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Avenged At Last

Avenged At Last image
Parent Issue
Day
23
Month
April
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

ICOPYKIiïHT, 1890.1 f COKTIKCED. ] mía wo i: iiirry tho thing re the words vrbli 't elicitod. He listened attentivcly and asked: "Well, wüat do you propase to do?" "The ftrst st p will havo to bo taken by you," said Bmurick. "but I willmake a suggestion. Tho man who is to personate Peroj Lovol is an expert pecman and can pasíly learn to sign his namo liko tho Engliab'man, but you must get the copy; and tho bost means I know will bo tuis: you had better maintain your pleasant rolations with the Dolaros and toll Armida that you made a great mistiike which need not 8ever your friendship. You will then be speedily roinstated in your former position wilh tho family. Then some afternoon - tho soonor the better - try and persuado that fat old Blodger, whom you say is with them, to talie Armida and his fat boy to the exhibition, or anywhero out of tho way, and you can stay to keep Mrs. Delaro company. If you do nut make an opportunity during that timo to get ono of that Engli.shman' letters you are not quito as activo and smart as I think you are." "Yes," replied Eugeno. "That appoars to be a foasiblo plai, and the least wo can do is to give it :v trial." So they parted on thisunderstanding, little thinkin? onder what auspices thoir next moeting would tako place. CHAPTER XX. When Eugene noxt called on Armida ho did as his fathcr had suggested. He told her that hc had mado a great mistake and asked hor permission to remain on friendly tcrms sothatho might continue to improto himsolf under her tuition and ftuidanoe. Armida gladly consonted and he was onco more wcloomed to tho Dalaro circlc. He did not ajaia see hia father for several days, and was theroforo unable toreport, but fortuno favored his plans and ono afternoon when Eugone was feigning hard study with Armida, Mr. Blodger camo bouncing into tho room and announced that ho was going to seo the matineo porformanco at tho Wild West show and Invitad thcm all to company hira. Armida at onco acceptsd the invitation and so did her mother, but Eugeno macïe the exouse that his heail ached. "All the moro rcason why you should go," said IilodgiT. "'It will drivo your headacho away. " StlU Eugene v.ould not bc pei-suaded and Armida put it down to sulkiness. The excursión was not to be spoiled, however, by his refusal. Mrs. Dolaro suggested that he should stay at homo and "keep hou," as slio playfully termed it. This u:is oxactly what Eureno wantod, ur.il Qotbing could have suited him better. So ha rcadily con.sented, and the p:.Hy went outleavin,7 him to act as he pleased. Mr. Blodger was in his element. Ho took the little party throuh the American Exhibition; pointed out thoso things in which t.o wasespeoially interested, and finally they rcachedtho Wild West show and entered a private box which Mr. Blodger bad already gaged. u.hü performance, so familiar to most Americana, eommenced. Every thing went alonjí pleasanMy, and cverybody wasdeligbted, untilthe showcamo to a close. Af ter it ivas over the originator of it, Ilon. Ihiffalo IJill, held ono of his celebrated rcceptlons, whilo the visitors interes; ■! themsolves in rxamining tho tents of tholndians, thebuoking bronchos and uil the parapLcrnalia of the Wild West. At last when evoiy thin had been seen Mr. Biotlgor and his party turned to go. A9 they did so a disturbance suddenly took place noar whero they stood and two men could bo seen struffgling on tho ground. Tbe one seemed many years younger than tho othor and he was evidontly holding on to tho older man with an embrace which ho in tended ahould be lasting. With truc English instinct the crowd gatherod around the two men to see tho fight, bui when they noticed the dispárity in ago they murmured: "Shame! Shame!" Stillnobody tried to part them until a burly policeman pushcd bis way through the crowd and endeavored to part the cornbatants. With tho help of u. bystander he raised tho struggling men to their feet, but still the younger man held on and would not loosen his hold. "I will not let him go," he cricd. The pcoplo thought him crazy. At first it secmcd to be only a drunken squabblo, but tho onloolcers soon noticed that each of the men were well dressed and thon they knew that somotbing more serious than a momentary quarrel must be tho cause of the disturbance. The younger man whocried out so loudly was flushed and hot; his cheeks and nock wcro red as fast flowinR blood could mako them; but tho older man was pallid with the sickly huo of doath. This was only the oommencement of the troublc, hewever. Tho crowd had a delectablo troat in store for them. Mrs. Delaro was about to retreat from tho spot when she heard and recognized a voico she knew well. She at onco 'turned and raising her vail looked toward where tho burly policeman stood holding his two prisoners. Thero sho beheíd a sight which made