Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1890 — BERENICE ST. CYR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BERENICE ST. CYR.

A Story of Love, Intrigue, and Grime.

BY DWIGHT BALDWIN.

CHAPTER V. STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

ELP yourselves /fy'/l' 1° ebnits, fcentlemen,” said Bears, with what was meant to be a / RkN ylunsh, but which y\ ! ’wp / sounded more \_zjy like a R r oan, as ( I be seated himlink self upon aboard. Ilvlfflh/OilA “Your apartrlSw' $ A? ment * 8 not a ver Y 'J|WO7 '7£\ e l®>-' Hnt one,"repied Morrisey yWwjgffiA "Eh, Bloom?” "No,” respondec* th® third man, “ but it's quiet. Sy ' \ nn d our business ’ 8 strictly ccnfiaMT IsKWT den t ial. ” W'A With this, a > Bloom seated his UWf) heavy form upon \ Vrl / th® box which / L ft concealed our Zw] /. V I h° ro w *th a vior V w I® BC ® that threat- ' / ened the destruc- > tion of the lid. g “Now the whole " story." said Mor-

ris. 'lf I’m to become ft member o f the triangle, as you coll it, I want the bottom facts. " 'But you know ’’ “Next to nothing. I know that you and Martin Bloom, here, came to me at. midnight last night and proposed a scheme for half a million or so. You had located the bonds purchased by the First National Bank for St. Cyr last week. I agreed to negotiate them, though if will be risky busitfess, and you undertook to produce them. Besides doing that you seem to have killed the old man. ” “Don’t affect innocence, Max. That was part of the original plan, and yon are as deep in the mud as we are in the mire. I hate hypocrisy." “Not more than I, so toll what you’ve done, and what the chances for detection are. ” 'There is no danger. After I left you I struck an idea—an inspiration.' »*I judged, so since the papers announce that the police know the perpetrator to be one Cole Winters, with whom I have a slight acquaintance.” The man smote his thigh and laughed coarsely, though »t the tame time he took care to modeiate his voice. “Yes, but the burden fell on him through the merest accident." “How so?” “He rescued Berenice " “I lead nil about it.” “The old man took him home, and, in any hearing, told him that the bonds were in the safe. Then he engaged him to ■care for his property during the prospective absence of himself and daughter in ■Europe." “Quite providential.” “Id crown all, he presented him with a ring which he had worn for more than twenty years, and invited him to pass the ■night in the house.” “/nd the inspiration?" “Was the ring." “I don’t see " “This morning it was found in the ■death-locked hand of the old man." “You’re a genius, Al! But tell me all about it.” “After we left you last night, we went •at once to Calumet avenue, where I entered the house by means of keys with which I was shrewd enough to provide myself months aeo. We found the old man still in the library, and—don t say there’s nothing -n luck after this—actually eng a ed in looking over the bonds and making memoranda ior his new ate ward— curse him!” “So you could have got along without me, an’ my ab lity to pick a lock and crack a gopher, to say nothin'.' of a little toy safe like that,” interjected Bloom. "Well, I’m in the deal, an’ I propose to stay there till the last card’s dealt and the game won—or lost.” “Don’t croak!” snarled Bears, “well, -we made a bargain. As Martin wouldn’t be called on to blow open the safe, I traded work with him and let him tend to the old man. He was weak and couldn’t have hied long, anyway." “Hist!” warned Bloom, nervously. “Not se loud. You’re just as guilty as I am, both of you. ” “Nonsense! This isn’t a question of guilt, it’s • matter of business. “Go on!” urged Morris impatiently. “After I’d appropriated the bonds and what other valuables Mart hadn’t already •towed away in his pockets, I went np«tair< to look after the young man, your former clerk, who, besides capturing the old man, se. ms to have made a decided impression on the susceptible heart of my charming little Berenice." “You didn't kill him there?"

