Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-08-11
Aiss Nell p carelessly inquired Mr.. De-

'~4 SSoa +
80, | shall put it right here in this
drawer. No one knows about it, and it
will be perfectly secure.
dare say Good morning. and with
courtley bow my admirer then left.
"All that day busted myself at my
duties. and when night came I put on
the dress that Jack liked best. and very
anxiously waited for his coming.
"Seven o'clock! eight o'clock | the
last train had come and gone. and my
duties for the day were over. | put
out the light in the ticket Office. went
into the sitting-room and sat and waited.
Ten o'clock half-past tenl No use
waiting any longer-he would not
come.
5 :, 3 81 I.ilhsy ishiyyfrssd re- with napeless dread
ana closed the door. went TO bed and
cried myself to sleep.
81 had slept an hour perhaps. and
then awoke with sudden start, feeling
great difficulty in breathing. A part
of the quilt lay across my mouth. |
thought; but. on reaching my hand to
remove it, / found it was handker-
chief saturated with-what? chloro-
form.
"a thrill of terror passed over me.
Who had done this ? Was there some
| one in the house ?
81 silently arose and just then almost
screamed as sudden sound smotc upon
my ear. 1t was only the clock strik-
ing the hour of midnight. placed my
hand upon my heart to soothe its fierce
| throbs.
stepping along. carefully avoiding
all obstacles, reached the door, opened
it, and advanced into the sitting room.
No one was there, but some one was in
the ticket office, for l saw a light and
! heard voice! What did they want {?
The money 10. the money left in my
chargel Somebody was stealing it, and
what should say to Mr.. Sayre :?
My God | might be accused of TAX
ing it myself, and thus lose honor and
position
"Rather lose life /! | said to myself.
'I'll defend that money until death !
and | looked around for some weapon.
"Under the stove was large iron po.
ker. Selling it carefully I started tow
ard the office door. . tG
.'God aid me I | said with white lips,
and then, opening the door of the Office
I stole softly in. A man with his back
toward me was at the other end of the
room. He had forced open the drawer.
taking out the money. and was looking
gloatingly at the crisp green bills. when
| stole behind him. | had just raised
the poker to strike him when he glanc-
ed around.
my God it was Clarence Devarges
"Hang 1t now suppose I'll have
to kill this pretty" he seized me by
the throat. and utterring faint cry
sank down. Just then Jack. my own
dear Jack, rushed In. | heard oaths,
blows, fierce struggling-then all was
dark. lee -
"For the first time in my life faint
ed away. ss7A7 pts 1858
a @ e.
s.When I recovered. Jacks face was
bending tende.ly over me. and Jack
voice uttering loving words. | put my
arm around his neck and cried like a
weak baby.
"Aren't you hurt, Jack?
mot bit dearest. Devarges is dis
abled, though, with a pistol wound in his
leg. 'Tisn't very severe, but will pre-
vent his escape" M
"But how came you here ?'
"Why. you see, when we parted this
morning, Nell. [ thought I'd never set
you again; but toni ght after cam'
home made up my mind to come ant
try and make up
IL rather thought be was a scamp
because. when was in the city yester
day, the chief of Police told me that the,
had reason to think that noted gam
bier and blackleg' had come up int
these parts. He gave description, am
it suited Devarges perfectly. all except
ing moustache. And by-the-way. Mel
that silky moustache you SO admired wa
false, and fell off in our scufle.
"Well. as | said, | saw Devarge
prowling about, and thought / woul
see what he was ito. He looked in th
window at you and heard him muttel
uG OCuCC ldkC ~ QUO 10 az HoIi
after all What the duece made her sa
she was going to her grandmother's
Now | suppose I'll have to wait till m
pretty birds asleep" s3@
$50 he sat down under one tree and
sat down under another. We saw yo
open the door and look out. After yo
had been in bed about an hour Devarge
forced open the sitting room window an
crawled in. While he was in the offie
lighting a lamp | also got in at the vii
dow and concealed myself in the close
and-well you know the rest.'
'Jack. said |, tearfully, you'll fo
| riva ma for hoinO nau0htvs and wa,