The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-02-02

own protection.
There was an air Of veracity about hin
which, coupled with the sight of tn,
bruisc on the breast of Mrs Ross, ant
the remembrance Of the vague words tha
one day she mi CHIT vengeance in her owr
hands, compelled me to believe him.
4" How is she:" he questioned Gag
erly.
"Do not ask" l replied.
" must see Ler once more, at least y
"Would you escape, were the means
provided ?"
" Yes, for | am innocent, but could
not prove it without inculpating, or, a,
least. arousing suspicion in connection
with her, and that would not do for life
no, nor for eternity"
Money can do much,' | replied. no,
thinking 1t necessary to tell him that il
short rime snc woulu ue beyond The
power Of earthly tribunals.
"Use it, then, without stint"
l did so. There were few men in thai
community who did not nave their price
and perhaps the same state Of affairs ma,
exist very generally at the present time;
but let that be as it may, by midnight
had so arranged that Pcrciyal was freed
from his cell, with fleet horse standing
saddled, ready for his use, concealed in
a thicket neichboring to Ross house.
Having dismissed the nurse had pro.
cured, to obtain some rest, was alone,
and prepared to give Percival admittance
when l heard the signal agreed on.
Mrs. Ross, since the morning, had had
repeated hemorrhages resulting from the
combined effect of the crushing blow she
had received, aud the wild cxcitcmcu;
! under which she had labored
They had calmcd her frenzy, and she
lay in a quiescent state. looking in he,
rare beauty like splendid statue, hurled
from its fitting pedestal.
At the least noise, the rustic of ;
bough, the creaking of Il door or shutter
or even those namclcss noises that rise
upon the lights silence she would
stretch her arms out pleadingly, in spit
OF every precautlon to prevent it, for
even this slight movement would cause
the life blood to froth up, and well forth
in a mall but fatal stream.
At last | heard the signal, and steal.
ing with nolseless step to side doc,
which was concealed from Mrs. Ross
sight by the curtain of her bed, | gave
Percival ingress. He clutched me b,
the shoulder, apparently to prevent him
self from falling, and l felt he trembee
as an aspen.
THAT you should be calm, is abso
lutely necessary" l whispered. 9Th,
duration Of her life, even for moment
depends on it,
In a second he released his hold on me
and with stihy tread sought the bed side
Her eyes, not yet even divcsted O
their meteor light, though devoid O
reasons ray, rested vacantly on his face
without CLEAN Of recognition, but al
the slight, unavoidable rustic of his
movement, she stretched out, as usual,
her white, pleading arms.
To place himself in her clasp, and
draw her to him, seemed on Percivars
part an irresistible impulse, though ]
spoke to prevent it.
He turned on me bcseechinc look
and murmured: "But once-my God
forever"
And SO it proved, for when her head
pillowed on his shoulder she drew a deep,
sobbing sigh, like child who nestles its
grief away in mather's breast, and the
graceful head fell back, the glorious eyes
were veiled by the purple. veined lids,
and breath passed away as the crimson
current flowed for the last time. With
her passed away all possibility Of ever
knowing with certainty, until the last
great day of Judgment, the deep provo,
cation that had led to the awful deed -
The Saviour who pardoned the dying
thieves, have mercy on her soul
An hour went ere | called on Percival
to leave aud the appeal was fruitless
another, and yet another, and finally it
was with force that l drew him to the
door. showed him out, supported him to
his horse, and assisted him to mount
His farewell was understanding more
than quick, hard pressure of the hand
His after fate is told in few words. No
clue was obtained to the manner of his
escape, and once out Of sight, the off
GERS of justice made but faint endeavors
to discover his whereabouts.
4 few weeks after, though, there arri
we'd at the village man who stated him
self to be Ross brother After remain
ing two or three days, he left as quietly
as he had come but he had been hearo
to vow that never again would he resi-
under shelter of roof until his brothers
death was avenged.
With the uneering keenness of the
bloodhound's scent he must have tracket
the supposed murderer through every
turn and disguise; for in less than ;
month the newspapers of Natchez gave
publicity to the fact that man who, or
investigation, proved to be Perciyal, had
while standing in the brilliant light of ;
bar-room in that city, been shot through
the window by some unknown person.
None doubted that it was Ross brothc
who had sped the fatal ball, but nom
save myself ever knew that the world
prosperity, good nama, and life itself 0
Percival, were all sacrifice to the wo
man he ioved-a martyrdom, it seems
that might almost have power to expiat
the sins that may have stained his pre-
vicus career.
School HOUSES AND SCHOOL TEACH