The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-03-18
CHAPTl II XIII.


field.
Defiant, self assn red, and craven, fear.
full by turns he had lived through
those forty-eight b ours with the lament.
Ing dread of a mar lowering over a DOW
der mine, watching the course of events,
hoping for deve' .opments that would
show the cards running his way, and
wondering what the end would be.
So far as the bank itself was rcon-
cerned, The, lac very speedily acted. The
books show ed accuracy and system, its
management entire honesty. To all
seeming, de ad Abel Merwyn had specu-
lated rashly. had b1indfolded his subor-
iinates to tn fact, and when the crash
came had lett: 1hem to face the crisis
There were some discrepancies in the
accounts that. needed explaining, but
the old clerk Iuhn Wharton, who kept
the books OF De. concern, was not called
on to eluCidate' them. So violent had he
become that e had to be forcibly re-
strained. and he evening before he was
confined in the county asylum, a hone
less. mental wrC OK.
Arnold Dacre had sought a score of
interviews with him, hau seized upon
numerous pretenc as to linger near him,
to question him. Ina haIf-lucid moment
he had caught the name Couples" from
WhartOnS lips, mixed with some unin-
telllgible iargOn concerning the pack
aye. If clue it was, 1t was a frai one,
but Dacre resolved to- trace it down.
OF Flora Merwyn and her rescuer not
word or a trace ,lad Dacre cleaned
He began to believe that the convict had
fled the country with the woman he
loved To openly battle Dacre meant
recapture and he would scarcely risk
that, and, in this way OF thinking, Dacre
at the end Of two days, decided that it
would be safe to remain at IIdgefield,
and prosecute his search for the precious
missing package.
The dead banker had been busied.
All Ridgeti,ld was talking about the
strange disappearance of Flora, and the
old housekerper was fairly frantic about
her. Dacre ventured no theory or ex-
PLANTATION, but when the Intelligence was
brought to the listIe village that Ray
Webster had escaped from the poriten-
tiary, il was generally decided that Flora
had heartFeSsly abandoned her dead
father, and, with what money she could
find, had Joined her lover, and fled to some
distant land. When it was learned
later that her personal fortune in the
city had been withdrawn frosn invest
ment the week previously. people be-
HcNtu tHlS tA pan VI dUSclCe
more readily than ever
1t was Just at dusk the evening after
the departure of his tool and ally for the
insane asylum, that Arnold Dacre pre-
scented himself at the door of Wharton's
former lodgings.
'Have you the key of Wbarton's
room" he asked OF the lElndlady.
"Ycs, sir" she replied
81 thought so. Will you please.let me
have Them
He has left nothing there
Dacre knew this. lie hisiSelf had su-
pcrintended the packing of the trunk of
his unfortunate victim, in vain search
for the missing package
THAT is true" he vOuchsat'ed, but |
am in hopes of finding sGme trace of GER
tain papers belonging to the bank secreted
about The room. The keys, please"
Once in the room Dacre began per-
sstent and a thorough quest Some
where the package had been secrete9d.
Where: lie tore up the carpet, he
delved in the CRATE, he ripped open the
bedding, he explored every nook and cor
ner of that many-cornered room.
Its no use.' he groanec, sinking to a
chair, and mopplng his dripping brow
desOlately- What can he have done
with it, for certainly it is not hcre?"
Tap-tap-tapt
Faint SpaSnOdtC, the startling sum-
mons fell on the door. Dacre walked
to it.
"Who is there?"
'Mr. Wharton, please let me inn
painted q weak, a w.tYering voice.
who is it?" dema nded Dacre, still
bent on parleyng with a possible in
truder.
"Cupples-Tom Crppes. Oh! it's
come again-help-hei-
The voice died away suddenly Arnold
Dacre started as from an electric shock.
Cupples. that was the name John
Wharton had employed in his incoherent
rawlings, and in connection with the miss |
ing package, too.
Dacre had sought for the man, had |
learned of his fidelity TO the old clerk, |
and CT his mysterious disappearance |
These facts taken in connection with |
his strange disappearance, his evident |
ignorance of the absence of Wharton, |
smacked Of suspicion. With fateful |
augures at soul, Arnold Dacro quickly |
opened the door.
Come in"
A huddled mass lying across the thres- !
hold looked up at him with pleading !
eyes. |
''Why. what's the matter here?" de- !
mandcd Dacre, harshly.
Help me" the words were scarcely
audible tumble.
Help you, are you hurt?"
But the man, sinking back more help
leSsly than ever, was silent. Dacre es-
sayed to drag him across the room. and
as he placed him on the couch he OBJ
served that hands and feet were flexible
and iners, that his head hung stupidity,
while his jaws were distended as if he
had lost all control of the muscles on one
side of his face.
Are you sick?" he persisted. care
you hurt?"
mo" gasped the other family, par
alyzed. | had t--had it before. On the
road it overlook me-then here Three
times and out-water"'
With pain he spoke the words Dacre
understood. Some powerful excitement
or ovcr-eXertion had brought the poor
wretch to his final struggle with the grim
paralysis.
He secured glass of water from the
table, and pressed it to the lips of the
man.
Better" painted Cupples, but lit
can't last. Quick! = vital. Must see
bim-Nr. Wharton"
'Wharton?" repeated Dacre, she is
not here"
blank, despairing expression crossed
the haggard face.
He is sick-he has been removed to a.
"a hospital in the city," explained
Dacrc.
Then send-send-"
60 on urged Dacre, eager to learn
the cause of the mans anxiety
''tor Nr-Arnold Da-cre"
Why" exclaimed the cashier, that's
me-"
Tom Cupples looked relieved He had
never seen Dacre before, but he accepted
his statement as true.
Mr. Wharton told me-told me" he
painted, ito see you-if anything-anv-
thing happened to him
YES. yes" Inurmured Dacre earorlv