Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-11
take itwith Miss Clara HILL"


"Why should you not it was wealth
she was after. you have got it now; hut
thought got all of those blood spots
Off the carpet, they're as plain as ever,
let me get a rug and cover them"
Yes, cover them, Aunt Mag. cover
them!"
Here Mag opened the bedroom door,
and instantly gave n fearful scream,
that brought Herbert trembling to his
feet.
what is it, Mag? Why did you open
that door? Let it be closed forever!
Lock it! Lose the key! Why do you
stand there, woman, staring at the bee?
What do you see? Speak,"
do You see nothing, Marse Herbert?
Didn't you see nothing?"
Nothing but the bed and the furni-
ture in the room, and those dark spots
of blood-what did you sec, Aunt Mag?"
Lying across the bed in his night
robe, the body of your uncle; the shirt
and the bed We're covered with blood;
the bloody sheath knife was sticking in
his breast, and he looked at me with
such sad eyes, and raised his right
hand and pointed to the picture and the
picture instantly swung it's face to the
wall"
"Turn it back, Mag! turn it back!
Great God! it's mine; Mag, do you lie to
me?"
why should 1, marster? Idoubt not
you will see it turn again."
Not I. Lock the door, Mag! Lock
the door! I'll take the hot Scotch to
my room"
II thought" said Mag, "that you
would now occupy old marster's room"
What, me! Woman. you are crazy!"
'They sometimes call me so, Marse
Herbert, but am harmless"
"Thanls God for that Well, Mag,
good night, and don't see any more Vi
sions-Ha! Ha! A good joke; Aunt
Mag, good joke! We'll leave here, Mag,
/ intend to buy a farm, and there you'll
see no visions"
Herbert with the tray in his hand,
passed from the room, and up the stairs;
while Aunt Mag threw open the bed
room door, and sank into o chair.
go, murderer, go!" she muttered,
"but there will be visions wherever you
are. SO long as Mag follows you, and
there will be hands to turn your picture
to the wall. Yes, there will be one to
fill you with fear, thwart you, and drag
you down, until Angus Bruce shall be
proved clear of Marse Johns murder,
and you, Marse Herbert, be brought to
justice-yes, you will find Mag harm
less to all but you, Herbert Lathrop, to
all but you. And Marse John, my dear
old mnrster, you was always good to
Mag, and your murderer shall never
call Clara Hill wife,"
Mag turned the face of Herbert's pic
ture back to the wall, and leaving the
library door unlocked and open, passed
through the hall and to her room.
Herbert Lathrop emptied the pitcher
Of the hot Scotch that night, and yet
unquiet were his slumbers, and the next
morning, after placing an ad. with the
Wilmington Journal, he took passage
for Orion.
The ad. was as follows:
Five thousand dollars reward will be
paid for the apprehension of Angus
Bruce, who. on tho night of May 81,
1881 murdered my uncle, John Lloyd"
Then followed a description of Angus,
and the name Of Herbert Yves attached
to the proclamation.
Arrived at Orion, Herbert speedily
preached the matter of the purchase Of
Kendall, and Squire Hill concurring in
his views the purchase was that week
completed, and Kendall with some so
negroes WIS in possession Of Herbert
Lathrop.
Abner Hill, by reason of Herbert's
consulting him in regard to the pur-
chase of Kendall, and of his compliance
with his views, felt marked change
in the views that he had entertained of
that parsonage, and informed Herbert
that he was ready at all times, when he
desired to consult him in regard to the
plantations management, to advise
him.
He advised the retention of Fred
Reynolds, the former overseer, and
within q few weeks time Herbert was
installed at Kendall.
To Fannie the change was not an I'M
welcome one, as she would have gladly
welcomed any that would have removed
her from the scene of the tragedy that
left her an orphan, and particularly a
change that brought her SO near the
family of Abner Hill, at whose resi-
dence she now elected to spend the
greater part of her time.
Clara had not regained her wonted vi
vacity of mind, and little resembled the
glowing picture of health that she did
that day when she rode her pony to the
wharf and placed her letter to Fannie
in the hand of Angus. Her younger
brother was great consolation to her,
and to him she made known the fact
that she was to have we'd Mr.. Lloyd out
Of regard for her fathers wishes, and
while her heart was in the keeping OF
Angus Bruce, whose hands were now
said to be stained with the life blood
Of his fellow man. "But," she added
on the occasion when first she made
confldant of Tom, II cannot and dc
not believe Angus guilty, and you, dear
Tom, must help me find evidence to con.
Wet the guilty party"
"You speak, Clara, as though you
knew who were guilty, if Angus Bruce
be not; but how can he be otherwise
than guilty, when both Herbert and
Fannie caught him in the very act?"
"You forget, Tom, that Fannie states
that when she saw him, before she
tainted, he was turning from the
bedside with the bloody knife in his
hand. Brother, he may have found that
knife driven to the bankers heart and
but then have pulled it forth; remem
Der, Fannie says, that a look of horror
was on his features. while Herbert ties
titled that it was fiendish look"
"Whatever the look, Clara, might II
not have changed to horror when he
found himself discovered?"
Gle never killed the banker, Tom; il
is impossible!'
but why should he have fled, Clara, l.