The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-06-23

ture Of her death, had strangely shaken
him; it had produced that singular soft
ening which we have mentioned, and
which seemed to him Ike q malEdy.
Now, q little shattered, no longer the
man that be so long had been, Be- was
face to face with his only living deScsna
dant.
He reached out his gray, hard baud,
and laid 1t on her glossy, curly hair.
She startled with surprise with this un-
accustomed touch, and looked up in
bis face with fearful sparkle Of hSpe.
"Be quiet, Bessie, !" he said, in a voice
which was less like caW than usual.
10 grandfather! what do you
mean 7" she sobbed, guessing that de-
liverance might be nigh, and yet fear
ing to fall back into despair.
"Don't cry" was the only response
Of this close-mouthed, imperturabls
old man.
80, was it any one else I" she de-
manded. "Who do you think did iti"
81 have an idea," he admitted, after
staring at her steadily, as if to impress
caution. "But keep quiet. Wen see"
"YOu know it couldn't be be that did
it," urged Bessie. Don't you know il
couldn'ti He's too good"
The Squire laughed. "Why, some
folks laid it to you," be said. "If be
should be cleared, they might lay it to
you again. There's no telling who'll
do such things, and there's no telling
who'll be suspected"
"And you tOiH do somethlngi" she
resumed. "YOu WiH follow it up. You
will save himi"
"Keep quiet" grimly answered the
Squire. :" am watching But keep
quiet. Not word to living soul"
Close on this scene came another,
which proved to be the unravelling of
the drama. That evening Bessie went
early, as usual, to her solitary room,
and prepared for one of those nights
which are not a rest to the weary. She
had become very religious since her
trouble had come upon her; she read
several chapters in the Bible, and then
she prayed long and fervently; and, af.
ter a sob or two over her own short
Comings, the prayer was all for Foster
Such is human devotion the voice of
distress is far more fervent than the
voice of worship; the weak and sor-
rowful are the true supplicantS.
Her prayer ended, il ever it could be
said to end while she walked, she strove
anew to disentangle the mystery which
threatened her lover, meanwhile hear
ing, half unawares, the noises of the
night. Darkness has itS speech, its still
small whisperings and muttsrings, q
language which cannot be heard during
the cIanor of day, but which to those
who must listen to it is painfully audi
BILE, and which rarely has pleasant
things to say, but threatens rather, or
warns. For a long time, disturbed by
fingers that tapped at her window, by
hands that stole along her wall, by feet
that glided through the dark halls,
Bessie could not sleep. She lost her
self; then she came back to conscious
ness with the start of q swimmer strug'
Cling toward the surface then she re-
commenced praying for Foster, and
once more lost herself.
At last, half doing, and yet hall
aware that she was weeping, she was
suddenly and sharply reused by 8 dis
tinct creak in the floor of her room.
Bessie had in one respect inherited
somewhat of her grandfather's iron ma.
ture, being so far from habitually tim
orous that she was noted among bel
girlish acquaintance for courage Bu
her nerves had been seriously shaker
by the late tragedy, by anxiety, and by
sleeplesspess; it seemed to her tha
there was in the air q warning Of grea
danger; she was half paralyzed b.
fright.
Struggling againt her terror, sh'
sprang out of bed and made . rust
toward her door, meaning to close anC
lockit. Instantly there was collision
she had thrown herself against som
, advancing form in the next breath sh
was engaged in q struggle. Half ou
of her senses, she did not scream, diC
not query whether her assailant wer
man or woman, did not indeed use he
intelligence in any distinct fashion, bu
only pushed and pulled in blind iustinC
Of escape.
Once she had . sensation Of beinl
cut with some sharp instrument. The
she struck; the blow told, and her an
tagonist fell heavily; the fall was sue
i, Ceeded by short shrek in a woman
voice. Bessie did not stop to wonde
that any one engaged in an attempt
assassination should utter an outcI
' which would almost necessarily insul
Q discovery and seizure. The shock
/ the sound seemed to restore her ov
powers of speech, and she burst into
- succession Of loud screams, calling
: her grandfather for help.
In the same moment the hope whic
Q abides in light fell under her han
= Keeling against her dressing table, b
" fingers touched a box of waxen match
5 and she quickly drew one of the
sr against the wood, sending faint gill
. mer through the chamber. She W
d not horror stricken, she did not gra
r a comprehension of the true nature
le the scene, she simply stared in trel
Of bling wonder when she recogniS
Mrs. Lauson.
8 "YOu there, grandmother" gasp