The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-05

mySol1 W SIcSps
81 had slept an Rour, perhaps, and then
awoke with sudden start, feeiinga great
difficulty in breathing. A part of the
quilt lay across my mouth thought, but
on reaching my hand to remove it found
that it was a handkerchief saturated with
=-what2 CkiOr0form!
"a thrill Of terror passed over me.
Who had done this? Was there some one
in the house?
81 half arose and gazad about me. All
was dark except little ray of light fall
ing through the partially closed door.
II silently arose, and just then alnest
screamed in fear when O sudden sound
smOte upon my enr. 1t was only the
clock striking the hour of midnight! |
placed my hand upon my heart to sooth its
fierce tlrubs.
"Stcpping along, carefully avoiding all
Obstacles, | reached the door, opened it,and
glanced into the sitting-room. No one was
there, but some one UdS in the ticket office,
for saw a light and heard voice! What
did they want? The money oh, the mon
ey left in my charge! Somebody was steal
ing it, and what should | say x to Mr..
Sayre? My God might be accused of
taking it myself, and thus lose honor and
position!
"Rather lose life = said to myself.
I'll defend that money unto death = and
| looked about for some weapon.
"Under the stove was a large iron npoker.
Selling it carefully, started toward the
oftice-door. The light fell upon the mir
ror rejecting my figure, and I've often
thought since, with sick feeling Of hor-
ror, what picture of desperation, was
clad in my flowing, white night-dress, my
hair all unbound, my face white as marble
and eyes diated and glittering with q
strange, steely light.
"God aid me = l said, with white
lips, and then opening the door of the
office, stole softly in. A man with his
back toward me was at the other end Of
the room. lie had forced open the
drawer, taken out the money and was
looking gloatngly at the crisp green
bills, when l stole behind him. | had
just raised the poker to strike him when
he glanced around.
"My God it was Clarence Devarges
"IIangit now suppose I'll have to
kill this pretty'-he seized me by the
throat and uttering a faint cry, sank
down. Just then Jack, my own dear
Jack, rushed in. heard oaths, blows,
fierce ggling-then all was dark.
"For the first time in my life, |
tainted.
"When I recovered, Jacks face was
bending tenderly over me, and Jack s
voice uttering loving words. l put my
arm about his neck and cried like weak
baby.
"Aren't you hurt, Jack p
"'Not bit, dearest. Deyargcs is dis.
abled, though, with pistol-wound in his
leg. 'Tisn't very severe but it will pre-.
vent his escape.
"But how came you thcreY
"Why, vou see, when we parted this
morning, Nell, thought I'd never see
You again; but tonight after came home
: / made up my mind to come round and
try and "make up" 1t was pretty late
I bol r,ip Nd xFban 7 No
who should | see prowling around but
Devarges. Thinks |, "What does he
want =? If he's come a-courting why don't
he go in instead of peeping in at the win
: dow ?"
"I rather thought he was scamp, be
cause, when was in the city yesterday
! reason to think that noted gambler ant
! "black-leg'' had come up in these parts
He gave description, and it suited Dev
argos perfectly, all executing mustache
And, by-thc-way, Nell, that silky mustach
you so admired, was false and fell off il
our scufile!
"'Well as said saw Devarges prowling
I about, and thought I'd see what he wa
up to. He looked in the window at you
and heard him mutter: "Ihe duce TAX,
IL one Is ht nOlie, hlter all nd
Q the duce made her say she was goin' t,
her grandmother's for? Now | suppos,
I'll have to wait till my pretty bird
t asleep"
Il $50 he sat down under one tree and
+ sat down under another. We both saw
y you when you opened the door and looket
y out. After you had been in bed about ar
h hour, Devarges forced open the sitting
room window and crawled in. While h
was in the Office lighting the lamp, ais
got in at the window and concealed my
t sell in the closet, and--well, you know al
k the rest
"Jack,' said l, tearfully, you'll for
= give me for being naughty and wayward
! and you'll believe me when | say that
loved you all the time, won't youY
=. "Well, ma'am, Jack said he would
and we've been happy ever since. AM
this is my stosy, ina'sm-my only ro
nance.
. A Centennial Award
Is valuable to the recipient and the public, whcl
given to one of many competitors, as showing tru
merit. The competitions in plasters at the Center