•Don’t be stupid, Max. I didn’t kill him at all.’ “The i you’ve bundled matters in a wav I didn't think possible!” “Stop cloaking. I had abetter scheme." “Out with it." “First, I put h m under the influence er chloroform. This done I closed the ring in tbo band of old Paul, and when Winters had revived a little forced a good dose of your elixir down bis turoat.” “ Capital ide -! And then?” “He I ecouie as tractable as a lamb and went with us to a room in the block below here. ” “And is there now?” “Can’t »a ." “You don t mean " “That we left the door open so that he could walk out when he wakened." “1 hat was foo.ish!” “Why so?" “H« will iell all he knows.” “ti hi h is nothing." “Aud wbat then?” “He will be convicted and hung." “But the case against him—how strong will it be?" "He will plead guilty.” “Talk sensibly!” “Ido. NV'beuhe is searched the most damaging e idence will be found U| on him In hie pockets there are numerous articles taken from the Bt. Cyr house, including the old man's w«teh aud diamond pin. Besides sewed up in his shirt are one of the bonds and the beautiful set of jewels presented Berenice by her father yesterday. NVhat do you think of that?" “Good. Better than I expected of you.” “And there’s lots of blood on his clothes,” added Bloom, “and some of my best saws, tiles, and keys in his pockets.” “You've done well!" cried Morris, enthusiastically. “Only " “What’s the matter now?" “You might h >ve put in something of less value than the jewels and that bond, ■which is for $5,000.” “ You deny it, Morris, but you’re a Jew, and a mean one. Those things are trifles. Besides, they will all come back." “How?" “They will be found and turned over to the daughter.” “I suppose so." “Which is a roundabout* but no less a certain way of getting them into my hands, since I’ll be her husband w.thin u year. ” “Well!” cried Morris, admiringly, “but you nre a more comprehensive rascal than I ever imagined. ” “But she suspects you," warned Bloom. “She won’t very long." “Aud the landed property you get with her?” suggested Morris. “We’ll divi-le the same as the bonds. You and Mart help me through, and you shall have one-half of it between you, net." “That’s fair. Speiking of the bonds, where are they?” “I was afraid to carry them about :nd had to take some chances in disposing of them, until we met here to-night.” “Where are they?” cried the two others in a bieatb. With his ear acainst the n-arro v opening our hero awaited the response. He had learned the details of the inf -mous p’ot, and was about to locate the immense stolen property. A moment later he knew the secret, but it sent consternation instead of joy to his heart. “Those bonds," wmsperea Sears, “that is the Hft> -vine of them, are in that box that Mart Bloom is sitting on!”

CHAPTER VI. X RUN OF GOOD LUCK. Only for an instant did the stout heirt ( of Co e Winters sink within him. He Was po.-sesse i of true American ' grit, and a moment’s reflection decided him to profit, if possible, by his sad predicament. The box was about one-third full of old rags and pe cos of cloth, and among; these he began feeling, taking care to make no noise. Almont immediately his search was rewarded by the discovery of whit seemed i to lie an envelope or wrapper nearly an inch in thickness. lie was in the act of trmsferring this | to one of his boot legs when a thought struck him. While at the exposition the preceding ■ night he had taken quite a number of the circulars of different city firms represented there, his object being to c •11 < n some of them and try to secuie employment. To his joy he found that they were still in his pocket. It lequitcd but a moment for him to chaute there papers for the bonds, thrusting the bitter into his boot nnd replacing the envelope where he hart found it. This done, he turned his attention once more to his enemies. As he did th s, the door closed and the key turned in the lock. “Well?” queried Sears. “They’re after him," replied Bloom, who : had just enteied. “ That’s what ' caused the racket.” “Who?" “The police! Ihey’re after Winters." “Has he been seen?" “They had him once, but he broke away; > t least that’s the talk on Clark street.” “They may conclude to search the buildings along here,” suggested Morris. “True,” assented Sears, “and we’d better be getting out." “Right you are!” cried Bloom. -“Secure the picture cards, and we’ll vamoose the ranch." He pointed to the rough box, and in a moment the young man had sprung forward and thrown it open. With a cry of dismay he staggered back. “We’re betrayed,” he'MssedjXdrawing and cocking a revolver. x “What’s the racket?” demanded the burglar, imitating his example. “There’s some one in the box. Make a move, and you die for it!”The winning was addressed to the unknown intruder. “Bring forward the light. Max,” he continued, “while we keep him covered." “Thunder!” ejaculated the last named individual as he ttrshe I into the box the penetrating ravs of a dark lantern. “What is it?" queried Sears. “A dead man! fc “No, he’s drunk.” “Thuuder,” cried Morris. “What’s the matter now?” “Hanged if it ain’t our man, Cole Winters!” Another moment md three pairs of eyes were glowering upon the apparently inanimate iorm of our hero. “How came ho here?” asked Morris. “Slipped in to evade the police!” replied Sears. “Is he dead?” “No; don’t you see he's breathing?” “The close quarters and lack of air have revived the power of the drug, that’s all. Lend hand.” A moment later Cole was lifted out and laid, or, rather, thrown upon the floor. “Look for the bonds!” urged Bloom. “Here they are,” announced the young man, as he drew forth the package upon which our hero had thought!ully replaced the rubber ban! that held it together.

