Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-08-25
wARDEN,s DAuGHrER.

trance Marion had been present, and
something in his youthful though
sullen face attracted her pitiful
glance. He had stolen repeatedly
from his benefactOr, and finally had
admitted into the housein the night
time a gang of burglars who had Sc
cured considerable booty, and made
off with it in safety, save one, after
severely pounding the proprietor of
the house. This one, who was not
able to escape, betrayed the compile
ity of the young man in the affair.
He was tried, convicted and sent
enced. There was no redeeming
feature, apparently, to the story, but
somehow that face haunted the girls
gentle thoughts. Perhaps it was
because she had a young brother
who was a wild lad, wandering just
now in disgrace, mo one knew width
er, and all the more tenderly loved
by Marion, because of his sad ways.
One day, as she leaned on the win
dow sill, looking with wistful sad
ness into the yard at the prisoners,
one of them looked up, and changed
as he was, looking on his thin fea-
lures, she knew again the black, sui
len eyes that yet were somehow like
an angry, obstinate child's. Her
glance followed him as though fasci-
mated, and as he passed from sight
she sighed softly and went into the
office to look at the prison record for
the poor lads name. TWAS Aymer
Preston. The next she knew of him
he was in the sick ward. For few
weeks she saw him there, but the
gloomy eyes never sOftened, only
gaZed straight before them from
their hollow sockets, or hid them
selves obstinately behind their vast
ed lids. He never spoke, scarcely
ate, and the prison physician told
Marion that he was dying of sheer
inanitiOn.
cts my opinion that he's trying
to starVe himself to DEATH" he said.
Marion drew near the sick bed.
She bent over him and spoke with
gentle firmness. But she might as
well have talked to the blank wall,
for all sign he gave of having heard
her. Marion left the ward with a
shocked anxious face.
"I.et me know if there is any
change, or anything that can do, "
she then said to the doctor.
But at dusk the physician was
called away by serious illness in his
own family, and near midnight the
assistant, going his rOands, found
Aymer Preston dead in his bed.
- It's either make believe or heart
break" DIR. Putney said, sharply,
when word was brought him, and
he ordered that PrestOn's body
should be wrapped in blankets, and
not removed till he saw it.
The order was Obeyed, but when
three DAYS saw no change in the
form, DIR. Putney meanwhile exam
ined it, it was removed to the dis
secting room. Marion Hyde's win
dow commanded a view of this mys-
terious and DEMONSTRATING apart
ment. As she stood at the window
that night she thought a vague thrill
of main of the one cold, still tenant
of that terrible room. She was not
a timid, superstitiOus creature, MOI
by any means given to nervous
ness; so when she saw the window
of the distant room slowly lifted,
and a gaunt, wild face appeared al
the opening, instead of screaming OF
running away, she stood still. She
knew that her heart was thrObblng
wildly, but she knew also that il
was no phantom she looked upon
DIR. Putney had been right all the
time. Aymer Preston was not dead
and thus he was making one wild
effort forliberty. Marion HydestOOd
and watched him. She cOuldnOt have
called out Just then If he had been
the most desperate and hardened
criminal within those walls. Be
sides. the poor wretch was only
mOcking himself. He could not es
cape even now unless by mir
aeIe, She saw him stop presently
beside window, which opened into
an upper hall, and after an effort t.
raise it, slowly drag himself through
Obeying an impulse which she coulc
not at that moment control, Marion
softly opened the door, and passed
on without her crutch, for fear o
the noise. She reached the hall JUS
rs this Door wasted creature, after {
brief rest. was urging his half par
aIyZed limbs to renewed effort. A
the sight of her he gasped and drop
ped In a sWoOn, and Marion hurried
TO his side. She dared not leave
him, so she waited, rubbing his colo
hands between her tender palms
till he at last opened his eyes, anC
she made him comprehend that sh'
wanted him to come with her.
81 won't go back to prison." IN
whispered between his teeth.
"You need not, +" she said, simply
and led him to her own chamber.
There was positively no Othe
place that was safe from stric
search that she knew would be in
stituted as soon as he was discovered
missing. She procured him sOmt
garments which had belonged t.
her brother, and she got him sOmt
food that would be safe for him t,
eat after his long fast. He regarded
all her movements with the incred
ulOus wonder of a child.
What has been the matter will
me?' be asked after awhile.
could not stiF any mora than though
was dead, but ] knew all that wa
going on about me. Ugh! u wa
frfghtful, waiting there in that dis
Secting room. i believe it was Onl!
the horror of it helped me to breal
the frightfull spell"
81 suppose you were in sort o
trance" Marion said, thOughtfully
" What are you going to do Will
Tne?'' he asked again.
. don't know, / am sure" sh'
said with "A sigh, But you are SAT-
here till / can think,
81 don't expect you to believ,
me, bit | am rs innocent OF tn
crime for which | was brought her,
as you are"
Guilty or innocent, pity you
YOU are so young"
Concealing him till the hue anC
cry were over, Marion smuggleC
nim through the gates in woman
dress, and with a basket of sOileC
linen. And so the mystery of Ay
mcr PrestOn's escape remained.
4 X
The years moved on. Marion
was twenty-five. Her father wa
dead. Her idolized brother hat
persisted in a brawl. She was alOn
in the world, an invalid, living Oh
the mereSt pittance earned with he
needle, but the same sweet-taced
sweet-voieed girl who had won tn
hearts of the prisoners in the gloom.
abode of which her father had beer
warden. One day shP was sent 70
1,-.F -.