The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-07
THE MARKED Arm.

OllCh! LII lne ueau OF the night sharp
sound wakened Mrs. Halifont. The
room was dark. Not even the CLEAN of
the moon or starlight fell through the
curtains of the windows. 1t was very
strange sound indeed but she saw nothing,
heard nothing more. H.s.. -
She sat up, leaning on her dimpled left
elbow, and put out her right hand and
touched her husband s shoulder, He Law
upon his pillow sound asleep, and he did
not waken ut her touch. @s.s Es
at must have been dream sara Mrs.
Aalitont; and her young head she was
only the bride Of year nestled down
again closer to her husbands arm, and
she slept again. H.. .... ..'...> @
Click! .ss-.... ..s> ~ ..s~ e
This time the sound did not arouse Mrs
Halifont. It was her husband who awak-
ened. He did not stop to listen, but
grasped the revolver beneath his pillow
and jumped out of bed at once. In an
alcove in the next room stood safe
which contained money and valuables. 1t
was not one of. the wonderful new safes
which defy fire and burglars. but an old
one that had been in the family a long
while. MIR. Halifont knew on the instant
that some one was opening this safe.
A man OF courage, man who never
hesitated in the face of danger-one, tao,
who had warm regard for bis worldly
possessions, Mr.. Halifont strobe at once
into the room where he knew nousebreak-
ers were at work, and running in the dark
against powerful man, tackled him at
once. ~. d.
The light of lantern flashed across
the room. There were two more men.
Three against one. -...s. s...r D..
The sound Of blows, struggling, and
the report Of pistol aroused the young
wife once more. Amid her terror, she
had the good sense to light the gas. It
shone upon a spectacle of horror. Her
husband weltering in his blood, wrest
ling with gigantic man, whose features
were concealed by mask of black
Grape; the upper part of whose person
was clothed only in a knitted wooden
shirt, of some dark color, with sleeves
that left his great arms bare On the
right one, the one which clutched Mr..
Halifont's throat, was red mark or
brand, a scar, a birth-mark. It would
have been impossible for Mrs. Halifont,
even in calmer moments, to tell what it
was; but it indelibly impressed itself up
on her mind, as she bravely cast herself
into the struggle, and fought with all
her might to drag the horrible hanl from
her husbands threat, screaming all the
while for aid. '.. #
A blow, a kick would have silenced
her. The burglar must have known that,
but there are very bad men who could
not use violence toward woman to save
their own lives. This man could not,
His companions had flown with their
booty, help might have arrived at any
moment. With great effort he wrench
ed himself from the clutch of his victim.
and let go his throat, and sped away.
1t was not too soon; assistance arrived.
now that it was too late, but Mr.. Hall
font did not live to tell the story. He
was MORALLY wounded. His young wife
watched by his bedside until he breath.
ed his last and then dropped beside it
senseless.
For weeks she raved in wild delirium
Of the murderous hand, of the great mus
cular arm with the scar upon it. and
NsAA0N uPOn lAcM ~ save Qcf husbands
life; but she was young and had fine
constitution. After while her health
returned, and, at last, her mind rega:ned
its equipoise.
She removed from the city and took up
her abode in q lonely country place, with
favorite sister for a com panion. n She
had resolved, as all widows who have
loved their husbands do at first, to re-.
main q widow forever. And indeed.
though many men would gladly have
tempted one SO young, beautiful and
wealthy to change her mind on this
point she seemed to care less for any one
Of them than for the kitten which purred
upon her knee, or the little black and
tan terrier which ran BY her side alone
he gnrden paths. She was nineteen
when her husband was murdered: at
thlrty-two she was still true to his mem
Org. 4.
ls any one forever utterly true to an
others memory out Of romance-any one
VINO does not die youngg fear not. IN
this the lapsing Summer Of the woman,s
life, when she pretended to believe that
Autumn had actually come, temptation
to INCONSISTENCY assailed her. For MANY
years q fine house upon the neighboring
estate had been empty. but now there
came to take possession Of it gentleman
not yet forty. "a widower with plenty Of
money and no children, q handsome man,
we'll built and faluo ~ -; AZ -, Z. q. u.