Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1898 — PAYING THE PENALTY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PAYING THE PENALTY.

BY THE SCOTT

CHAPTTSB XX.—<CiDtinued.) “I was in that gambling house, father. A m*n ascended the stairs Just ahead of me. jbt to observe and study the tea-' bares of*this man that I followed him. I soon after forgot what led me to do so. I cant^msmbCTno.more— no ui<jre!” to observe «]Bd: study' his features!?” asked the banker. _ *&s! ■ r *1 was do So bj ote |l cannot now nape, I failed, utVny fliled, In my mlmlCtii. I will not bCliev4 that lam gull# Jfft that terrible crime. I hOver before am not guilty!”"' ' “That ylkrare not, my-feyT’ exclaimed a husky voice, and the tall fotSa-of Sellars, bftd t th ? stairs aWP'WfftCtd “Thank, God r ß dttff KbbCrt. jMdkmUliik the hQltet about the neck of logg{ ' His intent Was te remove one and let the law remove the other.” “Pray,” said the inspector, “who may 'Hr® lacs- the detective? Allow me y ty in pijfsqil r Mr. toS^n#(A4 the SyrrouaMig nds Ybi couldSuot hake hqtfd'of-ltr-r:.^ ?Ul noticed a record in % npn)>kng Journav’ the said, “jy vwll caii-tuad talk matters ovey before I leave t)m,,city, I am'here on a natter in whicnT fflify “ 1 f must make haste now.” >“Giad to aid you at time, Mr. liirtU t ftvill, place half my: atgyonr V. D F| I V'Ohyjkanks, many thanks, r'may not nieed one of see dirk with which the assault Was committed?” ' “Certainly. I ha tie it here.” And the Sellars. “A silver cross embedded ih tne nilt. Let me see?” And a dark inner the blade of the weapon where if had reposed prior to a certain event that was 4nabte:*rtMW , £icmW ) ta£ #. A silver oross.on.me blit of.tne. dirk. A'Silver cross on me sf WflftV this 4 few hourfr/ - {li ff '■ “Certainly.” ‘ banker had been standing here Robert introduced him the detectivpdi .asaaiYJtaa hardly understand, Mr. Sellarfe; yetluunk my’ brother has written useconcerning you. Do you not reside in Wilmington?” “My home Is there,” answered the detective. “You will understand all when I have explained; but there is not time now. I have matters in hand thait cannot be deferred. I wish you and your son to accompany riie.” “But Robert cannot be released until—” “Oh, that Is all right now,” said the inspector. “The boy is free. lam perfectly satisfied that Mr. Sellars’ assumption of the case is correct. Though had the blow proved fatal— —” “Robert would have been released before night, inspector. There ifcsfto assumption in this case—on my part.” The clock in the inspector’s office struck the hour of eleven, as Sellars, accompanied by the banker and his son, stepped into the street. “The bonk has not been opened to-day,” ookL Mr. Kellogg. “I had Earl post a notice on the door this morning. However, I have my key and we can gain adm“lhSre no wish to Visit the bank,” said Sellarsi | we go oyer to the hotel?” ” “No, Mr. Kellogg, we must visit your hqpl&, and at once. There |s t6 lose.’ _ -• i “My home! Why, Ido not at all stand that!” exclaimed the banker, filled with astonishment. • “Nor could you be expected to, at this ttt£ AH will.be made phtin to you soon.” “Earl left the Ration Just, .before you returned,’ hither. He called to express his sympathy.”

‘‘Yes, yes, I presume he has gone to inform his motheT of the situation. Poor Elinor! She was nearly overcome when I told her of the fearful calamity that had befallen us. We will cause her heart to, rejoice. Here Is the carriage.” The three men entered it and the vehicle rapidly rolled away. “What time did you return, Mt. Sellars?” asked Robert. “I arrived on the 10:30 train from a visit to Richmond.” “Then you were here previous to that time?” said the banker. “For a few days.” “I see you carry a small package under your arm,” observed Mr. Kellogg. “Do not forget and leave it in the carriage when we enter the house. The urchins on the streets of Chicago are of an uncertain quality.” “I shall hardly forget it,” said Sellars; calmly. “That package contains the contents of the one which Collector Elsworth of the express company was robbed on the, twenty-seventh of June.” “Impossible!” exclaimed the banker. “Oh, no; I assure you it Is a fact. But please request your driver to touch up his horses. Minutes are very valuable just now.” The amazed banker did as requested and leaned back in the vehicle with eyes riveted on the countenance of the great detective as the bay team sped on. CHAPTER XXI. Once on the north side of the river, Thomas guided his team eastward to Dearborn avenue, and out that residence thoroughfare the vehicle rolled on. When within half a block of the banker’s residence Robert observed: “There is Earl just entering the house now.” Not a moment later the carriage was brought to a halt before the gate, and the three men descended therefrom. “Mr. Kellogg,” said the detective, laying a hand on the banker’s arm as they passed up the walk, “no ordinary ordeal confronts you. It will require all your resolution and firmness of character to confront it. It was to fathom two, mysteries that I accompanied Dr. Strong to Chicago. I have fathomed both.” “Two mysteries! You accompanied Dr. Strong to Chicago? Really, I-—” “Let explanations come later, Mr. Kellogg; there is no time for them now. I ask of you only that you maintain your (Composure, and believe .that I make no move unadvisedly. Unlock the door cautiously, Robert. We must enter silently and without a word,’’ f ■, ; j?» , ) j The puter dopr was noiselessly swung open, and the three men entered the spa- : mi ':«■ *'••< rnmsslinf cn “I think, Mr. Kellogg,” the detective A woman s scream followed by the loud report of a revolver, cut short the gen-

