The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-02-24


Hurrying over to the railroad station
he discovered that train had just left
while another would not go out unit
late liz the evening. He pushes his in
quiries, involving a description of Mis-;
Lille, in every direction; but it wa:
not for some time that he finally learned
that no young lady had taken passage
on the train ON that occasion
When he had satisfied himself of this
fact, beyond question, he became
really troubled as to Lilies where
abouts. 1t was Just possible that she
might have stopped at some farmhouse
and accordingly he spent considerable
more time searching and inquirine
among these, but with no result-sht
had not been seen. Then he became
really alarmed, for the hand about wa:
marshy, and extended to great dist
ance In all directions, and he feared she
might have lost herself. How his search
resulted will be told In the sequel.
The yacht sailed without them, every
one commenting on the extraordinary
freak of Miss Lille Gordon, and won
dering what Mr.. George Hartley would
think of the matter when he should
hear of it, which they were sure he
would, though one and all of them as
serted they would be the last ever tC
communicate such a disgraceful ano
improper proceeding-"for the sake Of
her poor mother, you know"
And so the yacht sped on its home
way; the sun sank slowly down; the
blue sky turned gray, ard then black,
and became studded with stars, as is Its
won't :. the moon rose up in richest full
ness; and this last, shining fairly IL
the face of the silent figure lying out
there alone in the Jersey marshes, al
length, with its own peculiar influence,
brought her again to life.
Slowly she raised herself to her feet,
numbed and aching, and, passing hen
hand through her hair, asked herself
the old question-where she was. After
little her scattered senses came to her,
and she remembered.
But she had now no idea of the direc.
ton of the railroad; her limbs were
bruised and torn, and her impulse was
very strong to sit down again and cry.
But she was plucky girl, and conclud,
ed to make an effort to gain the depot,
which she supposed to be not far away;
and, accordingly, set forward on her
lonely journey, picking her steps care
fully by the moonlight.
Thus she had walked some distance
how far she had no idea-when she
saw, long way of, dim and flicker
ing light, and toward this she hastened
with what speed her tired limbs would
permit
1t seemed very long way inde-d ;
but at length she drew nearer to the
hght-near enough to see that it pro-
ceedcd from small house, and situa-
ted very near the water, on which she
could see the moonbeams glistening,
as it seemed to her, cold and mock
ingly.
Presently she heard sounds of ham,
mering, apparently issuing from the
house; and at length she reached it,
and could look into the window whence
proceeded the light-a small oil lamp
on tablein a room otherwise devoid
of furniture, and unoccupied by any
living thing.
Still she heard the same regular ham
meIng; and now strange dread came
over her. Uniformed and mysterious
imaginings disturbed her mind, and
she was on the point of fleeing from
the place, when a door in the room
opened, and a man entered from an
other part of the house. His back was
toward her, but she felt thrill, for the
figure seemed familiar; he carried
something heavy with the assistance of
another who followed him. 1t was O
small chest, which they placed upon the
floor; then they opened trap-door,
and then-Lillie screamed, shrieked at
the highest pitch of her voice, for the
one who had first entered the room
had turned his face toward her, and she
saw that it was George Hartley.
Ths scream was hardly uttered when
a coarse, heavy hand was placed over
her mouth, and she felt herself rudely
by strong arms, while harsh
voice muttered, "if you speak or move
again, I'll cut your heart out" Then
the speaker sounded whistle which he
held in his hand, and which was evi-
IDENTIFY signal, for the two men inside
the house pushed the box hastily down
the trap, which they closed.
But now loud shout was heard near
by; several lights appeared, and in a
more Lille s captor was dashed
to the ground by a strong arm, and she
found herself tight 'in-well, yes-the
embrace of-John Rutledge.
Men rushed rapidly-half a dozen at
least-into the house; there was crash
ing of glass, oaths, screams, and a gen.
eral melee; and of all of it Lille could
make nothing, except that she had been
saved from some dire disaster-and by
John Rutledge, the man who had so
grossly insulted her by his impertinent
allusions to her lover, who-could it be
possible 2-she now saw dragged from
the house, struggling and cursing, hand
cuffed, clothes torn, and in q generally
condition.
Five minutes a1uer she was seated in
a wagon, with Johu's arm supporting
her, as they iolted over the rough road,
and then she could stand it no longer.
"Oh, Johnl what does it all mean 2"
She had never called him John be-
fore but suppressing an exclamation
Of delight, and the wild impulse to turn
a somersault over the horses head, he
said, quietly:
cit means, Lille, that Mr.. George
Hartley is the leader of gang of coun-
5erfeiters that you happened some
aow-God knows how-to straggle up
On his den; that the man on watch out
side saw and seized you; that you
screamed that ], who was looking for
7ou, and the officers, who were looking
.or him, came up in the nick of time to
;ave you from-what / dare not think
,f.n
And here poor John broke down
md it is on record that this outrageous
title fiirt of Lille Gordon said, there
1pon, "Don't cry, John" and that she
sven put up her handkerchief to see
hat he obeyed her orders then and
here.
Great Joy was there in the house of
Gordon that night, when, at about mid
night, Mr.. Rutledge made his appear
lnce with the lost one.
Great surprise was there in society
lext day when Mr.. George Hartley was
luly arraigned in the proper court foE
,ounterfeiting-not greenbacks, good
people, but the sterling old gold and
iilver OF this republic, IN use in those
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