Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-25

been a woman in disguise. But stay;
even If you trample on me cannot re-
vile or curse you. God help me; love
you too madly for that. forgot my
self; am mad"
She had raised herself with frown
during the words, and now interrupted
him haughtily:
81 should think.so, Mr.. Gordon"
"And l, too" put in another voice,
and / saw Temple appear at the door
with look of triumph in his evil eyes.
Charley turned and saw that look.
With hoarse cry of "Devil'he sprang
a. him, and in second had 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 pas
sengers left it-some to be greeted by
half laughing, half fearful friends,
some to start forth in quest of the
places and people that knew them OF
yore-I noticed two come down the
gangway together-a lady and gentle
man.
They were Temple and the woman
who had betrayed my brother.
1t was no surprise to me to see them,
nor shortly after to notice stealthy,
muifled form emerge from the steerage
of the ship and follow them. knew
it was Charley before L got a glimpse
of his face. The lady and gentleman
entered first-class carriage for Lon
don, and my brother standing in
shadow close by, saw, as | did, that
Temple tipped the guard half SOW
ereign 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 till they 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 s
shoulder. Charley took railway key
from his pocket and softly tried the
door.
1t opened and he entered with mad
glare and a hoarse chuckle. From his
pocket he drew forth two pistols and
with the greatest deliberation cooked
them, pointed one at each of the
sleepers 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 l
were being strangled with one hand
while another grasped at my heart.
80, CharleyW 1 managed to gasp, and
by violent effort opened my eyes.
What! There was a woman bending
over me. golden haired, but oh, how
unutterably 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 boyP"
some one said, and as one half in a
dream yet, knew that l had been in a
dream before, and 1 sobbed in my
weakness, hardly knowing what L said,
Charley, save me-"
| felt his strong arms around me. l
heard his voice and another voice, very
sweet and gentle, mingle in an indis-
tinguishable murmur; but above that
sound l heard the chimes pealing
across the dark city, and felt in my
heart that it was already the day on
which Christ was born.
Then for time heard or felt no
Who, 7
it was Christmas morning, and bright,
cheerful, sunlit morning at that; but
how much l enjoyed that day despite
my weakness and prostrationI l can nev-
er tell.
soon learned Charley's story. He
had, shortly after his arrival in India,
met and fallen in love with Helen Ash
ley, who returned his love much to the
chagrin of Captain Temple Dacre, who
desired to win her himself. and who
was favored by her uncle and guardian,
Mr.. Gayworthy.
Charley was suddenly sent off by his
firm on business journey to China and
Japan, and as he knew Captain Dacre
was coming to England and had no
time to write them himself, he asked
him to take some money and message
to me. He was unaware at the time
that the gallant Captain was being
forced to sell out of his regiment to es-
cape court-martial on recount of some
gambling dishonesty in which he had
been detected.
The Soi-diSGnt Temple had striven in
his impotent chagrin and jealousy to in
jure Charley through me, to do some-
thing malevolent, however grutuitous.
OF course he retained the E10O Charley
had entrusted to his care, and probably
made congenial use of it, as he after
wards died from injuries received in a
gambling-hell brawl at Baden.
Charley was so successful in his busi-
ness expedition that he was appointed
to represent the firm in London, and
old Gayworthy, finding his ward recall
citrant, was forced, nolenS UoLenS, to
play the heavy father in the most ap-
proved style. My brother and his wife
had landed in London, and straightway
hastened to surprise me. At my lodg-
ings they were informed of the ghost
like manner in which haunted the dis
secting rooms, and as Helen had insist
ed on accompanying Charley in his
quest of me, the vision Ihad, on waking
from my awful dream, of that veritable
angel of grace, is easily accounted for.
M Y. Graphic.