St. Landry democrat., 1879-06-14
THE MARKED ARM.

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Click! In the dead of night a sharp
sound awakened Mrs. Halifont. The
room was dark. Not even CLEAN Of
moon or starlight fell through the cur.
tains OF the windows. It was q strange
sound indeed, but she saw nothing, heard
nothing more. She sat up, leaning on
her dimpled left elbow. and put out her
right hand and touched her husbands
shoulder. He lay upon his pillow fast
asleep and did not awaken at her touch.
"tt must have been DREAM" said Mrs.
Halifont; and her young head-she was
only 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. It was her hus>
band who awakened. He did not pause
to listen, but grasped the revolver be.
meath his pillow and jumped out of bed
at once. In an alcove in the next room
stood safe which contained valuables.
It was not one of the wonderful new
safes, which defy fire and burglars, but
an old one that had been in the family q
long time. Mr.. 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 too
who had a warm regard for his worldly
possessions. Mr.. Halifont strobe at once
nto the room where he knew house.
breakers were at work, and, running in
the dark against a 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 report of 8 pistol, aroused the young
wife once more, Amid her terror she
had the good sense to light the gas. 1t
shone upon spectacle of horror. Her
husband weltering in his blood, wrest-
ling with gigantic man whose features
were concealed by mask of black
Grape; a man, the upper part 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 that clutched Mr..
Halifont's throat, was red mark or
brand, a scar, 8 birth-make. It would
have been impossible for Mrs. Halifont,
even in calmer moment, to tell what it
was; but it indelibly impressed itself
upon her mind, as she bravely cast her
self into the struggle, and fought with
all her might to drag the horrible hand
from her husbands throat, screaming all
the while for aid
A blow, kick would have silenced
her. The burglar must have known
that, but there are very bad men who
could not use violence toward a 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 q great effort he
wrenched himself from the clutch of his
victim and let go his throat and srei
away. 1t was not too soon. Assistance
arrived, now that it was too late, but
Mr.. Halifont did not live to tell the
story. He was mertally wounded. His
young wife watched his bedside until he
breathed his last, then dropped beside it
senseless. .....,
For weeks she raved in wild delirium
of the murderous hand, of the great
muscular arm with the scar upon it.
and called upon them all to save her
husbands life; but she was young, and
had fine constitution. After a while
her health returned, and at last her
mind regained its equipoise.
She removed from the city and took
up her abode in lonely country place,
with favorite sister Tor companion.
She had resolved, as all widows who had
loved their husbands do at first, to re.
main q widow forever. And, indeed,
though many men would gladly have
tempted one 90 young, beautiful and
wealthy to change her mind on this
point, she seemed to care less for any of
them than for the kitter which Gpurred
upon her knee, or the little black-and-
tan terrier which ran along her side by
the garden paths. She was nineteen
when her husband was murdered: at
thirty-two she was still true to his
memory.
is anyone forever utterly true to an.
others memory out of romance-any
one who does not die young? I fear
not. Ia this, the lapsing summer Of the
woman's life, when ahe pretended to
believe that autumn had actually come.
temptation to Inconsistency assailed her.
For many years . fine house upon the
neighboring estate had been empty. but
now there came to take possession Of it