Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-07

NV
~ saw him strike the blow"
When Miss Lloyd entered the library,
Angus, in horror, had just drawn the
fatal blade from the bankers breast
"Col. Strange was not lost when the
Media went down, but has returned. He
| drew the bankers will, and has stated
| wherein Lathrop altered it.
"Your son knows it all. But look at
| .Lathrop. squire; his appearance speaks
| for itself"
Herbert's eyehalls were almost start
| ing from their sockets. In that terrible
mement he had forgotten that he stood
| by the side of Clara Hill, the girl whose
hand to obtain, together with his uncle's
wealth, had caused him to dye his hand
with blood.
The dead return to thwart me! Aunt
Mag turned traitor, tool"
Fannie lay unconscious in the arms of
Clarence, while Clara, leaning on the
arm of her father, stood white and silent
as q statue.
Officers" said Gordon, do your
duty"
l
with the handouts.
All in the chapel were on their feet.
The spell that bound the assassin
seemed suddenly broken. call, all goes
wrong! but Mag, the traitor" and be-
fore the officers could reach him, he
raised his weapon and fired.
The quadroon fell in the main aisle of
the chapel, and with one frantic cry
Herbert leaped on the chancel, vanished
through an open vestry door, thence
out into night and darkness, and after
him the two officers of the law.
| Let us follow Lathrop; he was more
familiar with the surroundings than
were the men from Wilmington, and in
the darkness might easily evade them,
but he sped away with the speed of tho
wind, never for moment giving a
thought to where he was going;
straight through the grove, over the
ridge, and down to the rice fields edge.
He struck the rice fields, where one of
the banks that divided them extended
from the upland to the main dyke en-
the river front, and down this bank he
darted, straight for the river, but he
had not got more than 900 yards down
the bank before he ran into the arms of
q stalwart figure approaching from the
opposite direction.
Hey! What have we hereT said the
man who held Lathrop with q grip not
to be shaken off; "stand on the other
side, Bill, and flash your light"
A man passed Lathrop and his cap
tors, and removed the cap friom bulls
eye lantern, and threw the light on La
throp's face.
1t was the face of one whose features
were stamped with insanity. He was
bareheaded, the blood was trickling
from his forehead, lips and nose, which
showed that he had come in contact
with many trees in his fight. His ele-
gantwedding suit was torn and splashed
with mud, but he was recognized.
"NIy God, Bill, it's Herbert Lathrop,
the man we're after. We will return.
Murderer! do you know who has you
now? Black Beard!"
Not word fell from the lips of Her
bert, as he was hurried along in the di.
rection of the river. When they ar
rived there they tumbled him into q
boat, in which already sat four men.
''Now if Hendricks and Bullion were
here, we'd be off," said Black Beard.
"pm sorry now sent them up the other
bank. told them to go but half way,
halt at cross flood gate, and there re-
main until summoned. Throw high
your light, Bill, fora minute; they ex-
pect the signal from the other way, but
they may see it,
Bill fastened the bull's-eyc to the oar,
removed the cap and held it aloft.
There, that will do; they should
have seen that"
!, While these events were transpiring,
} the two officers had by chance struck
the very bank on which Hendricks and
Bullion were stationed, and as they
passed noiselessly on towards the river
suddenly they saw the light of match
not thirty feet ahead of them.
Hendricks had struck it to light his
pipe.
easy. mate, easy" whispered one Of
them.
They crawled down on the edge of the
bank, and got up opposite them. almost
within reach, and lay quiet.
This is our last adventure, Bullion,
said Hendricks. "If Black Beard gets
that fellow Lathrop, as he's after, we
leave these diggins' forehever."
II amt sorry" said Bullion; "it's
time. TO tell you the truth, Hendricks
this piratn' is mighty bud business
It's SO risky, when We get our part OF
the dough- I'm in it for quits on pi'
ratin', l am.''
We'll cit that before we sail. Every
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