The Morning herald., 1878-11-21

wien the two mem Lpufsued and pnr-
suer-were almost in the midst Of the danc-
| era. the pursuer fired second shot. Utter
| ing fearful cry, the hunted creature fell
backward to the ground directly before old
John Clayton.
The ladies shrieked and ran toward the
house, while the gentlemen guests stood
dumbfounded.
"All right my friends!" said the wiry
marksman. "My duty is DONE I'm good
for the reward put up this afternoon! The
fellow that takes him dead or alive gets 1t.
Guess he's dead" .-
John Clayton's face became white as
| his snowy locks. y Nv VI.
"Tis Ned Jasperp he gasped, in accents
of horror. ~ -..o,s.. !.' =, tat
Cecil, coming up, took in the situation at
a glance She bent over the PROSTATE form
Of the wounded convict, and placed her
hand on his left breast 2--' s,z'i-ae.7,-- -
"Let the servants be summoned" she
commanded authoritatively. 'This poor
man is severely injured, but not dead, and
must be Immediately taken in" '- i9t
The unfortunate groaned, opened his eyes,
and raised himself upon his elbow. .
,sDeadl deadr' he muttered. "No, no!
I'm not fool enough to die yet. But I'm
nearly gone-nearly gone. I'm starving
-starving!'
he tottered to his feet and gazed wildly
about. The blood from lacerated cheek,
and from wound in the head, oozed slowly
down his face and neck. His gray hair
was soaked to his forehead by the crimson
flow, and his sunken eyes, fred with deli
rum, gave him the appearance of mcd-
man. ''ir
sion. would have ordered the criminals
captor to take him away. Cecil gave him q
warming look, and whispered, in low tone:
Careful, father-careful!"
"Tm trying to find John!' moaned the
convict. "Nobody slse will have anything
to do with me! He's good to me--yes, he's
good to mer' .ag..e GH.y ..a
Cecil started. Her father stole away
"See here, Mr.. What's -your-name, said
Cecil, merrily, no trace of fear in her voice,
'syou must go with the servants, and be
taken care Of" Hiaa &s' /
Jasper turned his hollow eyes upon her.
"Who are your" he asked, then, as il
struck by something in her features, stop
ped. ........,.
IT was trying moment for the young
heiress. She understood Ned Jaspers
thought, and knew what he might, in his
"Why?" ,ssas2 ..
Last evening, passing here just after the
trouble with Ned Jasper, I saw Mr. Clayton
and Jared Clark together, near the gate
They were conversing in low tones: ME-
Clayton seemed agitated, but I could MOI
distinguish what WAS being said. The Incl
dent strangely impressed me, as had sup
posed Mr.. Clayton averse to such society,".
"You saw them togetherP exclaimed Ce
Gil; .tand father has not been seen since tha
shooting of Jasper!"
"AhrS thought George Newton, "iksly
old John Clayton is no better than myself"
ssClark is here now!" cried Cecil, sud
denly. @ g 90 "a -ao.
She had casually looked out Of the window
and beheld, walking in the garden; Net
Jasper, in company with Jared CLARK ans
Belts, the prison official 7# 1 "% &.
Had her father returned7 ,
Clark there, it might be the two had besr
off somewhere together. ..
She hurried to the servants quarters
els father here?" she inquired, breath
lessly. ''' q '' h+"'h h--.'@' -
No, he was not m
Her heart almost stood still. Was il
murder? - ~ ~.- ,--,
CLARK could easily have put him ont o.
the way, and flung his body into the swift
flowing river! a. a-s... 81
She found Clark had arrived before she
could have reached the reception-ro
After numerous inquiries as to the condt.
ton of the wounded man, he had proposed
q walk. The convict, awaking refreshed
and strengthened, Mr.. Chrk's humane sug'
pestion was acceded to. Wiser heads-con,
siderably wiser, in fact--than the average
prison official possesses have been misled
BY such men as Jared Clark, against whose
smooth -facedness they are supposed to be
proof.