The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-01-07
CHAPTER NU-Ccntinued.

CHAPTER XiI-Continued.
There was dreary lapse of silence,
but during its reign the cleaning. scin-
tillant eyes of Beatrice Mercer told that
their owner was not idle.
She was thinking, plotting, preparing
to act. Her quick mind graSped the
situation readily, the situation she had
anticipated, and which she had come
prepared to meet. She held the remedy
gold. To befriend the father of the
man she loved in his dire extremity, 10
save an honored family name rom re-
would it not win the gratitude
of the delinquent son, and gratitude
pity, and pity love?
She hal other final resources in re-
serve. She had prepared plans calmly,
systematically. This was but the first
step Oh, she could not fail.
She arose and stole to the door; she
peered in There sat the stern-faced,
implacable lawyer the fatal documents
spread out before him. There, too,
wan faced, wretched, lost, shrank the
father Of Raymond Marshall.
She stepped boldly across the thresh-
old of the room. Not until she had
reached the table and her shadow fell
across it did lawyer and victim glance
up, with a vivid start.
WHY" began the former
Il have come 10 purchase those docu-
ments.
Her hand pointed to the pile Of notes
and securities, almost touching them.
In profound wonderment the lawyer re-
garded her. With gasp of hope, sus-
pense, dread, Colonel Marshall stared
at h + yelled face.
You have como" repeated tho
lawyer, vaguely.
TO buy those Documents"
WHY do not understanding what
right.
Are they for sale?"
Her voice rang out sharply.
TO Colonel Marshall or his author
lied agent, yes, but TO ii stranger"
Beatrice Mercer turned to the be-
wildeIed Colonel.
L am no stranger, but friend she
half whispered in his dumfounded ear.
4 came to save you, and then aloud:
Colonel Marshall, you authorize me 10
act for you?
The half-stunned Colonel could only
nod like an automatOn.
Ten thousand dollars is the amount,
| believe went on Beatrice, calmly.
There is the money. See that it is
right.
She had flashed heap OF bank-notes
of large denominations before the law
yers sight. She took up the papers on
the table
This is the forged $4,000 note. I be
lieve?" she said, selecting one from the
many papers, Colonel Marshall, it
shall never trouble you again.
With two twists Of her dainty tut
ument in twain.
These other papers | shall keep for
day or two. The amount is correct
she demanded of the lawyer. Colonel
Marshall, you ar" free from debt and
dread alike | trust we all know how
to keep a secret. | would like to speak
a few words 10 you alone
Tho lawyer had Witnessed como
strange scenes in his professional ca
reer, but tho denouement of the present
inexplcable one left him speechless.
Colonel Marshall, like one in Il dream,
followed the woman who had mystic
riously saved him from ruin and dis
honor from the room.
Then, realizing that he had been
snatched from the brink Of precip.ce,
he reeled to a table in the outer office
for support, and burst into tears.
Woman, angelic deliverer!' he fairy
sobbed. Who sent you here? You
have saved TO me all [ hold dear on
earth. My tears, my prayers shall be
yours till my last breath. | shall teach
my own to reverence you. ] shall re-
pay you dollar for dollar. What can I
say, what can l do to acknowledge, TO
repay this stupendous obligation that
crush"s, stuns, mystitieS me-"
"One single favor.
Name it-oh, name it.
Ask no questions, feel no obligations.
! only ask that tomorrow evening at
dusk You come to the hotel and TO the
apartments of Miss Leslie, and bring
your son Raymond with you"
She was gone like a flash with the
words. The Colonel stood staring after
her as if she were some wrath. His
eyes closed and he swayed like one in
a dream. He fastened after her Il min
ute later TO demand a more lucid cx-
PLANTATION of her strange interccssion in
his behalf, but when he reached the
street, like the fairy in the story books,
she had disappeared utterly.
Beatrice Mercer had FASTENED back to
the hotel. Her face was flushed, her
eyes hopeful, eXultant, as she laid aside
her wraps.
80 far all is we'll, she murmured.
confidently. Now for the most difficult
part of tho plot.
When DR.. kimms came, she led him to
a sofa, and for over an hour in low,
earnest tones she conversed with him
She told him all her plot, all her de-
sires. She startled him with her bold
ness and shrewdness, she dazzled him
with the promise of munificcnt rewards
What a scheme." he calculated.
arising at last, and all for the love of a
man whose heart is buried in the grave
of that lost, drowned girl. Beatrice, is
the game worth the candle?"
Il Will have it sol" she cried, wildly
Without Raymond Marshall, what is
wealth to me! You will help mc?'
To the last"
You can give me the medicine to pro-
duce the effect l desire. You will help
me carry out the inposition?"
Yes. Wait till 60 to my office.
In an hour he returned. Deep and
subtle must have been the plots of the
fair and false siren, for, as he handed
her tiny phial. he said
"You can rely upon it. When Ray
mOnd MARSHALL comes 10 see yoI to-
morrow, 1t will be as you desire. All
the pity of his heart cannot fail to go
out TO the woman who has saved his
family from penury and disgrace. for to
all seeming, through the agency OF that
potent drug, you will be a dying woman, -
CHAPTER MIL
Suite PLOT.
All is ready"
Everything. My housekeeper. whom
we can trust, will act as nurse and is in
the next room. 1 will receive the Mar