Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-09-09

huoW. IlVe my love TO your aunt
and cousins. and write as soon AS YOU
| are able
''As the cars moved on / stole a
look at-my fair companIon-tor fair
she looked anti young-from the
glimpse obtained through her veil.
She was dressed very warmly, having
on, in addition to the long, loose
cloak that fell to the floor, large
cape and scarf. On her head was
the conventional bonnet of that day,
and which had material enough in it
for half dozen of the style worn
now
''He unnatural pallor was height
ened by the blackest eyes and eye
lashes that think | ever saw,
though, on account of her shyness
and timidity, the latter veiled the
former much of the time from view.
She seemed entirely unfit to be out
at that season of the year, being
seEcd at one time with a paroxysm
of coughing that quite alarmed me.
To my inquiry if l could get her
anything, she shook her head, and
remembering her fathers caution to
her, | said no more. Removing the
cork from vial, whose peculiar oior
L remember yet, she touched it to
her lips. Whatever 1t was it seemed
TO have the desired effect. Folding
my cloak. l placed it ON the seat
back OF her, and leaning her head
upon it, she slept, or seemed to do so.
II had not the rcmotest idea or
intention of going to sleep, but did.
How long | slept | don't know.
fonly know that | awollc with IL SENSE
OF sullocation, To which the fresh air
that poured in from the open car
door WIS Il welcome relief The ears
had stopped, which was, perhaps, the
reason why awoke With a con-
fused feeling in my brain that could
not account for, | watched the peo-
pie going out until the peculiar odo,
before alluded 10 reminding me OF
my companion, | tarned to see how
she was fanng. TO my astonisl.
ment she was gone.
Can this be Bolton:' l thought
springing to my feet, not littl,
mortified at my involuntary rcmiss-
; ness. As did SO, stumbled over
a retcuie, on which one OF my fee
had been resting, and which my fail
charge had left behind her. Catching
it up Isprang from the cars. AS
gained the platform ! caught glimps,
of her hurrying along to the othe
, side of the depot, where long trail
of cars was standing. To my sur
4 prise she glanced back as ] callet
j out to her, but did not slacken he
speed. The train tor which she Wa
making now began to move, bu
/ springing mp the steps with quick
ness of motion for which l was en-
Y tirely unprepared, she disappeare'
: from view.
''As the train thundered past me
n moved by sudden Impulse, L thrus
b my hand into my breast pocket. Th
!. package was goue!
e SHOULD l live thousand years
= shall never forget the sensation tbs
a came over me 4: the dismay, the hol
h ror that for while benumbed ever
d faculty. But it was not long befor
r every nerve of my heart and hrai
!, was fully aroused and at work. Lik
e a flash of lightning, by whom an
IS how had been robbed, all was Gle,
e to nc.
). I'm the meantime the train whic
II had left had gone on, and | stoo
A in the gray dawn alone on the pla
,e form. / ascertained that the pla,
J. was not Bolton, but Warwick; th
is the train taken by the woman wei
10 by a more circuitous route in Il
y. same direction whence had started
,t that it was a fast train, it's first stol
J. ping place being large manufactu
|. ing town forty miles back. / imm
B.. diately resolved to take the ne
n train to that place. On learning tn
v. it would be two hours before | cou
" do this, l turned my next though
te to breakfast, contriving, in spite
my anxiety, to make tolerably su
a staniial meal from the bountiful
Id spread table of the hotel opposit
in and feeling ten per cent. better
n consequence.
I'd ''As l arose from the table
r. thoHght of the little satchel that 1
rv woman had left behind her, eth
from her haste to escape, or becau
n she feared to wake me if she reno
[r. ed it from beneath my foot. Its co
he tents surprised and puzzled me. n
IS. on account of their extent and valu
he however. They consisted of dicke
ed pair Of socks, black cloth--or Il
C. as 1t is now called an old glove a.
Nv handkerchief. Not an article
C. women's apparel was in it. The
id was no name or initial on anythiu
with the exception of the handk,
nd chief, on which were the letters
a. H., worked IN red silk. On shaki
we The satehel to make sure that The
he was nothing more, wad of cru
on pied paper dropped out. Unrolli
ed it smoothed it out upon my kn,
,ut 1t proved to be part of letter, ii
.ct part Oh which the address was WI
off ten in the days before envelopes W,
nut invented. The lower right ha
I'D corner was torn off, leaving the sup
nd scription 10 read thus: -
,p- 'FRED'K HAK-
;th Stock
''The last four letters formed |
he first syllable Of Stockport, the to
where l resided. On turning
paper | found some pencilled men
randa which ran thus: Bonnet, "
cloak. scarf, gloves.
the GAS l recalled the face bene
ian that veil--the short, wavy hair, p.
Ian ed in the middle of the forehead,
on, arched eyebrows, the intense bla
at ness of the eyes, which never o.
directly met my own, there fiasl
to upon me the secret Of the indetins
ne, resemblance to some one had Sc
Gus which had struck me at The /
hat glance, but which made no. parti
be lar impression on any mind 1t
time. Hswas just as clear to
now as twelve hours later. I
om- been rotbed, not by woman, b'
the man, and that man was Fred Hs
f. ,..z~ - @l,c ~