The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-03-11
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HJ M2R2E 49, @z.,>==9
Ray WnhStnrl
CHI AFTER NJ.
IN ONE ACT.

bold, evil experience of wrong doing, he
quailed and weakened like the yerieSt
craven.
To dispose of a foe effectuaIIy, to
map out straight course of progress for
a new career, and to have that toe APP
pear, silently, secretly, and score the
first point in the game, was enough to
dismay a more reSolute soul than that of
the over-cOntident plotter.
! In flash he diSCcrncd the truth The
| tell-tale ticket had revea ed all. A good
| conduct badge. emitting an inmate Of
the state penitentiary to certain privi-
lcgcs as reward for meritorious beha-
vior, who could have possessed it but
the owner of that number, 2,32f, who
could have dropped it in the carriage
seat, but the driver of the vehicle?
And convict No. ,, 324, as Arnold Da-
| ere we'll knew, was no other than the cX-
clerk of the bank, the alleged cmbezzlcr,
the. diSgraCcd lover of Flora Merwyn-
Ray Webster.
| lie had escaped, that was certain. He
had returned to Ridgeiield. He had ar
rived at an oppOrtune moment at Criti-
cal climax in the affairs OF the bank
and he had acted,
Struck dumb with full realization OF
| what that meant the villain, chilled
| with vague augury and dread. He had
been mistaken when he had said that
| but two persons in the world possessed a
| knowledge OF the vault combination, the
dead banker and himself. There was
! yet another, but SO securely had he
| wound net of seeming guilt about that
third person, so strongly had he shut
| him in to a lOathsOmc prison cell, that
| he had never remembered that Ray
! Webster also knew the secret key to the
massive vault door That knowledge had
probably saved Flora Meruyn's life, and
| had robbed the schemer of his victim.
He had appeared mysteriOuSly, he must
| have witnessed the interview between the
schemer and his confederate, John Whar-
| ton, The ladder, the carriage. Rcscu-
ing the imperled girl. conveying Ger to
| the vehicle, he had removed her from
| the power OF her enemies.
Then
| Then. The strong man shivered as h."
| recalled the awful debt of blight and
wrong the innocent Ray Webster owed
! him-aS he recalled, too, the firm, resO-
| lutte nature OF the escaped convict. A
worthier champion Flora Mcrwyn could
| not have found, for what vengeance and
| duty might fail to accomplish love would
! certainly attain.
! "Batlled beaten" he found voice to
| hiss forth at last, and he staggered into
| the open air with wild impulse to fly
! the scene prccipitatcly ere the aycngcr
! appeared to betray, to unmaSk, to pun
iSh him.
The money, the fortune-the package
| | entrusted to John Wharton, that first
| he gasped. ut is folly to remain here
| now. The story of Raw Webster would
! i.n CT ,.,,f ,T,,t,,
lucrative evidence Of Flora Mcrwyn
would augment to certainty. No, every
hours delay is fraughC with danger 1t
| is flight rOw-tlight only. | must see
Wharton, and at once"
a bitter ScowI darkcncd the sinister
face, Fortune was much; luxury the
keynote of this mans nature, but the
fair face of Flora Mcrwyn had been a
lode-star in the past He was susccp-
tive of at least one genuine cmotiOu-hc
valued her love, he had cravrd it, he had
sworn to possess it, and now, with
muttcrcd maediCtiOn he hurried for
ward. All that must be abandoned.
lie arrived atJOhn Wharton lodgings
At the foot of the stairs stood little
group. They were discussing the old
clerks queer behavior. Dacrr gIidcd
into the shadow and listened to them
unseen.
Hes gone clear daft" spoke one
"Why, when | asked him if the bank
would pay a dividend of ten cents on the
dollar, lie laughed in a silly way and
said he expected two millions from the
government in new gold coin Tomorrow"
Yes" spoke up a second, land he's
been cutting paStebOard into bits, and
/ pretending they were drafts on New
/ York Oh. his troubles have certainly
| driven him wiJless. Poor, honest fellow,
! little he dreamed Of the vilIainy of
| Others that was to drive him out in the
world a paupcr in his old age"
| A covert smile crossed DaCrc'S face
| as he stole nosecssIY up the stairs.
! The court woad scarcely attempt 10
/ question lunatiC as to the affairs Of the
/ bank. Oh, it was a royal game, ad-
mirablv played. Pity tor it, that, after
/ all this shrewd, careful plotting, flight
/ should be necessary, with but half the
| precious prey at stake attained
| The sounds of an excited voice raised
/ in frantic, incoherent tumuIt quickcucd
! Dacre'S steps. He pressed tho knob Of
! the door that led into the old clerks
/ sleeping apartment. vivid picture
/ filled his vision aS he did 50.
! There stood the Sheriff, a cloud Of
I concern and distress on his brow re-
/ Carding a wild, uncouth figure, crouch
/ ing against the bed, John Wharton'S
/ ashcn face gowercd forth strangely.
/ Even Dacre, believing it ali a farce, all
! pretenCe, lost sight of the superb acting
i of his subordinate, in the awful frenzy
/ the miserable wretch portrayed.
4 Checks drafts bills of exchange.
! Step up gentlemen, take your choice,
millions in fresh, crisp banK-nOtes, bill
/ ions in government bonds and foreign
securities, and in the yaultS-gOld'
Thus prated the old clerk. quietly
i enough. OF a sudden, however, he fixed
his eyes on vacancy. With terrible
scream, he Sprang to the other side of
the room.
Gold? No, no. he shrloked wildly,
sit is not gold. 1t is Flora Mcrwyn's
golden trcSscs. Get her out-get her
i out Mercy, do not cross the checks
with red mkt is the life blood of
Banker Merwyn-murdcrcd murdered,
Cod. gold! gold, my heart is filled with
it. and | am sinking, sinking, sinking to
! pcrdition!"
\ quick token of alarm came into
! Arnold Dacre'S ewes Was this sham
ming -actiugH Why this illusion 10 the
: missing girl, this terribly realistic horror
i'm the haunted eyes of the old clerk?
Had the weak, vacilatiuE mind, in act
ing a part overSteppcd the boundary
line OF reality, and drfted hopeless
wreck upon the blank sea of inSanity9
''What shall we do with him?" asked
the Sheriff, in an awcd whisper
Leave me alone with him" returned
Dacre assuming confidence he scarcely
experienced.
The Sheriff bowed asseutiDGlv, and
with a sigh OF relief left the apartment
pacrc closed and locked the door after
him. Then he approached Lis crouchirg,
mutteriu- hireling.
"Wharton,"
Something in the stern dominecring
tone Of the tyranr. potent as Of old to
sway him for the moment fixed the