fence and sent Sellars flying up th* stain, Robert close behind him, and the aged banker with the exclamation, “My God? -What does that mean?” closely following. 1 he door leading to the widow's apartits was standing open, and smoke from a »evolver was escaping into the hall.; >■ -, iThrough the door rusted Sellars, Robert ,fsßowing. " room had no tenants, but the door kdding so the inner apartment also stood open, and in it, with a smoking; revolver ' Clutched in his hand, stood EfrU .j ? {l ’•To grasp the revolver from his hand and thrust him before him into the room Iras the work of a single instant i, ! ' •* J;On the carpeted floor before a trunk Sat was standing with open lid, and half its contents strewn upon the floor, lay the form of a man. Standing with blazing eyes, disheveled Aair, and half her raiment ton) from her Jform, gazing with a look of malignant hate down upon the object at her feet stood Elinor Kellogg. “That ends the wretch!” were the words that had escaped her lips as the detective rushed Into the room. “Not yet not yet!” exclaimed Sellars.l “I must have a statement from this man’s lips. But first!” Before he was aware of his intent Cellars had the wrists of Earl securely shackeled. ' “Watch him,*' he said. “Ah, your father*” * w > ?:• • .- ■' lir.i, . • • i ; | “In God’s name,. Sellars, what means this?” ' s! “ “That wretch was murdering my mother when I ascended the stairs,” said Earl. “H& was choking, her to death over thak trunk. His motive must have been fiflbj bery. I fired to save my mother’s life. You can see from her appearance,” r . “Dear Elinor!” exclaimed the banker, approaching her. “My son states but tbe truth. That fiend entered the house and stole up the stairs while I was searching for something friend ofJAtidrbWiSdfloWg/ft i«,y/ ifi. > } The widow’s pale lips twitched. WSJWWttft lars, the Southern detective." ‘ ® ' 1 “You memory serves you well/*' Sellars, who- had raised , and laid op a s.ofa ; tha body by the trunk. ”S|t Earl! Robert, ran quickly for a doctor. This man yet lfve£ Whisky may* revive Khn.’ f ; “God grant—the widow halted tight' 'there. . : .j 0 ivj/Mnq wtr “I will repack p.v trunk,” she saitb“Sopeof that villqin’s hloodmayhave ” > "Be seated, madftih. I ’now give up the secrets'thjii: it'ct^itaiiia. : Your race is well irigh;mib.’^rr:^ rpifs *>dT The madam tank witb;,*, “Elinpr. dear,” said bapkdp,. approaching her, “1 understand nothingVf all this. Surely there tfiust <; be i tfertlbfe ■ misttfke somewhere.” ?q.B*cxf /-> j .n;J "YCt you allow this man. to PBult pe in yonr own house—tqseaqcU .py Jnipksj--. to, viUify me! Can I have no protection.': 1 I, who tenderly nursed Vour iVife ami daughter? I, your intended wifbV’ ; - , ‘Here ) Mr. Sellars,” said Robert, who had returned with a decanter of whisky, handed the detective a glass partly filled wjth the fluid.. “I dispatched Thomas for Dr. Hewlt,” he said. - a ? “Doctors can be of no use in this case,’, 1 ! moaned the man reclining on the “That shot was fatal. I shall soon breathe my last. There is internal hemorrhage. I have heard nearly 'all that you have said. lam ” - -*v “Wait!” exclaimed Sellars. “Step forward, Earl. Do you recognize this man? Did you ever see him before?” , “Yes, yes, I have. But where? Where.), Oh, I recall it now. He is the gentleman in blue, the one who Visited the bank and inquired bf the cashier 4f he- bad kept I record of the numbers of certain bills; He is k detectivq>: qr at leapt he claimed to-be W&frtihok Villa R> "Do you recognize him, Robert?” “I Mr. Sellars; he is the man of the park, the man of the gambling house, Who assisted mie down the stairs." : i "And the man who thrust this dirk blade into the breast of Lawrence Terry,” observed, Sellars, bolding the blade and sheath before the eyes of the rapidly sinking man. *■' :u “Now,” continued 'the detective, as. he affixed a heavy black mustache that he produced from an inner pocket, to his upper lip, “he is the man who assaulted “You—yon "ffiaye bt**Pt# have been S«uMr :* .“That iifd bills enclostweapj of d uiie, arid fitfeiraßwii. ElsfNitiiik receipted, Mr, SeHark?” asked.thei.banker«s ,n .** ' was **?*Tf' eonteins bed—Mr. Terry never handled the bills enclosed here.” , “I am completely at sea, Mr. Sellara’* “The collector did not bear from the bank the package for which he had receipted. Watching his opportunity, Earl —here he ig—made a convenient exchange of packages. The collector unconsciously bore from the bank a package of worthless- wildcat biUa. In most'.of the oases the banks of issue were defunct. Earl brought the. money for which the collector had receipted home; it is lying at the bottom of the madam’s trunk.” “Will wonders never cease!” exclaimed the banker, gazing steadfastly at his teller, who sank into a chair with a moan. “Earl,” he continued, “guilt is written on your features. Your trembling'limbs denote it.”