her hoart leap for joy. Without a word to her companions sho ran towards tho policeman and clbowing hor way through the orowd grasped tho yoiing man's arm and cried out: "Percy Lovel! You alive? In Hoaven"s name, what is the matter?" Percy turned his oyes towards her and in tho same moment gavo the man he hold a powerful twist which brought his face in contact with Mrs. Dolaro's, and shoutcd: "Do you recognizo him?" Did she? Ah, this was tlio si'-romo moment of years of anxiety and pentup hatred. Throwing fcer arrus back with a tragic air, sho exclaimed in joyiul accent3: "Leon Vclasquez! My husband's murderor! Thank llcaven, wo moot at last!" IÍ the words had boen magie they could not havo had a quickor or stronger influence on the policeman. He was instantly awakened to the seriousness of the situation and in Ies3 time than it takes to write it he had manacled the acoused man, and was hearing him ofE towards one of the cffices, telling Mrs. Delaro and Porcy to CnUow him. Mr. Blodtrer, Armida, and Stephen liiodger, Jr., bad Imraediately followed Mrs. Delaro to ascertain what tho extraordinary movement on her part mcant, and as Mrs. Dolaro followed the policeman, Armida drew noar to her and excitedly askod: "Mother, dear, what does all this moan?" "It means, my child. that wo have run him to earth at last - oh, at last, at last!" "Whom do you mean?" "Hush child - the man who raurdered yourdear, dear father many yeara ago, the man whom he trnstcd, Leon Valasquez." Armida had almost forgotten that her father had .boen murdered, but this was no time for explanations, and Armida did not ask for one, but sne did ask: "Who is that man walking on the loft of tho policeman, mothor?" "Percy Lovol, my dear, whom we have so long raourned as dead.1' Then, without any regard to appearances, the impetuous girl rushod after Percy, and shook his hancU with a heartiness that gave both him and her mother great pleaaure, but which would have smothered Eugene's hopes forever had ho witilessod the deop genuinoness of her welcomo. A moment later the policeman took his prisoner into tho office, aud Mrs. Dclaro and her party followed. During all the time tho prisoner did not utter a word. He was allowcd to sit down, and when once ho raisod his blanched, terror-stricken face, Armida immediately recognized it "Mother, that is Mr. Emerick; tiiero must bo some mistake." "No mistake, my child. I know Leon Velasquez's face too well to ever forget it" Meantime. cabs had been ordered, and the prisoner, accompanied by two policemon, entered one, while tho others wero occupied by the rest of the party, and thoy drovo away from the immense Crowd, whioh had fcathered to the pólice station. Tho charge was entered, and Mrs. Dolaro and Percy wero instructed to appear next day and pive the ir ovldence aprainst tho prisoner. The entire party then roturned to the hotel tofjothcr. Mr. Blodgec, who was considerably myatifled and wished to hear the wliolo story, decided to company tho party, and of courso ho had to take his heavy-wéight son along with him. When they were once moro seated in one of tho elegant suite of rooms which Mrs. Dolaro occupicd, Armüia was tho first to speak- "Where is Mr. Bregy? Did he not Bay ho would wait until we returned?" "Probably he feit too unwell to romain and went to hia hotel," said her ïnother, but no soonor bad sho uttered the words than her maid camo into the room crying and soMjing: "Oh, Mrs. Delaro, they have laken Mr. lïrepry to tho pólice station, and there has been terrible tronble here." "Taken Mr. Brogy to the pólice station - why what do you rnean?" asked Mrs. Delaro. As well as sho could, in her excited state, the f?irl rolated how ono of the . portera, in passing1 tho door which waa 8lightly ajar, had seen Mr. Uregy standing over Miss Armida's writing desk trvinff to open it. The man watched him until lio liad opencd it and when Mr. Bregy liad hishat on ready to leave ho rushed in and scized him. The portar naturally felt justiiicd inplacing him under arrest as he canpfht him with a bundie of Bank of Kngland notes in his finge-rs. "Surely, there must be soino horrible mistake about it all," faid Armida. "There is no mistako at alï, miss," said the garrulous girl, "for they have locked him up at the pólice station, and he will bo taken before tho magistrate in the morning." Still Armida could not bellevo it, and was detormined to ero and seo Eugene; but as sho could not go alono, she accepted Mr. l'.lodger's offer toaccompany her. Whilo sho was avvay on this errand Percy Lovel told Mrs. Delaro his story, from tho timo he had left New York for South America up to the encountcr at the Wild West Show. "For tho past week," ho proceeded, "I havo been trying to find you. I have sought you at most hotels and examined tho register at tho American Exchango, but could not secure anv trace of vou. L TO BE CONTINUKD. I

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Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register