The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-08-22
THE STOLEN LoCKET.

from which his chestnut hair was tossed
back In graceful carelessness, and large
eyes, bespoke him to be one Of
natures noblemen. He was evidently
waiting impatiently for some one /; for, as q
siigns noise was heard on the landing, he
the door.
At last, apparently unable to sit still any
longer, he arose, and, walking to the open
window, stood tapping neryousIy on the
glass, and watched with l~istless eyes the
chamclion-hke crowd that passed. While
thus occupied he failed to hear a slight
rustic, as n girlish figure entered the room.
and, gliding softly to his side, touched him
lightly upon the arm his quick start. and
the owing yet gentle manner in which he
gathered her to his heart, showed ut q
glance that they were lovers.
While they hold sweet converse, let us
pause a moment, while ] describe my hero
inc.
She was of medium height, of a slender,
oencate figure, and possessed q nameless
grace of movement, which. added to her
other charms, had won her the name among
her many admirers, of :. Nellie, the Irresis-
able ]" Her beauty was of the true blonde
type, and, clad rs she was in q shining
blue dress, she looked worthy of the name.
On her arms cleaned with o tawny lustre
broad golden bands and from one of
these. suspended by a small chain, hung a
tiny h~eart-shnped lonket, one side Of which
bore a forget-me-not set of turquoise, with
a brilliant diamond sparkling in the centre.
Guy Hartley, for such was our hero's
name, had called, glad of an excuse, to ac-
quaint Nellie with some arrangement which
ne had Just completed with regard to their
soon approaching marriage, and after a
short time passed in pleasant conversation
he reluctantly arose, and, bidding adieu to
the fair girl, left the house with a firm.
elastic tread.
Hardly had he taken his departure when
the front door bell again rang. and once
more a young gentleman was ushered into
the drawing room. The newcomer was
tall and slight, with jet black hair, and q
piercing look in the black eyes that BODIED
no good to an enemy. As he sank into a
chair, something glistening upon the floor
caught his eye and as he recognized it he
could scarcely refrain from a shout of
pleasure for Fred Acton had long been
the secret rival of Guy, each striving to win
the hand of fair Nellie Pomeroy. And
now, as he held in his grasp the tiny locket.
which by some evil chance, had become de-
tached from the bracelet on Nellie's arm.
he felt That he possessed an almost certain
means of revenge on Guy. and stood, per-
haps, a better chance of winning the fair
girl for his wife ; for the locket as he knew
had been Guys first love-gift to Nellie, and
was priced as one of her choicest posses.
sions.
AT this moment the footman entered the
parlor, presenting Miss Pomeroy's regrets.
and a request that Mr.. Acton would excuse
her that afternoon. The truth was that
with her womanly intuition she had long
ago OWNED the secret which he had thought
known to himself alone; and, having ever
treated him with polite Indifference, she
felt less inclined now than ever to endure n
Hte-d-tSte with him.
Rising as the footman entered with the
message, and scarcely able to control the
pleasure it afforded him Mt this moment.
when he was still trembling with the fear
OF having been seen as he hastily hid the
shining bauble in his bosom, he left his
compliments and departed.
Going directly to a jewelers., he pur-
chased a small ring, with which he fas-
tened the locket securely to his watch
chain, and then sauntered down the street,
In the hope of meeting Guy. His wish was
destined to be fulfilled, for he was shortly
gratifed by seeing Guy approaching, with
a serene, contented look on his handsome
face.
OJ oloPBta v CuAb, TItu. aS III
anxious to conceal something, placed his
hand carelessly OIL his watch. chain but
Guy, as was intended. noticed the action.
and said, laughingly What it is that you
are SO jealousy guarding, Fred Z? A love
token from some fair lady 2"
" Yes but, for fear that it might blight
your hopes in that direction, perhaps / had
better not show it TO you Just at present"
laughed false Fred, ~nervously.
" oh, never fear for me y said CIV.
" for l have already Gagged my bird, and SO
shall not prove n dangerous rival to your
suit"
We'll, then. beholdi I" replied Fred,
the tiny locket.
Guy turned pale us death; but, master.
ing his emotion by a violent effort, he
playfully insisted upon knowing the name
of Fred's charmer.
On, come" said Fred, ''you are feign-
ing innocence, for surely you must have
often seen this trinket upon the arm of fair
Nell, the Irresistible who has this day
bestowed it upon me rs a pledge of her
true love-"
Guy stood as if turned to stone while
TINS nippant speech was being ratified out.
then, with a few commonplace words,
passed on; but his step was not as free and
cSAOhC Lit LHtu FTtu, ana MS head.
winch then had been raised proudly, was
now bent forward -dejectedly for a dark
cloud had suddenly arisen, which threat
ened to overshadow forever the bright morn
ing of his happiness.
FRED watched him pass on with a sardomic
smile. and thought to himself. "Ah. my
fine fellow, there's many a slip 'twixt
the cup and the lip as you may find to
vnnr racf. and fhan Won will Lnarr @1o -
sequences of standing in the way of Fred
Actoni"
That evening, in her luxurious home,
Nellie watched and listened in vain for the
familiar footsteps she had learned to know
SO well and she retired to rest at last, sad
and dispirited, and with a dim sense of
impending trouble, hat WINS yet too vague
to shape itself into connected thought.
The next morning, us the family gathered
around the breakfast-table, n servant en-
tered the room with a note addressed to
Miss Pomeroy." Grasping it eagerly,
systematically. Nellie tore it open, and with
blanched face read the following laconic
note /:
NELLIE: All is over between us. Thank
God, / nave discovered your perfdy before
it wa too late. I had the fullest conf
dence in you, Nellie but that is past now.
l leave for France tomorrow, never, ]
trust, to re visit this country, which would
now be but n sad home for me.
You once devoted lover,
GUY HARTLEY.
Mr.. and Mrs. Pomeroy, occupied in their
own conversation, had not noticed the sud
den paling of their daughters face, as she
hurriedly canned the familiar writing, till,
as she reached the fatal termination, her
eyes closed and, with n low moan of agony,