Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-08-22
VOL. XXVIT.

|
kill me? was altogether in your hands
once. You killed her, you will remem-
| ber"
/ A slight flush stained her cheek.
"You would have made her happy, l
suppose, if she had lived" +" she said, sar-
castically. But the sting did not seem to
reach him.
'If she had lived Oh, heaven, if she
had lived Winfred Sedley, may God
deal by you as you have dealt by me-"
81 am willing" she answered
He remained not moment longer
Wrapping his cloak about him, he gave
room. I looked wistfully at her; she
did not speak to me, and 1, too, went
away.
She was ill the next day, but on the
day following she appeared much as
usual
Of all that l thought and felt, I, of
course, said nothing. The matter was no
affair of mine. had not understood it;
Mrs. Maltby would make me feel it. 1
understood that the two were brother ::.Tnu
sister; that the young man Vas named
Guy Sedley; that he wras dissolute and in
disgrace; that eMirs. Maltby had taken care
of him III boyhood, but now ignored the
| relationship. was in no way allowed to
learn any more.
But ON the second night 1 was awak-
ened by light shining into my chamber.
! 1t was something unusual, for the little
clock on the mantel was Ginning twelve
After moment l slipped out of bed,
and glided toward the open door. The
long, embroidered folds of my night dress
tripped me, but made no noise with my
bare feet upon the deep velvet of the car
pet l don't know whom l expected to
see,-certainly not Guy Sedley, kneeling
| before a sandal-wood chest, with papers
strewn around him on the floor. A taper,
| burning in the silver sconce upon the
wall, showed his face perfectly cool, as
he went on searching for something.
He must have come through my room
to reach this apartment, for it had no
opening but into my chamber. I was
| aware that the papers in the chest were
valuable-that there was money placed
there. saw that he was rObbing his SIS
ter.
saw, too, dirk knife on the floor,
close at his side.
looked at him an instant-even then
remembered to pity him-then glided
forward, snatched the knife, and leaped
back to the door,
was mistress of the situation for had
come from behind him-done all in flash
of Highland as he rose to his feet stood
with my back to the closed door, with a
calmness that showed it was not my in
tention to Immediately alarm the house
With presence of mind equal to my
own, he put the roll of bills he had been
searching for into thefo of his waistcoat,
and with glittering eye regarded me
speculatively. | was petite. and I had
not screamed. I know now that he was
not much afraid of me.
hoxy hoo, rNI .cfo
said, but if you will put the money back
will let you 60"
His intense attention of me changed to
look of wonder.
"You, child, are you not afraid of me?"
he asked
NO." answered truthfully.
"But 1 watched you in your sleep
moment ago, debating whether it were
necessary to kill you or not
''You must have been glad to find that
it was not necessary" answered.
He looked more astonished than be-
fore, but 1 did not stop to think of
that
''Put the money back" I said.
''No." he said, firmly. 81 will murder
you first"
''Do not do that" said ]. "I am
your friend. 1 was sorry for you that
day."
He did not speak, but a troubled
look disturbed the pale fixedness of his
| face.
"How much money have you there" I
asked.
zone hundred dollars
"And you need it very much?"
every much,'' he replied with bitter
smile
"Please put it back" said "She has
been just to you, I would like to be mer-
ciful. will give you the money"
"You?' ?''
II have it-yes-here in my room, let
me show you"
flung open the door, next to my writ
ing g-desk, and came back.
'These I will give you freely" I said,
opening the roll. "You said to her
that it should be the last time, and 1
hope"
He had taken the bills into his hand,
looking at them in kind, unbelievlng
way.
"You may hope that you have saved
me-" he said in low voice.
| We were silent for moment.
"You know now that 1 was very sorry
for you," I said, with tears in my
eyes.
Yes" he said gravely, "and 1 love you
for it.''
He put Mrs Maltby's money back, and
rearranged the chest. l began to listen
nervously for voices about the house, but
all was very still. He locked the chest
and gave me the key.
| "YOu know where it is kept?"
Eyes, in drawer in her dressing
room" I wondered how he had obtained
it. Hurry and get away"
There is no danger; paved the way
| narQfu11u pnro hrav Htf1o rrirl hor
fearless you are for yourselfr'
He looked at me earnestly, as if he
wished to carry away a clear memory of
my features, then wrapped his cloak about
him, flung up the sash, and leaped sound
lessly out into the darkness.
l extinguished the taper, and crept
back to bed. I did not hear sound about
the house until daybre
When I arose, l saw the dirk-knife
glittering in the sunshine near my writing
desk, where had laid it. Then l shud-
dered
At eight O'Clock the watchman who was
| kept on the grounds was found, gagged
and bound, just inside Redburn's en-
trance. Yes, Guy Sedley paved his way
coolly and surely
A year later was the mistress of Red
burn; the beautiful house, the spacious
grounds were all mine. Mrs Maltby had
died and bequeathed them to me.
On her dying bed she had said:
"Violet, you are my heiress. There is
only. one living being who has my blood
in his veins; him I disown." She paused,
and then went on: 'tYou have seen nv
brother; 1 loved him, was ambitious for
him, but his natural bent was evil We
had cousin Flora, lovely child, who
was brought up with him. They were en-
gagged to be married, but forbade it. I
revealed to her his dissipation; told her
of his debts and deeds of daring. She
loved him, she trusted him; but she was
delicate and died. He said I killed her."
She grew pale, even past ber dying
pallor. She went on:
"When last saw him, the officers of
justice were after him; he was default
or, he had stolen money to pay his gam
bling debts He is probably lying in jail
now; but | will have none of him. Twas
| i,,cf 70 hin, apd will nouar fOrUiua