The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-03-11


with eyes of terror once more. "There
was Webster starving to death in a prison
cell, there was MerwYn murdered by us,
there was pretty g0Idcn-haired Flora
Chokcd to death in the vault. They took
it, and sunk, dancing, dancing, dancingr'
The wild OutOurSt terminated in a
yell Of agony. FrOthing at the mouth,
torn in terrible convulsion, the old
bank clerk sank helpless at the feet Of
the appalled, rIottcr.
White to the lips, that plOtter rcrlcd
where he stood. With heart Of lead,
and a brain whirling, he realized that he
had sold his sonl for a glittering bribe
that had eluded his eager grasp at last.
For this was no actiug-thiS was no
fcirncd lunacy.
He had given his hireIinS part to
play, and fuIl-wcIl had old John WhaE
ton enacted the role.
He would never be called on to testify
in court-no fear Of that now, No dan
ger of complications arising from what
those witlesS lips might utter,
For Wharton was stark, raying mad.
CHAPTER MI.
DISGUISED.
With empty hands and empty heart,
Arnold DaCre stood regarding the wreck
of his last hope. Sin had brought its fit
reward.
His soul sank as he realized that those
babbling lips might never b"traY the
secret of the missing packasc.or if ever,
too late to avail him, for flight was now
more imperative than ever With an
abundance Of money he could pick his
path to safety, pennilcSs, he was as for
1,,t., 1,
himself
The moncY-the moucy,-whcre was
it--would il escape him after all his
careful plotting? The thought burned
into his reeling brain, and coupled with
it was the bitter knowledge that he had
lost Flora Merwyn, that every waning
hour might lie bringing the rcSoIutc
avcngcr, Ray Webster, closer and closer
upon his track.
For Ray Webster was aliVe-he knew
if, circumstances proved it, and the fair,
crushed girl who had seen her lover seem
inEly dashed to his doom, and had fran
tiCaIlY rushed away to share the fate OF
Il beloved father, had mourned hlm
vainIy.
Stunned, Lenumbcd, helpless, Ray
Webster had been flung by the trcach-
crOuS waters Of the river upon broad
rock There, painting, norveieSS, he had
lain for an hour or more.
What the SChcming scOundrel Arnold
DaCre had thcOrized as to his latter
movements, was practically correct. He
had finally gained sufficient strength 20
swim ashore to find Flora gone and too
late to overtake and warn her Imperfect
father, but not too late to resolve to de
feat the schemes Of the man whose false
testimony had placed upon him the
brand of the convict.
He knew-ah, how surely he knew.
that careful plotting had robbed him Of
his good name. He knew that the fail
IRE Of the bank must be the work Of his
enemy, Arnold Dacrr. by secluded
lanes, stealing from shelter to shelter,
fearing recognition, pursuit, arrest he
finally gained the sta bios of the Mnrwyu
homestead and thence the court that
terminated directly under the windows
Of the private Office Of the bank.
His had been the hand that had placed
the ladder against the window sill, his
the face that had pccr"d in on a scene
that fully evidenced the vilIainy of the
false-hcarted cashier lie heard his in
junction to Wharton, he realized the
peril OF Flora, he d sccrncl his own
weakness as Il ChampiOn-hG, a hunted
fugitive. He saw Flora shut into the
dark vault. Then, his pulses throbbinc.
he sprang into the room, once it was
vacated. Memory supplied the old
combination to the lock. Still scnscIcsS,
he bore Flora from the apartment, down
the ladder, across the court, and, plac-
ing her tendcrly among the soft cushions
of the carriage, tried to think out ti.c
n Of "a
Confinement and suffering had sharp
encd his reasoning faculties. As he re
fcctcd on the boidncSS and power Of his
INSCRIPTIONS enemy, he decided that his
first move must he to convey Flora to a
place of safety. He dared not even trust
the houSckccpcr Planning swiftly, he
attached the horses to the vehicle
Drawing its curtains and donning the
"nvrlopug cloak and shcItcriug SLOUGH
hat of the driver, hc boldly sped from
the scene Mile after mile he traversed
He had a definite point Of progress in
view. He reached it finally lonely,
SeqUcStcrcd cabin in the woods Re
moving Flora, he placed her teudcrIy ou
a rustic tcnch. Then, turning tho
horses heads homcwards again, he struck
them a sharp blow, and steedS aud
vehicle soon disappeared in the distance
He approached the open, vine cmbow-
cred window Of the cottage with an
eager face. 1t frightened quickly as he
pecrcd in.
Seated in an old-faShioncd rocker.
hummiug a homcly tune and sewing, sat
an old woman whose sad, patient smil,.
and sIlyercd hair formed an aurcOle o.
angelic beauty to that carcwOrn face.
She looked up with a nervous start a