Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-01-21

usttciy LILO uOOE Ny WHICH tney ndQ entcfeQ
opened. and the young lady came out
shadow on the blinds, as 1t had at first
fallen. Paul gave no heed to her, but
waited like crouching tiger, for Toll
maine to remove. Suddenly light hand
touched his arm, and turning fercely
round, he saw Miss Rachel She looked
at him very steadily--so steadily, that he
almost shrunk from her, for there was a
depth in her soft eyes which reminded
him of Alice. He strove to speak, but
the words died away ere he conld utter
them.
why are you here, Paul Hyles p said
Miss Rachel, and she spoke low, as one
who avoids being overheard. "You do
not answer-you need not. saw your
face as you passed us, and ] knew then
that all was lost. Do you mean to linger
herep"
"Miss Rachel said Paul, and the
hoarseness Of his own voice almost startled
him, "Miss Rachel, you had better go
away from here. The work am going
to do is not for ladies to see."
Then, Paul, you mean to seize my
wretched cousin P" said the young lady, in
the same hushed tone as before.
| 'Go away, Miss Rachel, for Heavens
sake!' said Paul earnestly, .'there
may be"
Eyes, know she said. s.You mean
to say there may be bloodshed--you
mean that you may slay the helpless
fugitive, whose shadow you are watch
Ing 4
| The young lady spoke with the same
calmness with which she had previously
spoken, and as she pointed to the window,
and almost Kissed the last words out, Paul
shrank from her, as he had done before;
then reusing himself, he turned angrily
around, and clutching his weapon the
tighter, faced the window.
You are resolved, see," she contin-
ued; ''then follow me, and do at once
the work you are bent upon doing.n She
moved toward the house, but seeing that
Paul did not follow her, she stopped and
said, ''Come!"
Miss Rachel grasped Paul, and his
voice grew huskier, ''you and yours have
been good friends to me and those that
love a thousand times beyond myself-let
me beg ofyou, as rough and desperate,
but not ungrateful man may beg, to go
from here. Go from here, my dear
young lady, for am sworn. to my soul,
to take that man, and to take him dead or
alive. And now, dead or alive, he is
mine.''
| II know it,n she said, ssFollow me, and
do your errand inside the house. Come,
if you think you owe me any gratitude"
Then in spite Of himself, Paul turned,
and half unconsciously followed her.
Had he allowed himself time to think, he
might have hesitated but an it was he
followed her through the hall, and straight
into the parlor, where, leaning his head
upon his hand, sat in very detected atti-
tude, the man he sought.
"Rise up Andrew" exclaimed Miss
Rachel, ''for your time has come. This
man has seen and known you."
With a start, and an ejaculation of ter
ror, Tolmaine rose irresolutely from his
chair and then sank down again.
'Do you yield peaceably, Mr.. Tolmaine?"
said Paul. "For this lady's sake, have no
violence"
Tolmaine looked appealingly from one
to the other without speaking, but the girl
spoke for him.
yield peaceably Paul Hyles, look at
him The unhappy man you have cap
tured is far gone into disease which was
never known to be other than fatal. An
drew Tolmaine is dying of consumption.
Look at him! If he could struggle, he
would be more worthy prize. but you
will get your two hundred pounds even
for his emaciated Frame"
II am very sorry, for your sake, began
Paul; 'but Of course it's not my fault.
Mr.. Tolmaine was never any friend of
mine, and may as we'll"
I "You may as well have the money as
any one else," interrupted Miss Rachel.
''Then take him. We can not resist you.
l would If | could; for Twas to have mar
ried the dying man you see there, and /
waited the time as patiently and hopefully
as you have done, and as poor Alice has
done. That his career is blighted, that
my hopes are blasted, and that he crouch
es there without a friend in the world but
one weak girl, you know, or can guess, as
well as l can"
Few men are more noble or generous in
their natures than Paul Hyles. and as the
wears daughter spoke, his head seemed to
swim, and he almost repented having en-
tered upon the business; throwing of,
however, what he called weakness, he
said, II have been ruined, Miss Rachel,
by this gentleman. He drove me from my
honest employment; see, through him.
scarce any means OF living, unless steal
or beg and the reward for his apprehen-
sion-which will certainly fall to some
one, even If / don't take hinl--will make
man of me.''
PAUL. said the young man, speaking
for the first time, Hyles almost staggered
at the hollow sound of his changed voice,
''n you wish to have your revenge, and l
can't see why you should not, can not
stay you. | may as wen end my days in
prison as elsewhere, for aught know;
they will not be many; and they can not
be worse than have had. Leave us, now,
Rachel" he continued, as with an effort
he rose to his feet; '.don't linger here, ]
pray, or you'll drive me mad.
Leave your exclaimed Miss Rachel
mo, Andrew, not until the cell door 10
closed on you, and am turned from your
prison. Mr.. Hyles will not refuse you
the support OF my arm as we walk to the
police station--you viii grant that
Don't talk like that to me ]" exclaimed
} Paul, dropping into chair, and covering
his face with his hands; ''why didn't he
keep out of starving desperate mans