Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-06-03
CHAPTER XII.
A Meeting with a Happy End.

"A TG0tlDGS ~ a HAPPY End.
In what fever of excitement. anx-
iety and hope | made my journey home
l need not stay to describe. The story
Of Lacroix's fate / could now fill in to
the last detail; I knew where his lnu-
tilattd remains had been buried, or {
least | knew spot which coincided
with that described by Fraulein Haas.
50 what remained for me tc do was to
bring the fact Of my knowledge home
to Steinhardt in a manner so forcible
that he could not refuse to make terms
with me; more than this / could not ac-
complish, even il | would, considering
my premise to Fraulein Haas.
/ reached Timperley very late on
Saturday night, and in spite of the
lateness OF the hour and my WEAKNESS
| went at once to Birley's; I had
from London. l found him waiting for
me, and with him, as I had hoped, but
scarcely expected his ward Louise. /
fear his cheerful greeting passed for
almost nothing with me in comparison
with hers. Her manner was undemCn-
stratiye, but there was I felt, a cor
dial sincerity in it which came from her
true heart. and I was futtered with
hope. There We're, however, things
more serious and immediate to be talk
ed Of than matters of love could then
be considered.
] inquired concerning Steinhardt, and
was told they had not yet seen him.
What, I asked Birley, did he propose to
do if Steinhardt came and demanded
the surrender Of his ward ?-Would he
admit him?
admit him?" he exclaimed. "Of
course There is no use in shutting
him out. He can sell me up in this
house and turn me Out-he has bill
of sale on everything, and he has been
holding it back for some time, to use
it now, expect But Louise shannot
go back to him, unless she likes; III
find some roof to shelter me and her.
Yea said he, turning his bright face
upon her, "we'l get thro' it all right"
"You are both very good to me-"
said she, going to him, and shedding
some tears on his shoulder.
There nowhere said he, patting
her Then turned to me, "She means
you. too, my lad"
Yes" said she, resuming her seat
and looking down, "Mr. Birley mas told
me all you have done for me to find
out about my poor old father and all
that he and you suspect too. And
cannot-oh, I cannot" shuddering and
pressing her hands to her eyes--"look
at that terrible, cruel man a5ain!
II could not help telling her, my lad,
said Birley, in answer. to q look OF re-
proach from me. ''The old chap wrote
questions to her about TIL papers you
found, and I had to explain.
but" said l. in some alarm, you
know, Miss Lacroix we must not, we
cannot denounce him-We must not, [
doubt, say anything till we have some
evidence that he is really the man. |
think, am sure, soon shall have that
evidence, but even then we must be
careful what we say"
Eirley accompanied me to the door,
talking according to his wont. He
put On a cap which hung in the hall,
end, leaving the door aiar, walked with
ne to the gate The lir refreshed HE,
and. full as l was Of Fraulein Haas
revelation, I felt impelled to tell Birley
something of it, Thus, almost lncon-
;ciously, we walked away from the
aro down the lane leading to the high
ad, and / was led into telling him
IL. the more 50 that he did not seem
skeptical Of the value Of her visions.
We had thus left the house some min
rites, how many I cannot tell, When
several sounds like screams in rapid
succession rose behind us into the still
night. We stopped together and looked
at each other
rFa no Continued \ g