Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-07-30
CHAPTER Nv.

his weapon for the attack. "Yes-they
have haunted my bedside. remember
them even in those dark days Of in.
sanity"
He was talking to himself, and moi
to them.
Luke Hammond was man of OK
treme caution, and not content with
Mrs. Harkers assertion, stole softly
from the room, saying. as he went:
Keep your eye on him, Daniel II
he makes a rush, fell him as gently as
possible"
The words were spoken in too sub
du,d tone to reach the invalid's ear.
Out in the hall again, Hammond
listened scarcely drawing his breath
for several moments.
"a false alarm" he muttered, as he
returned to the crimson chamber, find
Ing the parties as he had left them,
"Now, then" he continued. as he raised
a chair, and held it breast high, the
legs towards the invalid, "be ready
to rush when l cry-charge! Daniel.
creep cautiously along the wall at his
right; you. Nancy Harker, the same or
his left. Measure your advance with
mine. He will strike at me. When he
strikes, pin him to the corner, and
each seize an arm. Advance!'
Hammond's directions were unhoarc
by the invalid; but, as the three assail'
ants began to approach the corner,
! the sick man raised his hatchet and
fixed his steady, fiery look upon Ham.
mOnd.
They advanced more and more near
dntil less than five feet separated them
from their victim.
"Chargcw cried Hammond, springine
forward.
But the invalid, strong and active
in his hour of peril, darted from his
corner at the same instant; and as
Daniels chair crashed against Nancy
Harker's, where the invalid had been
the hatchet came down like a thunder
bolt, shattcring HammOnd's chair to
fragments, and beating that villain
backward to the earth.
The glittering weapon was rising
again, and Hammond glared upward
IN all the agony Of fear when wom'
ans voice. shrill, clear and piercing,
was heard, and Catharine Elgin sprang
into the crimson chamber, and into
the arms of the invalid, crying:
"Father! My father
| She swooned the instant after, for
the shock of finding her father alive,
whom she had for twelve mourning
months thought dead and buried, was
| too much for her nature to sustain.
AT him, Daniel" cried Hammond
/ regaining his feet, and seeing thai
Henry Elgin-for the invalid was none
other-was absorbed in a fond fathers
tenderness.
Daniel and Nancy Harker sprane
upon Henry Elgin, forced him from
his unconscious daughter, and, aided
| py Hammond, bound him to his bed.
The struggle had been too severe and
protracted for the temporary strength
of the sick man, and he had tainted
ere he was bound, hand and foot
What shall We do with her?' sait
Nancy Harker, pointing to Hates pal
lid face and corpse-like form.
Bear her to the white and gol(
chamber" said Luke Hammond. "Sht
will be our destruction if we let her
go free before"
He paused.
Before what, Luke Hammond
cried Nancy.
Before she is the wife Of my son
Charles Hammond" said he. Garry
her away before she revives."
"Ah, that's the game, is it. sus
cccted as much" said Nancy Harke1
as she raised the unconscious girl iT
her powerful arms, as nurse lifts 2
sleeping child.
Take the lamp, Daniel, and go will
Mrs. HarkPr," said Hammond. "Troubl'
and danger! all in a Storm" he nut
tered as his accompiiccs bore poo
Kate away to the apartment so Ions
occupied by her father.
".She must have been on the watch
ruminated Hammond. picking up th
hatchot, "She must have taken TIN
hint from that shrewd young carpen
ter, James Greene, and watched me
But how did she find an entrance Il
this part of the house? The doors arr
| locked, barred and nailed on this side
| Daniel Is too cautious not to have
fastened the trap-door in the celia
of the main house--even if Catharinf
| Elgin could have found that entrance
concealed rs it is. Strange. yer.
strange" he muttered, as he paced
from wall to wall.
Suddenly pausing and shifting hif
forehead in anger with himself, he eE'
claimed:
"Dolt! Idiot that am! Fool that
l was, In my haste | did not close
either the closet in my library no.
the door in the partition! She mar
not have purposely tracked me. Per
haps she went into my library to sec
me, to get book-anything. There,
not finding me, she saw the secret
closet open, and roamed hither--foI
she Is bold and fearless girl. Perish
the thought" he cried, all aghast. "Ii
she should have opened that drawer Of
my desk! The will! The genuine will
of Henry Elgin"
He sprang from the crimson cham