Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-07-12
CHAPTER xxrrl.


gedy.haunted Spider Farm.
Looking back. It seems to me as far.
away and unreal vision. Its development
came upon me 80 rapid, 80 fierce, that, ut
the time, was not myself.
I knew ,all-that Is, rs speaking OF
what supplemented my discovery Of
Paula, supposedly dead, murdered, and
here alive, but wherefore here l could
not Know. But could surmise, and
was fred to action. I did not endeavor
to reach her. Even II smashed the
narrow window I could not hope tn
crowd through the aperture. With the
glass barrier removed, too, / doubted IL
she would hear me IL I called. for be-
lievcd, from her appearance, that she
was dcnscly drugged.
I crossed the room and softly descend.
ed the stairs. I caught the sound Of
voices, gruif, masculine. Crowdlng past
q closet 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
were there, now In company--alone 9TH
erwise. Jonas was sitting propped mp In
Q chair, pale and weak-looking, and the
6rst words caught was the remark
from my erratic companion Of the night
before:
"Come, speak up. old fellow! Let us
understand how things are"
And Jonas told.
Shall rccapitulate It to the reader In
his words, through the tedious and dis
3ointed conversation that ensued? Rath-
Or let me comprise its essence in the
statement that from It's details CLEANED
what had never sought to learn save
from the dear. fond lips Of C0nsuclO
Hope.
That hour! I was wrought up to the
highest pitch Of curiosity. was over
whelmed to the SCATTERING rock Of hOr.
ror and amaze; and then, sublime SYM
pathy. For those two told enough to
reveal to me the story OF my Consuelo's
hard, cruel life.
Then--ab, then! Like one mazed 1
6ed the grewsome den. 1t seemed as
though there was but one thing for me
to do--frst, to seek ConsuelO.
Hours apace-timc and progress In n
dream! 1t was moonlight and late when
! again saw Lorn Abbey. In the little
reading room next to the library dis
covered Consuclo, reading ut table.
entered the house silently, stood be-
fore her with suddenncss that star
tied her. She arose and stood rooted,
regarding me fxedly. Her inner soul
told her that this was no ordinary return.
Her lips Quivcrcd, then she sank back
inert into her chair. and niurmured sad
ly:
"You have discovered something's
Eyes, ConsuclO," l said softly.
! locked the door, making sure Of no
interruption. Her head was sunkcn on
her breast when l returned to her. ]
kneelcd upon stool ut her side, and
gently clasped one unrcsisting hand.
Let me speak, Consuelo," I went ON
pcrsuasively. MY poor. wounded dove!
] have learned all. Let me commence
at the beginning. You are not Consuelo
Hope. You are Florence Haynes: died
July II. 1902, aged "a; accused and con.
victcd Of the murder Of old Hannah
Haynes"
''Yes'--the response. the admission.
was mere gasping, sobbing breath.
"YOu were sent to prison. There you
died. DO not the prison records tell
that's not the lone, unhonOrcd grave
over beyond the Abbot's Walk yonder In
evidenceT Oh. my love, my love! what
have you not sutfcredv
She raised her eyes, tcar.stained. yet
radiant.
'And knowing this" she uttered brok-
emily, ''yOu still come to me, cling to mey'
Forever" ! burst forth. NAY! you
are about to speak, to tell me you We're
innocent. DO you think ! need to be
told that?"
Gently she swayed within my clasp,
and revercntly ! kissed her fair brow.
We two understood one another.
"Tell me hOw--hOw--" she began.
II learned this much? Yes"
From what I had overheard Jonas
Hecklcberry. proprietor Of Spider Farm,
and special purveyor to any and all hav.
Ing troublesome charges to ~dre for, tell
to Mr.. Nobody from Nowhere. l soon
learned that the latter was or had been
ut one time physician to the prison ut
Working.
There Copsuelo, or rather Florence
Z Haynes. had fallen III. She seemed tn
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-
tion came to his mind-to serve her lib.
Grafton and win her gratitude or love.
He had administered drug that made
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 n prisoner,
she was forced to 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-
San a double persecution by the plotters,
One wished to wed her, the other believ-
ed she knew OF the whereabouts Of the
missing money.
At this time C0nsuelO had made q firm
friend Of Naomi. This perverse creature
really loved her. They planned an es'
cape, succeeded. Then when Naomi saw
that Paula menaced the well-being Of her
mistress, she sent the letter to her broth.
er that once more put him on the trail
Of COnsuelo.
1t seemed she had spirited the uncon,
scious Paula away from the locked room
In the tower by secret doorway she
knew Of. had kept her a prisoner till her
brother came. and had intended to give
him the parchment as a 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--FlOrence," she corrected.
ITO me you shall always be Copsuelo!