The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-14
THE WARDEA's DAUGHTER.

THE WARDENs DAUGHTER.
Marion Hyde was a cripple, but for all
that she was beautiful. Her father was
warden in prison. Among the prisoners
was one at the registering of whose name
at his entrance Marion had been present,
and something in his youthful, though
sullen, face attracted her pitiful glance.
lie had stolen repeatedly from his bene-
factor, and finally had admitted into the
house in the night time a gang OF
burglars, who had secured 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
completely of the young man in the
affair. He was tried, convicted and
sentenced.
There was no redeeming feature, ap-
parently, TO the story, but somehow that
face haunted the gentle girls thoughts.
Perhaps it was because she had young
brother who was a wild lad, wandering
Just now in disgrace, no one knew whittier,
and all the more tenderly loved by
Marion because of his sad ways.
One day, as che leaned on the window
sill, looking with wistful sadness into
the yard at the prisoners, one of them
looked up, and, changed as he was in
every way, thin in feature, she knew
again the black, sullen eyes that yet
were somehow like an angry, obstinate
child's.
Her glance followed him as though
fascinated, and as he passed from sight
she sighed softly and went in to look at
the prison record for the poor lads
name.
1t was Aymer Preston.
The next she knew of him he was in
the sick ward.
For a few weeks she saw him there,
but. the gloomy.eyes never softened, only
gazed straight before them from their
hollow sockets, or hid themselves obsti-
nately behind their wasted lids.
lie never spoke, he scarcely ate, and
the prison physician told Marion that he
was dying of sheer inanition.
"It's 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 frmness.
But she might az well have talked to
the blank wall, for all sign he gave of
having heard her.
Marion left the ward with a shocked
and anxious face.
Let me know If there is any change,
or any ything 1 can do" she 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 rounds, found Aymer Preston dead
in his bed.
"Irs either make-believe or heart
break" DIR. Putney said, sharply, when
word was brought him, and he ordered
Preston's body should be kept wrapped
in blankets, and not removed till he
saw 1t.
The order was faithfully obeyed, but
when three days saw no change in the
form, DIR. Putney having meanwhile
examined it, it was removed to the dis
secting room.
Marion Hyde's window commanded
view of this mysterious and horror
inspiring apartment. As she stood at
the window that night, she thought,
with a vague thrill Of pain, of the one
cold, still tenant of that terrible room.
She was not a timid, superstitious
creature, nor by any means given to
nervousness; 80 when she saw the win
dow Of the dissecting room slowly lifted,
and a gaunt, wild face appear at the
opening, instead of screaming or running
away, she stood still. She knew her
heart was throbbing wildly, but she
also knew it was no phantom that she
looked upon. DIR. Putney had been
right all the time; Aymer Preston was
not dead, and thus he was making one
wild effort for his liberty. Marion stood
and watched him.
She could not have called out just then
II he had been the most desperate and
hardened criminal within those walls.
Besides, the poor wretch was only mock
ing himself. He could not escape, even
now, unless by miracle. She saw him
stop presently beside a window which
opened into an upper hall, and after an
effort, raise it and slowly drag himself
through.
Obeying an impulse which she could
not at that moment control, Marion
softly opened her door and passed on
without her crutch, for fear of the noise
She reached the hall Just as this poor
wasted creature, after brief rest, was
urging his halfparalyzed limbs to re-
newed effort. At the sight of her he
gasped and dropped in a swoon, and
Marion hurried TO his side. She dared
not leave him, 50 she waited, rubbing
his cold hands between her tender palms
Ill he at last opened his eyes, and she
made him comprehend that she wanted
him to come with her.
90 won't go back to prison." h,
Whispered between his set teeth.
"You need not, )" she said, simply, ant
led him 10 her own chamber.
There was positively no other plac
that was safe from the strict search tina