Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-02
then, should I be expected to mourn

! then, should be expected to MOURN
over niece who did not care enough
for me to invite me to her wedding?
It would be an affectation unworthy
the man who has at last come to fill
his rightful position in this community
as the owner Of the great Moore es-
tate. For great 1t shall be- he en-
phatically continued "In three years
you will not know the house over yon-
der. Despite its fancied ghosts and
death dealing fireplace, it will stand
Al in Washington. I, David Moore,
promise you this, and am not man
to utter fatuous prophecies. But
must be missed over there"
Here he gave the mastiff the long de-
layed kick. "Rudge, stay here! The
vestibule opposite is icy. Besides, your
bowls are not wanted in those old
walls tonight even If you would go
with me, which doubt. He has never
been willing to cross to that side of
the street." the old gentleman went on
to complain, with his first show of ir-
ritation. But he'll have to overcome
that prejudice soon, even If 1 have to
tear up the old hearthstone and recon-
struct the walls. can't live without
Rudge, and will not live in another
place than in the old home of my an.
cestors."
was by this time following him out.
"You have failed to answer the sug.
gestion l made you minute SINCE"
I hazarded. "Will you pardon me IL
put 1t now as question? Your niece,
Mrs. Jeffrey, seemed to have every
thing in the world to make her happy,
yet she took her life. Was there a
faint Of insanity in her blood, or was
her nature SO impulsive that her aston
ishing death in so revolving a place
should awaken in you so little Won
derw
A CLEAN Of what had made him more
or less feared by the very urchins who
logged his steps and made sport Of
him at respectful distance shot from
his eye as he glowered back at me
from the open door. But he hastily
suppressed this sign of displeasure and
| replied with the faintest tnge of sar
| casm:
"There! You are expecting from me
feelings which belong to youth or to
men Of much more heart than under
standing. tell you that I have no
feelings. My niece may have developed
insanity or she may simply have drunk
her cup Of pleasure dry at twenty two
and come to its dregs prematurely. I
l n n do HIT
concerns me is that the responsibility
Of large fortune has fallen upon me
most Unexpectedly and that I have
pride enough to wish to show myself
capable Of sustaining the burden. Be-
sides, they may be tempted to do some
mischief to the walls or floors over
there. The police respect no mans
property. But I am determined they
shall respect mine. No rippings up or
tearings down will allow unless l
stand by to supervise the job. am
master Of the old homestead now and
mean to show It," And with last
glance at the dog, who uttered the
most mournful Of protests in reply, he
shut the front door and betook himself
to the other side of the street.
| AS I noticed his assured bearing as
he disappeared within the forbidding
portal which, according to his own
story, had for SO long time been shut
against him, asked myself IL the can.
die which had noticed lying on his
mantelshelf was Of the same make
and size as those I had found in my
late Investigations in the house he was
then entering.
ITO be continued.)