“Pae if they’re all right," importuned the burglar. , “Oh, non«ense! We’ve other business j to dispatch.” ' NV iti this he thrust the supposed valnI able packet into his pocket. i . “What are we to do with him?” asked Mor.is, giving the form upon the floor a kick. “We’ll leave him here, and take good I pains that the police search the building, j Oh! we're in for a run of good luck." “I don’t know about that,” declared Bloom, lugubnouslr. "Why?" demanded both the others. “The newsboys are crying out extra, with a ba 1 p ece of n^ws,’outside. I forgot to tell you whbn I came in." “What’s that?" csked Sears. “The sudden death of Beienlca St. Cyr!” “You don’t mean th it?” “No, I mean th it!” The burglar emphasized the final pronoun, and pointed «t Cole Winters. He had borne without wincing his rude fall to the floor and the brutal kick of the so-called banker, but the sudden ani nouneement of the death of her who, ■ though the acquaintance of an hour, had made an indrhble on upon his beatt, was too much ior him to bear. He had forgotten his perilous position, and with eyes wide open had half risen to a sitting posture. “Confusion!" cried Sears, at the same time producing his pistol. “You’re keener than I imagined,” said Morris in admiring tones. “You ought to be a financier, Mart. You’re wasting your talents on burgling.” In the meantime our here, seeing that nothing was to be gained by further simulation, had risen to his feet, and with folded arms stood confronting his armed enemies. “What have you heard?" demanded Morris. “Don’t turn fool in your old age, Max,” sneered Sears. “He’s heard everything, of course!” “I heard you say that Miss St. Cyr was dead," faltered Cole, who had instantly realized that he had been trapped. “It isn’t true, I’m sure it isn’t." “I guess you’re right. Mart Bloom is a conscientious, truthful man, but I’m afraid his imagination was rather active when he made that statement. My pretty Berenice will have a piece of news tomorrow, and, what’s more, it will have the merit of being true.” “And that is ’’ “An account of your death!" “Good enough!” ejaculated Bloom, while Morris bioathed heavily through his close-set teeth. “Do you mean to murder me?” demanded Cole, t-king a backward step aud clinching his hands. “Ob. my, no! That’s a rough word. We propose to remove you.” “You're a lot of miserable cowards!” “You’re becoming rather perso ml. Mr. Winters, but I’ll overlook it in iiew of your excited condition. Beside-, to tell the truth, you are about rUht. W’e are a little bit afraid to leave, you running around loose < ole V inter- looked from the sneering face of the young m»n to the cold, im-pas-i ve one of ‘he money-lender, and i lealized that no chance for life would be | given him. “I’ll make one for myself, ” he decided suddenl . This lesolution formed, he dealt young Sears n blow which sent his revolver flying acioss the room, and brought him heavily to the floor. He was in the act of following up his advantage by assaulting Morris, when his arms wore seized from behind.

Although unusually strong und active, our beio was as powerless to move as if held in the grasp of one of the giants described in the romances of his boyhood. He struggled and plunged, but the strength or Martin Bloom so far surpassed his own as to render his efforts entirely futile. Than he bethought himself of his voice. “11 el ” The word was f drly driven back into his throat by the brutal h ind of Morris, which descended heavily upon his mouth. “Let me at him!" shouted Sears, who had leguined his feet and drawn a murderous knife. “Hist!” warned Morris, raising his hand and stepping between the enraged young man and his intended victim. “Don’t we want to get rid of him?" “Yes, but not that way. A blow has deprived you of every idea save that of revenge." “He mus’ die.” “True, but it must be accidental." “How?" “ I hat’s for you to decide.” “I’m equal to the emergency.” Reason had gained the supremacy over rage, und Almon Sears laughed mockingly and smote his white hands together. “Good! What do vou propose?” “This way.” Leaving Bloom in charge of the prisoner, Morris took the dark lantern and followed the other to the rear of the long apartment. Near the back wall the young man stopped, and stooping over began tugging at a ring in the floor. After a little ft section of the floor began to move, and a moment later a trap-door had been laid back, leaving an aperture some four feet square from which a close, almost stifling smell arose. “What's that?" queried Morris, at the same time recoiling from the onening. “It’s a cellar, just the place for us. “How came you to know about it?” “Mart and I brought some plunder here over a month a.o. We spent the greater | part of a night here. I like to know the i nature of my sunoundings, and the ditfer- | ent avenues of escape in the event of a surprise, and so surveyed the premises." I “ What’s below?" j “Nothing but foul gases and death." “But his body will never be found I there?” I “Won’t it? I’ll arrange that matter. I It will not only be found, but with it I what will be regarded as certain proof that he was accidentally killed by falling through the open trap. Leave’ that to me. I’ve a liking for details. This wav Mart!” y ’

[TO BE CONTINUED. I

Just About. Many things more nonsensical than trying to eat soup with a wooden toothpick might be named, but salting down weal th, without economy, prudence,and forethought, is about’ as difficult.— fiain’is Horn. Ix Wellington, New Zealand, a diver who had gone down some thirty feet to place some blocks for a pier foundation, was attacked by a devil fish that succeeded in fastening on him, and. in spite of all his struggles, pinned liim to one of the piles of a retaining wall. The diver, however, had the good sense to remain quiet, and the devil fish, whose arms measured quite nine feet’, quitting hold of the pile, was brought to the surface on the back of the diver and killed. These monsters are reported to be very numerous in Wellington harbor.