Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-02-21
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CHAPTER xxIII.-lContinuedD

It was dark when he returned TO the
house, and he closed the shutters and
barred the door very carefully before he
sat down by the fire to reflect upon his
next step He had been rejecting on that
all day, without seeing his way too clear
y to the results on which he had set his
hsart-a large sum of money, and new
life abroad TO enjoy it in.
He would not go upstairs yet awhile
another hour would be Of advantage to
him, and he must wait. The bank at
Worcester was shut. and there would be
no getting money till tomorrow morning
before that time came she would sign
$he check, and remain a prisoner in
Jacksons button factory until time had
been allowed for him to cash 1t. That
was the end of the brilliant scheme which
ne had planned out like an artist.
Suddenly there was violent knocking
at the door, and Peterson sprang up, with
his hand shaking on the back of the chair
He reached his hand toward the candle
and extinguished the flame, as his first
resource against an unseen enemy. Then
ne crept on tiptoe toward the door.
who's there?"
''Let me in"
tom EastbelI," calculated Peterson.
He opened the door, and dragged the
applicant for admittance into the house
by the collar of his coat-a man drench-
ed to the skin by heavy rain.
you muddler.' shouted Peterson:
"why couldn't you stop at Sedga Hill!
How dare you come intermeddling?
Didn't you leave it all to me-"
"Here-let go my throat-let n fellow
speak. What are you doing in the dark
Where are they all? Is Sarah here ?
has she signed the check?"
Peterson released his hold and locked
the front door again. Tom followed Lin
into the room, and sat down shiyering
by the fire. His companion and adviser
relighted the candle, and held it to his
face.
why did you Gomez"
For safety. oh, Ned, I shall be hang
cdr Tom cried. The old woman is
dead, and everybody thinks l have done
It. Here's Il blessed go for an innersent
lman! | never touched her. upon my soul;
she died right off, bang, in the picture
gallery, and it was nothing to do with
me. l wouldn't have thought Of such
a thing"
Dead? The old woman dead?" said
Peterson, surprised again at this avowal.
'Oh!-ugh!-yes, he said, shuddering
more strongly. Her eyes opened snd-
den; Ned, and she was off. | shall never
forget it. And then the beast of wom-
an, Hartley. came in when l screamed,
and said that had murdered her. l was
talking her over to make q will, when
she died-that's all. Oh! let's so to Lon
don"
Tom" said Peterson with excitement,
t''you must go back. You must not leave
everything to that Culwick. The old
woman has died naturally-the doctor
will prove that-and you have nothing to
fear"
ooh! haven't I? That's all you know
about it."
You accursed idiot. don't you see that
you are rich ?-that Sarah EastbelI was
only between you and Il colossal fortune =?
and Sarah EustbelI is dead, too"
Sarah dead. too." screamed Tom
EastbelI Jun his new excitement; 'oh,
don't say that. 1t can't be-
Hush! Keep it quiet; it is an eternal
secret between you and me; but she
sprang out of the boat suddenly last
night, they tell me, and was drowned.
In day or two they will find her in the
Severn, and you will be heir-at-law.'
''They'u say l killed the couple Of
them''
Sarah ran away from home-cvery-
accident There is nothing more natural"
Poor Sally. She was a good sort, -
said Tom; land she-she's dead then.
Thank goodness it was quite an accident
for nobody meant to kill her"
Get back in haste-at any cost Say
you were distracted. and did not know
what you were doing-that you have been
In search Of Culvick-or a doctor Get
back"
Suppose they take ME up for killing
my grandmother; that's what I'm afraid
of"
Get back; you are safe. Get back,
fool, to all that wealth"
Edward PeterSOn's excitement was
greater than Thomas Eastbells now. He
thrust him from the house; he locked
the door after him: he tottered back to
the room.
Tom EastbeI would be rich-immense-
ly rich-if his sister Sarah were removed
from all the troubles of this world. Tom
Eastbeli inahis power-at his mercy for
many past offenSes-a weak fool whom
he could rule implicitly, and get money
quickly by.
Then, with the light in his hand, he
proceeded with a wonderful steadiuess of
step up the stairs. \ strange specimen
of a villain this-for he went into his
daughters room first, and said, Poor
Bess-you have gone for good them" and
walked out again. and up the remaining
flight, with a very sorrowful counteuance
He drew the key from his pocket, unlock
ed the door. strobe in, and then stopped
suddenly-a man struck. as it were, into
stone by his amazement.
The room was empty!
CHAPTER NXIV.
Reuben Culwick did not reach Sedge
Hill till a late hour, when the blinds