The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-11-22

a fortune hunter; but, after all, no on
knew him. He came into the neighbor
hood without letters of introduction +
any oneand whether he won his fortun
by trade or came to it by inheritane,
remained mystery.
There were those who shrugged thei
shoulders, and declared that Mrs Hall
iont would regret not having chosel
some one of whom more was known
some retired merchant, some gentleman
of fortune, whose father had been knowI
70 her friends. Nothing, to be sure
could be said against this Spaniard o.
Cuban with the English name; but wbc
knew anything in his favor?
However, no one said this 10 Mr.
Halifont, and, if any one had, word
lnever changed woman's fancy yet
Mrs Halifont believed in Colonel Hum
phries, and meant to marry him.
Indeed, the trousseau was prepared
and the wedding day fixed all was ready
and Ida Halifont believed herself to be 6
very happy woman. She once more
built castles in the air. Her old SORROW
seemed to fade away in the distance
She was girl again.
i At last twenty four hours lay between
her and her wedding day.
She was busy in her sewing room on
this last day, finishing some ruffles in
lace and ribbon, and singing softly tc
herself, when suddenly the house was
filled with cries.
An old man servant, while cutting the
grass upon the lawn, had wounded him
self seriously. The:doctor was sent for
at once, but he was not at home, and
meanwhile poor Zebedee WIS bleeding
to death.
Suddenly Ida Halifont remembered
that Mr. Humphries had said that he un.
derstood wounds as well as though he
had been thoroughbred surgeon.
Without this it would have been natural
for her to call on one who was so soon to
be her protector in moment ofanxiety
She would call him herself, that there
might be no delay,a seized her garden
hat, she ran along little path that led
from her ground to that of Mr. Hum
phries, climbing low fence to save time
which would have been lost in reaching
a gate, and SO gained the rear of the
dwelling of which tomorrow she would
be mistress.
She thought herself terrified and dis
stressed. She felt rather injured in that
such an unpleasant thing as the wound
ing of poor Zebedee should have hap
pened on the eve of her wedding day
Ten minutes after she thought of herself
at that moment utterly at ease-won
drously happy-for as she reached those
windows and peeped halftimidls through
the curtains, thing happened that made
all she had ever suffered appear az
nothing.
The room, the window of which she
had approached, was one that opened ou
of a conservatory. She saw Colone
Humphries busy with some rare plant.
he had just set out to the warm sunshin,
that fell through the glass. He haC
taken off his coat and rolled up hi
sleeves. Now he left the conservatory
and coming forward proceeded to wasl
his hands in basin of water that hae
been set ready for him. He was close t.
Ida Halifont. He did not see her, bu
she could have reached out her hanc
and touched him.
Fl Why did she speak, and call him b.
name? Why did she sink down upol
her hands and tremble like al aspsl
leaf? Aiasl the awful reason was thi,
Upon that arm to which she was abou
to grant the right to clasp her in tende:
est embrace, she saw a terrible mark
mark she had seen once before. Sh
knew its shape and size and co,or He
eyes mad been riveted upon it as tn
, sinewy hand, at the wrist of which
ended, grasped her dying husband
throat. She had learned it off by hear
she could not be deceived. Thoug
!. years had rolled away that horrible mari
! ed arm was not to be forgotten or mis-
taken by any other.
Suddenly Colonel HumphrIes fe
himself grasped by hand that, small /
:. it was, had the fierce touch of a tiger
8 claw. The fingers closed over that re
= mark white face came close to his.
aYou are my husbanL's murderer
hissed voice in his ear.
Then the two stood staring at eac
= other.
81 He made no denial; he only locke
down at the red mark upon his arm al
9 cursed 1t aloud.
>. "How dared you to make love to me
- she gasped. you"
Because 1 loved you" he said. "W,
* man, if had not fallen in love with "
e. that night would have killed yon al:
D. 1t was risking my life to spare you, wi
'e your screams calling men to hunt n
u down"
"a "Oh, if you had but killed me the1
~ she moaned.
!" "Well, / am at your mercy now,"
said.
She answered:
"You can kill l wish you would.
he pray do it You killed my husbar
en- The murderer of nay husband must
v brought to justice, and yesterday, nj
an hour ago-I loved You. o, God pi
to me- L have loved this man, this thi
Il who came in the night to rob my hi
ar band, and who murdered him."
She remembered this. Afterward
7" strange drowsiness overcame her.
~ seemed to let 60 her hold upon the wor
be She family recognized the fact that G
inf onel Humphries knelt at her feet a
it kissed her hands. Then there were bla
-er hours, and strange wild dreams, and &
IN: awakened in the twilight and fou
as herself bound fast to a great arm chs
nd long cords about her arms tying
sh; hands and conining her feet.
no So her servants found her; but {
was the only living being in the gr
e ,en house. Colonel Humphries and his t
80 black servants had vanished no {
~, knew wither.
an. The empty bottle of chloroform