Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-09-17
FREDERICK COUNTY, MD. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER II,
"By my hand, madam, you helped

brother had no trOuDle TO peFSuaue Lie
to aid you in the robbery, and then to
dy with you. But that you feared my
brothers vengeance you would not
have made me your welded wife,
81 admit that had some influence
with me. But as you appear to N
going to make long story of the affair
I'll smoke through It,"
He produced cigar and lighted It,
nodding blandly, and saying. go on"
Nancy continued:
1--WE did not think when we planned
the robbery 1t would be laid to lis. My
Hight, we thought, would be considered
an elopement, for my father had re-
fused to listen to your suit was toe
young, he said, and you too wicked
We robbed-you your father, we ours
But lest the deed should be traced to us
we did not fly then, but waited to di
vert suspicion toward others. At the
end of week we feared that the truth
was rapidly approaching to ruin us
Then we fed. Then you married me,
and then we wrote to nay laAfes shr1
we had. committed the deed only as
step to become united; that We loved
madly, and knew no other way to effect
n union. We begged forgiveness-we
hoped for It; for my father had ne
daughter save me, and no son but my
brother. and we were much loved chill
dren. We thought the affair, in our
folly. a rare and pleasant way to bring
the old man to his senses"
Here Nancy paused, for her voice
grew so husky that she could hardly
speak. The image of her dead and dis
honored father was rising In her soul
but by nature bad and cruel, she sooD
ovcrcame the emotion and proceeded:
"When my father read that letter he
gave one sharp cry, sprang from hfs
chair. and fell dead"
"Why speak of that" demanded
Luke, fiercely. Marks knows it. Tell
him what he does not know"
Let her take her own way" said
Marks. IF you check woman's story
she will have to go back and begin
again. Go on, Nine. Harker"'
"The cruel tidings killed him on the
spot" said Nancy. what happened
then. John Marks?"
"Ho. you want me to tell?"
"Yes, I do. | wish to see how true
your memory IS. that | NAV know how
to tell me something that you do not
know"
Good. Well, your father died as
you said. His death and your conduct
made your mother lunatic-made her
as mad as crazy can be. You and your
brother returned to your home. The
robbery had never been traced to you
for your fathers dying act was to tear
your confession to atoms. You and
your brother placed your mother in a
madhouse-I must say it was the only
thing you could do, for she was savage,
raving, dangerously mad! No one found
fault with that. Doctors said she
would never recover - that was all
hit. Then you and your brother sold
Tie property, Turned TITO gold and Went
to London. l met you there, then,
though l was hiding from my father,
who was vindictive old gentleman,
ard had other sons besides me to love
If he had caught me 1 think he would
have anticipated the punishment of the
law and given me a more severe one
than Imprisonment. The knowledge of
my guilt didn't kill him. He lived ten
years after that. Well, you and lived
very we'll together until our share of
the money was gone. Then we quar-.
re,ed - you got jealous; l think we
fought few battles with something
harder than words. We separated and
your brother obtained divorce for us.
We had one child, and the law gave
him to you, because he was an infant"
what became of the child" asked
Nancy, sternly
The child" said Marks. "He died
less than one year old. l went to his
funeral. Don't you remember? that
was the last time you and l met
till tonight 'Tis pity the boy died.
When he should have grown q few
years older the law would have given
him to me, and with him to rear-well,
perhaps John Marks were now better
man-thats all"
Now" said Nancy. rising. Il will teY
you what shall join you to us. | knew
that when our child should have
grown older the law would take him
from me, his mother, and give him to
you, his father. l swore to slay my
child ere you should have him to rear
to love you and to hate ME. The child
did not die, John Marks The funeral
to which you were summoned was that
Of the child Of my servant. Our child
still lives!'
"Ha! traitressw cried Marks, grasp.
ing for his pistols.
But a quicker hand than his had Sc,
cured them, for while he was talking
Hammond had stolen behind him, and
hs Nancy Harker said, "Our child still
lives" snatched away the weapons
and now stood behind him with the
hold muzzles touching the right and
left ear of Marks.
"Stir limb and you die! said Luke
as the locks clicked loudly
And so imprisoned Marks was forced
10 quiet by the willy, daring man who
aeeded him as an able tool
You are no man-you arc Satanw
said Marks, not daring to turn his head
hairs breadth
To be continued.