The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-08-30
oO15Tigat A, Q. H0OlaIS : O. iSlL
Goontlnued from fourth Dagel

summer-house. He was threatening
Claire, trying to drive her into mar
rying him offhand. We had a bit Of a
fight and I got the best Of 1t. When
left wore his coat, and later found
your papers in his pocket Do you
remember how they were addressed?"
He shook his head.
Simply Mortimer It occurred to
me he could turn them over to Clin-
ton, accuse the colonel of treason, and
share in the confscation of this es-
tate, or else hold them as a threat
over your sister. / burned them"
He was silent for a long minute;
breathing hard; then he thrust out his
hand and clasped mine.
"The damned villain!" he ejaculat-
ed, his voice trembling. Every move
he has made has been an attempt to
ruin us. l can see 1t now. Do you
suppose Claire really cares for the
fellow?"
Il am very sure she does not"
"Then what, in heavens name, does
she let him hang around for? ! al
ways hated the sight of his black face
and internal grin, but somehow, /
thought she rather liked him. won
der If ho can be there now! If he is,
then he and Fagin are up to some dew
ilment"
"And what that may be Wen never
discover by talking here" 1 put in
sternly, suddenly realizing we were
wastingItime. Come, let's get around
to the north side"
We came in back of the summer
house, and had just left the road,
when three horsemen galloped past,
straight up to the front door, which |
stood wide open. The black shadow |
Of a man appeared in the glow of
light, shading his eyes as he looked
out into the darkness.
"Is that you, Culver?"
yes" sullenly, the speaker swing
ing down from the saddle.
We'll, you've been hell of while
getting here. Fagin will skin you
alive; it's nearly daylight already"
Did the best I could; the cantin
hypocrite wasn't at home; had to go
clear to Medfod after him. Come on
now, get out o that!"
He dragged the center figure rough
ly from his horse, and hustled him
up the steps.
"The OIL fool thinks we're goin' to
kill him, I reckon; been prayin' for
an hour past. Bill got so mad he
choked him twice, but it didn't do
no good. Here, take him along in,
will yer, and let US hustle some grub"
The man addressed grabbed the
limp figure far from gently, and
hustled him through the door. AS the
others disappeared, leading the three
horses, Mortimer grasped my sleeve.
That's Preacher jerks" he whis-
pered, from down at the Cross Roads,
What can Fagin want Of him?"
'Tf Fagin is Grants tool, and Grant
is here" I answered soberly, Il am
ready to make a guess at what is up"
The recollection Of the captains threat
at the summer-house instantly re-
Cured to memory Here, you lads,
skulk down into these bushes, while
try that balcony That is the library,
isn't it, Eric? l thought so; I've been
under guard there twice: The win
dow shows no light, but some one is
in the room beyond. Give me leg
up, Tom, and stand close so you can
hear if l speak"
It was not high from the ground,
but could not grip the top of the rail
without help. With Toms assistance
l went over lightly enough, and with
out noise. The window was the one
which had been broken during the
first assault on the house, and never
repaired. / found ample room for
crawling through. The door into the
hall stood partly ajar, a little light
streaming through the crack, so l ex-
perienced no difficulty in moving about
freely A glance told me the apart
ment was unoccupied, although 1
heard the murmur of distant voices
earnestly conversing. Occasionally
an emphatic oath sounded clear and
distinct. My first thought was that
the men with me would be better con-
cealed here than in the bushes below,
and / leaned over the rail, and bade
them join me. Within another minute
the three Of us were in the room in
tently listening. 1 stole across to the
crack Of the door. The hall was
empty so far as I could see looking
toward the rear of the house, and the
voices we heard were evidently in the
Occasionally there was
a clatter of dishes, or the scraping Of
a chair on the polished floor. One
voice sang out an order to a servant,
a nasal voice, slightly thickened by
wine, and I wheeled about, gazing in
into Mortimers face.
That's Grant," he said quickly,
and half drunk"
q thought so; that's when he is
really dangerous. Stay close here; If
he hallway is clear / am going to get
nto the shadow there under the stairs.
Have your weapons ready"
Where the fellow was who had been
It the front door could not deter
nine. He had disappeared somehow,
ind slipped along the wall for the
ten feet like a shadow, and
'rept in beneath the shelter OF the
From here / could look into
he room opposite. although only
lortion Of the space was revealed.
There was no cloth on the table, and
Iut few dishes, but counted a half
ozen bottles, mostly empty, and nu-
nerous glasses. Grant was at one
IL a.