American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-08-24
VOL. NNII.

ber."
A slight flush stained her cheek.
you would have made her happy,
suppose, if she had lived" she said, sal
castically. But the sting did not seem
reach him.
"If she had lived Oh, heaven, if sh
had lived Winfred Sedley, may Go
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 CAV
her one look of reproach, and left tn
room | looked wistfully at her; sh
did not speak to me, and l, too, wen
away.
She was i'll the next day, but on tn
day following she appeared much a
usual.
OF all that 1 thought and felt, I, o
course, said nothing. The matter was N,
affair of mine. l had not understood 1t
Mrs. Maltby would make me feel it.
understo TODD that the two were brother anC
sister; that the young man was nance
Guy Sedley; that he was dissolute and il
disgrace; that Mrs. Maltby had taken cart
of him in hoyhnod, but now ignored thu
relationship. was in no way allowed tt
learn any more.
But on the second night I was awak
ened by light shining into my chamber
clock on the mantel was Ginning twelve
After a moment l slipped out of bed
and glided toward the open door. The
long, embroidered folds of my night-dress
tripped me, but l 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,
ell Al
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. l was
aware that the papers in the chest were
valuable-that there was money placed
there saw that he was robbing his sis
ter.
l saw, too, a dirk-knife on the floor,
close at his side.
l looked at him an instant-even then
I 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 l 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 the fob of his waistcoat
and with a glittering eye regarded me
speculatively. | was petite, and had
not screamed. l know now that he was
not much afraid of me.
"You have been robbing your sister,"
said, but if you will put the money back
will let you 60"
His intense attention of me changed to
a look of wonder
"You, child, are you not afraid of mes"
he asked.
mo" 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" l answered.
He looked more astonished than be-
fore, but l did not stop to think of
that
''Put the money back" l said
NO" he said, firmly. 81 will murder
you first"
''Do not do that" said I. 81 am
your friend. l was sorry for you that
day."
He did not speak. but troubled
face.
''How much money have you there" l
asked
Zone hundred dollars"
''And you need it very much?"
Every much" he replied with a bitter
smile
"Please put it back" I said. "She has
been just to you, l would like to be mer-
ciful. 1 will give you the money"
"Yous"
Il have -yes-here in my room, let
me show you"
l flung open the door, next to my writ
ing desk, and came back.
These | will give you freely" | said,
opening the roll. "You said to her
that it should be the last time, and l
hope"
He had taken the bills into his hand,
looking at them in a kind, unbelieving
way.
You may hope that you have saved
me-" he said in low voice.
We were silent for moment.
You know now that l was very sorry
for YOU" l said, with tears in my
Yes" he said gravely, land love you
'Or it."
He put Mrs. Maltby's money back, and
the chest. began to listen
for voices about the house, but |
Ill was very still. He locked the chest |
md gave me the key.
"You know where it is kept?"
Eyes, in a drawer in her dressing |
'oom." / wondered how he had obtained |
t. Hurry and get away"
"There is no danger; paved the way |
Pure, brave little girl, how |
fearless you are for yourselfp'
He looked at me earnestly, as if he |
wished to carry away clear memory of |
ny features, then wrapped his cloak about |
him, flung up the sash, and leaped sound |
essly out into the darkness.
l extinguished the taper, and crept |
back to bed. l did not hear sound about |
he house until daybreak.
When l arose, 1 saw the dirk-knife |
in the sunshine near my writing
lesk, where had laid it. Then l shud- |
Tered
At eight o'clock the Waterman who was |
Kept on the grounds was found, gagged |
md bound, just inside Redburn's en-
rance. Yes, Guy Sedley paved his way
DOLLY and surely
A year later l was the mistress of Red
,urn; the beautiful house, the spacious
grounds were all mine Mrs. Maltby had
lied and bequeathed them to me.
On her dying bed she had said:
violet, you are my heiress. There is
'nly one living being who has my blood |
n his veins, him l disown." She paused,
md then went on: you have seen my
BROTHER; / loved him, was ambitious for
Tim, but his natural bent was evil. We
lad a cousin Flora, lovely child, who
vas brought up with him. They were en-
aged to be married, but / forbade it. /
evealed to her his dissipation; | told her
# his debts and deeds of daring She
owed him, she trusted him; but she was
elicate and died. He said I killed her"
She nale her l.rir, |