Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-03-23
Herbert Lathrop had not been unob-

gong UIle TOC1luS 10 Seo tlluG lue uOOTS
were secure for the night. AS she was
advancing, when just in the shadow Of
the winding stairs, she caught sight
of Herbert Lathrop in a listening atti-
tude ut the parlor door. Instinctively
she halted, and had seen his pantomime
, of actions as he stood there, and as he
advanced she had observed the passion
ate look on his face, as well as the
clenched hand shaken at the door; and
when he was ascending the stairway,
just opposite her, as she stood crouch
ing in the recess, she caught the words:
"A'our life, my uncle! yes, your very
life!"
AS Herbert disappeared, the parlor
door opened. and Mr.. Loyd ACCOMPANIED
Clara to the foot of the stairs, which
she assembled, and he retired to his
room, which was on the first floor, and
adjoining the library, from which a
door opened into it.
Aunt Mag securely bolted the front
door, put out the lights in the parlor
and hall, and she also assembled the
stairs.
Noiselessly she passed over the soft
carpet to the back of the hall on the
second floor, and halted before door,
First her eye and then her ear was
applied to the keyhole-her eye saw
Herbert Lathrop standing before look
ing-glass in his shirt sleeves; he was
gesticulating wildly, and she heard him
say:
$50, uncle, can neither wed my
cousin Fannie, nor Clara Hill-the one
for Clarence, and you would be the
bridegroom to the other.
"Watch well, my uncle! you may die
ere that, and suddenly-so suddenly
have 1t, your death, and in such man
ner that Angus Bruce shall appear the
murderer-the gallows then for him
two birds with one stone killed.
Truly, my uncle, there are two who
stand upon mine"
Aunt Mag assembled the stairs, and
repaired to her room, and as she is quite
IN important character in some of thu,
events that will follow, it may be well
| to give the reader some information re.
garding her.
She had been brought to Wilmington
some dozen years before by trader
who stated that he purchased her al
an administration sale.
Her children had been sold and scat
tered, she knew not where, and her hus.
band had been purchased by Georgia
| planter. Mag had been q house servant
| all her life, and was now fully fifty
years of age. Tall, scrawny, and what
was usually termed raw boned-never.
| theless, her long arms were very muscu.
lar, and her large black eyes and JET
black hair that hung, when loose, fa1
down her back, proclaimed her Tusco
rora origin.
John Lloyd had purchased her, nor did
he ascertain till afterwards that her
mind was somewhat unhinged, the re.
suit, probably, of having lost all that
she had ever loved. She had strange
habit of talking to herself, and had
some few articles of clothing that hen
children had once worn. AT times she
would get them out and talk to them, as
though her family were around her;
sometimes weeping, at others chuck.
ling or laughing merrily as she recalled
some incidents in her early life; but
she was q faithful, clearly and obedi.
ent servant, and after the banker had
become accustomed to her ways lie
would not part with her.
| Indeed, he had sought the husband
and some trace of the children with a
view of purchasing them, but could
learn nothing Of them.
l Cu,I ,,,oe Aunt Nf,r. f,;%bf,l o,,1
true, but with disordered brain;
though, disordered as it was, she was
not wanting in the necessary steadfast-
ness of purpose and determination req
uisite to enable her to watch the future
| movements of Herbert Lathrop.
Herbert had thoroughly reviewed the
matter in his mind and had come to the
conclusion that with the banker safely
out of the way and the guilt fixed OF
| Angus in no uncertain manner he
would be able to make Clara Hill his
wife. Notwithstanding all he had hear6
her say. it was still his opinion that II
was his uncle's wealth alone that in
duced her to accept his proposal; but
how would the removal help him, in re
spect to wealth? Fannie would Inherit
all.
Perhaps it would be best to win Fan
| ME or coerce her into marrying him;
but she was engaged to marry Clarence
and the squire and Clarence would be
more than he could overcome.
He must have their friendship, for he
would need them both.
/ How, {J,o,, oo,,1,l 1,;e ,,~olase Woo ~
become his? Remove Fannie also? No
that would never do.
One murder might be successfully
carried through, but two, not ut thi.
time-and then there might be Other
heirs who would inherit equally with
him-but, stay, there was the bankers
will among his private papers in the
vault at the bank! He had told him
where they might be found in case o.
his sudden death.
The first thing was to inspect tina,
will, and that he would do before MAX
ing further plans.
Clara Hill returned to Orion a weel
utter having accepted the proposal o.
Mr.. Lloyd, and it is safe to say thatas
the Sunshine passed the locality where
she had fallen overheard Angus
Bruce was the one who occupied he,
thoughts. He had been seldom from
her mind since the moment when she
had heard him exciaim, as she was sink
ing down into the rivers depths for the
last time:
Courage! Courage! Clara Belief
and she thought how instantly she hat
felt 81 am saved!" and of the strong
arms of the brave Scot as he clasped hel