Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-01-09

{
, Only One !
; Charles ~ Love s
GARVICE
,

1t was all over. Just as the cr1m1
nal in the dock, when be sees the judge
placing the black cap ON his head
knows that his doom is sealed, Stephen
knew that all was lost. But the will
as not all subdued yet.
There was Davenant blood in his
veins White to the very lips, he
stood and glared at them, one hano
grasping the table, the other thrust in
| his breast. Then an evil smile curl
ed the cunning mouth.
"Cleverly planned" he said, speak
i ing as if every word cost a pang
Il You have beaten me, thus far. Gid
i eon Rolfe, I congratulate you upon
/ the success of you maneuvers; in an
other hour your daughter would have
been the mistress of Hurst; she will
now, 1 presume, be the wife Of a beg
gar
Gideon Rolfe looked at him with
stern, lmmovable eyes.
Stephen smiled and took UP his
nat.
"You have robbed me of my bride"
! w 49,
home which still remains to me-"
! There was an intense silence. Then
a slight stir as Jack, carrying Una in
his arms left the room followed by
Mrs. Davenant. With haggard eyes
Stephen watched them, then, with a
convulsive movement, he took up his
| hat
'"You will find me at the Hurst" he
said: II will go there If there is any
law in the land which can punish you,
l will have it, though it cost me the
fortune Yes, will go home
Still they were silent. Whether
from pity, or awe at the sight of his
misery, they were silent. He looked
round and, as if he had called, slum-
mers, glided to his side. They had
already reached the door, when voice
said.
"Te1l him."
1t was Jack who had returned to the
room.
At the sound of the voice, grave and
plying stephen swung round as if he
had been stung.
'You are here STILL" he said, and a
glance of malignant hatred distorted
his face. 81 thought you were in
jail by this time. You were waiting
to take your wife with you. 1t would
have been wiser to allow her to go to
the Hurst"
"Tell him. said Jack.
With a slow, almost reluctant move
ment, Laura Treherne drew paper
from under her jacket and held it up
Stephen looked at it for a moment
rs if his sight had failed him, then he
smiled.
"The plot thickens," he said "You
have robbed me of my wife; you have
no doubt, some ready-forged document
to rob me of my estate. Am | to
give the credit to you for this?" Then
he broke out wildly, with mad laugh
s'It is forgery! forgery! | will swear
it, There is no such will. The mar
riage never took place. You've to
prove both yet! You are not so clever
as l thought. You should have STOP
ped short where you were. You have
cot her, be satisfied, the rest is mine!
Mine, and you cannot take it from
me-" and he held his clinched fist to-
ward Jack as he held all Hurst in his
grasp,
Show him." said Gideon Rolfe.
Stephen waved his hand contemptu-
ousIy.
"a stale trick" he said. ga clumsy
forgery. You cannot connect it with
my uncle's death. Go to your law
yer-Hudslep, if you will; he will be
ready enough to help you-and he will
tell you that proof is impossible
AS he spoke his voice grew clearer.
1t was a relief to his oyerwrough brain
to fight them on ground he had so
often mentally surveyed. With an in
solent smile on his face he leaned
both hands on the table and looked at
them.
Come he said, you have not won
everything yet. The Hurst is mine;
laugh your forgery to scorn. I will
spend every penny of the estate to
contest it. I assert that this paper
was forged-last night-1f you like.
You cannot prove it was in existence
an hour sooner; I defy you. You
have overreached yourselves. Take
care This is your hour. Mine will
come when l see you in the Dock
In his excitement he had not noticed
the entrance of the bent figure of Sket-
tie and he turned with a start as the
thin, dry voice, close to his elbow,
quite right, Mr.. Stephen. That's
croaked:
their weak point-want of connection.
If they could carry it back, say to the
night of the squire's death, now, it
would be different
Stephen looked round with cum
ming smile of defiance.
|"This old fool will bear me out.
Show him your will"
"a daring forgery this, Mr.. Stephen,