Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

| IT saw him strike tho blow.
When Miss Lloyd entered the library,
Angus, in horror, had just drawn the
fatal blade from the bankers breast.
"Col. Strange was not lost when the
Media went down, but has returned. He
drew the bankers will, and has stated
wherein Lathrop altered 1t.
"Your son knows it nll. But look at
Iathrop, squire; his appearance speaks
for itself"
Herberts eyeballs were almost start
Ing from their sockets. In that terrible
mement he had forgotten that he stood
by the side of Clara Hill. the girl whose
hand to obtain, together with his uncle's
wealth, had caused him to dye his hand
with blood.
'The dead return to thwartme! Aunt
Mag turned traitor, tool"
Fannie lay unconscious i'll the arms of
Clarence, while Clara, leaning on the
arm OF her father, stood white and silent
as statue.
Officers" said Gordon, do your
duty"
The officers started towards Herbert
with the handouts.
All In the chapel were on their feet.
The spell that bound the assassin
seemed suddenly broken. CAL, all goes
wrong! but Mag, the traitor" and be-
fore the officers could reach him, he
raised his weapon and fred.
| The quadroon fell in the main aisle of
the chapel, and with one frantic cry
Herbert leaped on the chnncel, vanished
through an open vestry door, thence
out into night and darkness, and aftel
him the two officers of the Mw.
Let us follow Lathrop; he was more
familiar with the surroundings than
were the men from Wilmington, and in
the darkness might easily evude them,
but he sped away with the speed Of the
wind, never for u moment giving u
thought to where he was going;
straight through the grove, over the
ridge, and down to the rice fields edge.
He struck the rice fields, where one Of
the banks that divided them extended
from tho upland to the main dyke en-
the river front, and down this bank be
darted, straight for the river, but he
had not got more than 800 yards down
the bank before he ran into the arms of
a stalwart figure approaching from the
opposite direction.
Hey! What have we here?" said the
man who held Lathrop with grip not
to be shaken oft; "stand on the other
side, Bill, and flash your light"
A man passed Lathrop and his cap
tors, and removed the cap friom q bulls
eye lantern, and threw the light on La-
throp's face,
It was the face Of one whose features
were stamped with insanity. He was
bareheaded, the blood was trickllng
from his forehead lips and nose, which
i showed that he had come in contact
with many trees In his flight. His Gle
gantwedding suitwas torn and splashed
with mud, but he was recognized.
"My God, Bill, it's Herbert Lathrop,
the man we're after. We will return.
Murderer do you know who has you
now? Black Beardl"
Not word fell from the lips of Her
bert, as he WIS hurried along in the d.
rection Of the river. When they ar
rived there they tumbled him into q
boat, in which already sat four men.
"Now If Hendricks and Bullion were
here, we'd be off," said Black Beard.
"Pm sorry now sent them up the other
bank. told them to go but half way,
halt at cross food gate, and there re-
main until summoned. Throw high
your light, Bill, for minute; they ex-
pect the signal from the other way, but
they may see it,"
Bill fastened the bull's-eye to the oar,
removed the cap and held it aloft.
"Therc, that will do, they should
have seen that"
While these events were transpiring,
the two officers had by chance struck
the very bank on which Hendricks and
Bullion were stationed, nnd as they
passed noiselessly on towards the river
suddenly they saw the light Of a match
not thirty feet ahead Of them.
Hendricks had struck IL to light his
pipe.
easy. mate. easy" whispered one Of
them.
They crawled down on the edge of the
bank, and got up opposite them, almost
within reach. and lay quiet.
"This is our last adventure, Bullion,
said Hendricks. "If Black Beard gets
that fellow Lathrop, as he's after, we
leave these diggins' forehever."
II amt sorry" said Bullions "lt'e
time. To tell you the truth, Hendricks
this piratin' Is mighty bad business
It's so risky, when we get our part Of
the dough- Pm In it for quits on pi
ratin', an"
well git that before we sail. Every
man will have his share. Black Beard.
square to his men,"
"He is that, but hope he'll quit thu
life. He's too good q man to stretch
hemp. Who but him could have man
aged that Washington job2"
"Blest If it amt time we had O signal
If we're goin' to have one. You bidt
here, Bullion, and I'll drop back to tn.
boat, and see if they haven't come
back"
The officers heard Hendricks wall
away toward the river. They gave hin
fully five minutes, ut the end of which
time Bullion felt the cold muzzies o
two pistols pressed suddenly agains
his head.
IA move and you're dead man."
A moment more and he was disarmed
handcuffed and marched hurriedly to
wards the uplands.
When Hendricks returned to tn
foodgate Bullion was not there.
"What has become Of Bullion?" h,
thought. He called his name severa
times, but no answer. He flashed hi
| lantern in several directions, but coul'
= see no one. He searched the ground.
1t appeared as though more than on
person had last been over it, and on tn
j. other side of the bank the long gras
4 looked as though some one had crawle
!. through it.
He waited until he saw the ligh
| flashed from the lantern of Bill Gibbs
8 which was suspended in the air by th
oar, and returned to the boat, where h