Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-04-02

same glfr-Deautlful, winsome Mabel
Raymond. I loved her from the hour
we first met, and I've no doubt my
rivals passion was as intense as my
own was rich wine merchant,
stock broker Both of us vowed to
win Miss Raymond, but from the first
saw that she favored Pickfords
suit. Yhis made me hate my rival
with deepest hatred. After they were
married went about for months like
one stupefied. In losing the only
woman l loved l lost all interest in
life, Then l began to lay plans for
Plckford's ruin.
when he and his wife were in Flu
rope | saw an excellent chance to ma
ture my scheme for his destruction.
first converted all my property into
cash. Then came to this secluded
place and had this house built, where
| might live apart from the world l
hated. Afterward I went to Dillard
Hatch, and placed five hundred
thousand dollars in their bank. knew
billiard to be noted schemer, so
took him into my confidence, and got
his promise to help me. Hatch, being
weak man, was not hard to rope into
the plot. No need for me to go into
details Of the steps by which billiard
and artfully spread net for our I'M
suspectlng victim. 1t is enough to say
that soon after Plckford's return from
abroad he was ruined man. Penni-
less though he was, he didn't lose
heart. He moved into palmer quar-
tiers and took up the practice Of law,
a profession which he had followed
before he became stock broker. But
my vengeance was not yet satisfied.
Mind you, though, took pains never
to let him suspect I was even most re-
motley connected with the cause Of
his ruin.
AUST when Pickford was having
his hardest struggle I went to him
with an offer to start him In business
He gratefully accepted my offer.
sent him alone to New York with a
large sum Of money. Then, disguis-
ing myself, followed him. In the
city removed my disguise and sought
out Plckford, telling him I had
changed my plans for him. directed
him to come here the next night, but
to tell no one of our business. He
kept the appointment. We met at the
station, six miles below the hills, and
walked here to this house. II was
do I'll tuh Ia ur0d
fond OF wine, so after | had urged
many a glass upon him l conducted
him to this vault. Then | shut and
locked that iron door upon him. He
had only caslx of wine to keep him
company. That was ten years ago,
and that door has never been opened
since"
A low laugh from the narrator end
ed his grewsome tale, while a CLEAN
Of fiendlsh triumph fitted across his
swarthy face.
A cold chill crept up my spine, and
| arose involuntarlly.
Was there truth in his awful nara
ton, or was 1t merely the rawlings Of
a maniac?
"a wholesome tale to go to bed on,
eh, Mr.. Hope? Ha, haw he laughed,
as he arose and led the way upstairs.
When I was alone in the room where
was to spend the night, / decided
that the wine which Parton had drunk
was responsible for the horrible story
to which | had listened.
Next morning, while was despatch
Ing an early breakfast, Negro Joe and
Parton carried out cask Of wine,
which they placed in my wagon.
Just before starting, my strange
host handed me sealed letter, say
ing:
"Give this to billiard, and tell him
I hope he'll find the wine superb.
Good-by, Mr.. Hope" and he waved
me off.
When / reached the bank gave the
letter to Mr.. billiard. As he read It
his face turned n sickly hue and his
mouth twltched nervously. Recover
ing himself, however, he ordered
Hatch and me to open the cask which
Parton had sent him.
We obeyed at once. As the top OF
the cask was broken open, we started
back in horror.
There, preserved In wine, was a
human head--the head and face of
Caleb Parton, the recluse millionaire
Then billiard explained that his let
ter was from Judson Plckford, who.
with the help Of Negro Joe, who hated
his harsh master, Caleb Parton, had
effected his escape from the vault
But month later, his wife having
died, Pickford had returned one dark
night and killed the man who had so
cruelty ruined him. The head Of his
enemy had been put in a cask Of wine
to send to the banker, who had aided
in accomplishing his financial ruin.
with peculiar cunning, he had appro-
priated not only the name and looks
Of Parton, but his property and bank
account as well. In carrying out this
deception, he had a faithful ally in
Negro Joe.
II was Plckford himself who had
related the dark story to me, II
seemed almost incredible. A visit to
the lonely stone house with two Off
GERS discovered a headless body in
the vault. But PIckford and his ally
had disappeared.