The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-06-04
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
PRECIOUS PREY
Ridgcton had something new to talk =
about next day.
The woman who hal been called BY 4
Ralph Prescott to attend upon Ruth,
had told her story with dawn, and thee
villagers we're consequently treated tus
Il new bit o. gossip. Il
Her story was remark able one. She'd
had been summoned by Prescott to theA
hose Of the reclusc, TO find the pre- :.
tended nurse the real Ruth, in a deadiT
faint, she said. =
She extolled prescott for his Kindness
to the sufferer, as did tho attendant ii
physician.
Later, Paul Dalton had appeared. \!
and had left hurTicdly She returned. !.
to the sck-;pom to find the patient in !.
worse swoon than before. She left hcrF.i
a few minut IS to go to her own home. h
When she returned Ruth Elliott haC &
mystcriously disappeared. :!
Ralph Prescott fitted about town thea,
next day, apparently terribly anxious az ii
to the whcrca bouts OF the missing girl !.
He craftiIy circulated the story that5
Paul Dalton had wooded Ruth only tcs
gain hHr grandfather'5 fortune, and, !
securing that, would disappear; that heb
hid undoubtedly S"cfcIly removed her"I
70 some lfleiid hohic' away from the si
village.
Farmer 1ohh .hliiot' heard al th's
gossip III 7llohce' puI Win a towering Il
prov.
"haI was i,nIA u MN ho" Nhaf d
i,auI b'tiioh: Ht' cat|a ne lof theH Z
doih$S ana intentions: lhcy were r.
ctr4nrIrS 7, him bpDcaf,rtb and for i
| ever more. 4
30 several Gays passed by. Inc falScs
raul DaltCn either kept clos 'ly to hiss
room at the hotol' or aid hot appear int
Town d. .th.
re tlNi'cu i-"N 81 Die" ScNtiai Times, 4
; 'n l 'iit', 90 huilJ up 1'l1 st'icut'ht 81 I
! 'he estate. ne uiStu ti"C nc Heeae' =
money t" pu' tli's9c 9'ilic i'ho 10 NC mao y
u1 u p'i S'tih.
i,ill'ii 'c7eot' htPt IieV!S ciea' 'iach 4
81 ~? l'2l ~; c''iei,Gs, ng iu,l''Stoi sa' =
aM"!tliS HIS d ilN''l carry one evening 4
aiait9 We're ABOUT 10 ihatctiailze, th' Y
! scheihcr5 let s"hS"-he. Inc ihpoStoif
was 'thAioaS 10 secure INC money ail' i
escape, ere some new complications
baked ms projects. halph prescott Wa
determined TO be on mana at the finish
ana INSIST on a lair DIVISION OF the H..
gotten booty OF crime
Inc lalse faul Dalton had grown =
terribly nervous OF late. mat there.
was mystery about ms past history +
that lie might, if he would, explain many
a dark passage in the LIE OF the man he y
IcrsonateI; that his own career haG !
been closely linked with that OF the i'm +.
prisoned man, haiph Prescott was posi-
tive, but his new colleague III craf;inessi
refused to dtvulSc his secrets.
/ The latter had been changed mans
since ne received that warming mIsstve,a
mat menacihS note mat was slSneo.
i iSabcl.
| He started at his own shadow: he.
rarely went out on the streets until alters
| dark, and then his movements were un.-
easy and watchful. Tho man IVES
/ haunted He had bribcd Ralph Pres
colt to silence; he had closed the lips nf
Ruth Elliott, but there was another foe
that he feared, and he alone realized
why he so dreaded her
She means what she says" he N at
tered conccrnedly, but she has III ade
no move yct-has made no effort to APP
pear Oh, 1 must get the money. It
will buy comfort. luxury in a foreign
clime-it will place me beyond the, each
is the matter?"
The man he had been waiting for had
burst into the room abruptly.
His face was CHASTITY, his manner agi-
tated.
We are ruincl!" he gaSped incoher-.
emily.
The imposter looked alarmed.
Speak, mani" he cxclaimcdss "some-
thing has happcncd?"
Yes. the worst-the very worst"
groancd Prescott. Not only will you
have to fly, but | myself as we'll for now
all MY connection with this 'wrctched.
affair will come out"
You mcan-
The girl, Ruth
What of her? Not dead?"
No. She has escaped.
The impostor rccled where no stood.
as from some terrible shock.
"Imposshle!' he SasPci.
1t is true. You know the might've
made our compact, | removed her to, he
charge Of sortiid old woman living ii
secluded cabin i'll the forests:
res.
She watched her. druggel her, held
her close captive. Two hours since l
visited the place TO See If the girl was