now-hstenl We
will go up there-you and | and-he,
and will lead him near the brink Of
one Of those clefts and then you must
rush forward and take him and drop
him dowu-down TO the bottomi SO w0
shall get what we want and yet there
need be no murder"
Not be murder, Kate:"
at need not be, for when he Is safe
down theBe, rather than be left to starve,
no would give up those papers. Don't
you think he wouldy'
She was trembling with excitement,
and her state communicated itself 10
rome degree to me. so that was scarce
ly able TO think coherently. But there
certainly seemed to be plausibility In
her schemes at the worst it would be
better than shooting the man outright
But would the recovery Of the papers
put an end 10 Slurk's persecution Of
Kate as well "a of her father Would
not his power over her remain?
But we can have )him imprisoned
then. you See" was her answer TO my
objection; "and for fear Of that he would
never dare to trouble me again. He
would have been in prison long ago but
for tho papers"
1T certainly seems good plan"
said, after confused attempt to turn
the matter over in my mind wen
ask vonr fathers opinion tomorrow.
"Oh, he must know nothing Of itr'
she exclaimed, with a gesture Of vehe-
ment dissent. ~Hef would betray It.
You don't know how-what a power
that villain has over him. Slurk treats
him han a child when they are alone.
No, Tom. we iaust do it all ourselves, OF
it Wal fail Only when it is done will
dear papa get back his courage"
knew more about how Mr.. Birch
more was treated by his valet in. private
than Kate was aware; but l made no
allusion to this. The more l reflected
upon the enterprise, the more inclined
was to assent to it. 1t was wild, fan
tastic, unconventional, but 1t had inn
portant practical merits nevertheless.
Moreover. it possessed the powerful
recommendation (as deemed it, Of, al
lowing for a fair man to man struggle
betweek Slurir and myself. was TO
overpower him by main strength; and
from what had observed Of the fellow
| [ fancisd he would be able TO make Just
resistance enough to save my self To.
spect. On the other hand, he might be
able TO do more than this; and'if the
worst came 70 the worst OF course
might be compelled to main him with
my revolver. But altogether the pros
pcct kinlled my imagination; was
stimulated by the thought Of distin
gushing myself by my personal proves
before my mistress eyes, in conflict with
her dastardly oppressor. And as looked
1t her standing there before me, SO love
y. and fall OF courageous fire, said K
myself that no knight Of yore ever did
battle in the lists for worthier lady
love.
However, realized that this wa
neither the place nor the hour to entel
upon a detailed discussion Of our plans
Every moment that Kate remained will
me increased her peril, especially if, a
she seemed TO think was the case, Slurl
had dispatched her hither. AS to his mo
tive in so doingJl had no difficulty II
forming an opinion. There was littl'
doubt that he meant to use her as an IN
conscious eats paw TO steal the dia
monds, as before to purloin the paper
compromising her father. Had l beer
asleep the device could hardly havr
failed Of success But as Kate seemed
herself not to suspect the real nature o
her involuntary errand would not ad
ditionally distress her by alluding to il
it was enough that ii furnished me witt
sufficient pretext, had others beel
wanting, for inflicting chastisement o.
the valet.
Kate said in answer to my inquiry a
70 the proposed time of our starting o.
the picnic expedition the next day tina
it would probably be about eleven in tn
forenoon; we would, therefore, hav
ample time to settle the particulars Q
cur scheme before the hour Of action al
rived. At parting she chung to me wit
peculiar tenderness; nor had ever love
her so we'll as at that moment, when
looked forward to lbsating her foreve
from The evil spell that had been blight
ing her young life.
After she had como had the curiosit
to examine the bolt on the door TIL
explanation of its mysterious openin
proved simple enough. The screw
whereby the socket of the bolt had bee
fastened to the door frame had been re
moved. and tho holes so enlarged tina
, they could be slipped in and out withou
difficulty Socket and screws had the
been replaced, so that the bolt could b
SHOT rs readily as before. But the secur
ty WAS only an illusion, for, the late
being turned, slight push would brin
away the socket and screws attached
the bolt, and thus the supposed mean
Of safety be ingeniously used to DISCUS
the real absence thereof.
! CHAPTER VIII
e lsn