Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-05-11
| orRanSOm
BY WILLARD MACKENZIE

! ttuNe DIDhtll ltDIl Nv tu lsDIIlIuott .
strong arms had not Trale md n cou,
pie OF policemen at that moment r,-ih
ed In breathlessly from the terrace.
In an Instant the handouts were on.
and Lavarick was helpless iii the
| grasp Of the constables. a scene OF
confusion followed, in which Jordan
! gllded to tlle window; but Tralc had
slipped before it. aud closed and
barred his retreat. af w 1927 49,.
Then Sylvia. who had flown to
Mercy's side, uttered a cry. Mercy
had slid from her grasp, and had fall
en- llfeless to the ground. Trale stood
between Jordan and the window.
ID you dare to stop me, fellow
demanded Jordan.
Zone moment, Sir Jordan" said
Trale. Then he waited until Sylvia
and Audrey had gone out with the
servants carrying Mercy. "Will you
kindly close the door, Mr.. Neville?'
he said.
Neville shut the door.
I've ventured to stop you. Sir Jor
dam" said Trale, "as / have some
thing of Importance to communicate
to Lord NARROW. and l should like to
do it in your presence"
He drew the will out of his pocket,
and placed 1t on the table in front of
the v%lscount. At sight of it Lavarick
uttered a low cry.
The will" he said.
Jordan looked from3on to the other.
his white face set defiantly.
what is this?" demanded the Wis
count.
"Sir Greville's lost will. lay lord"
replied Trale, .grayely, and with evil
lent enjoyment. 1.-The last will. my
Lord. Sir Jordan knows its contents.
If you'll glance through it. you'll see
that 1t leaves the property very differ
emily from how it goes now. There
is Il third to Mr.. Neville. and a third
to the daughter of the lady Sir Gre
vile wanted to marry"
The ~viscount looked at the will.
Read It. you, Lorrlmore," he said.
'.How did you come by this, Trale?
It's a serious matter"
Yes. my lord" assented Trale. ut
was found By NJ. Neville. IN the
trunk of a tree. where Jim Banks had
hidden it while he was bargaining
with Sir Jordan for it
Layarick nodded, his bIoodshot eyes
fixed on Jordan.
"That's so" he said. 81 stole 1t on
the night the old man died: that scoun-
drel would have burned it if l had
not. He knew of it all the time. He'd
have bought it Of me. L met him on
the Burrows on Friday, the 10th. and
put 1t In the tree; he got behind I'M
beknown to me and stole it: how Trale
got it I don't know"
Jordan laughed.
"a clumsy invention, Lord Marrow
he, said, contemptuously. This man
is in league with our clever friend
Trale. or has deceived him-the latter,
I think. I have eve met this man
on the Burrows, or elsewhere; the
thing is a forgery, I have no doubt.
Why, the fellow has been already con-
victed of forgeryw
Banks gnashed his teeth.
IF you'll only let me loose for a
minute, only a minute!" he said to the
policemen who held him. II won't
attempt to escape"
'.Sir Jordan's memory is at fault"
said Trale, laconically. HE was at
the Barrows on Friday night, the 10th,
for I was there and saw him, and not
only +, but Nj. Neville
"Neville." exclaimed Jordan, unwit-
tingly-
Eyes, Sir Jordan. up in the tree,
just above where Jim Banks placed
the will" said Trale, politely. .Mr.
Neville and l heard every word that
passed. You We're to give. Banks
twenty-five thousand pounds"
The ~viscount uttered a note of as
constituent.
Come. Trale," he said. This is
IMPOSSIBLE"
Trale took out a paper parcel, care
fully sealed, and laid it on the table
as he had laid the will.
IF you'll open that, my lord"
The viscount opened It, and there
lay the notes.
II picked them up when the candle
went out, Sir Jordan he said, almost
as blandly as Sir Jordan himself could
have snoken.