Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-13
LEONE'S ROMANCE.

3" No, Arthur, it is but great estimate, and
you have no right to judge me h1rshly, bscalse
will not throw my hte away upon som. So
ci.ty man OF to-day. l ana Young yet, but
twenty you know, and there is time enough
yet"
"Yes, time enough Leone; but agree with
Arthur that you have too high standard of
manhood, romantic school Z irl admiration of
qualities that few, if any, may possess"
" complimentary, very, to Jour husband, sis;
but l wish for my husband strength either of
soul or body, mind Iar above tie average, and
determination and purpose sufficient to raise
him from the level of the human herd; and
mark me, il never find such a one, will ever
remain Leone LigntfoOt, an old maid fond OF
tea, cats, and gossip; but see Charles has
brought my bOTse-Sround so TsUoir."
The speaker VIZ a woman OF twenty, Gusenly
in form, and whose face, though possessing
character beyond her years stamped thereon,
was radiant with loneliness.
ROBBED in a dark-b!uc riding habit, which
chung gracefully around her superb form, and
the face half shaded by the dropping plumes
failing from her jaunty cap, Leone Lightfoot
was indeed what she appeared-a surprising
lovely woman; one who had visitors by the
score, for she WAS rich as well as accomplished
and beautiful
Three years before she had been left. by the
death Of her parents, under the guardianship
of her only brother. some ten wears her senior
and at his elegant country seat in New York
State she had lived, the idol of society. and the
pet of Arthur Lightfoot ami his pretty but weak
little life.
Between the three, Arthur Lightfoot, Leone,
and Mrs LightioOt, was the conversation held
that opens this story, and the cause thereof was
the refusal by Leone of the heart, hand, and
fortune of a worthy bachelor neighbor.
"She is ncOrrigible the Old Judge would
have made Ter a good husband" said Arthur
LightfOot to his wife, after they had seen Leone
mount and dash away at full speed down the
grand avenue.
- Yes she'll never marry, / fear" sighed
Mrs. LightfOot, who always echoed the senti-
mentS of her husband.
In the meantime, Leone rode on at pace that
climbed in with her humor, and an elegant
hoIsewomaD, she held her steed well in rein
ana enjoyed the sprlnging, feet motion as mile
after mile was cast behind.
But suddenly her horse SHE'D violently and
gave tremendous leap, almost unseatIng his
fair rider, who, recovering herself quickly,
spoke soothingly TO the frightened animal, and
glanced backward 70 note the object that had
so startled him.
The color fled from her face as her eyes fell
upon the form of man lying by the roadside,
and apparently lifeless; but nerving herself by
hard drawn sigh, the brave girl sprang-to the
ground and approached the spot, glancing in
tently down into the pale, upturned face.
The features were moulded with remarkable
regularity, the partly opened mouth displayed
eve n white teeth, and the dark brown hair and
mOustache presented a marked contrast to the
white face, from which every Jingle of color
had faded. Dressed in light summer suit,
Leone even then discovered it was well and
sly lishly made, while the gauntlet gloves and
on horseback.
Gle had been thrown, doubtless, but God
grant he is not dead - exclaimed the maiden
as she knelt beside the PROSTATE form, and
drew aside the coat to place her hand upon his
heart.
With a cry of terror she sprang to her feet
her hand stained with blood, for from his side
small stream welled up slowly.
:, He is dead, and has been murdered"
II was almost whisper, and the heavy lids
raised from the dark eyes-eyes filed with an
guish, but yet strangely dark and fascinating.
THANK Cos there is yet hope; be quiet, sir,
/ imrlore you, and | will aid yOu all in my
power" exclaimed Leone, and drawing her
habit around her, she ran rapidly few PAGES
down the road 70 where 10 crossed by
small stream. and saturatng her handkerchief
returned, and without hesitation drew aside the
clothing, and placed it upon the wOund-a
small bullet wound Ia the left side over the
heart.
I" You must keep perfectly quiet and | will
Soon return she said softly, hardly knowing
whether she was heard or not, and then in an
instant she was in her saddle, dashing at her
utmost speed towards the nearest farmhouse.
Dashing like the wind up TO the door, and
startling quiet Farmer Jessop and his family
nearly out of their wits, Leone cried
" Mr.. 1essop. let your son ride at once to DR..
Wells, and tell him a gentleman lies danger
tell bin TO come there at once, and You, Mr.
JessOp, please come on with your carriage, and
bring all that you think necessary"
Every one in the county knew and loved
Leone LightfOOt, and rapidly her orders were
Obeyed, which observing, she wheeled her
foaming horse, and again sped away upon her
10 tue wounded stranger.
There he lay just as she had left him, but
groaning slightly. and each instant dampening
the blood stained handkerchief, the girl awaited
the coming OF the surgeon.
Would they ever come? she thought; but at
length, when it seemed hours instead of min
utes, the sound of wheels broke on her car and
tie next instant the surgeon drove up at rapid
pace.
''You are a noble woman, Miss Il ghtfoot and
if this man lives he owes his life to you," sai.
the good ole ply siclan, as he approached and
Incl lT do lgn FaEfa to N.grr.
90 But will he live, Doctor?'
For some minutes no reply was given by the
man OF science, who carefully probed and eX-
examined the wound, but then he said slowly
% 1t is a serious injury-ha! here have the
ball; yes, l LOpe he will live;'' and Dr. Wells
took from the wound small bullet, while he
continued:
Now he needs the most careful nursing"
=" He shall have it. Thank God, here comes
Mr.. Jessop," and Immediately after the car
rage drove up, and telling the doctor to come
ON with the wounded stranger to her brothers
house, Leone again mounted her horse and rode
on to have ali in readiness for his arrival
1t was weeks before the stranger was suffi-
GENTLY recovered to tell his story regarding the
wound that had so nearly proven fatal to him,
and then by careful nursing, he informed Leone,
who had been untiTing in her devoted care OF
him, that his name was Clarence Ainslie-was
an Engiishman, who nearly year before had
come to America, and purchasing few acres
of land in the West made IL his home.
He also stated that business had called him
to New York, and that while enjoying a horse
back ride he had been suddenly fired upon, was
thrown TO the ground, and had an indistinct re-
membrance that some one was robbing him, for
his watch, pocket-book, and all valuables he
had about him were gone.
That Clarence Ainslie was no ordinary man
Leone LightfoOt knew when she first saw him
lying by the roadside, but that he would ever
possess the power to control her life she had
not believed.
But so it was, for each day proved to her that
she had met her beau ideal; and yet was he for
her? Might he not already have loved? Might
he not already be married?
The thought chilled her very heart: and yet,
when she saw the dark fascinating eyes turned
upon her with admiration, and read-or hoped
she Gid-therein a deeper, holier feeling,
Leone felt happy, and longed to be a very
slave, and become mere antomaton to the ca
price of Clarence Amslie.
Now, Arthur Lightfoot and his pretty wife
looked upon him as a poor English emigrant,
petty Western farmer, and did not like the idea
that he should wholly control the heart of
Leone, for they were not blind to her devotion
to the wounded man.
Still they could not but admire the courteous
manner OF their stranger guest, when after six
weeks, he sufficiently recovered to join them in
the parlor and at dinner.
ba had hoo