. “r was aware years ago,” said Sellars, “that Elinor Kellogg had a penchant sos buying up wildcat bills. There are thousands of dollars' of this same currency in that telltale trunk.” “You are a very.-remarkable matt,” obiserved the widow, with what calmness she could assume. “Pray what more cah you relate of my past?” “Much more, madam, much more. Your ; maiden name was Pearl Almegro. Yoij I are of Spanish descent, and early in life ’were an equestrienne in a traveling cir-r leus. Some of your light finery of those days of yore is in that trunk and Scattered upon the floor.” ’ “Indeed!” exclaimed the madam with vwide-open eyes. “On the sixteenth of June, 1839,” continued the detective, “you were married to Juan Zayola, a traveling magician, he (Was then. This is the man.” “Marvelous!” exclaimed the widow abjaently. - ■ i wßaacxmmimKmi j “Up to that time naught could be said against your character. From that date, 'yotir nature became changed. -Yoo did not became the legal wife of. Juan IZayola. He had a living wife and child.” —rj: -J. S0)~l r “You ascertained this within a week and left him. His wife had already committed suicide, leaving the'infant child behind.” :‘f, /•>/■ A deep groan emanated from the lips of Juan Zayola. “Give him the stimulant again, Robert. I think I hear the doctor ascending the stairs. “The child ,was a male. Yon secured the infant and raised him as your own. ,He grew to manhood believing himself your son. He is toy. kndwn Vs Earl Kelffcfgg.” fitti •j'ltTfv. .(Find j “My God!” groaned the> wretaheg inifih sp%i r fff (SuppopHdhat childrhad! 'wife'had fant I could obtain wfctmwJ’ f)DO"2 flO I “I

I . . • » M«. Investigations. They were obtained from dwMlesU Hem is «»t patient, doctor.- i . “Wkat new horror is this 7” exclaimed Dr. Hewit, advancing. “Why were you. Lang Sellars, spying like a bloodhound on “To bring home to your door, madam, at f (east some of the damnable crimes ybd ‘ 'have committed. You brought this Earl lup with a view to using Jtjm ftp <b e proper' time, if occasion ever presented, to Wreak vengeqpce joy the head of the man who dirabnpred you. MTien Zayola found that the money, he had robbed the collector of was worthless, he began an investigation. He became satisfied that Earl -had exchanged the packages. He discovered y6tf and believed he had acted under your guidance. Ho met yon by appointment in the park and threatened to expose yon unless you transferred to his hands the money the original package had contained. You laughed him to scorn. He brandished this dagger aloft. You struck It from his hand, whence it fell into the driveway. The sheath being lighter bounded across the road. My eyes were on that scene. I secured the sheath at that time. “Yon required Zayola to remove two ipen from your pathway if he would ham die the money that lies in yonr trank. He nearly succeeded.” “Every word you have stated Is false. I have money ih jthat trank. Identify it if you can. I defy youU-’ 'exclaimed the widow. ./ i ' (To be continued.)