The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-04-28
CHApTER XXIII.-(Contlnued.I

CHAPTER (Continued.I
It was dark when he returned to th'
house, and he closed the shutters ant
barred the door very carefully before h
sat down by the fire to reflect upon hi
next step. He had been rejecting on tha
all day, without seeing his way too clear
" to the results on which he had set hii
heart--a large sum Of money, and new
life abroad to enjoy 1t In.
He would not 20 upstairs yet awhile
another hour would be OF advantage tC
him, and he must wait. The bank a
Worcester was shut, and there would b.
no getting money till tomorrow morning
before that time came she would sigr
the check, and remain prisoner In
Jackson's button factory until time had
heeno allowed for him to cash It. That
was the end Of the brilliant scheme which
be had planned out like an artist.
Suddenly there was violent knocking
at the door, and Peterson sprang up, with
bis hand shaking on the back Of the chair
He reached his hand toward the candle
and extlnguished the flame, as his first
. resource against an unseen enemy. bhen
be crept on tiptoe toward the door.
who's thereT
"Let me in"
"Tom Eastbellp' calculated Peterson
He opened the door, and dragged tbs
applicant for admiftance into the house
hg the collar Of his coat--a man drench-
ed to the skin by heavy rain.
"You muddlerl' shouted Peterson;
"why couldn't you stop at Sedge Hill
How dare You come intermeddling
Didn't you leave II all to me1'
"Here--let go my throat---let fellow
speak. What are you doing in the dark
Where are they all2 Is Sarah here
has she signed the checkY'
Peterson released Ibis hold and 1ocked
the front door again. Tom followed hin
into the room, and sat down shiverlns
by the fire. His companion and adviser
rellghted the candle, and held II to hii
face.
why did you comeT
''For safety. oh, Ned, shall be hang
edP Tom cried. "The old woman Il
dead, and everybody thinks have dom
It. Here's a blessed go for an innerscn
mani never touched her, upon my soul
she died right off, bang, In the pictur,
gallery, and II was nothing to do witt
me. l wouldn't have thought Of sucl
a thing"
"Dead7 The old woman deadf' 4ait
Peterson, surprised again at this avOwal
"0hl--ughl-yes," he said, shudderinI
more strongly. 'Her eyes opened sud
den; Ned, and she was off ! shall neYel
MI ha ~
an, Hartley, came In when screamed
and said that had murdered her. wnl
talking her over to make win, whes
she died--that's all. Obi let's go to Lon
DON"
''Tom," said Peterson with excitement
''you must go back. You must not leave
everything to that Cuiwick. The old
woman has died naturally--the doctor
Will prove thdt--and you have nothing Il
fear
"0hl haven't II That's all you know
about It."
"You accursed IDIOT don't you see that
you are rich hT--that Sarah Eastbell wal
only between you and colossal fortune
land Sarah Eastbel Is dead, too"
Sarah dead, toop' screamed Ton
Eastbell fun his new excitement; "oh
don't say that 1t can't be-"
"Hushl Keep II quiet; II Is an eterna
secret between you and met but she
sprang out of the boat suddenly last
night, they tell me, and was drowned,
In a day or two they will find her In the
Severn, and you will be heir-at-law."
"1'hey'll say killed the couple Of
them"
Sarah ran away from home--cvery-
body knows that--and came to harm by
accident. There Is nothing more natural.
Poor Sallyl She was q good sort
said Tom; "and she-she's dead then.
Thank goodness II 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 Culwick--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,
fsol, to all that wealth."
huWuTu ItlcFbou cAClletnenI VIA
greater than Thomas Eastbell's now. He
thrust him from the house; he locked
the door after him; he tottered back to
the room.
Tom Eastbell would be rich--lmmense.
" rich--if his sister Sarah were removed
from all the troubles of this worldl Tom
Eastbell In his 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 steadlness Of
step up the stairs. A strange specimen
OF villain this--for he went into his
daughters room first, and said, "PooI
Bess--you have gone for good them" and
walked out again, and up the remaining
fight, with very sorrowful countenance
He drew the key from his pocket, unlock
ed the door, strode In, and then stopped
suddenly man struck, as Il were, into
stone by his amazement.
The room was emptyl