Catoctin clarion., 1896-09-03
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BY N'I'AmTNehdS
ef>~..A~kx 49,. n
lceprtsht ,sss by J. B. LIpp.neeu Col

the possession Oh woman ol Idhh'
Young, beautiful, ambitious, mad for
political intrigue, and attached to u
rival faction. The fact that Ehe had Sc
cured it was sufficient to insure the
failure of the project it outlined; but
worse than this failure was the menace
to the signers. 1t was resolved to re-
cover the compact at any cost; but
then arose the question, who should
undertake the difficult task? The
man who afterward came to you vol
unteered, and was accepted.
"He recovered the document. Single.
handed, he waylaid the lady's carriage.
drove of her servants, and, on her re-
fusal to surrender the paper, cut her
throat. As he had expected, the precious
paper was found in the bosom of her
dress.
HE fed the country forthwith, carry
ing with him the cause OF the tragedy.
So long as he retained possession of it,
he was certain OF holding his Cocoon
spirators at his mercy. Many Of them
abhorred his bloody deed, but he held
their fortunes and perhaps their lives
in his hand; and some OF them, at
least. were forced to aid him in making
his escape. The family of his victim
swore undying vengeance. Her broth
ers traced him to Europe, and then to
the United States. They were close
upon him when he sought your aid:
had it not been given, he could hardly
have escaped; for in your country 4
man of his face and accent was easily
traced-he impressea the persons he
met far too strongly for his own good.
"He had heard of the lonely coast
you described to me, end he had carried
with him the card he presented to you
1t was given to him, not because l was
myself involved in the political net.
but because others whom l loved were
fast in it's meshes, and for their sake
desired him not to fall into the clutches
of the avengers. When he came TO you
the pursuers lost the trail. They
searched and searched, but for
months without result. After a time
was told of rumors that he had
opened correspondence with his broth
ers at home, and that they were sup
plying him with large sums. His enc
mics also heard the reports, and strove
in every way to hit upon the channel
Of communication, but their efforts
seemed to be doomed to failure.
"Chance finally did what skill and
bribery could not effect. BY acc;.
dent, traveller, who, through friend,
ship for the murdered woman's kins-
men, had aided them in their hunt,
stumbled upon the fugitive's hiding
place, and is even said to have seer,
from an ambush of his own, the mur-
derer moving about his retreat. The
discoverer lost no time in bearing the
news to his allies. Two of the victims
brothers, with force of assistants in
whom they could trust, sailed hence,
ostensibly for France. Rumors cur
rent here have it that they arrived only
to find that their enemy was dead. 1t
is also said that the compact is de-
stroyed. If you have any knowledge OF
its fate you may relieve many anxious
hearts,
Lamar's pursuers had been tn.
avengers of blood. By my aid he had
evaded them, yet through me they ha l
come upon him at last. Fortunes ca
rriec had granted him but reprieve,
allowing him, in the end, only the priv
ilege of dying by his own hand rather
than by the hands of his foes. BalIled
in their vengeance as they would have
carried it out, they had as partial com
pensation the knowledge that they had
forced him to the dread alternative. \
penalty-if not that which they
desired-had been paid for his crime. .
THE END