The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-06-17
Lizzie Hexam, frfghteDed ~ -,


lovers, disappeared. Neither Head.
stone nor Eugene could trace her. But
Headstone fancied that Eugene womb
md her and for weeks he traiIed hid
rival. Eugene was aware of rbss
morose figure that was never far he
mind him, and he took an impigh de-
light In roaming after nlghtfalI through
all the four quarters of London.
AT the same time, matters were an
preaching climax with the Boffins.
Slias Wegg was preparing his trap !:
MI. Boftin was daily growing more
surly. At last he biazed forth and
discharged John Rokesmith for asplr-
ing to the hand Of Bella to secure the
Harmon fortune. But Bella took the
part OF the dismissed secretary and
cried bitterly as she recalled the low
able Mr.. Boffin now transformed into
this terrible monster of greed. She
sought again the poverty Of her child
mood home. 1t did not take John Roke-
smith long to find her and the cherubic
Mr.. Wilfer felt happily faint when he
saw his Bella's head find what seemed
natural resting-pIace upon Johns
breast.
Meanwhile Eugene had found Liz
Zie's hiding place, near Plashwater
Weir Mill Lock. Eugene rowed up the
river TO the hamlet, but did not notice
the interested lock-keeper who swung
open the gates for him. Nor did he
know that a man dressed like the lock-
Keeper was near, watching him with
baIeful eyes. The latter was Bradley
Headstone; the gate-keeper was
Rogue RiderhoOd, who was known TO
hate Eugene. Riderhood puzzled more
than a little when he saw Headstone,
with murder in his eyes, in clothes pre-
cisely like his own.
Eugene walked at nfghtfall with Liz
zie by the banks of the river. Head
stone could not know that Lizzie
begged Eugene to go away, but he saw
their lips meet. A shadowy figure kept
close to Eugene after that until some
thing seemed suddenly to crash in his
head and the stars and moon reeIed
in his sight. He closed with his as
sailant, there was a scuf1e and
splash. Lizzie, tormented by her talk,
had not gone to her room. She heard
the splash and rushed to the river
bank. When she saw a face in the
river she hurriedly Ieaped into a boat.
No man could have been more skilIful
with oars. She reached the floating
body, caught it by the hair, secured it
and screamed for help. Help did not
come before she had bound and kissed
thatsface that was so dear to her.
Scared and married as he was, Eu-
gene struggled back from the border
of death. He did not expect to re-
cover when he asked Lizzie to marry
him, but she was as proud of him
when she was made his wife as though
he had been standing in full strength
by her side instead of lying helplessly
in bed.
Rogue Riderhood remembered that
Headstone had intended him to suffer
for the crime. So he announced that
he would dog Headstone until he was
paid handsomely. Headstone knew
that the sc0undrel would trail him for
ever, as he had trailed Eugene. He
walked away without a word, with
RiderhoOd at his heels. He stepped
0Ut C0On the bridge that held back
the Thames and then suddenly caught
his tormentor with a grip that could
! ~ hh rhrl-nr Thou xl-v~or--1nI ka al
and forth on the brink, steadily near
| ing the edge. Riderhood tried in vain
| to draw a knife. He fought, he tried
to squirm free from that relentless EN-.
! brace. At last he went over backward
with HeadstOne gripping him. They
found the bodies locked together.
In the meantime Silas Wegg tight
ened his screws upon the hapless Bof
fin. But the dramatic scene that he
had planned did not work out, fol
there was a later will than the one ht
had found. giving everything to Mr.
Boffin. So Mr.. Wegg was suddenly
swung out of the house and into 6
passing scavenger's cart. His wooder
leg waved a gyrating farewell as he
passed out of the Boffin house.
Bella Wilfer had become Bella Roke
smith, and there was wonderful, TIM
Bella before she understood Mr.. Bot
fms strange miserliness. Not til
then did she learn that her name wal
Bella Harmon and that MFR. Bofiin haC
been troubled by her hardness o
heart. So he had decided to try her
It was for that reason that he had
been so gruff and misery. He wa'
glad he had done 1t, for it had PROVED
Bella's worth and given her the maj
who loved her. And now, although
the Harmon fortune had been left b,
the last will to Mr.. Boffin. he reso
lIutely refused to take it. he KEEP
only money enough to live comfortable.
| for the rest of his happy days.
The magnifieence of the new hom'