Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-08-02
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By WILLARD MACKENZIE
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girl must be glad to get any husband"
"A penniless girl What do you
mean"
Come, come, Grierson, put aside all
acting-it does not go down with me-"
said Wylie, with a hideous attempt at
jocoseness. "You know as well az l do
that on the 1st day of December, to which
it wants only four days, she will, accord
ing to the stipulations Of her mothers
will, forfeit her fortune"
"The 1st Of December twelvemonth, you
mean !"
What do you mean to say that you
really do not know that Constance is
twenty next birthday! can prove that
she is, from the registers; and here are
the copies" cried Wylie, triumphantly.
In much agitation, the old man put on
his spectacles and minutely examined the
paper; then fell back in his chair, with
a groan.
"But you will not, surely, insist upon
that cruel, unnatural will being carried
out to the letter?' he said, after pause.
my dear -dr. Grierson, l thought you
too good a man of business TO talk such
nonsense. The young lady has had every
opportunity of keeping her fortune, and
| think to lose it is a just punishment
! for her folly. ] shall not forego farth-
ing of my just claim"
"Then," cried the old man, you are
villainous scoundrel, and If you ever
dare to set foot In this house again, I'll
kick you down the stairs"
"You are not polite, sir; but the house
will not long be yours to lord over. Good
day. 1 shall have the pleasure OF seeing
you again on the first"
ITO think Of this !" muttered Mr.. Grier-
son, as soon as his visitor had gone.
"How could such mistake have occur
red? Perhaps 1t is only forgery of the
scoundrel's. I'll go and examine the reg
listers for myself"
spoken the truth.
81 would sooner have seen her married
to the greatest rascal unhanged than that
villain should have got hold of her
money" he thought. but where is the
poor child? Here am 1, groaning over the
loss of her money, when l am ignorant
of what might have befallen her."
From the first he had had suspicion
that she had eloped with Stafford, and he
resolved to at once pay visit to the art,
lists studio.
Stafford was at home. He had written
to Constance to tell her of the extraor
binary success that had crowned his eff
forts to clear up the mystery, and was
surprised that he had not received reply
that morning.
Imagine his CONSERVATION and terror
upon hearing that she had disappeared
His suspicious instantly reverted to Eleo
nore But he could trace no motive fol
such an act.
Mr.. Grierson at once perceived that hi
suspicious had wronged the young artist
who, in his terror and agitation, disclosed
that Constance was his affianced wife
The old gentleman received the tiding
in very different spirit to what he woult
have manifested a few hours back, ant
Stafford was quite surprised at his warn
congratulations. But there was no tim'
now for conjectures. With his usua
promptitude, he started at once for Wat
erloo station. When he arrived at Guild
ford it was too late to proceed to Lindoi
Grange that night. But he did not pas
J the time idly he at once put himself il
communication with the police, and mad
searching inquiries into all that they ha,
done and proposed to do.
To avoid unnecessary mystery and fu
ture explanations, we will Mt once put tn
i, reader in possession of the facts Of Con
! stances disappearance. 1t will be re
membered that Eleonore and Wylie wer
{ concocting a scheme to prevent the heires
) from drawing the sum of money she ha,
I intended to use for the salvation o
Pennrhyddyn. The plot proposed was t,
the following effect Eleonore was t
1 write letter to Constance to say tina
e if the young lady would meet her quon
dam friend, Ellen Jenkins, on a certain
a day, with a certain sum, she should b
furnished with certain written confes
sions, signed by her, Ellen, and by Par
sons.
: Being thus decoyed to an appointe,
spot, she was to be carried off and KEEP
e in a place of confinement until after tn
Y 1st Of December. Means, time and plac
were all fixed.
e Mr.. Wylie, knowing now eagerly Con
stance had always desired that myster.
Of her girlhood to be cleared up, neve
doubted that she would fall into the trar
' The place of appointment was the Guild
a ford railway station, at 8 o'clock the mex
( day.
). Constance might not 90 readily hav
e fallen into the snare had not her recen
t conversation with Stafford, which had re
a vealed to her how her resemblance t
: Ellen Jenkins had compromised her in
manner she had never dreamed, rendere
o her doubly anxious to clear up the mys
e terry.
The plan as arranged by Wylie for he
o abduction was as follows: Lindon Grang
a was scarcely more than mile from tn
= Guildford station. 1t lay of the Farm
ham road, which. passing over hill, ter
{ inmates just at the entrance to the sta