Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-04-03

CHAPTER XIII.-,ContipuedJ

and was utterly still--as no human lorll
could be If life. however feeble, we're not
extinct.
Dead enough muttored Shan, creep
ing backward into the darkness out
keeping his gaze to the last upon the
worK which he had done so skillfully ana
eflectually. 1--WE shall have no more OF
his---"
\ sudden start and turn, as-in light-
ming Hasb-he became aware that he was
moi nlone in the confederate darkness.
A sudden wrench as he felt touch upon
him, and instnctively tried to shake 1t
oil in dread; and the next instant he was
pinioned, and half dozen men stood
wat, hing that wild stare Of his into the
face of Mr.. Poynz, who had been the hrst
90 seize the murderer, and was now
standing before him in the full light.
Mr.. Poyuz." shouted the lawyer from
xhe omen lighted doorway, as the armed
sonstabulary marched their prisoner
down the avenue, ''he ought to have come
m first TO see his victim Shall the OIL
GERS bring him backT
mo" said Mark, coming up to the
door, and wondering much Mt the strange
sxultancy in Mr.. Doyle's tone, which
seemed TO MIN unLineIy'
But he ought" the lawyer went on.
his voice raised as IL he would like 1t TO
travel as far as possible. "By all means
ne should have seen his victim--shot
through the heart A man likes to bring
down his game fairly, and always likes
20 wee how dead it falls. Besides that
the old gentlemaD's excitement increased
now with every word---"his bullet has
done further mischief, which | would
Nike him to see. BY Jove! his face would
have been study, the rascal, when he
saw what good he had done us all. In
stead Of harm. long to show him how
the bullet, which was to have brought
down the owner of Traveere. after pass
ing easily through our straw contrivance,
sped on its kindly way, and revealed to
us the hidden fortune of old Col. st.
George. You look fairly increculous, sir,
as Engishmen always do over every
thing, but by all the saints in Ireland,
SIS true!"
The Vicar OF Kilver had rarely been
voused to state of excitement; but on
the morning after the chance discovery
Of old Col. st. Georges hidden wealth.
his calm and patient little wife caught
herself watching him In mute astonish-
ment, as he paced restlessly about the
breakfast room, giving no order for the
bell to be rung for prayers though 1t was
nearly an hour beyond the usual time.
Perhaps" suggested Mrs. Pennington,
little amused by this conduct, 1.-THE girls
will not come in until they hear the bell.
Nora has been out for hours, | hear, and
when Celia finds her. they will probably
ioiter together until they are summoned"
"Alr in good time," the vicar returned.
Doyle will come down presently. He
warned us he should sleep late after such
q night. Did you notice, my dear, what
spirits he was in? You may depend that,
careful as he was not to show it, his
guardianship rested heavily upon him so
long as Nora was unprovided for"
"How strange II all was!' observed
Mrs. Pennington. II can hardly believe
Il even yet"
"Nor can l. And I'm sure Nora can
not"
'Oh, Nora will soon adapt herself to
her new POSITION said Mrs. Pennington,
with a smile. Call to mind how often
she has onged for money, and how little
she has ever possessed. The widest of
those old dreams of hers seemed easy ol
fultillment to her, l dare say, just in that
6rst hour"
Possibly" allowed the vicar, rehec
lively; yet something else was more
dominant in her mind, for | never saw
anything more pitiful than her gaze at
that ridiculous straw figure, and the
shudder that ran through her frame at
sight Of the spot where the bullet had
pierced it,"
Its a pity" observed Mrs. Penuing.
ton, in her simple, practical way, that
the shot should have spoiled coat, but
still"
But STILL" said the vicar, interrupting
her with laugh. lit did so much good
after spelling the coat, my dear, that, il
q were Nora | should have felt more in
clined to preserve the bullet than to turn
away from it as she did with such uuut-
terable repugnance. Dear mel dear mel"
he continued, what could have induced
old Col. st. George to conceal his saw
tngs so effectuallyT
There is no difficulty in answering
that" was the prompt aud unexpected re.
ply, as Mr. Doyle entered the room
through one of the low windows which
opened to the garden. The inherent
suspicion of miser had lively time of
1t, you may depend, in the old mans
brain at the very last; for, from what |
gathered last night, 1t would be only on
the very night before his death that he
hid his hoardings so skillfully behind the
wainscot that, but for this attempted
murder they must have remained there
undiscovered till doomsday-or, rather
till the old house fell wholly, as it fell
partially, on the night after he had SO
cleverly effected the concealment."
But how" inquired Mr.. Pennington
"can you tell that he did 1t on that night
or that he suspected anyone2 Whom
could he suspect? He had no one about
him but those two old servauts-both a.
honest as they are ignorant--and Nors
herself"
He did not suspect either of those.
said the lawyer, with laugh; "but Kitty
hold us at the time of old Col. st. George
death, IL you recollect. Just what sh,
repeated last night-that on the nigh