Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-04-06
CHAPTER Xxx.
CONCLUSION.

Arnold Dacre paled to the lips at the
sensational denouement of the moment.
AS to Flora Merwyn, utterly exhausted
at the difficult role she had assumed and
carried to successful execution, she sank
to a chair, half-fainting, overcome.
| ''Take that man aWaYn' she gasped.
1.-The sight of him is horror to my SOUL
What does this mean?' painted the
petrited schemer.
I'm sorry" spoke tie Sheriff, "Mr.
Dacre, but
"You need express no regret at hand
ling such scoundrel unmaskeu and in
his true colors at last" interrupted
stern voice.
'Mercy!'' gasped the petrified Darce.
| 'Ray Webster! / thought"
THAT l was in Jail at Deepford?
Scarcely" retorted the convict. 'Ruse
| for ruse, Arnold Dacre, you played with
| edged tools, Sheriff, arrest that mani"
A spasm of dread convulsed the plot
ter. In flash, he discerned the truth.
He had been led into a trap. His ap-
! pearance had been unexpected, but Flora
Merwyn had undertaken the task, of
| winning a confession from his lips and
| had emmeshed him in the tolls of SUBJ
| tie subterfuge.
one explanation of his appearance here
| some innocent person had been arrested
| for him. or he had hired man to i'm
! personate him. Aware of the landlords
scheme to arrest him, he had probably
| bibbed some willing su Institute to don his
| disguise and take his place, for he stood
denuded Of blue spectacles and false at
| tire now.
| Click!
| Like the stroke of doom, that omnibus
sound rang out as the Sheriff snapped
| the handouts over the wrists of his pris-
oner.
ARREST me?' raved Dacre. "Sheriff,
that man is your prisoner-an escaped
convict and embezzler-Ray Webster"
He is no EN- ezzler," replied the officer
calmly. Your own confession proves
it. "
His own confession! Arnold Dacre
gritted his teeth with impotent rage.
These people were witnesses to his act
of impetuous fol Y. They had overheard
his conversation with Flora Merwyn-
from lis own lips he had condemned HIM
many iniquities.
"Your career is rum" spoke Ray Web
ster "Flora, my darling! do not trem bic
sayed of unmasking this heartless
scoundrel, your woman's wit, executed
readily. Sheriff, this man must be
lodged in jail. I will accompany you
and deliver myself up to the authorities
Flora, courage, only brief time. and
my innocence shall be proven"
"You torget!" Kissed the malignant
Dacre. ''This woman is my wfe-thaU
victory, at last, is mine"
Your wife," uttered Ray Webster,
scornfully." No. l deprecate the farce
that desperate circumstances made nee
essary, but Flora Merwyn was already
wife. She welded secretly this morn
ing"
Arnold Dacre CRASHED his teeth in
battied, impotent rage. Verify, the end
had come, and vengeance full and COM
plete had been executed.
One last resource was left him. His
wicked eyes cleaned as he thought OF
it. He had directed the landlord to re-
turn to Deepford. In the saddle bags of
the steed he had driven he had slowed
the precious package. 1t would not be
discovered or removed. He could bank
on that, get word secretly to the land
lord, and employ it to purchase his lib
erty.
dhO your pdUpoE UTiao, uo TdNcu,
pale and malignant at the calm ard dig
nified Ray Webster THE fortune at
least shall never be yours"
Her fortune?" replied Webster; shat
she already possesses. l handed it to
her this morning."
"You?"
"Yes."
st is false. have the package"
''No, you have a dummy stuffed with
old newspapers. / reached the cave be-
fore you did. The real contents of that
package are now in the possession of
their real owner. my wife," concluded
Ray Webster, with loving caress of the
woman whose deep devotion was only
saddened. by the memory of her beloved
fathers cruel demise.
y
One month later, a series Of rapidly
occurring events startled Ridgefied.
The first was public explanation OF
all the details of the crime at the bank.
1t rehabiitated Ray Webster and his
wife in the estimation of their friends,
it removed every stain OF evil from the
fair Merwyn name.
The depositors were paid in full ont
of Flora's fortune, and as the last dollar
of debt was liquidated, Arnold Dacre
was marched to the State Penitentiary
on fifteen years sentence.
AS he entered that living tomb, an
otnor ,non LIFT if-poy Wnhcfnr haar-