The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-31
OUR STORY TELLER.
THE MARKED ARM.

Click In the dead of the night
sharp sound wakened Mrs. Halifont.
The room was dark. Not even a CLEAN
Of moon 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 dinpled
left elbow, and put out her right hand
and touched her husbands shoulder.
He lay upon his pillow sound asleep,
and did not waken at her touch.
"It must have been a dream" said
Mrs. Halifont; and her young head
she was only the bride of year-nestled
down again closer to her husbands
arm, and she slept again.
Click!
This time the sound did not arouse
Mrs. Halifont. 1t was her husband who
awakened. He did not pause to listen,
but grasped the revolver beneath his
pillow and jumped out of bed at once.
In an aleove in the next room stood q
safe which contained money and valua-
bleg. IL 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. Mr.. Halifont
knew on the instant that some one was
opening this safe.
A man Of courage, q man who never
hesitated in the face of danger-one,
too, who had a warm regard for his
worldly possessions. Mr.. Halifont strobe
at once into the room where he knew
house-breakers were at work, and run
ming in the dark against powerful
man, tackled him at once.
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. Amidst her ter
ror she had the good sense to light the
gas. II shone upon a spectacle of her
ror.l Her husband, weltering in hi
blood, wrestling with a gigantic man
whose features were concealed by masl
of black Grape; q man, the upper par
of whose person was clothed only in
knitted woolen shirt, of some dark color
with sleeves that left his great arm bare
On the right one, the one which
clutched Mr.. Halifonts throat, was
red mark or brand, a scar, a birth-mark
II would have been impossible for Mrs
Halifont, even in calmer moment {,
tell what IL was; but it indelibly i'm
pressed itself upon her mind, as sh
bravely cast herself into the struggle
and fought with all her might TO dra
the Horrible hand from her husband
throat, screaming all the while for aid
A blow, kick would have silence
her. The burglar must have known tina
ktsN har had rA~
not use violence toward woman to sav
their own lives. This man could MOI
His companions had flown with the
booty; help might have arrived at an
moment. With great effort b
wrenched himself from the clutch {
his victim, and let go his throat, an
sped away. II was not too soon. A
sistance arrived, now that it was to
late, but Mr.. Halifont did not live
ten the story. He was MORTAL
wounded. His young wife watched
his bedside until he breathed his las
then dropped beside it senseless.
For weeks she raved in wild deliriu
of the murderous hand, of the gre
muscular arm with the scar upon
and called upon them all to save b
husbands life; but she was young, al
had fine constitution. After a whi
her health returned, and, at last, h
mind regained it's equipoise.
She removed from the city and to'
up her abode in lonely country plat
with favorite sister for companio
She had resolved, as all widows W
have loved their husbands do at first,
remain a widow forever. And indet
though many men would gladly ha
tempted one 80 young, beautiful a
wealthy to change her mind on Il
point, she seemed to care less for a
one Of them than for the kitten whi
purred upon her knee, or the lit
black-and-tan terrier which ran by
side along the garden paths. She v
nineteen when her husband was M
dered; at thirty-two she was still II
to his memory.
Is any one forever utterly true
sanother's memory out OF a romano,
Sany one who does not die young? 4
not. In this, the lapsing summer Of
bwoman's life, when she pretended to
-iheve that autumn had actually col
temptation to inconstancy assailed /
.sFon, many years fine house upon
s-neighboring estate had been empty,
sspow there came to take possession of
1asgentleman not yet forty. A wido'
ssNfth plenty of money and no childr
20 handsome man, well built and 8
Swfsrt, with magnificent black hair, 1
~ n4.sf