Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-07-29

CHAPTER XIII.
1 knew ALI

hour held for me in the grewsone ira
gedy-haunted Spider Farm.
Looking back, it seems to me as a far
away and unreal vision. Its development
came upon me so rapid, so fierce, that, at
the time, ! was not myself.
l knew all-that Is, as speaking OF
what supplemented my discovery Of
Paula, supposedly dead, murdered, and
here alive, but wherefore here l could
not know. But l could surmise, and 1
was EIed to action. ] did not endeavor
to reach her. Even II / smashed the
narrow window / could not hope 70
crowd through the aperture. With the
glass barrier removed, too, doubted If
che would hear me il called, for / be-
Geved, from her appearance, that she
was densely drugged.
l crossed the room and softly descend
ed the stairs. ! caught the sound Of
voices, gruff, masculine. Crowding past
eloset door. | could look through a
crack in an opposite door into the room
where / had last seen Mr.. Nobody Of
Nowhere, and Jonas Heckleberry. Both
we're there, now in company-alone 9TH
erwise. Jonas was sitting propped up IN
chair, pale and weak-looking, and the
6rst words / caught was the remark
from my erratic companion CT the night
before:
"CCme, speak up, old fellow! Let us
understand how things are"
And Jonas told.
Shall / recapitulate il to the reader IN
his words, through the tedious and dis
jointed conversation that ensued! Rath-
er let me comprise its essence in the
statement that from its details l CLEANED
what i had never sought to learn save
from the dear, fond lips of Consuelo
Hope.
That hour! / was wrought up to the
highest pitch of curiosity, l was over
whelmed 20 the SCATTERING rock of hor-
ror and amaze; and then, sublime SYM
patty. For those two told enough to
reveal to me the story of my Consuelo' s
hard, cruel life.
Then-ah, then! Like one mazed l
fed the grewsome den. 1t seemed as
though there was but one thing for ME
TO do first, to seek Consuelo.
Hours apace-time and progress in a
dream! 1t was moonlight and late when
| again saw Lorn Abbey. In the little
reading room next TO the library l dis
covered Consuelo, reading at a table. ]
entered the house silently, / stood be
fore her with a suddenness that star
tied her. She srose and stood rooted,
regarding me fixedly. Her inner soul
told her that this was no ordinary return.
Her lips quiyered, then she sank back
inert into her chair, and murmured sad
ly:
You have discovered something's
"Yes, Consuelo,' / said softly.
Il 1ta HI % ~,
interruption Her head was sunken on
her breast when l returned 10 her. /
kneeled upon a stool at her side, and
gently clasped one unresisting hand.
Let me speak, Consuelo," / went on
peTsuasively. My poor, wounded dove.
l have learned all. Let me commence
at the beginning. You are not Consuelo
Hope. You are Florence Haynes; died
July II, 1892, aged "a: accused and CON
victed of the murder OF old Hannah
Haynes"
"Yes"-the response, the admission,
was a mere gasping, sobbing breath.
you were sent to prison. There you
died. Do not the prison records tell
that's not the lone. unhonored grave
over beyond the Abbot's Walk yonder in
evidence? oh, my love, my love! what
have you not sufferedr'
She raised her eyes, tear-stained, yet
radiant.
And knowing this" she uttered Srok-
emily, you still come to me-. cling to meF''
"Foreverr' / burst forth. Nay you
are about TO speak, to tell me you We're
innocent. De you think l need to be
told that?"
Gently she swayed within my clasp,
and reyerently | kissed her fair brow.
We two understood one another.
Tell me how-how-" she began.
II learned this much? Yes"
From what / had overheard Jonas
Heckleberry, proprietor of Spider Farm,
and special puryeyor 10 any and all nav
ing troublesome charges to care for, tell
to Mr. Nobody from Nowhere, l soon
learned that the latter was or had been
at one time physician TO the prison at
Working.
There Consuelo. or rather Florence
Haynes, had fallen i'll. She seemed to
have the power TO attract all men by her
rare beauty. The physician had fallen
in love with her. She had come very
near to deaths door. A daring sugges-
ton came to his mind-to serve her lib
Grafton and win her gratitude or 1--we.
= ~
her seem dead. She was even buried, but
for short time only. Jonas Heckleber-
~ he had known in the past Now he,
too, was in the plot. Consuelo was re-
moved to Spider Farm.
First as guest, then as a prisoner
she was forced 10 remain. The doctor
found her grateful, but she could not
love him. Meantime. Jonas learned all
her story, and the fact of the missing
money Of her murdered aunt. Then be
gan a double persecution by the plotters
One wished to wed her. the other believ.
ed she knew OF the whereabouts OF tbs
missing money.
At this time Consuelo had m&je FIRM
friend Of Naomi. This perverse creature
really loved her. They planned an IS
cane. succeeded. Then when Naomi saw
that Paula menaced the weil-being OF hel
mistress. she sent the letter to her broth
or that once more put him on the trail
OF Consnelo.
Il seemed she had spirited the uneon
scious Paula away from the locked room
in the tower by a secret doorway she
knew %. had kept her a prisoner till heI
brother came and had intended to give
him the parchment as = reward for as
sisting in her plans.
All this had Cleaned from the over
heard conversation at Spider Farm.
And now, Consuelo." I said.
'NO-F'lorenee. she corrected.
TO me you shall always be Consaelo.
] staunchly asserted Have you moth
Ing 70 say 10 connect the broken link
in this marvellous mystery OF your life
which have only half untangledF
- -
story.
When she and Naomi had escaped from
Spider Farm. she was inspired with a.
auSiacOus idea.
She was innocent. Could she hope
now believed dead. and therefore safe. L
prove her guiltieSSneSsS She hoped 50
She had first gone TO London, and 10 he
lawyer. Tom Gordon. lie heard her rasl
resolve. To 80 to the original scene O
the tragedy. and step by step seek TO IN
raVal thf mystery Of the murder