Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-11-04

the SnaWlS ana ClOaKS, IolC as IL a1l Sllu-
shine was gone from her life forever, as
! if her cup of humiliation and agony was
full to overhowing.
| But the noon hour was over, the girls
coming in or sauntering from resting
places in the work-room, and the hum
of work commenced again, as it must,
whatever aching hearts or weary hands
crave rest. Bessie worked with the
rest, her feelings sonumbed by the sud-
den blow that she scarcely heard Liz
zie's lamentations over a sudden Hood
of "order" work, that might keep
many of them in the room till after mid
night.
{" Well have oil day tomorrow If we
can finish these dresses tonight said
one of the small squad of girls told off
for the extra work, ''Miss Smith says
so. But these must be ready to deliver
in the morning."
Talk talk talk whirr whirr |!
whirr
Bessie folded and basted, working
with rapid mechanical precision, hear
ing the noise of voices and machines,
feeling the heavy, dull beating of her
own heart, and the throbs of pain in her
weary head, but speaking no word of
repining, excusing her paid face by the
plea of headache.
It was after eleven o'clock when the
last stitch was set in the hurried work,
and the girls ran down the long dark
| flights Of stairs TO plod home through a
drilling rain falling upon the remains
Of q late snow storm. AS Bessie passed
down the staircase, she saw in the count
ing house her recreant lover busy over
some account books. But for the heavy
news she had heard that morning, she
would have felt sure that this sudden
| spasm of industry was to furnish an ex-
cuse for escorting her home at the I'M
usually late hour, but, If so, Bessie felt
it was but an added insult to his dishon-
orable conduct, and hurried on, hoping
he had not heard her step.
She had gone dozen or more blocks
from the store, when, passing a church,
she slipped upon treacherous piece Of
ice and twisted her ankle. The sudden
pain made her faint for moment,
and she sat down upon the stone-work
supporting the railing to recover her
self. Beside her, not stones throw
away, a dark, narrow alley-way ran
along the high brick wall of the church
yard, and the girls heart sank with a
chill of terror as she heard a mans
voice in the alley say
"Didn't you hear step, Tom?"
GA woman. She's turned Oft some
where. He amt come yet, was the
answer.
"He's late tonight" said the first
ynioo in O or,1f f nm Il artopo .5
"You are sure he's taking the dia-
monds home ?"
s'Sure as death. I was at IS
when he gave the order. Send them
to my store at nine o'clock, says he,
'and I Will take them home with me. ,
And he gave the address, Maxwell &
Son
But are you sure he will pass
here ?"
''Of course he will. He lives in the
next block. He'll come
s'Suppose he shows fight?
"You hold him, and I'll soon stop
his fight"
Every word fell upon Bessie's ears,
clear and distinct in the silence Of the
night. a
They would rob him, murder him,
these dreadful men, if nobody warned
him. They would spring out upon him
as he passed, and strike him down be-
fore he knew there was danger. He
must not come alone, unprepared.
False lover, false friend as she felt he
was, she could not go on her way and
leave him to death. ss iii
When she stood up, the pain Of her
| II, or uncomfortable hut oh q
chung to the ratings and so imped one
| block. The others seemed intermina-
BILE; often she crawled through the wet
slush of the streets, often on one foot
hoped painfully along, TIL the store
was reached at last, and the light Id the
counting house still burned. The side
door tor the working girls was still I'M
fastened, and Bessie entered there,
reaching the counting house, soaking
wet, white and trembling, to confront
both Charles Maxwell and his father.
Unheeding their EXPLANATIONS of dis
may and surprise, she told her story
with white lips, but steady voice.
"Waiting for me p cried Charles
Maxwell; ''the scoundrels!'
"Yon bought diamonds at -'s TO-
day?" asked his father.
GA parure for Miss Potter, sir, I
wish to present them with your permits
sion, on Thursday"
"Ah Look at that poor girl p
For, overcome by pain fatigue and
mental torture, poor Bessie had stag
gered toward the door and tainted upon
the floor. A hasty call summoned the
janitor, and in a few minutes the jani-
tors wife had appeared, rubbing he,
eyes, but fall of womanly resources for
the comfort Of the great girl.
A hack was procured, and clothed in
dry garments furnished by the good
hearted Irishwoman, and escorted by
the janitor, Bessie was driven home.
The next morning walking proved to
be impossible, and Bessie was obliged
to call upon her landlady for assistance
to dress, wondering at herself little
| fo, oo,,;pcr +r oot nm Rut before noon