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


the Thames, his arms bare. his hair
matted, his clothes mud-begrimed
( Twilight deepened the shadows cas-
by the huddled buildings of London,
hut his gaze did not swerye. His
daughter. a girl of twenty, rowing In
obedience to his mods, regarded him
with a fascinated dread. Suddenly he
stiffened; the bird of prey had sighted
the quarry A Pew minutes later be-
hind the boat a body bobbed and
lunged. Hexam had found another
corpse, the pockets of another drowned
soul to rifle. 1t was this grisly liyeli-
hood that was reflected in the fright
ened eyes of Lizzie Hexam.
The story of that find was to be
talked about in drawing rooms; in
/ dingy homes along the waterside and
I in the comfortable bar Of the Six Jolly
/ Fellowship-Porte in the musty shop
Of Mr.. Venus where skeletons leaped
/ out of corners as the fire frightened;
( In BofIin's Bower behind which rose
the dust-mounds that had created the
Harmon fortune. For the body was
! identified as that of John Har-
mon, returned to England to claim
a fortune of 100000, left him by an
eccentric father upon condition that
/ he wed a girl whom he had never
/ seen.
John Harmon was decreed dead and
\ the fortune came TO NicodemuS Bofin
/ He remained the same unaffected and
/ lovable man he had been in the past
/ when he was foreman in charge of the
dust heaps. They were singularly
( happy, We're Mr.. and Mrs. Boffin. Men
4 and women laughed at their oddities
( but never with malice Commonplace
as they were. there was a sterling
worth to them.
Eager to atone for his lack Of school
/ ing, Mr.. Botiin hired Silas Wegg,
/ wooden-legged vendor of sweets and
ballads, to read aloud Gibbons story
of Rome. His eyes popped with
astonishment as Wegg plowed stolidly
ahead making havoc of Roman names.
Il didn't think there was half so many
Scarers in print Mr. Bottin muttered
sageIy.
4 lie acquired, too, a ward and a sec
rotary. Bella Wilfer had been named
In the Harmon win as the sons future
bride Her blighted hopes so troubled
/ Mr. BofIin that he installed her in his
home. treating her like beloved
daughter And soon after John Har-
mon disappeared there came into Lon
+ don mysterious John Rokesmith, who
obtained the position of secretary. 4
secretive man was John Rokesmith,
unwilling to speak Of his past
Rogue Riderhood, former partner
and now sworn enemy TO Jesse Haxam.
set afOot suspicious that Hexam had
murdered John Harmon and the law
trailed the vulure of the Thames. 1t
found Jesse dangling behind his boat
as SO many had dangled there before,
swept overheard and caught in his
rope. Eugene Wrayburn was one of
the trailers, and again he looked into
the clear eyes of Lizzie Hexam.
Lizzie found refuge with Fanny
Cleaver, better known as the Dolls
Dressmaker, a fantastic little creature
With a tongue as sharp as the needle
she so necessarily piled. Intruding
into Llzzies life came the love of
Bradley Headstone, a morose man, and
Of Eugene Wrayburn. conscious that
She was too far below him for mar
riage unwilling TO do her harm, and
yet unable to resist his longing to be
near her.
Rejected, Bradley Headstone vowed
vengeance upon the man whom he be-
lieyed responsible. In the Botfin
home. too, unhappineSs was brooding.
Bella Wilfer her head turned by
wealth, remembering poverty at home.
set her heart upon wedding a rich
man and discouraged John Roke-
smith. The secretary had other trou-
bles. lie was trying to put together
the past He recalled a voyage, a
ship upon which he was known as
John Harmon He remembered COM
tng ashore and going with mate TO
The house Of Rogue Riderhood Some
where was a room where he drank COT
Zee, Then stupefaction. with CLEANS
pf memory cOneerasd with a fight. a
slide. cold water Swirling about him.
u rescue and a decision 10 test Bella
by taking another name After that
4 The discovery Of the mates body, mis-
taken for that of John Harmon.
Suddenly Mr.. Botin seemed to lose
his amiabiliyy. He was gruff with his
y secretary; he turned b stories about
ndsers The mere 1 save, the more
you shall have" be said 70 Bella. bat
ahe did not like the cunning look in
his ewes. Nor was Silas Weee aIoof
from the lust for money. He cast COW
arous eyes upon the mounds that had
made AIR. BoHn the Gelden Dust
uaa." He explored their lowlaads
and their SUBMITS. uoking about for
treasure Perhaps there might Ne an
other win He did find a later Har-
mon will and cherished il as a weapon
a.hnrg-Kffh hn ws~,vvf7 NF,-sa