Nebraska advertiser., 1880-12-09
SAVED By LOVE.

was Just being closed. The tired girls
were finishing their days work, while
their thoughts had already preceded
time, and were anticipating the delights
of the evenings pleasures of rest. Pref
ty, well-dressed girls they were, too,
when then large work aprons were re-
moved, graceful and lady-like; not one
whit less so that they had to earn their
own living.
Jessie Clifford was somewhat behind
hand in her work, and the girls had
nearly all gone when she had completed
it. She arose hurriedly, threw aside
her apron and went into the little dress
ing-room from which the last girl was
emerging, who said:
why, Jessie how late You arei am
afraid some one will have to wait to-
night"
''Oh, | shall be ready in momentr'
Jessie said, ignoring the last part of the
remark.
She washed her hands hurriedly, then
threw on her short, light SAGE, andlook-
ed for her hat in its accustomed place,
but it was not there. A little wave of
impatience arose within her, as she
searched for it hastily, and found it at
last laid carefully away under the
lounge.
tits that mischievOus Maud Ray
mond," thought she as she put it on be-
fore the glass. ''She thinks it annoys
me to keep Milton Kent waiting She
don't know
The door of the workrOom closed with
n
a great leap, and she rushed across the
room, shook the door, and called loud
ly. But the boy who had closed it,
thinking that all were gone, was already
at the foot of the stairs, having descend
ell two steps at time, his thoughts full
of some fun he had on hand. Jessie re-
allied, with a Notwithstanding sensation,
that she was locked in for the night.
She went to the windows with vague
hopes of escape, but there were none
facing the open street. They looked
down upon a vacant lot and a closed,
narrow curt, between tall brick build
ings. There was no chance of making
any one hear, and she knew she would
have to keep a lonely night vigil.
But Jessie was not a coward by any
means, and, besides, had cultivated a
philosophical spirit of making the best
of everything. So. thinking mo real
harm can come to me here" she went
back SLOW /; 10 She little dressing-rOOm.
''It's an i'll WING that blows nobody
good" she thought, at she removed her
hat and sat down on the lounge. Milton
Kent viii think went out the side en-
trance 10 avoid him. and / am glad of
il, for | want to discourage his atten-
tions. know he is as good as he can
be; but he isn't my fancy; perhaps |
might have cared for him if
And then the handsome face of Gil
bert Knight came before her mental Wis
ion. and the remembrance of his dark,
passionate eyes, his tender kisses and
his words of love thrilled her pulse with
the boundingS of true affection.
The twilight shadows deepened, the
tall building shut out the last rays of
the departing sun, and the objects in the
room became more and more indistinct.
She be an TO fsFl loneliness creeping
over her. but fought against it and
paced tie, fiocr slowly, determined to be
brave
The shad 5ws grew still darker and
the stars PIE out. She could see them
tlvinklinr .he soft, clear evening sky
-ssstsRfsesf & covering buildings. And
With pleasant thoughts for company,
and wishing that the author of them
was beside her, she passed into dream
land.
Harki what was that sound? She
started up with the perspiration stand
ing on her forehead. She heard the
window next the dressing room lifted,
and in a moment more steps on the
floor. Listening with painful intent
ness, her heart throbbing so loudly that
she feared it would betrav her proximi-
tv. she heard that there were two. They
walked past the door of the dressing
room, and Jessie quaked with fear of
discovery. But. under cover of the
darkness. she remained unmoleSted;
and il was evident also that the work
room was not the goal of their ambi-
ton.
We've done the thing neatly so far"
said one voice ''lf we can only finish
as well as we have begun, we shall be
lucky"
..Hush!" said the other in allow tone.
What if we should be discol cred he
fore the job is done"
mo danger of that" the first re-
turned.
There is no one within hearing dis
lance, Knight. | came here in the role
of a book agent the other day, and took
the position of the rooms"
The sound of the second voice had
struck with a painful suspicion of ia
namei What did it mean? Could it be
possible that he was her lover. Was
she not mistaken in his voice?
He spoke again:
After all, there are worse robberieS
committed every day under the guise of
business transactions than we are medi-
tating. Old JACOBS has been miSer all
his life. and cheated people out of thou
sands It's no more than fair to take
some of his ill-gotten gains"
No. she was not mistaken. There was
no doubt of that voice. 1t had char
acteriStic ring that could not be mista-
ken. Something darker than night S
shadows settled upon her mind. She re-
manned in her position as If bound hand
and foot.
But they passed along, and she heard
them working with the lock of the door
which had closed upon her so untimely
For a few moments there was dull,
raSpinU sound. and she knew that they
had succeeded in opening it and were
passing down stairs. There We're two
more doors to open before they could
Jain an entrance into the store below.
She rose TO her feet and listening intent
". she could hear the first one below
Weld Ia their hands.
She felt as if she must follow them.
She did not care whether or notshe was
discovered. When they had opened the
last door and were within the front store