The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-05-31
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property"
"Your property These are mine-made
mine by yourself, a free agent"
"What will you do with them ~
"Present them to my wife on her wed.
ding day OF that failing, to your husband
on yours"
@hh r. sharply, and in a voice quivering
with angry pain.
l could have sprung into the room and
throttled this cowardy threatener Of q vo-
man but leaping down among the flower
beds hurried out of sight and hearing,
Half an hour after | saw handsome,
rather distinguished looking man, stalking
through the garden towards the road.
made turn and mat him. The distin-
gtisdcd look chanccd to be a sort of dare
devil recklessness of air and manner as
approached him, and he seemed decidedly
out Of humor.
lifted my hat courteously as we passed.
lie did the same, with hall-impudent stare
ana turned to look after me as | sauntered
up the walk.
Miss Bonner wos nowhere to be seen !;
and instead of coming down to dinner, she
sent word that she had headache.
found Richard Dunkirk angling in the
trout stream below the house the next morn
ing. | angled too not for trout, but for his
acquaintance. He scowled at sight of me )
but l baited my hook cleverly, and pre-
sently he became civil. saw that he was
trying to discover who was, and my re-
lations with Miss Bonner. l kept him
quite in the dark, but we separated with
apparently mutual pleasure in each other.
We encountered again the following day
quite like old acquaintances, and l invited
him to dine at my aun"s. He gave sort
Of startled stare, but assented. 1t was too
good an opportunity to be lost.
can acquaintance of yours, believe,
Miss Ruth" said, simply, as carelessly
announced to her aud my aunt that Mr..
Dunkrk had come to dinner.
Miss Bonner had seemed out of sorts for
day or two. She gave me half despe-
rate look at the announcement.
"You see, Miss Ruth, am not jealous,
said in undertone.
"You are certainly generous" she replied
coldly. was half of the opinion that she
would not come to dinner; but she did,
royal in beauty, and nonchalantly at ease
as though nothing had or could distub her.
Dunkirk recognized the seeming with a
shrug of the shoulders, and initiated it. We
were, on the whole, quite pleasant party
| Once or twice saw Miss Bonner change
color at something he said but she main
tained her ease and cheerIulness exceeding
" we'll. He offered hand Mt parting, but
she shook her head and clasped her bands
behind her. He bent low toward her then
saying something in a whisper that mad'
her face flash whiteness butshe only com
pressed her lips and gave him look tina
should not have liked to encounter.
CHANGING into the parlor as l passed, afte
seeing Dunkirk out, saw Miss Bonne
standing as he had left her her hands still
clasped behind her, and her beautiful fac
expressive of hopelessness and despair tha
slnote me to the soul.
only glanced once. The one look CAV
impetus to a halfformea, altogether will,
scheme had in my brain. In my chambe
fastened to lock the door and change m.
light clothes for dark ones. | adjusted
plain mask to my face, selected from severa
odd hats the most battered, took Il tulerabl
stout walking-stck in my hand, and, swing
ing myself down from the window outside
that the household might not discover m.
absence, set forth.
| accomplished all this in about the tim
it takes to tell il. -
By taking a short cut, which | was sur
could not be known to Dunkirk, reache
, certain lonely and darksome spot, as
hoped, before him. Barely that. He cam
f in sight presently, sauntering along in tn
moonlight could see him quite plainly
was glad it was deep shadow just wher
wnted, and wondered if Richard Dun
kirk was the coward took him to be.
just as he came opposite me l3veled m
walking stick, resting it as l would mu'
ket across convenient stump, while
called in as deep voice as could muster
Shalt, for your life !"
The end of my stout cane was tipped wit
metal there was just enough light to mal
it glitter.
Mr.. Dunkirk mutterrd an oath but i
stopped stock still in the path, with "Whi
is it you want, fellow ?"
"Step there into that strip Of moonligh
where can see YOU and remember my gu
covers you," said sternly. "Do as l te
you or you are dead mani"
lie walked to the point indicated ii
stantly.
"Now be so good as to dePcsiI the eonten
of your pockets on the ground"
lie hesitated but shifted my walking
3 stick slightly, intimated that was in L
humor lor trihing, and he proceeded to ODE
me.
lneFe was kullti u HlhlNH-NaoSjN CIV
tooth pick, some loose coins, a pocket 6ooI
and purse, and there he stopped.
, "Thatis not all, sad, sharPlyi "thel
are several inside pockets yet-do me II
favor to empty those also"
7 lie obeyed, but rather slowly, nothin
appearing Of the description sought. l be
gan to fear he had them not with him.
q at is not all, | said, deeply, and MOI
- sternly than before.
With a groan, he took out a small Parce
can, upon my honor, except this, whic
!, cannot possibly be of any value TO any on
but me; they are merely letters"
y. "Allow me to be the judge OF that" ! al
swered crisply. "If I can't use them, wi
return them to you in safe enclosure. P'
/. them DOM"
He laid them down upon the ground vii
y the rest
- "Puss on. was my next. orderi and
marched on past my wooden gun IN saiei
did not wait tor him Ia get more tina