The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-09-03
AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS.

"A clouds hung below the sky, shut
ting out both moonlight and starlight
The winds moaned, dirge-like, through
the trees the waves beat up against the
rocky cliff with a weird, uncanny dash
and splash.
Above, on the cliff, on the lonely road
that skirted the edge, two forms came
slowly along.
Indeed, darling, you must go no
further" said the man, coming to a
stand-still. "You have left your home
goodly distance behind you now, and
you know that have not the time to
go back with you"
Must we say goodbye then Allan ?"
moaned the woman.
" 1t must he DONE" was the sad reply.
"It is not for long, darling in six
months"
"Oh, six months will seem an eterni-
ty!" she walled. eff 1 could only
shake off this dread of coming evil, l
could endure our parting better. Oh,
have such fear that we will never meet
again that something will happen to
separate us forever ~
"Those are idle fears, my Annie do
not nurse them. You know 1 wouldn't
go if it were not that our future depend
ed upon it; six months steady work
there will enable me to claim you for
wife. Harl1 some one is coming"
Both looked in the direction of the
approaching form.
Its Edward Lane" whispered An
ME, shuddering.
Allan nodded, and even in the dark
ness his eyes could be seen to flash
tiercely.
Edward Lane came slowly along, NUT
tering to himself.
AS he looked up and saw the two in
the road, he started violently; then
casting an angry look upon them, he
hurried by.
I" How l shrink from that man !" eX-
claimed Annie, under her breath. "Ever
| since he declared his love for me, and
vowed such fearful things at my refusal
of him that have trembled at his ap-
proach.
DO not fear him, darling he is a
coward at heart. Refuse to notice him
when 1 am away, and he will not molest
you. But now, must go; and you
must hurry back to your home. Try to
endure these months bravely, my Annie
and after that we will never be parted" :"
Again and again he kissed her, as she
clung, weeping, to him. AT last he put
her away from him and hurried away.
She stood looking after him as long as
the faintest echo of his footsteps came to
her hearing; then she turned and walk
ed slowly back.
Something in the weirdness of the
scene about her seemed in sympathy
with her sorrow, for when she had walk
ed away awhile, she seated herself upon
rock near the edge of the cliff, and
looked out upon the angry waves.
Full and hour must have passed ere
she started on again.
Then she walked quickly, saying to
herself:
Father will wonder at my absence, L
must hasten"
She had almost reached her home she
could see the light from the windows
clearly now.
She quickened her pace still more,
then suddenly she came to dead halt,as
her eyes fell upon the forms of two men
struggling on the very edge of the cliff.
She was fairly paralyzed with horror,
she could not move nor speak; she
stood there, swaying, trembling, her
her eyes riveted on the the two forms,
though she fain would have shut the
horrid sight from her view.
The one who seemed to have the ad-
vantage at length drew himself up
erect, and for a moment, he stood so
that the light from the window fell upon
him.
Annie saw his face quite plainly, and
with cry of anguish, she covered to
the ground, moaning:
"My father My God, it is my
father -
She could not take her gaze from him
even then she still looked, and she
saw an arm appraised, the glittering-
blade of knife, she heard a moan, a
splash; she saw the man standing ON
the cliff, then her senses deserted her,
and she knew no more.
When she recovered the full remem-
brance of that horrible scene returned