Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-07-26

| from the city bringing anOther car Oh
friends and procession of motor cars
brought to the door guests from the
neighboring estates.
/ In the house. Helen. radiant iii eve
ming attire. was descending the stairs.
Storm waited at the foot 10 meet her
and after receiving her guests she left
the scene for few moments with her
lover. The last among the laggarda
seemed to have arrived when a big
limousine, turning in from the high
way, was driven rapidly through the
grounds and stopped in front of
Helen's door. The car contained three
men~-Seagrue. Ward and Adams.
wait in the garden" was Seagrue's
command to his companions Il will
go in, look the field over and report in
few minutes"
When Seagrue crossed Helen's
threshold that night. a strange feeling
came over him. An OceaEside lady, an
old acquaintance. was the first to ex-
tend greetings. She noticed the strained
expression of his face and the ravages
made on it by his recent dissipation.
She was. indeed. shocked. Il haven't
seen you for an age" she declared.
And you're not looking bit well.
either, can tell you What's the mat
teri" she demanded a shudder
seemed to pass over him as she spoke.
Are you ill?" she asked with wide
open eyes
! Then a reckless look crossed his
face. He called up once more the old
smile. Not a thing" be insisted
Nothing whatever. It's little cold
outside tonight Perhaps he added
with a restless laugh. his eyes wander
ing over the gay faces all about. 'some-
ones walking over my grave.
oh" exclaimed his friend, Are
you superstitious?
NO" returned Seagrue. almost
fiercely. "only tired of the world and
everything in it. Where is Helen?"
She's in the library" said his com
panion. You're awful late. Let's &c
and find her"
She would have led him into the
library He stopped on the threshold
{
| a vision, what others-now that the
room was filled with laughing men and
women-did not see. He saw mid
night within it and his own accom-
plices in a death grapple with an old
man. He saw that old man laid cut
a few moments later on a couch. doc
| tor bending anxiously over him to de
| tect heart beat And he saw the sur
I geon's face as he looked up and grave
! ly said General Holmes is dead y
Despite his reckless bravado. a
shudder gripped him for an instant
again. He shook It of and braced
/ himself with angry resentment. No,
he said brusquely, Il won't go in there
too much OF crowd for me. III
try the reception room" Tuning. he
encountered Rhinelander. TIE two
men greeted each other briefly.
Rhinelapder spoke with kindness 70
his nephew. lie tried to tell him that
he wanted him to do differently. He
assured him that neither he nor Helen
cherished any lasting resentment for
what had gone before and now that
! they two were the winners. they meant
to be generous to the losers and TO
/ him in especial.
Il am willing" declared Rhineland-
err, "and ! think that Helen will stand
with me in it, to give you an interest
| in the mine--it is big enough to make
| a dozen millionaires. Make man
of yourself. Earl. that's all we ask.
Well do the rest"
Seagrue regarded him with an ex-
pression so terrible that it shocked
Rhineiander. but what was passing
through Seagrues mind. he could not
/ tell.
Tomorrow" Seagrue muttered, like
! one hardly in possession Of his senses,
not tonlght--I'n talk to you tomor-
row. Where's Helen?"
| She left here this moment for the
/ conservatory with George Storm"
Seagrue took a step forward. as If
I 10 20 to her. Then he stopped and
turned away. Someone took Rhine
landers attention and he lost sight
! of his nephew, but the woman who
! had first spoken to Seagrue afterward
related what she saw. Seagrue looked
! once more toward the library. He d.
rected his steps toward it. On the
threshold he halted abruptly again.
! DIS II rudely checked by an unseen
hand. He looked about as IL he saw
and heard what others did not see and
hear. Then. shaking himself loose
/ from the seeming clutch OF invisible
/ fingers. he took a determined step.
/ stroo. into the library as one who
accepts a challenge, walked defiantly
through the room and out Of the French
doors he himself had opened on a mid
night to a murderer.
He disappeared from sight in the
/ sbrubbery Of the garden and walked
/ some distance before he encountered
those whom he had gone out to meet
/ Even the two hiding men saw the emo
1 ton under which he was laboring. He
told them what he had seen, told them
Of Storms escape. the thwartiug of
his plans, and with oaths gave them
orders as to what to do and how to