The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-08-21

his eyes followed my brother and his
beautiful partner. .--
Once again the hand of the dead
passed over my face, and at its cold touch
the bright, warm vision vanished and the
scene was changed. u- d.
In beautifully appointed and uxuri
ous room lady was rcading-the same
lovely, hanctul woman who had danced
with my brother. She was dressed in q
cool, loose muslin. and the lazy languor
OF her attitude and expression We're be-
witching as she half-reclined on low
sofa and listlcssly turned over the leaves
of her book. The full outline Of her fig
urc and tbs dainty, clean poisc of her
si'apely head were apparent.
The door opened to admit q man, my
brother Charley; but, oh, so wonderfully
changed $50 pale and haggard and care
worn. He strobe across the room and
flung himself on his knees before the wo
man on the sofa. who looked up with an
impatient, displeased expression.
so, my darling-my queen," he cried
and his voice sounded hoarsc and broken :;
you will not cast me Oft; you will not
give Inc up. You are all to mc-this
world and the next--and you cannot be
50 cruel"
Her face gave token of no love OF pity,
only of enua and indifference as she re-
piled coldly:
II thought l told you that our conncc-
tion must end, Mr.. Gordon; t. at l mis-
took my feelings, or rather that l had no
particular feeling for you except tnat Of
liking. You were not content with that,
and anything else bores me. Good day ,
He rose with groan and clcnched hands
on his brow as if he We're striving to stlhc
or crush down unbearable agony.
'Arc you in earnest" he Grind. "Hayc
you led me on and tempted me, ruined
my soul and body for this? Have l been
nothing more to you than an Idle hours
toy: Then, surely, they arc right who say
that Indas must have been woman in
disguise. But stay even if you trample
on me / cannot revilc or curse you. God
help me; l love you too madly tor that. |
forgot myself; am mad"
She had raised herself with frown dur
ing the words. and now interrupted hlm
haughtily:
IL should think so, NJ. Gordon.'
And |, too," put in another voice, and
! saw Temple appear at the door with q
lcok Of triumph in his evil eyes.
Charley turned and saw that look.
With a hoarsc Cry of Devil he sprang
at hm, and in a second bad him by the
throat and
Again the clammy hand touched me
and again the scene changed.
An East india steamer had Just landed
at Southampton. AS the passengers left
itsome to be greeted by halt laughing,
half fearful friends, some to stalt forth in
quest of the places and people that knew
them of yore---I noticed two cone down
the gangway together-a lady and gen
tleman.
They were Temple and the woman
who had betrayed my brother.
1t vas no surprise to me to see them,
nor shortly after to notice a stealthy NUT
ship and follow them. | knew it was
Charley before got a glimpse of his face
The lady and gentleman entered first
class carriage for London, and my broth
er standing in the shadow close by, saw,
us did, that Temple tipped the guard
halt a sovereign to insure that no one
else should come into their compartment.
Then, just as the last bell rang he took
his seat in the next empty carriage and
the train started.
/ Time passed on and l saw nothing
more until ey came within about forty
miles of London. Then l saw Charley
issue from the door of the carriage and
crawl along the ledge till he reached
theirs. He raised himself and peered in.
Both were sound asleep at the far end of
the compartment, the woman's blonde
head resting on Temples shoulder.
Charley took a railway key from his pock-
ct and softly tried the door. g
1t opened and he entered with a mad
glare and a hoarse chucklc. From his
pocket he drew forth two pistols and
with the greatest deliberation cooked
them, pointed one at each Of the slcepcrs
and fired.
The cold clammy hand touched me,
but l shook it off with cry and IN a
moment found myself struggling on the
floor with sensation as though ! were
being stranged with one hand while
another grasped at my heart. 80,
Charley!' l managed to gasp, and by a
y
What. There was woman bending
over me. golden-haired, but oh, how un-
uttcrably tender and womanly was her
face, not hard and cruel like the other.
And beside her stood man, brown and
bearded, looking down on me out of eyes
that were surely my brother Charley's.
"Whats wrong, Alan, dear boy9'
some one said, and as one half in a
dream yet, knew that had been in a
dream before, and l sobbed in my weak
ness, hardly knowing what l said,
"Charley, save me-. 5F
! felt his strong arms around me.
| heard his voice and another voice, very
sweet and gentle. mingle in an indistin-
| guisiable murmur; but above that sound
l heard the chimes pealing across the
dark city. and I felt in my heart that il
was already the day on which CLrisi
was born.
| Then for a time l heard or felt nc
more When I recovered consciousness
1t was Christmas morning, and bri ght
cheerful, sunlit morning at that; but
how much / enjoyed that day despite
my weakness and -prostration can never
tell
i soon learned Charlcy's story. He
had, s, ortly after his arrival in India
met and fallen in love a ith Helen Ash
lev, who returned his love much to the
chagrin Of Captain Temple Dacre, ahe
desired to win her himself, and who wa:
favored by her uncle and guardian, MIR
Gayworthy.
Charley was suddenly sent off by his firm