Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-02-06

her face.
81 say" he cried, returning the gaze,
what do you mean? You don't think
I killed those two fellows, and got the
plumber, do your"
Il don't know" she replied.
'.Well, then, didn't. I never had
the chance"
cor the brains to conceive such a
coup"
Look here" cried Arts.
Don't speak so loud, Gerard"
ooh, very well. But look here,
Clever, did you manage that bit OF
business?"
Katrine raised her soft white hands
I Don't do that said the young man.
'"You make me want to kiss them"
''You would not be so foolish, now. :"
81 don't know. And look here, I
don't like you being so thick with
Capel."
Don't you? He wants to, marry
me-"
'I'll break his neck first"
'You will act sensibly and well,
mon cher" said Katrine, 'that is, if
you mean that we are to be married
by and by"
MEAN it? Of course
"But not on fortune Of one hun
dred pounds each, mon cher"
Good heavens! No."
"Then hold your tongue and say
nothing"
"But I shall say something if I see
you working up Irritation with that
cad"
''You will say nothing, no nothing,
see nothing. We can not marry and
starve."
"But tell me, Kate-honor bright
you don't care for this Capel?"
Il care for him!"
Tell me, then; what do you mean
to do?'"
''Have my share of that money"
said Katrine, with peculiar harden
ing of her face.
Bah! I don't believe the treasure
ever existed It was a craze on the
old mans part"
''You must be careful. Don't say
or do anything to annoy Paul Capel or
Mr.. Critic We must stay here. It was
no craze on the old mans part; may
be I can tell where the fortune isl
what! You mean that?"
"Hush! I am working for us both. "
"But tell me"
"Hush! She has finished the song, .
said Katrine, leaning back and clap
ping her hands softly. THANK you,
thank you," she said. ooh, what a
while it is since I heard that dear old
ballad"
The evening wore away till bedtime.
when the butler brought in and lit the
candles, according to his custom,
Katrine and Lydia taking theirs and
going at once, and Gerard Arts fol-
lowing, after partaking Of a glass OF
soda-water, leaving the old lawyer and
Capel together.
They sat in silence for some min
utes, when the old lawyer said:
81 do not seem to get any nearer to
the unraveling Of this knot, Mr.. Capel.'
"Do you still adhere to the opinion
that the treasure was there?"
eyes; and we shall find it soon"
by d IudSI0I1y Inactivity
ooh, no, replied the old man, "for
I am taking steps of my own to re-
deem myself. I don't think those
jewels can be sold, or one Of those
notes changed without word being
brought to me-"
Capel felt won by the old mans
manner He shook hands with him
o,oJ nj oh
He went to the door with him, and
saw the light shine on the thin, silvery
hair as he went slowly up the stair
case, while his candle cast grotesque
shadow on the wall. Then, as Capel
listened, he heard the old man shut
his chamber door, open it softly and
shut it again more loudly; while,
with the great house seeming to be
doubly stepped in darkness and silence,
Paul Capel went back to the lounge
on which he had been seated, leaving
his chamber candle burning like a
| tiny star in the great sea Of gloom, and
sat back, thinking.
The candle burned lower as he
thought on, ransacking his memory
for some slight clew that would help
him to find his lost fortune.
The candle went out.
Had he been asleep? He could not
say. He believed that he had been
only thinking deeply. At all events,
he was widely awake now, as he sat
back listening to the heavy beating of
his own heart as he stared through the
intense darkness toward the door, up
on whose panel he had felt sure he
had heard a soft pat as if something
had touched it.
A minute-it might have been half
an hour, it seemed so 1ong-and there
was faint rustling, and Paul Capel
knew, as he stared through that in
tense darkness, that some one or some
thing was coming silently toward
where he sat.
CHAPTER XVI.