Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-08-08

here and watch the train of. Goodbye,
dear, dear Laura!"
She put her arm round him and re-
turned his kiss. end glided away, but
at the turn OF the road leading to the
station she turned and, holding up her
hand. sent a word back to him.
IL was:
| Remember"
Stephen waited until the train puff
fed out of the station, and not until 1t
had flashed some distance did the set
smile leave his face.
Then. with a rather puzzled and I'M
easy expression, he turned and walk
ed swiftly back to the house.
His brain was in a whirl, the sudden
appearance of the young girl coming on
the top of the other causes of excite
ment bewildered him, and he felt that
he had need of all his accustomed cool
ness. The sudden peril and danger of
/ this accursed will demanded all his at
tention. and yet the thought OF the
girl would force itself upon him. He
had met her. as she had said, in the
/ streets. and had commenced an &C
ouaintance which had resulted in an
! engagement. Alone and unprotected,
save for an old grandfather, and in
nocent of the world, Laura Trehern
had been. as IL were, fascinated by the
smooth soft-spoken Stephen from
/ whose ready tongue vows OF love ana
devotion rolled as easily as the scales
: from a serpent in spring-time. And
he. for his part was smitten by the
{ dark eyes and quick, inpulsive way Of
the warm-hearted girl.
But there had come upon him OF late
a suspicion that in binding himself to
marry her he had committed a false
step; tonight the suspicion grew into
Z something like certainty.
I To tell the truth, she had almost
4 frightened him. Hitherto the dark
eyes had ever turned on his with soft
ened gaze Of love and admiration; to-
night. for the first time, the hot, pas
sionate nature had revealed itself.
4 The deep-toned Remember" which
u came floating down the lane as she dis
I appeared rang unplcasaHtly In his
ears. Had he been a true-hearted
man the girls spirit would have made
hel more precious in HIS eyes; but,
cowardlike. he felt that hers was a
stronger nature than his. and he be-
gan TO fear.
Yes he mutterec. as be unlocked
the library window, and sank into
chair. 1T was a weak stroke, weak
stroke, But can't think of what is
To be done now, not now!"
No. for tonight all his attention must
be concentrated on the will.
wiping the perspiration from his
brow, he lit another candle. This
time nothing should prevent him from
destroying the accused thing which
stood between him and wealth; he
would burn IL at once-at cnce. With
feverish eagerness he thrust his hand
in his coat, then staggered AID fell
Lack white as death.
The pocket was empty. The will
was not there.
II am a fool" he muttered, with
a smile. Ct put it in the other coat"
and he snatched up the overcoat, but
a glance, a touch showed him that 1t
was not there either.
Wildly, madly he searched each
pocket in vain. went on his knees and
felt. as If he could not trust his sight
alone. every inch of the carpet; turned
up the hearth-rug, almost tore up the
carpet itself, shook the curtains and
still hunted and searched long after
the conviction had forced itself upon
his mind that in no part Of the room
could the thing be hidden.
= Then he paused, pressing his nand
to his brow and biting his livid lips.
Let him nk-think-think! Where
could il be? He had not dropped it on
the stairs or i'm any other part of the
house for he remembered, he could
swear. that he had felt the thing as he
stood in the study buttoning up his
overcoat. If not in the house, where
then?
Throwing aside all caution in his ex-
/ citement, he unfastened the window,
. and. candle in hand, examined the
grand terrace, traced every step which
he had taken across the lawn-and all
. to no purpose.
II 1T is lying in the road" he muttered,
, the sweat dropping from his face.
Heaven, lying glaring there, for
any country clown to pick up and ruin
, me. must-I will find il. Brandy
must have some brandy-this-this is
, maddening me-"
, And indeed he seemed mad, for
, though he knew he had not passed 1t,
/ he went back. still peering on the
ground. the candle held above his head.
I Suddenly he stumbled up against some
object. and, looking up saw the tall
figure of a man standing right in his
path. With : wolfish cry of mingled
fear and rage he dropped the candle
and sprang on 20 him.
s'You-you thief" he cried, hoarse-
"; give II to me-give 1t me-"
. g.,