The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-12
Selfrt Sto'r,tvy..' T. :
THE MARKED ARM.


sharp sound wakened Mrs. Halifont. -
The room was dark. . Not. even q CLEAN
Of moor or starlight fell through the
curtains of the windows. 1t Was very
strange sound indeed, but she saw moth.
ing, heard nothing more.
She sat up, leaning on her dimpled
left elbow, and put out her right hand
and touched her husbands elbow "a He
lay upon his pillow sound asleep. aud
did not waken at her touch.
"lt must have been q dream" said
Mrs. Halifont; and her young head
she was only the bride OF q year-nest-
led down again closer 10 her husbands 8
arm, and slept again.
.Clickf .nosgog .E.x4yS ~ 3
This time the sound did not arouse
Mrs. Haliiont. It-was her husband who
awakened. He did not pause to listen,
but grasped the revolver beneath his pill
low and Jumped out Of bed at once. In
an alcove In the next room stood Q safe
which contained valusbles. It was not
one OF the wonderful new safes which
defyo nfe and fburglars, but an old one
that had been in the family long while
Mr.. Halifont knew on the instant chat
some oEe was opening this safe.
A man of courage, man who never
hesitated in the face of dapger-one, too,
who had q warm regard for his worldly
possessions. Mr. Halifnnt strnds. n
once Into shes rum where he knew house
breakers were at work, and, running 10
the dark against powerful man, tackled
him at once. % ai&ife,faT I
The light of lantern flashed across
the room. There were two more men
three against one.
The sound Of blows, struggling, and
the reports of pistol aroused the young
wife once more. Amid her terror she
had the good sense to light the gas.o It
shone upon . spectacle of of9horror.i Her
husband, weltering ID his blood, wrestling
with q gigantic man, whose features we're
concealed by q mask OF black Grape; q
man the upper part Of whose personiw was
clothed only in kitted wooden shirt Of
some dsrk color, with sleeves that left
bis great arm bare. On the right one,
the one which clutched Mr.. Halifont's
throat, was red mark or brand, q scar,
. birth.msrk II would have been i'm
possible for Mrs. Halifont, even in .
calmef moment, TO tell what It was; but
it indellibly impressed itself upon her
mind, ss she brayely cast herself into the
struggle, and fought with all her might
to drag the horrible hand from her hus.
bands throat screaming allthe while for
aid. t'7e sis - y aGiai 4allo
A blow, kick would have silenced
her. The burglar must have known that,
but there are very bad men who could
not use violence toward q woman to save
their own lives. This man could not
His companions had flown with their
booty; help might have arrive. at any
moment. With great effort be wrench
ed himself from the clutch Of his victim
and let 60 his throat, and sped away. Il
was not too soon. Assistance arrived,
now that Il was too late, but Mr.. Hall.
font did not live 70 tell the story. He
wss mortally wounded, His young wife
watched by bis bedside until he breathed
his last, then dropped beside it senseless
For weeks she raved 10 wild delirium
Of the murderous hand, Of the great
muscular arm with the scar upon il, and
called upon them all to- save her bus.
bands life; but she was young and had
q hne constitution. Aftsr while bel
health returned, and st last her mind re-
gained it's equipoises apoilid Ne 1o4
She removed from the city and tool
up her abode in . lonely country place
with favorite sister for companion
She resolved, az, oil widows who have
loved their husbands do st frst, 10 re
main q widow forever And, indeed
many men would gladly have tempted
one go young. beautiful and wealthy e
change her mind on this point, she seem
ed TO care less for any one of them thar
| for the kitten which purred upon be-
knee or the little black snd-tan terriel
which ran by her side along the garder
paths. She Was nineteen Wien her hus
band was murdered; at thirty-two sht
MAS still true to his memory. -
Is any one forever utterly true to an
others memory out Of romance an,
one who does not die young7 fea
not In this, the lspsing summer OF ,th'
woman life, when she pretended to be
1lieve that autumn had actually come
temptation to inconstancy assailed her
For many years q dne house upon th
neighboring estate had been empty, bu
now there came to take possessic NOT !
La gentleman not yet forty A widoWe
with plenty of money and no children; ),
handsome man, we'll built and stalwart
with magnificent black hair. sand eye
THAT we're like black diamonds. sSpanisl
eyes; indeed, be called himself . Span
lard, and his speech betrayed q foreigl
accent. -,.. s.,,...,... ,.
\ The dark eyes and the blue ones met
q few neighborly words exchanged,a cal
folio wed seon.s Mrs. Haifont felt q ne,
1 l. L ~