Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-11-23
CHAPTER XIII.
ANOTHER VILE PLOT.


His first thought was to persuade
Mary to name an earlier day for the
nuptials, and to this end he assigned
AS d reason despatch from some for
eign mercantile house, offering him a
splendid position with a large salary,
provided he could report for duty at Il
certain day, naming a time that would
require his departure within two or
three days.
He concluded he could not give
Mary such d reason for cOnsenting to
change the day fixed for the wedding
without danger of exciting ner suspi-
c3ons that all was not right, so he would
trust Grounding.
Mary and several of her intimate
friends suggested that the wedding
should be at s o'clock in the evening,
that it should be made gala day rs
far as possible, and that the invitations
should be general, and the ceremony
public
Il was arranged that the beautiful
lawn ia front of the house should be
the place, and the Episcopal clergyman
IN charge of the church at the County
seat should be invited to sOlemnize the
marriage.
Mary and her assistants at once be-
gan making preparations for the great
event. The wedding trosseau was Sc
lected, and nimble fingers fashioned
and fitted the brides gown. 1t was
white silk, without trimmings or deco
8:ationS or ornaments of any kind. Ar
rayed IN white, she was the prettiest,
and in white she looked the more the
zsr iGe.
II was one of the loveliest days in
June.
La and around the Nordrum home
stead from early morn all was
confusion. and everybody about
1he premises was on the stir,
&,rowding and pushing and trying to
heip do something. Mary had retired
20 her chamber, and, assisted by her
dressing maid, proceeded to arrange
1er toilet
This pleasing and exciting task com
pleted and the compliments Of the
9ride's maids lavishly bestowed upon
her, she asked to be left alone until
tine to proceed to the altar.
During the days the prospective
bride and her friends had been making
5shese preparations, Manning had by no
sraeans been idle. With him they were
days Of excitement, fear, doubt, and
rejoicing, and almost the last moments
mere moments of ineXpressible anxiety,
overwhelming him with apprehensions
OF the greatest possible evil.
he first learned of Louis arrival in
New York by the receipt, as operator,
o@ the two messages Louis had sent his
mother and Mary. These dispatches
were quickly destroyed.
Then Grounding had conveyed to
AIM the glad tidings of Louis convic-
zion Of grand larceny and the five
years sentence to hard labor in the
Esenitentiary.
Such glorious news almost made his
heart burst with JOY. Five years as
ssured him in which to bask in Mary
Nordrum' love without fear or danger
<1s his great crime being discovered.
Grounding would no doubt hasten back
80 receive in person the promised re-
ward The money would be ready for
him, and never would money be more
&sheertully paid to him who earned it.
Things were surely running smoothly
NOW, thought Charles Manning. Had
he the arranging of them, they could
not have been more to his liking. The
xnorning came. With the going down
of the sun all his plans would be con-
SNmmated.
His successor had been named to
take charge of the telegraph office,
,and his employers were complimentin9
Manning on SO closely attending to
business as to insist on remaining at
his post until the last moment.
He did not intend to let go any of his
resources until they were all ex-
haEsteG. or until there could be no oc-
<sasion for using them. Running over
L
Eer, the thrilling events of the past
wear. he was aroused by the click,
click, click. of the instrument before
nim.
The name of Silas Grounding comes
starts as though shot.
What person in New York is tele-
graphing Grounding?
Even the message itself does not an
SsNer the question. Nor does Manning
care who the sender is. The dispatch
Itself is of the most startling charac-
ter It comes like the lightning from
q cl0adiess sky. 1t may be the climax
Of the whole revolving scheme.
Not word of it is put on paper. but
<every syllable is buried into Manning's
soul:
Governor pardoned that fellow on the tenth
end he Went Wost on the express the same
might YANKEE TIM
Manning.s brain worked fast and
keen.
a hasty glance at the time table, a
quick scanning of the column of figures.
and it was clear to see that unless
something happened Or was made to
hanpen, and that too, at once, Patter-
son would reach Sandy Lake a full
hour before the time fixed for the
marriage ceremony to take place
New, then, where was Grounding?
Ais services We're needed nov as tie-
were never needed before. The no n
1ng express was due in a few minutes.