Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-11-22
CHAPTER XIV.


At ten o'clock on the fourth, Sellars tap
ped lightly on the hall door at the rear of
the late bankers residence.
Aunt Hannah admitted him.
rs there anyone save your mistress ana
Miliie in the house, Hannah?'
Yes. Mars Lang, Miss Jennie Camp
bell. Da's in de parlor."
Announce that l wish to see them"
Hannah did so. and soon returned anG
ushered the detective into their presence.
The two girls arose to their feet as he
entered the door.
"Oh, Mr.. Sellars-' cried Jennie. wv,
have been nearly frantic and dare not seek
you. Can you bid us hope? l visited my
dear brother in Jail to-day. His sole re-
lance is on you. Oh. speak! My dear old
mother is heart-brokenr'
MY dear Miss Campbell, bid her be o
good cheeri Your brother shall leave the
custody of Sheriff Cobb without n single
stain on his character and fully vindicat-
ed More, the murderer of the banker
shall swing from the gallows, nor shall he
swing alone. But patience and time will
be required"
"Oh, now that 1 have heard your voic.
again. l feel like another girl. Do you
not. dear Hattie?'
Il have an abiding faith. Jennie, tha
justice will be done. and that the efforts
of Mr.. Sellars will be crowned with sue
cess That Robert is innocent of my faith
er's murder, it needs not the tongue of an
other to assure me, but there is much, 50
much, that 1 cannot understand"
you scarce expected, Miss DeRosette,
that your father would name Herman
Craven as his administrator and your
guardian?"
How could he, Mr. Sellars, when h.
had no faith in him? As to desire on
his part to have me become Herman 5
wife. my father entertained no such wish.
On the contrary l almost think he would
have preferred that l ceased to exist to
seeing me the bride of the son of the one
who wrecked his sisters life. know that
my loved father was pleased at my prefer
ence for Robert Campbell, who was a
great favorite of his. l know, sir, that he
detested Herman Craven"
And yet he left him a goodly sum in
his will, named him his administrator,
without bond, and your guardian. There
can be no question as to the genuineness
of his signature or to those Of the wit.
nesses of his will"
Il cannot understand it, Mr.. Sellars. Ii
remains for you to unravel the mystery
That my father, who, living, had no faith
In Herman Craven, should be willing that
amer his death be should administer Gu
his xst>se. constft ftq11zy{5e Rrexl(n q. .dhss
daughter, and become the president Of his
bank, for one moment do not Believe
You know, Miss DeRosette, that priol
to your fathers death he had drawn 9
will?"
'Yes, my father stated to me on one
occasion that he had done SO. He further
said that it almost seemed useless, as il
any event would become his heir. But,
be ADDED, it will simplify matters in case
Of my death, and define my position n
regard to Herman. / have left him. ny
father said, a sum sufficient to enable
him to engage in business and accumu
late more. If he sees proper to dissipats
it, 1 do not wish you to replenish hi:
empty purse. Promise me, my daughter
that you will not. Stephen Craven's so.
shall not squander your inheritance
promised, Mr.. Sellars, yet now this mar
has the handling of my fathers estate
and is my lawful guardian"
And himself inherits fortune by th'
terms of the WILL" observed the detective
"Fifty-fve thousand dollars is no small
sum. Why, man with a fortune of tina
amount need not seek to augment it b!
engaging in business"
True. Mr.. Sellars! Now 1 have toll,
you all know about the will, aside from
the fact that recognized my fathers sig
nature, and while l at first doubted it.
genuineness 1 cannot do SO longer. an
assured that the signatures Of the wit
aesses are genuine"
Beyond question: said Sellars, '-ant
hey were both lost at sea-"
Strange! Very strange! There il
something wrong about that will, Mr.. Sci
lars. My father, as you know, was {
careful, prudent man. l recognize in man!
of the provisions of the will his own true
nature. The manumission Of Uncle DUKE
and that of Hannah, and the money lef
them, with q desire that l look after il!
expenditure. Also his wish that Adam
and Millie should never pass into othel
hands, and his remembrances to them
The sum of five thousand dollars left At
torney Dobbs, his old and trusted friend
But in the matter of Herman Crave
there is something wrong"
Decidedly wrong, Miss DeRosette!'
exclaimed the detective, but act not il
Herman's presence, or that of others. as
though you thought so. Leave everythin:
to me, and for the present l would much
prefer that Miss Campbell do not visit
your home too frequently. You must ap
pear satisfied that the man in Jail is guilty
Of your fathers murder"
Poor. dear Robert. l know he would
have died to protect my father. His every
word of the transactions of that night is
true. Ny heart bleeds for him, yet there
he is, an innocent man, with the gallows
confronting him."
"Vindication, you mean, Miss DeRo
settle. Your sweetheart shall never stand
IN the gallows trap; but Her-others
shall"
Herman? Mr. Sellars, you would have
said Herman Craven! Is it possible that
you believe my cousin TO be my father
assassin? No, no! 1t cannot be! II
could not have been he!
1T was not, my dear young lady, or ere
this he would occupy cell In JAIL ana
Robert Campbell would be free man
Calm yourself; your cousin did not strike
the blow that bereft your father OF LIE.
"A nephew murder his own uncle, and
hat nephew the guardian of the murder
"A mans daughter. the administrator OF
mis- estate. and here daily in my presence
Nh If would be too horrible! l have not
lonbted that my cousin believed Rober,
Campbell guilty."
10 not agftate yourself. Miss DeHo
settle. Leave all to me. The right mei
shall yet stand on the gallows trap.
Mem" exclaimed Jennie Campbell.
Without noticing her exclamation tnt
detective remarked: with your permis
sion, Miss DeRosette, would like to visi
the attic at the top of the house. neg
/ Iected to do SO on the night OF tne n'u'
n