Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-05-22

the people would attach to Banks sig
nature to such document in case any
question Of it's accuracy arose, and de.
termined to secure it. My senior heard
what had to say of the facts-enough,
probably, to give him an inkling of the
truth. Then he seated himself at La
mars desk-I had taken him to the
house on the knoll to view the body Of
its late master-and filled out a certifi-
cate.
This will, I think, meet your re-
quirements," said he. ut is not too
definite, but it will serve. 1t is record
ed here that your patient died of heart
failure"
XIII.
Not until several months later did T
hear something of the part of Lamar's
story which explained his coming into
my life. A letter from Perez brought
this explanation, for which had been
waiting eagerly. Neither johnson nor
had had signs again of Lamar's pur-
suers, who, however, we believed, had
contrived to secure proof that their
intended victim had evaded their ven.
geance. The strange schooner had not
reentered the bay, but the fisherman
had heard that vessel answering her
description had lain for three days Mt
anchor in u little harbor some miles up
the coast, and that at least four of her
people had been away from her
throughout her stay. 1t was his the
ory that the four revisited the house
the night before Lamar's funeral;
though the man whom had employed
to assist Johnson as watcher and care
taker, and who was then on duty, re.
ported no unusual happenings, and the
flsherman's belief had, SO far as could
discover, no more substantial basis
than the fact that as he approached
the house late that night the sea-breezc
bore to his ear faint sounds which he
took for those of oars against thole-
pins.
My term of residence in Rodneytown
was closed within u fortnight after the
body of tie suicide had been committed
to the earth; but before went away
there was wedding, at which an al
together charming bride was given
away by my good friend DR.. Banks,
standing for the time in loco PARENTS.
In view of the change in our circum-
stances, / had persuaded Dorothy to
consent to an early marriage, and to
come with me to Trent, where there
promised to be an excellent opportu-
nifty to establish practice, and where.
the bay might become doctors nag
| in reality as well as in name. And
there Perez's letter found us, as happy
n pair as the city held within its bor-
ders. AS Lamar's residuary legatee -
If the term can be correctly used in
such case-I was possessed of an in
heritance which, with my savings, was
ample to support us in comfort for
the several years we deemed it wise to
allow for the building up of a profitable
professional connection.
| But now for the letter, which was to
tell me all | had ever learned of the
career of the man whom I knew az
Lamar.
He was of a family Of rank and
wealth" it ran. He had much to con-
tent him with his lot, yet he was by ma.
ture an ,ntriguer and q plotter, cold,
selfish, daring and revengeful. Many
hated him. more feared him. So adro;t
was he in his schemes, that, though
| they sometimes came to grief, he HIM
self escaped.
AT last he became involved in a DO.
Htical plot of the gravest character,
and for once lost his craft. There was
q meeting of the conspirators, at which
enthusiasm ran high, and, in the Juror
OF the moment, compact was drawn
up and signed by those present. So
reasonable was this document that the
signers were hopelessly compromised
should it fall into the hands of even
the most mercifully-disposed govern
ment. Within "a hours after the meet
ing the paper disappeared. The sign
ers set themselves to search for it, and
at last gained q clew Following this,
they discovered that it had come into
the possession of woman of rank,
young, beautiful, ambitious, mad for
political intrigue, and attached to IL
rival faction. The fact that she had Sc
cured it was sufficient to insure the
failure of the project it outlined; but
worse than this failure was the menace
to the signers. 1t YVES resolved to re-
cover the compact at any cost; but
then arose the question, who should
undertake the difficult task? The
man who afterward came to you vol
| unteered, and was accepted.
lie recovered the document. Single.
handed, he waylaid the lady's carriage
drove off her servants, and, on her re-
fuSal to surrender tho naner ont her
throat. AS he had expected, the precious
paper was found in the bosom of her
| dress.
\ He fled the country forthwith, carry
ing with him the cause Of the tragedy.
So long as he retained possession Of it,
he was certain Of holding his cocoon
spirators at his mercy. Many of them
abhorred his bloody deed, but he held
their fortunes and perhaps their lives
In his hand; and some Of them, at
least, were forced to aid him in making
bis escape. The family of his victim
swore undying vengeance. Her broth
ers traced him to Europe, and then to
the United States. They were close
upon him when he sought your aid;
had it not been given, he could hardly
have escaped; for in your country
man of his face and accent was easily
traced-he impressed the persons he
met far too strongly for his own good.
HE had heard of the lonely coast
you described to me, and he had carried
with him the card he presented to you
II was given to him. not because was
in,