The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10

A wild, black night and through IL plo"eu
the mail steamer her way 10 Dover
whence three miles of the lights came mt
fully out from the darkness as the laboring
vessel reared on the heaving seas. she
carried only a few passengers. and apart
from their fellow voyagers two men sat In
a corner of the saloon, talking confidentlaly
together.
One OF these was Ronald Cover, an Aus
tralian born and bred. who. by the deatn
OF a relative. had become the inheritor OF
fortune and estate in England The other
was tall. well built, handsome fellow with
whom he had become acquainted during
weeks stay in Paris 1t had been Covers
proposal that they should journey to Lon
don in company, for his new acquaintance
was a pleasant, well-informed man, VINO
had been useful in many ways to the UNI
Travelled colonial
"And you say that you don't know soul
in England. nor are known by anyone?' re-
marked his companion.
ct am only known to my lawyers. by
name" replied Cover. This Is the first
time have ever been out of New South
Wales
The other looked at him curiously. I'm
thinking what IL must be like to know one
you have, Cover" he said. and his COM
panion gave a little shrug.
The conversation continued for some mo-
ments longer, and then. at his friends
suggestion, Cover followed him on deck.
where the two men, sheltered from the
keen blast. stood watching the twinkling
lights of Dover toward which the steamer
was driving amid the buster of sea and
wind.
Save for the watch forward and the off,
GERS on the bridge, Ronald Cover and his
companion were alone, and the darkness
surrounding them was profound. The rush
OF the angry sea dulIed the sound of their
voices, and with his gaze fixed on the faint
ly discerned shore, whereon he would step
presently for the first time, Cover peered
through the blackness.
I'VE shall be alongside the pier in half
an hour" said his companion. Move a
little. Cover. You're none too safe leaning
over the SIDE" and the two men shifted
their position, Cover relinquishfng his hold
on the rope by which he had been steadying
himself for an instant.
The bowling wind tore at the straining
vessel. mingling its strident note to the
roar OF the leaping waves-the steamer
to her destination, and amid the darkness
the two men stood watching the twinkling
lights. Then. suddenly. Ronald Cover be-
came conscious of two hands, pinioning his
arms. of struggling to retain his footing;
of face glaring down into his, and that
he was being forced backward.
Let gop' he cried, his voice stified by the
fierce wind. "Are you mad?" and he made
a desperate effort to free himself. He had
become conscious of his deadly peril. ''You
villainr' he shrieked, "you mean to murder
mel"
light on the foremost cast a momentary
CLEAN on the ashen face of the doomed
man. then the black night enveloped the two
figures once more, and the wild tumult of
sea and foam swept past them. There was
a swift plunge. for the murderer had re-
leased his hold on his victim at last. and
all was silent again. save for the scream
Of the blast and the hoarse roar of many
waters. as he bent over the side, whence
Ronald Cover had disappeared, looking
down into the horrible depths-alone.
His hands had been scratched in the
struggle. and he uttered an angry oath.
Then he descended to the saloon.
He had no fear that the murder might
have been observed. and a smile as Of
satisfaction rested on his handsome face
No one would ever know that IL had been
ne who had forced Ronald Cover over
board that stormy night, nor that the man
who had disappeared was other than Rich
ard Norland, his own name, which from
that moment would be changed for that Of
bis victim
Half an hour later and he was standing
on the pier watching the disembarfxing of
the passengers luggage. There were three
or four trunks labeled Ronald Cover, and
having claimed them he entered the railway
carriage, to be borne swiftly Londonwards
II was a year since he last walked the
streets OF the great city, and a pleasurable
feeling as Of homecoming filled his breast
as he strolled away from Bedford Row
next day. The papers found in the muir
dered mans desk had given Richard Nor
land all the information necessary to sat
isfy the lawyers; the affair had been very
successfully managed-the interview with
them had completed IL, and he walked
away from the Office with the family So
licitor.s obseQuious smile and deferential
bow lingering pleasantly in his mind, the
owner OF ten thousand broad acres and five
thousand pounds a year income. Coming
20 q stationer's shop. he went in to order
some visiting cards. as Ronald Cover,
Esq, OF Merridale Hall, Salop.
"I played for big stakes and won." he
told himself as he quilted the shop. mo
one would recognize me In this beard I've
grown" and he smiled as he caught sight
OF his face in the mirror of shop window.
He was so engrossed with thought that
the passers-by were unheeded. One Of
them. however. a black-robed woman, had
paused for a moment as he strobe past.
and her veil was raised. From out those
clear gray eyes had come a glance of rec
ognition. and the slightly parted lips ut
tered an exclamation as she turned, fol-
lowing him. a woman whose beauty
seemed TO have been dimmed by some great
sorrow.
With a quick step Morland continued his
way unconscious of the black-robed figure
logging him. He was thinking of a dozen
different things: how he had so success
fully personated the murdered man, and
how we'll the world would go with the for
merly impecunious Richard Morand He
had planned the crime one evening as he
and Ronald Cover had sat chatting in a
Paris cafe. only a week since-he had re-
IL. ia I'D