Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-03-27
That would be terrible" said Lady

Laura.
"Who drew up that will for you,
! mammal" asked Angela.
! Your fathers lawyer, Mr.. San
some" was the reply.
He ought to have been ashamed
| of himself,' cried Angela, Indignantly.
My dear" answered Lady Laura,
| che was. and he tried all that was
| possible to dissuade me from making
| it. He was very angry indeed, and
prophesied all kinds of evil; but the
, captain persuaded me-.
! TT must be destroyed and you must
make another, mamma. | snail never
rest until it is done"
1T shall be done, Angel; but /
must wait until we go up to town. |
dare not summon Mr.. Sansome here. "
And. having arrived at this decision,
! Lady Laura and her daughter left the
woods and turned homeward.
CHAPTER XII.
A black, threatening cloud seemed
! to have fallen over Angela Rooden' S
life. For some time she could not
| recover from the effect of the in
| formation her mother had impaired
| to her. Her accidents were all plain
enough now. If she had but known
about the will, surely she would
have realized the danger to which
| she was exposed. She shuddered
when she rememberd how near death
| she had been-so near that in each
case there had been only a space of
| two or three minutes between herself
and eternity. The mystery seemed
to unrOll itself before her eyes. Her
death would be an untold gain to her
stepfather. There would then be but
her mothers life between himself and
the inheritance. Her mother was
! fragile and delicate, and her con-
stantly unhappy life would only tend
/ to bring about the end that he de-
| sired. Then her fathers property
! would all fall into his hands, and he
| would be free TO marry Miss Rane-
| Angela had not the least doubt but
that he had so mapped out his future
! If she and her mother died, he would
! be rich man. But she saw plainly
enough that, if his plans were to
| succeed, she must die first. If her
mother died first, the property would
descend TO her, and she in her turn
| could leave it as she would.
He shall never have one penny Of
! my fathers money" she said to her
| self.
But the danger of her position
! frightened her.
She could hardly realize the fact
| that one person should seek to com
! pass the death of another; yet it was
! most undeniably true. She had felt
certain that the captain had told her,
! On that winter day when she was SO
nearly drowned, to go to the bend of
! the pool; she had been quite conf
! dent about it. 1t was true that at
| the time she believed there had been
a mistake; but that belief had not
| lasted long Now she saw what his
motive was. But for the brave and
| courageous young squire she would
/ have been in her grave, and possibly
| her mother, too by this time. Again
| she felt sure now that he had tam
! pered with the boat, and had ridden
away, leaving her to her fate. She
was more than confirmed in her sus-
| picion when she remembered how
| averse he bad been to have the boat
! recovered from the lake, for he knew
1 that the marks of his treachery were
/ there and would be discovered. It
| all seemed to her so plain that she
| wondered she had not found it out
! before; but then she remembered
! that she did not at that time know
| anything Of her mothers will.
| The old nurse was waiting for her
| that evening when she reached her
room; and one look at the girls fair
young face told the faithful servant
that she had not been mistaken in
| hes suspicion.
| Have you spoken to my lady, Miss
! Angela?" she asked.
Yes" replied Miss Rooden, Il
have And you are right, nurse" she
added-'you are most unfortunately
right"
The captain will gain by your
| death, miss-is it not SOP"
Yes" she answered sadly.
Il knew it; / felt it. I could scent
the mischief in the air l read it in
| his face and in his shifty eyes. Tell
me what it is, miss-you may trust
| me-"