The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-10-31
night when ths organist is practicinR.
! then slip in, and the rest follows in

i then slip ill.,. and the rest follows IN
due course
well, I don't care how 1t is done,
$50 that's your plan of operations,
is it," l thought to myself as | left
the carriage and hurried back to Miss
Wetherby, who was anxiously await
ing my return. Unable to restrain my
excitement. l seized both her hands,
cXclailning:
ALLOW me to congratulate the Mis-
tress Of Wethcrby. / have learned
everything you wanted to know, ana
that from the lips of Hardy himself.
frhc old lady you propose to visit is
dead, so now would suggest that We
ut once proceed to Aston, in the par
ish church of which is the register,
and contains what you want" then
tcld der what Hardy was contemplate
ing, aud pointed out to err 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 bis
companion left the train. and went at
once into the city. and Miss Wetherby
and I started for Aston. which was
reached in about half IN hour. The
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 a few words the Of
| icer 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. II
'Thc first thing" he said, will be to
furnish Miss Wetherby with the copy
from the register that she requires.
Next we must get the Organist to have
practice from until g. The rest Of
the arrangements 1 will see to-
CAS- regards the organist," replied
the rector. IL shall have to consult my
daughter, who holds that appointment.
1t will be rather trying position for
young lady to be sitting there alone,
: knowing what is going on below"
Il will sit with her." said Miss
Wetherby, IF may be allowed, as it
is only fair that l should share the
annoyance and danger. if there are to
be any
1.-The very thing" said the superin-
tendent. land then you can let your
friend know when to cease playing.
which will be soon after the men
have entered. AS regards Hardys
companion he continued, addressing
the rector, Il strongly suspect he is
nc other than Bill the Turnkey as be
is called. who is wanted for other rob-
berieS'
A little before s. we were all in our
places, Miss Wetherby and her friend
3,> 1.c ,1>:I
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
Mozart's Requiem, for the Tector'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 OF
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
l1ttNC tllCli NsiN ANulIJlS1S W tllS NSS-
j., try, which was locked. 1t did not
: take lcng for so expert a cracksman
:, as ]}ill the Turnkey to open the door,
l and after similar process had been
! gone through With the cupboard, the
. parish register lay Def re them.
"Ncll. while you're cropping your
, way through that musty old book. I'll
t Just look round and see what I can
| r,i.1- 7 hot hni do
: $50 this is the register" said Hardy
! land upon a simple entry in its pages
l depends the future. ownership of
1 Wetherby. Now for it,
t Eighteen hundred and seventeen
t. That won't do. Nineteen. that's near
/ er. Twenty. twenty-one. That's the
4 year. Month. February. All! here ii
: isw
D "Halloa." shouted Bill, as he sudden.
: ly found himself hurled to the ground
e by the superintendent who lost no
e time in securing him. At the same
I time the constables and l rushed upon
z Hardy. who. snatching pistol from
4 his breast. fired haphaZard. among us
i the bullet finding /; resting place in
| my right lung. 1t was long after
l heard the sequel to the nights adven.
{ ture. which may be summed up in 4
few words. Hardy and his companion
were tried, convicted and sentenced to
4 long terms of penal servitude. and
u Miss Wetherby became the acknowl
0 edged owner Of the Wetherby estate
$ But it was many weeks before hel
l. feet crossed the Threshold of Wether
e by Hall.
Il AS for my unfortunate self. I was
+ taken to 4 hotel where for long time
: my health was despaired of. In vair
Il seemed the doctors constant attention
e aided though it was by the tender
e nursing of gentle Una. At length &
u day came. and with it the crisis OF
/ my fate. Una sat by my bedside. hel
9 hand in mine, for there was no at
l. tempt at concealing our feelings to
). ward each other now. just recollec
$ saying:
q 'Tis hard to part dear Una
ooh, don't die" she exclaimed pas
Il sionately: Give. live. for my sake"
e And did. too, for here I am. Squire
q of Wetherby. And if further proc
n vora roo1nI Witness This ,,rott1- o1,; II.