Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-19
There was knob Of glass, generally


tude, and at the crevice appeared linz
of white. Alice stopped down and exa
mined it. 1t was the edge of folded
paper,
She drew it out with wild thought
that it might be some valuable check
or draft, but it contained only few
words writton in pencil:
81 have watched for you constantly
for q week. If you would save
my life come back here, and all night
long place matches where you found
this paper. You shall be rewarded with
all you can ask. A PRISONER"
Alice closed the faper in her hand
and looked around bowildered. No one
was to be seen. She looked down at the
lump of dulf glass, but it was entirely
Opaque. The bulls eye was not set
quite evenly in its place. She stonched
it with her foot, but could not move it.
After waiting a moment, confused and
in doubt, she passed on, recollecting hes
errand.
The area door admitted her. The
servant had child in her arm, the
dainty little thing for whom Alice made
garments.
/ "Mrs Tracy said yon was to come up
to her chamber, said she. "You know
the way" %
The lady whom she met vas not love
ly; she was swallow and dark; very
disasreeable--clutching her cashmere
gown at the breast, and turning inlpa-
tienly toward her little sewing girl:
"Why did you not come here before p
she asked in a h0arse voice, with a
slight French accent "Ihe child should
have had that dress t6 drive in to-day.
II was sick yesterday; l could not
finish it, answered Alice, TREMENDOUSLY,
Madame snatched the package, tear
ing it open, and letting the little en-
broidered robe fall on the bed.
"Well, here is your money" said she,
opening velvet purse. Next time l
will employ some one who will do as
they promise"
Alice turned awey With bursting
heart-for the woman's word meant
starvation to her. She dared not to
raise her voice in reply; she OWNED
truly that the heart under that rich
robe was one Of stone. q a
As she passed down stairs, she heard
a low voice. 1t proceeded from one of
the rooms about her.
"And he is 2l today it said.
eyes it is three years since his mys-
terious disappearance" with a sneering
laugh
The voices were stealthy. A door
closed aud shut them in
$ Alice passed down into the street.
She walked fast, treading, unthink-
ingly, upon the bulls eye, and went
home. When she flung herself down to
weep, she suddenly felt the crumpled
paper in her hand.
What should she do! She lay think
ing a long time. She considered the
strapgeness of the request, The possibili-
ty that it was a hoax, or written by
some nIadmSn-for it was 4 man Is hand
writing.
But the girls heart was warm aud true.
The possibility that some one was in
trouble, and she might help them, was
the thought that had the most weight.
With no one to counsel or object, she
Obeyed it. o.
She went to the store and spent one
dollar of her precious money for matches.
She received large package, containing
thousands of The little lncifers.
The city clocks were striking nine as
she reached the bulls eye.
The street was silent, the pavement
deserted. As she bent down, some one
tapped on the bulls eye. She slipped
sheet of matches into the crevice. 1t
She waited few mo-
ments the hand tapped for more; she
supplied them.
As she waited again pedestrian ap-
lroached. She rose and stepped back
into the shadows until he passed other
wise she did not fear. The street was
quiet and she could see the stare twink
ling in the clear sky.
Hour after honr she supplied matches
at intervals of quarter hours. Occasion
ally the rap came for an earlier demand,
But she could not see the haud. She
only imagined it to be mans.
1t was long past midnight. The city
clocks were near striking two when her
became exhausted. She had not
been sufficiently supplied, she thought.