The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-08-07

bridge across the canal was reached. The
girl paused; was her purpose desperate
one? George Adolphus asked himself this
question and many more beside, rs he lin
/ gered in the shadows close behind her.
Murmuring something to the effect that
the heaving, white crested pillows which
rolled at her feet would soon embrace her
and free her from her wretchedncss Maud
began to take down her hair.
'Going to swim?" asked voice behind
her.
She turned and beheld a stranger close at
hand. At first she could not answer word.
Presently, however, she said in tones that
betrayed her excitement:
''Oh, sir, do not thwart my purpose. Ide-
sire to put an end to my trouble wish to
sleep beneath the wave'
There isn't any wave there said George
Adolphus. "The canals dry. You'll break
your neck if you jump off this bridge
'.But l want to find grave in the restless
Deep l want the blue pillows to fold me in
everlasting slumber, where the sea- weeds
grow in sunless gloom"
"But | tell you, my dear lady, there isn't
any restless deep anywhere around here.
You'd better put it off till the canal opens.
Here you are talking about sleeping beneath
the pillows. when the water won't be let on
in a month yet. And besides, if you want to
be folded in everlasting slumber, it would be
wise for you to jump into we'll. You'd
have sure thing them
| "That would be horriblel" exclaimed Maud
with a shudder.
"Yes," replied George Adolphus, "t would
spoil the WE'LL"
Maud felt that George Adolphus was right
True, he did not appear to enter very much
into the tragic spirit of the situation. He
ought TO have dropped upon his knees and
implored her to forget her trouble and sip a
little longer the nectar of life. He ought to
have pictured to her imagination fair haired
girl lying with pallid face and marble form
in the silent bosom of the canal, where the
dolphin sports unseen and the mermaids
comb their locks in shadowy solitude. But
he did nothing of the sort He told her to
go home and practice in the cistern.
Maud thought the matter over for mo-
ment, then bursting into tears she wrung the
hand of our hero and ran swiftly home.
George Adolphus stood upon the bridge
and watched Maud till she was out of sight.
As he stood there, wondering what it was that
weighed SO heavily upon the mind of this
fair young girl, he saw something glittering
at his feet He stopped and eagerly picked
it up. 1t was golden hair-pin of peculiar
pattern. 1t occurred to him at once that it
must have been lost by the girl when she
took down her hair. He put it in his trous-
ers pocket, thinking that it would be handy
thing to pawn for his breakfast. The more
he tried to forget about this fair girl, and the
previous circumstances under which he had
met her, the more persistently they rose be-
fore him. Presently he found himself lay
ing plans to find out more about her. and
hap n n po6 hat no in
He then tenderly removed the hair-pin from
his trousers pocket and placed it next his
heart. 1t was now getting very late, and
the police were beginning to glance suspi-
ciously at our hero, and so he turned into
more retired street and determined to search
for cheap lodging place.
Old Mr.. Muggleton, whom we left at the
residence of Maud's father wendell his way
! bomeward, filled with bitter disappointment.
He had long regarded Maud with tenderness,
ard had desired to offer her his hand and
fortune, and now he felt that he was rejected.
He had seen nearly four-score years of bach
elorhood, and it was getting monotonous.
He dragged himself YEARLY and sadly home,
and retired to his couch in wretchedness.
| The clock had just struck IL, and the town
was as silent rs the grave, when two villain
Gus looking men with mufied faces, broke
open the street door of large mansion
where an ancient bachelor lay dreaming of a
supercilious maiden who had declined u
meet him in the parlor few hours before.
The men passed safely into the house, and
we're soon standing By the bedside of the
dreamer. A moment later swift blow fell
upon the unconscious millionaire, but before
it could be repeated the assassin was stricken
to the floor. His companion escaped. The
police were summoned by the servants, who
had by this time been aroused by the noise,
and the captured man was lead away in
irons.
"Who is this young man that has followed
these villains, and risked his own life to save
miner" asked the wounded man.
"My name is George Adolphus Clarcn-
don," was the prompt reply
"George Adolphus,' SAID the Millionaire,
"you have done brave and noble deed.
am mortally wounded and must die in a
few hours, but you shall be rewarded. You
shall be my heir"
The next morning there was Grape on the
door of the Muggleton mansion, and George
Adolphus Clarendon was millionaire. He
had suddenly landed in the lap of luxury.
He could not have been more completely
taken by surprise if he had suddenly suc-
ceeded to the English crown. And yet his
magical elevation to wealth and position did
not so engage his mind as to dispel certain
memories that were lingering there-mem-
cries that carried him back to the foot
bridge across the canal Who was the beau.
tiful stranger who had almost made the ca
nal "bridge of sighs?" Why had she
sought watery grave? And if she wanted
to rid herself of sorrow why didn't she jump
off houe instead of hunting up dry canal
full of broken glass, iron and old boots
These questions were too much tor George
Adolpnus. In less than week he found
himself in perfect fever of mental excite
ment. He felt that he was growing rapidly
worse. 1t did seem as if he could not get
that hair-pin near enough his heart. He
thought of swallowing it, but changed his
mind and had it made into bosom pin. Ii
another week the malady had obtained Sc
complete mastery over him that he began tC
write poetry. He could not even think il
. prose, and when he read a newspaper the
lines all seemed to commence with capita
letter and end with jingle.
Thus the weeks passed YEARLY by withou
bringing the slightest intelligence of thu
gold hair pin.