Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-06
[Copyrlpht. by A. N. Ke]

John Lloyd were consigned to the grave.
Squire Hill and his wife and son Clar-
ence were present at the funeral; they
had been with Fannie since the evening
of the LIST, having returned on the Sun
shine the evening of that day.
Clara Hill had been too much over
come to attend the funeral, as much as
she may have desired to be with Fannie.
Many said that the dead mans be-
trothed was SO much overcome by the
murder, and the sad death of the man
to whom she was so soon to have been
united, that she was completely pros
trated.
She was completely Frustrated
heart-broken would have been the word
and knew that should she behold
the face of the dead, she would not be
able to control her emotion; not because
of his death. not because of the fact
that he had been murdered, but because
Of the knowledge that Angus Bruce was
q fugitive from justice for having COM
mitted the deed; or rather for having
been accused of the crime. For Clara
Hill in her inmost heart did not believe
Angus guilty. "And yet" she asked her.
self, chow can it be otherwise? If Her.
bert and Fannie caught him in the very
act?"
If she closed her eyes at night, in i'm
agination the dead man lay before her
on snow-white couch, the sheath knife
driven to it's hilt in his breast, and the
form of Angus bending over him; and
as he seized the shaft and drew it forth,
the life blood of the banker followed it,
dyeing all red red! with blood. She
saw the look of horror on the features
of Angus, as he turned from the bed
side with the reeking weapon clutched
in his hand, and with a Shrek of blended
horror and despair, she would leap to
her feet like a frightened deer.
What wonder that she was not present
at the funeral, and that her brother Tom
remained at Orion to attend her; Mrs.
Hill desired to remain, but Clara insisted
on her going, knowing that no one else
could comfort Fannie, as could her
mother.
"And mother" she said, "bring the
poor, stricken dear home to Orion, we
must take the place of all that she has
lost"
The third day after the funeral the
family We're gathered in the snncions
parlor OF the residence of the late
banker, to listen to the reading of his
will.
There We're few comments made by
surprised at the goodly fortune left
Herbert Lathrop, and more so at his
being designated as administrator of
the will, without bond.
"This," he thought, "does not com
port with what from John Loyd's
words should have judged would have
been his actions. however, as the will
was drawn two years ago, he doubt
less since that time changed his esti.
mate of Herbert, and had drawn no new
will, deferring it from time to time,
until his DEATH"
On the 5th of October Fannie would
be IS years of age, and the squire de-
termined to keep an eye on Herbert
Lathrop until that time; then he must
place her in possession of her inherit
lance, but the bank, the bankers
moneys We're to be withdrawn from
that institution and invested in realty,
bonds and Enthusiastically Her.
bert Lathl'op must be watched, and vet,
as he had been remembered to the tune
of $4,000, perhaps he would deal hon
estly by Fannie.
IF my friend Lloyd had lived another
"a hours" thought the squire, 'my
Clara would have been left at least half
of this fortune, and know Lloyd would
have preferred to have enriched her to
anyone else. Well, so it all goes to Fan
ME and Clarence and Herbert Lathrop.
Who knows-perhaps Clara may wed
him. can't understand her infatua-
ton for Angus Bruce-why, yes, can;
he saved her life, and that fact made
him hero in her sight. actually be-
lieve that she grieved more at the
thought of his being a murderer than
because of the death of her betrothed.
Well, now that he is u murderer, she
will soon get over that infatuation."
AT the time the will was being read,
there was standing Just without the
open parlor door negress. She stood
little back from the door facing, but
was eagerly bent forward, her ears talk
ing in every word of the instrument
read by the lawyer, and when the clause
was read leaving Herbert Lathrop $780,
900, she clasped her hands together and
muttered to herself:
That's why you killed old marster,
| Herbert Lathrop. You feared that
after he was married he would make a
new will"
And further on, when the clause was
read making Herbert the administrator
of the estate, she said:
Il know enough. A niger can't tes-
tify, but niger can watch and wait
and pray. Herbert Lathrop, can do
all of that, and may do more"
The day after the will was read Fan
ME returned with the squire and Mrs
Hill to Orion. OF course, her marriage
with Clarence would now be deferred.
One night ten days after Fannie's
departure Herbert Lathrop was seated
in the late bankers library at desk
examining his private papers and max
ing plans for the future.
Everything works smoothly" he
said, as he brought his hand down on
his knee. FIFTY thousand dollars in
my own right, and the handling of All
estate of half a million for at least five
months. Not till October 5 will Fannie
be of age, and in five months liberal
| percentage of that half million should
become the property of the admins
traitor. All funds arc now in accord
ance with the provisions of the will
Withdrawn from the bank.
"Thcre is q good round sum to be in