Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-01-17

der Perhaps luck is going TO stand
by me still, and the cursed thing has
been blown into the wood and Is hid
den under the bracken. If so''--
he got UP with renewed energy-"if
so, let 1t lie there until after the trial,
after | come back He will be put out
OF the way them!
This view of the case was so e..
couraging that he dwelt on it, repeat
ing it over and over again, and then
went upstairs and secretly began to
make preparations for his departure
He prepared the way uy reading one
OF nis letters, while the butler was in
the room, and uttering EXPLANATIONS
of Impatience and annoyance.
Tut, tut! / shall have to go to
town, I'm afraid" he said.
Yes, sir" said the butler, as he
removed the untouched breakfast.
Yes. But I'm not certain Let
me see, what are the trains?"
There's the one at midday-you
have just lost the morning one, sir
and the evening train"
BARLEY Bradstone thought rapidly
1t was just possible that even now
or later in the morning, someone
might pick up the letter and take it
to Olivia, and he might hear from
her. He would wait until the even.
ing train,
He passed the day going over his
papers and letters, destroying some
and placing the others in the safe.
He had not opened it since the wed.
ding-day on which he had taken out
the revolver, and he stood before it,
looking into its depths with a dull
apathy. 1t was difficult to realize
that he-Bartley Bradstone--was---
murderer; that but for the noble
heroism and self-sacrifice of the man
he hated most in the world he would
at that moment be in the cell instead
of Faradeane, awaiting his trial!
He had been a cunning, an I'M
scrupulous man, an adventurer who
had never hesitated at any mean or
base action, so long as it was Just
within the law; who had never hesi-
tated TO secure or push an unfair AL,
vantage, at whatever cost to others.
But murder! With a shudder he
shut the case to, as if he would shut
out all remembrance of his crime.
Having secured and destroyed ais
papers, he finished his packing. lie
had always been lavish in decking
his person with icwelry, and the
and odds and ends of gold
gems which he possessed repre-
scented a large sum Of money. Fe
thought OF packing them with him,
but ultimately decided to leave
them behind, and locked them in his
safe.
Then he forced himself to eat
little of the early dinner which had
been provided for him, and at last
got into the carriage and was driven
to the station. He noticed the Grange
carriage standing at the steps, but he
saw that it was empty, and concluded
that it had been sent to fetch the
squire who may have been travelling
up the line on some business
He did not see Bessie, who was
in the shadow, and, more
still, he did not see Seth
and the woman who entered the train
just as it was starting
COiled in d corner of a first-claSs
he tried to sleep, NptI
every jolt and rattle of the train
seemed to voice that sudden SHREK
which rose from the lips of Bella
Bella as the bullet struck her, and
he tossed and turned in that hideous,
acute watchfuness which is sign
post on the road to madness.
Then it suddenly occurred to him
that possibly the note had been found
and the police were already search
ing fer him! If so, to alight at the
London terminus would be to step
into the arms Of his captors. His
ready brain met this new difficulty
and danger, He resolved to get cut
at one of the stations on the line
this side of London, and after some
fixed upon BasingstOko.