Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-12-25
CHAPTER VI.-(Continued.)

At last came the eventful day, and
name Nature could never have made a
more glorious one, for the sun shone
from a ~cloudless sky, cool, delicious
breezes blew, and everything looked
bright and beautiful.
When Carol assumed her bridal robes
she looked too sweet and sad for mortal
ewes. and even the heart Of the fierce old
man throbbed with a half-pity when she
directed a look at him, as If in mute en-
treaty.
He had hoped against hope, and now
.oply anger and despair reigned in his
beart. There was no chance of rescue
loft now, it seemed to him, and the sac
riGce must go on, though it cut him to
tbe heart to see his darling child welded
N such a desperate villain as he knew
the Captain to be.
From an open window a pair of keen
.eyes watched all that was %transpiring.
Though many years had passed away
since he had set eyes o n the interior of
the Terrace, Roger did not seem to for
ret certain things about the mansion with
which he had been familiar at that time,
and from among the vines outside a little
\ balcony he could observe without being
himself seen. Not twenty yards away
the swiftest horse in all the surrounding
country was in waiting, hidden by the
trees.
Roger barrels was not the only form
that crouched at a window and looked
on, for a man dressed in black, and with
a certain foreign air about him, was at
one of those opening upon the piazza,
and his eyes were glued upon Captain
Grant with a cold CLEAN in them, while
from his mustached lips fell the words:
AT last / have run him down."
The ceremony commenced. 1t was des-
tined never to go through, and yet not
through this mysterious foreigner who
appeared to have such an attachment for
the soldier duelist came any interruption.
From the easy attitude he had assumed.
it was easy to see that he intended watch
ing it through.
Zone wife more cannot hurt the rogue.
for he has already had at least ten. so
far as my knowledge of him goes. As for
the girl, she loves him not, and it will
only please her to learn that she is not
his wife. The Count plays his cards
well, but that branded hand and the
black glove have betrayed him."
In the midst of the ceremony, however,
quite an un~looked-for event occurred.
Both at Richmond Terrace and Darrell
Chace there were machines for manufac-
turing gas, such as is the general custom
among the wealthy planters of the South
ern States, and the whole supply was fur
nlshed by a single pipe.
While the minister was just propound-
ing to Carol the solemn question as to
whether she would take this man to be
your lawfully welded husband sudden
and complete darkness came upon the
whole house, every gas jet being extin-
guished on the instant.
The effect can be imagined. Conster-
nation filed the mind of almost every
one, and the few guests present were
alarmed, not knowing what was about to
happen.
Captain Grant did not realize whether
this was an accident or part Of a deep
laid plan to rob him of his intended bride,
50, in order to be ready for emergencies,
he threw one arm around her. At almost
the same instant, however, Carol was
Jerked from his encircling arm, and he
received a blow on the head that stag
gered him. He made a clutch, but his
arm only clasped the empty air. Whittier
the young girl had gone he could not
guess.
A light was struck, and upon being ap.
Piled to the gas the rooms were once
more Illuminated. Then the truth became
apparent.
Carol was missing.
WHITTIER she had gone, or who had car,
RED her away, not a soul in that room
could say. Perhaps Lawrence Richmond
could give a shrewd guess, and, as some
'ning like the truth came through his
mind, he could not help the faint. grim
smile that crept over his countenance. 1t
caught the eye of Captain Grant, and in
snother instant he was at the mans side,
us hand clutching his arm.
You have sealed your doom by this
act Lawrence Richmond" he Kissed
savagely.