The Lincoln County herald., 1870-02-03

sank down upon the floor and with a
beating heart waited for she knew not
what.
But no further sound disturbed the
stiffness, and she rose at last and stole
back to the parlor. She tried to read,
vaiuly of course, for her nerves we're un.
strung now, and oil the stories she had
heard Of ghosts, aud robbers, and mur
ders, rushed upon her mind so that she
could scarcely think clearly. This ter.
ror lasted for perhaps half an hour, and
then Marion was her old self,
"The opening of gate shall not make
q coward Of me. Perhaps the wind shook
it," she said to herself.
At 0o'clock she went to the cupboard
and collected all the silver into basket.
She went to her fathers bed room, but
found everything was under lock and key
there, SO she carried the silver up stairs
to her room and set the lamp on her bu.
reau. She looked in the glass and miled
ut the pale face and dilated eyes reflected
there, and sat down by the window.
"l'll not oloop tonight" che said, "and
to morrow night my sleep will be swceter.
Now for a long watch"
She threw open the blind. How beau.
tiful everything looked outside. The
moonlight over all, the cool dark shad-
ows of the trees, the perfume of the Aow-
ers, rising like incense to the stars
What pity, she thought, that SO fair a
world should be turdened with crime
that one half Of it's inhabitants should
live in constant terror of the other half.
A long watck it was. The clock
struck eleven, twelve, enc, two, and still
she sat awake at tho window, the moon
turning to the west now, and the weird
lamplight within falling on the basket of
silver at her feet and making fantastic
shadows in every cornor Of the room.
"Wel," CALCULATED Marian, II guess
my watch will be for nothing. In an
hour and half now it will be daybreak
and can take nap, feeling assured that
l am safe. never should have thought
of sitting up, to night, only for the fuss
they made at Ellwood's. I wonder if
Hugh's slumbers are any lighter from the
fact that am here alone and in danger p
And she leaned from the window tc
catch gassing breeze, and as she did sc
the oder Of a cigar was carried past her
on the Window cigar unmistakably
with the peculiar scent &C Hugh Ellwood
She recognized it at once, and then tn.
opening of the gate was explained.
$50 there arc two watchers i'm tcad o
one, !" she said softly, as she Withdrew he
head. "He loves me-" she added. "or b,
, never would have done that. U. I'm 81
) glad"
, And she bowed her head upon hel
, hands, with bushes and smiles.
"I'll trouble you Miss" said a gruf
! voice at her elbow, "for this basket o
silver and the key to the old gents bu
, reau. Fork over quick"
5 Marian raised her head and gave on,
glance at the face OF the man bending
; over her, and then spfang to her feet, will
ringing shrick, trying to wrench he
&, arm from his grasp.
He had expected her to faint after thu
fashion of won ankind, but was disap.
e pointed, for Marian knew that she had
? spectator, and that the courage she ha'
] boasted must work her deliverance th'
same as if she had not known of his pres
ence; and then with the rupidity Of light
ming came the thought:
"How do know that Hugh Ellwoo
( is at hand By the scent of cigar
Why, it may have been this very rnffia
4 waiting to effect an entrance"
: And, quick as the thought had com
ho. h,r IN,
. hand clenched on her arm, while with tn
y other she dashed the water pitcher in hi
face.
The pain of his hand and the uncz
pected shower. bath forced him to releas
: her, while he drew out pistol aud too
d aim.
n II did not mean to kill you, you tiger
r cat, but there is no other way" and h
b took aim.
!. Marian saw dead earnestness in his ey
and she dropped to the floor, the pistt
S ball shivering the mirror behind her
h pieces. She rose then, and with o vii
a cry for help, she said to herself:
Y "if Hugh Ellwood was here-oh, II
d had only asked him to come But va
& too proud and can not battle long wit
u this hardened, desperate man. Oh, Hugh
Q Hugh |"
Courage, Marian, I am here :" said
d voice at the door.
i Hearing it the man dropped the pist'
d in surprise, and was about to retrea
q when he found the door blocked by Hug
It Ellwood and a formidable revolver, an
!. turning from him he faced Marian Lac
3 who had his pistol, her finger on th
e trigger, ready to discharge tho secon
W barrel.
10 Between these two fires he had no r
It source but to curse his luck and surrel
der, Marian standing over him with pi
q tol, while Hugh Ellwood bound him ST
d curely. That done Hugh took Maria
% out Of the room, saying.
). upon my word, Miss Lacy, yol