Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-06-18


Headstone fancied that Eugene would
find her and for weeks he trailed his
rival Eugene was aware of this
m0rose figure that was never far be-
hind him, and he took an impish de
light in roaming after nightfall through
all the four quarters of London.
At the same time, matters were ap-
preaching a climax with the BOffins.
Silas Wegg was preparing his trap /;
Mr.. Boffin was daily growing more
surly. At last he blazed forth and
discharged John Rokesmith for aspir
ing to the hand of Bella to secure tho
Harmon fortune. But Bella took the
part Of the dismissed secretary and
cried bitterly as she recalled the low
able Mr. BofEin now transformed into
this terrible monster of greed. She
sought again the poverty of her child
hood home. 1t did not take John Roke-
smith long to find her and the cherubic
Mr.. Wilfer felt happily faint when he
saw his Bellas head find what seemed
natural resting-place 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
baleful eyes. The hitter 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 nightfall 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 reeled
in his sight. He closed with his as.
sailant there was scuffie and a
splash. Lizzie, t0rmented 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 leaped into a boat.
No man could have been more skillful
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
that"face 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
ne would dog Headstone until he was
paid handsomely. Headstone knew
that the scoundrel would trail him for
ever as he had trailed Eugene. He
walked away without a word, with
Riderhood at his heels. He stepped
out upon the bridge that held back
the Thames and then suddenly caught
his tormentor with a grip that could
not be shaken. They wrestIed back
and forth on the brink, steadily near
ing the edge. Riderhood tried in vain
to draw 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 srews upon the hapless Bof-
fin. But the dramatic scene that he
had planned did not work out, for
there was a later will than the one he
had found giving everything to Mr..
Botfin So Mr.. Wegg was suddenly
swung out of the house and into a
passing scayenger's cart. His wooden
leg waved a gyrating farewell as he
passed out of the Boffin house.
Bella Wilfer had become Bella Roke-
smith, and there was a wonderful, tiny
Bella before she understood Mr.. Bof-
fms strange miserliness. Not till
then did she learn that her name was
Bella Harmon and that Mr.. Bofin had
been troubled BY her hardness of
heart. So he had decided to try her.
1t was for that reason that he had
heen so gruff and misery. He was
glad he had done it. for it had proved
Bella's worth and given her the man
who loved her And now, although
the Harmon fortune had been left by
the last win to Mr.. Boffin, he reso-
lutely refused to take it. He kept
only money enough to live comfortably
fer the rest of his happy days.
The magniicence of the new home
where Bella was to live impressed even
her impressive mother, and the cheru-
bic father was made Johns secre-
tary and released from the numbing
life that had been his for many years.
But perhaps John and Bella and the
Bomns too who were living with them
We're made happieSt by the long visit