The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-25

peratlOn,
You are wasting BREATH" Marsden
said. "There is no help at hand"
Heaven will not prosper such viii
lainy !" the girl exclaimed "and l
will trust In 1t for relief"
"As you like Marsden said, with
q sneer.
I" You will do well to set me free. My
friends will find me, and you will pay
dearly for this"
&C. will risk It,, replied the vallaln.-
" But, " he added, will waste no time
in idle talk. l will give you two weeks
In which to consider my proposition
During that time you will remain in
this room and trust reflection will
alter your resolution"
@ 1t will not, sir"
" For your sake hope IL WILL" re-
turned Marsden, significantly; "and
now L will leave you. You will, during
your stay here, be provided with what
ever you desire by mentioning your
wishes to the servant who will bring
you your meals. For short time, fare
well. shall pay you another visit to-
morrow
He pressed, unseen by her, secret
spring in the floor, and the door, which
had no lock on the inside, flew open, as
If by magic. He left the room and bolted
the door on the outside.
The fortitude which had sustained
Ta Il s,,4o 4
her, and, sinking into chair, she wept
bitterly for some time.
AT last she arose and carefully exam
ined the doors and windows, but there
seemed no means of escape.
Presently servant entered and in
quired If she wished any refreshments.
She replied in the negative, but en-
deavored TO move the man to compass
sion for her situation. But in vain.-
The only answer she could obtain
was:
That's not my business, Miss. /
can't do anything about it."
Alas!" Mara murmured, when the
man had gone, -" Heaven alone can help
mel" And sinking upon her knees, she
offered fervent prayer for aid. She then
threw herself upon the bed, and despite
her surroundings and her consciousness
of peril, her wearness overcame her,
and she sank into slumber.
"Ah /" Ralph Marsden exclaimed, as
the door of the gaming-ho closed be-
hind him, " have her in my power at
last, and it will be my fault If she es-
capes me. Heavens what a storm !"
drawing the collar of his great coat close
ly about his neck. "I'll lose no time
getting to place of shelter. Ha! What
is this i? A woman Y''
Yes, a woman; the same who had
seen him enter Jared Percival's. She
approached him, and touched his arm.
The fitful light of street-lamp illu-
mined her feautures and Ralph Mars
den suddenly reeoiled.
Laura !" he exclaimed, with bitter
oath.
Not once during Marsden stay in
Jared Percival's house, had this woman
standing there in the pelting storm, re-
moved her eyes from the building. Re
gardless of all, save the one idea which
filled her soul, she had stood waiting i'm
the tempest for Marsden.
This woman had, evidently, once pos
sessed great beauty but it was almost
gone now Her face was pale and
emaciated, her eyes deeply sunk in their
sockets, her form reduced to mere
shadow of what it once had been. Lines
which, with sad eloquence, told OF
her misery indeed, impressed upon her
brow. And yet this woman had scarce
ly passed her twenty-fifth year. She
was thinly clad and shivered, as the
chilling wind swept past her. Yet,
though drenched with rain and be-
numbed with cold, she watched and
waited until Marsden stood by her side
and uttered her name, coupling it with
an oath.
Ralph Marsden ~ she cried, in tones
of hopeless misery.
Forgive me, Laura, for those words, -
he said, " but you startled me strangely.
You are but the ghost of your former
self, and for moment - ha = ha II
almost thought you were spirit"
" Go on, Ralph Marsden," bitterly,
"those were not the first oaths 1 ever
heard from your lips, and they do not
wiring nv heart as they once did. I am