The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-12-14

NuOSe udHe was bl1ls lueIc uOt q
church or a. chapel either that ould
not break into Or out Of, for the mattex
Of that" :
'But to business continued Hardy.
.'What l have got to do won't take
long, as removing a leaf of register
can't occupy much time. 1t seems to
me the real difficulty is, how are we to
get at it?''
Nothing easier if you go to work
the right way. I always choose a
night when the organist Is practicing.
l then slip in,, and the rest follows in
due course.
''Well, 1 don't care how it is done,
$50 that's your plan of operations,
is it?'' 1 thought to myself as I left
the carriage and hurried back to Miss
Wetherby, who was anxfously await
ing my return. Unable to restrain my
excitement, l seized both her hands,
exclaiming:
ALLOW me to congratul the Mis-
tress Of Wethcrby. I have learned
everything you wanted to know, and
that from the lips of Hardy himself.
The old lady you propose to visit Ia
dead. so now would suggest that we
at once proceed to Aston, in the par
ish church of which is the register,
and contains what you want" I then
tcld her what Hardy was contemplate
ing, and pointed out to er that with
the two hours start that we should
| have. we ought to be prepared for
him at all points.
On arriving at York. Hardy and his
companion left the train, and went at
once into the city, and Miss Wetherby
and I started for Aston. which was
| n q ho1
first thing we did. was to go to the
| police station, and. having laid the
case before the superintendent, he put
on his hat and requested us to accom-
pany him to the rectOry. On sending
in his card, we were at once shown
into the library, the rector appearing
shortly after. In q few words the Of
f1cer put him in possession of the facts
Of the case, and requested his kind as-
sistance. This was readily promised,
and then the superintendent proceed
ed to lay his plans before. him.
'Thc first thing" he said, Twill be to
furnish Miss Wetherby with the copy
from the register that she requires.
Next we must get the organist to have
practice from s until g. The rest Of
the arrangements I will see to-
"As regards the organist.' replied
the rector Il shall have to consult my
daughter, who holds that appointment
1t will be rather trying position for
a young lady to be sitting there alone,
knowing what is going on below"
81 will sit with her." said Miss
Wetherby, sif may be allowed as it
is only fair that I should share the
annoyance and danger if there are to
be any,
A little before S. we were all in our
places, Miss Wetherby and her friend
being in the organ loft, while the SUI
perintendent, his men and myself
were hidden away in and about the
vestry. Before long we had almost
forgotten the object of our being so
strangely brought together, as we lis
tened to the magnificent rendering Of
MoZarts ReQuiem, for the rector's
daughter was no ordinary musician.
SOOn however our attention was at
tracted to stealthy footsteps coming
up the gravel path. and presently the
door opened and Hardy and his COM
panion crept in and hid themselves in
one of the pews. Shortly after the Or
gan ceased, and the ladies came down
and left the church, locking us all in,
in accordance with the superintendent
direction.
Just about midnight the two men
made their way cautiously to the ves-
try, which was locked. It did not
take long for so expert a cracksman
as bill the Turnkey to open the door,
| and after similar process had been
gone through with the cupboard, the
parish register lay befpre them.
"Wel. while you're cropping your
way through that musty old book, I'll
just look round and see what I can
pick up, 1 hate being idle. do
$50 this is the regiSter.' said Hardy.
'and upon simple entry in it's pages
depends the future ownership Of
Wetlerby, Now for it.
Eighteen hundred and seventeen.
That won't do. Nineteen. that's near
er- Twenty. twenty-one. That's the
year. Month, February, All! here it
| isr'
''Halloa.' shouted Bill, as he sudden
ly found himself hurled to the ground
by the superintendent who lost no
time in securing him. AT the same
time the constables and rushed upon
Hardy, who, snatching pistol from
his breast, fired. haphaZard. among US,
the bullet finding resting place in
| my right lung. 1t was long after [
ucElu Tue Sctluel 10 the n1EnC s aOVeD-
ture, which may be summed up in a
few words. Hardy and his companion
were tried. convicted and sentenced to
long terms of penal servitude, and
Miss Wetherby became the acknowl-
edged owner of the Wetherby estate
But it was many weeks before her
feet crossed the Threshold of Wether-
by Hall.
AS for my unfortunate self, I was
taken to hotel, where for long time
my health was despaired Of. In vain
seemed the doctors constant attention.
aided though it was by the tender
| nursing of gentle Una. At length a
day came. and with it the crisis Of
my fate. Una sat by my bedside, her
hand in mine, for there was no at
tempt at concealing our feelings to-
ward each other now. just recollect
saying:
'Tis hard to part dear Una.'
''Oh. don't die" she exclaimed pas
sionately; .live' live, for my sake"