The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-01-07
MARGARET MERLYN,
WRITTEN FOR THE ST. CLOUD JOURNAL,
BY MRS. JANE G. SWISsHELM.
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.
IN WHICH MR.. Tw1NzY BRINGS ''Tu1s
AFFAIR."" 70 A CRISIS.
While she wrote, Mr.. Twinzy lay
awake revolving his plans. Since what
he regarded as his declaration, en- that
evening by the the piano, he was i'm
patient and fancicd the time had come
for a bold stroke of policy. He waited
until he knew she was alone in the
house, then let himself in by bis latch
key. When she would be in his room
would be his opportunity. It was at
the back Of the house. The adjoiu-
ing building vas vacant. It was mar
ket morning; the rumble of wheels
over the cobblo stone pavement would
drown a considerable noise, and alto
gether circumstances were auspicious.
He heard her pass into his room, sing
ing as usual at her work. This time it
was the twenty-third psalm, to the COM
paratlvely modern tune of darlington"
''This was his time;" and he glided
in, locked the. door and was at her side,
while she sang softly:
Goodness and mercy oil my life,
Shall surely follow me;
And in Gods house, forevermore
My dwelling place shall be-"
AS the last word was spoken, his
arms were about her, his lips pressed to
her cheek, and he, in choking whis.
per, begging her not to be frightened.
In an instant she sprapg from his en-
brace and, with the full power of set
of muscles which had never known the
benumbing influence Of corset or band,
dealt him such blow, with the back of
her right hand on his mouth, that blood
followed so quickly as to stain her hand.
He reeled under. the unexpected rebuff,
and the air of the room appeared filled
with blue stars as thickly as he had
ever seen snowaakes in an April storm.
He put one hand to his lips and blind
ly sought with the other. to clutch her
throat. She warded him of, and saw
that the door was closed, that he was
between her and it and knew the family
vert out. Still she did not dream Of
bis purpose or think of aught beyond
the insult, the contamination, Of bis
touch. She would as much have ex-
pected q deadly assault from tho parlor
cat. So she stood radiant, defiant, as
he leaned on the bureau to recover, and
said or rather hlssed:
"Devil you shall rue this. 1 have
waited my opportunity. It has come.
We will not be disturbed. If you are
reasonable all the better tor you, but it
is too late to play pride, and you
are mine before you leave this room.
That door is locked and the key in my
pocket"
She heard the speech through before
comprchcndiug, then stepping. backward
to where she had left heavy hatchct
nsed in fastening window shade, and
lifting it, stood saying:
"Dog open the door, or I will lay
one half your coward head on each
shoulder! Quick! The door!'
She vas transformed Tho blood in
her veins had come down from one who
had sung..tho seventy-second psalm
while rushing to battle, that old battle
for the right Of freedom to worship
God. Behind him were fiery Highland:
ers who knew no remedy for an insult
but the life blood OF the insultcr, and
among them were more than one who
would not have hesitated to make .
saddle cloth Of the skin Of one who
had put such an iudignity upon a
daughter Of his house. All the re-
stcaints which the cultivation. Of ages
had laid on this fiery blood, this savage
instinct were giving way before the
fierce tide of passion which made shor
white a. marble, gave to .sher eyes q