Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-01-15

- III ltITlUln I4tn ThQf
hau oVertaken the poor girl, and that she
was by that time, if still alive, confined
Within the walls of the mad house that
mad before been her prison.
her mother retained her self-nossos.
sion, though she knew full well there
was a blow in store for this gentleman
whoever he might be.
step in, sir. and be seated. Do NOT
refuse, for have that to tell Won that
Will strike a blow at your heart. ner-
haps, though l know not what relation
you bear to Nora Warner" she said.
DO not keep me in suspense, madam.
Nora Warner was very dear to me. In
heavens name tell me what has happen
ed to the poor girl" he pleaded.
You knew something Of her former
history, l presume" inquired the lady.
She had a double object in view. the
idea of finding out what he knew and
whether the story of Nora Warner. as
told to Carol. were true.
There is nothing of her past that I do
not know. madam. and if she has come
TO grief am well aware of the source.
Let a hair of her head be injured and
her villainous husband, Roger Darrell
must settle with me. Delay no longer,
l nray you, for every second is torture
to me-"
There was something frank in the
young mans voice and way of speaking,
that went straight to the little lady's
heart, and she knew that he was honest
and manly, hence she sympathized with
him in his sorrow.
u see you are her friend, sir. and as
such | shall conide the facts to you. Nora
Warner has again fallen into the hands
of those demons from whom she once
before escaped. The mad-house doctor
has been here"
us it possible"
There was a gritting Of the strong
teeth. and even in the candle light she
could see that the mans face paled with
the comprehensive knowledge of what
this meant.
She then went on to tell all that had
occurred, and he heard the news with
the aspect Of q man who suffered and
yet made no sound.
Courses on his head" he muttered,
f%iercely, when she was done. she is the
worst demon on earth, and the time will
come when retribution will fall upon him,
and it shall be my hand that deals the
blow. If he has dared to harm a hair
of her head | shall torture the life out Of
him." u,
When he became calm he made inQuir-
les, for it seemed that Nora had only told
him the circumstances Of her past with
out certain particulars. and he was glad
to be shown the torn card which the doc
tor had left behind him, and which Carol
had t~houghtfully picked up from the place
where she had thrown it IN the previous
night.
OF course this young man was the same
whom we saw in the company of Nora
| Warner at the time when she fought
her memorable duel with Captain Grant,
the Jack" whom the duelist thought he
had seen before and yet could not place.
While they talked Carol had joined
| them and her presence was acknowledged
by the young man with a polite bow. he
was unable to say what had been Nora's
mission in seeking the young girl again.
but all he knew was that the poor de-
ceived wife had discovered something or
the utmost Importance which must be
communicated to Carol without delay II
she would save her from years of intense
suffering. This was what she had been
irving her best to tell when the brutal
keeper choked her further utterance.
The widow had not dared to tell Jack
the full particulars of that terrible scene,
for she saw that he was Of an eXcitable
temperament, and ALSO that he loved
Nora Warner, and she feared the result.
1t was enough for him to know that she
was again in the power Of those villains
and as he seemed to possess Nora's en-
tire confidence it might be readily sup
posed that she had some TIM in the past
civen him TO understand what manner OF
man the doctor was.
While they were yet talking. something
very like a mufled shrek reached their
ears and caused them all to spring up.
..Wbat was that?" asked each in won
der.
..They say this place is haunted because
of singular noises heard here at times'
but / found they originated in a very
oommonnlace manner, for the loft above
th;s mill was occupied by a troop OF
lila oats and during the night they were
wont 70 indulge in a melee that to su-
.a..t;+ious ~earsssounded like the shrieks
of deadly foes, and their falls from rait-
ors that ended each combat was to them
a repetition of the old murder that took
Mace here. l remedied all that by shut
ting up the holes in the window oy means
Of which they gained %ingress, and ever
since that time | have never been Doth-
sred by any unearthly sound. Whatever
r. was we heard just now, 1t came from
tho interior of the mill, and will bear in
vestigation; so, il you would do us a
"a vor' sir, the time is at hand"
lack was perfectly willing, and the
-. Immediately entered the main por-
zion Of the mill by means Of a door in
tho hack Of the widows humble kitchen.
1~ had lighted a lamp in place of the
dim candle, and were thus enabled 10
NtA