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��THE OLD MANSION.
��her, not a muscle of her face betraying the least fear, and yet she was alone in the house with a would-be murderess and her victims, too far away from any one to summon assistance.
Mr. Lane looked as if he were dead, and Esther judged rightly that she had been just in season to prevent his re- ceiving the final dose. Just at that mo- ment the welcome sound of the doctor's well-known voice was heard in the hall below. Margaret turned to flee, but Esther caught her and held her firmly, at the same time calling for help. All t his happened in less time than we have taken to tell it, and ten minutes later Margaret was divested of her disguise and bound firmly. She was, in appear- ance, somewhere in the vicinity of thirty years of age, a tall, dark, exceedingly handsome woman.
Mr. Lane had taken no notice of the commotion, but Bessie had left her room at the first cry for help, and stood gazing in surprise and fear at the woman.
' k Do you know her, Bessie?" asked the doctor.
"It is my aunt Clem.; but take her away quickly," cried the child, evincing so much fear of her that no further proof of the woman's guilt was needed in the minds of her companions. She was taken away the next morning and lodged in the county jail, there to await her trial at the next term of court.
Antidotes were administered to Mr. Lane at once, but he was very low, al- most at the very gates of death. By the doctor's advice, and Bessie's desire, Mrs. Arlington, Esther and Frank readily as- sented to take up their abode at the man- sion, Esther resuming her work in the store now that Bessie no longer needed her services, but she was warmly at- tached to the child, and her affection was more than returned. Mr. Lane gained slowly but surely, and in the month of May, at the advice of his physician — who could not sufficiently condemn his over- sight, which had so nearly been a fatal one — he resolved to travel for the com- plete restoration of his health. Bessie readily consented f° remain with her
��kind friends, and Susie was too young to mind her father's absence.
The night before his departure he re- lated for the first time the story of his life. His father had married for his sec- ond wife a young Italian, remarkable for her beauty, but possessing all the char- acteristics of her race. She had died in about two years after her marriage, leav- ing an infant daughter, who inherited her mother's cruel and revengeful disposi- tion. His father had lived until about a year previous to Mr. Lane's arrival at the mansion, and at his death had bequeathed his vast wealth to his son and his son's heirs, giving Clementine, his daughter by his second wife, only a small annuity. Soon after, Mr. Lane's wife was taken suddenly ill and died, and he, filled with grief at his bereavement, and wishing to take his children from the baleful influ- ence which his sister exerted over them, had sought for and found this old man- sion house, which was a portion of his estate. He had departed secretly with his children and one servant, resolved that his sister should not know of his whereabouts. At a wayside inn his ser- vant had died suddenly of what the phy- sician pronounced heart disease, and in her place he had taken the woman who had proved to be his sister. He had lived in seclusion for the simple reason stated above. He had never entertained a sus- picion that Margaret was other than what she had seemed. He now believed her to be the cause of his wife's, and also of his servant's, death. His vast wealth would have been hers, had she succeed- ed in her cruel design.
Two years have passed ere we re- sume our story. Mr. Lane had returned six months previously, entirely restored to health. \ His sister had committed sui- cide in jail just before her trial was to have taken place.
Esther and her mother returned to the cottage immediately after Mr. Lane's re- turn home, but report says that Esther is soon to go back to the mansion — which is being entirely renovated — as its hon- ored mistress.
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