Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-02
CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE END OF A BRIGHT DREAM.

retain the secret.
Itlacked three days of Christmas when he
called again at the house of his promised
bride. The evening was clear but frosty,
and light wind had sprung up. The art
list concluded that he should be more COM
Portable indoor than in taking his usual
prowl about the city. At dusk he assembled
the steps of Clarice's pleasant little dwelling
and rang the bell Clarice was just spread
ing the cloth for supper as he entered the
room. The fire burned brightly and seemed
vieing with the light of the lamp.
Everything looked neat and comfortable,
but the chief attraction to James Dalton
was absent.
"Where is Celeste?" he asked, seating
himself In the large armchair.
''She has gone out" replied Clarice, ner-
vously, busily setting the table.
"Gone out" exclaimed the young man,
springing from his seat
Eyes. She said she was longing for q
breath of fresh air, and wished to take a
short walk. AS she has not been out since
she came here, could not object, and she
pleaded very hard"
James Dalton's face did not betray the
tempest of doubt and fear which ragged
within.
"How long has she been gomez" he asked,
quietly.
Clarice appeared not to have heard this
question, for she did not answer
Chow long has she been gomez" repeated
James Dalton.
almost an hour" said Clarice, reluct-
antly.
A slight pallor was visible on James Dab
tons face, and his lips twitched, as he
picked up his hat.
s'Then she will not return" he said
''she has been tracked"
Not long after receiving this intelligence,
the artist was again IN the little wooden
church opposite the house which set back
from the street, in the suburbs of Brooklyn
city.
He took his station at the partly-opened
window, buttoning up his coat to keep out
the wind. 1t was a curious episode in the
history of that holy edifce.
The next morning worship was to be held
the church, for it was Saturday night, and
here was man-hunter watching in its pre-
cinctS in anticipation of prey.
There was q bright moon shining, and
every object about and near the building
could be plainly seen. Occasionally, wind
clouds drifted across the horizon, but soon
were gone, when all was bright again under
the efulgent moonlight.
The streets were deserted.
A single light burned in the upper part of
the house which was being watched, Just
the same as on that former occasion when
James Dalton had spent the night in the
church.
More than an hour passed without any,
thing to interrupt the monotony of the
place when the watcher observed a move
ment at the western corner of the house. It
was cautious movement-Some object,
human or animal, he could not tell which,
was evidently trying to get around to the
front door Presently the object came out
from the shadow OF the caves and passed
along until it gained the door.
1t was the figure of n woman
James Dalton heart gave wild leap.
Who could it be?
The door of the house was in partial
shadow, and he could not see whether she
entered it or remained outside. Racked
with doubt and fear, his self-control almost
foorsook him; but he curbed his wild desire
to rush out and confront the woman, and
waited.
Some hours had passed when the door of
forth. They came slowly down the garden
the street.
James Dalton quickly left the church,
locked it, and followed the two men, They
were crossing the fields back of the house,
and had quickened their pace. The young
man kept some distance behind them, stag
gering carelessly along. He had put on an
rusty black coat, the sleeves of which were
dilapidated, and had drawn SLOUGH hat
{ yer his forehead. To lkappearance he
as only half-drunken laborer.
Once the men stopped and looked back;
then, as James Dalton staggered and almost
fell, they went on.
Quickening his pace, James Dalton was
soon up with them. The keen-eyed man
whom he had seen on Broaday, some time
before, he singled out at a glance, and
showed violently against him.
The man sprang back with an oath, but
not before pistol-barrel was pressed
against his temple.
81 want you, my mani said James Dali
ton, coolly, and he blew shrill blast from a
whistle attached to the button-hole of his
coat.
The mans companion turned and fed in
the direction he had come.
The keen-eyed man seemed so completely
surprised as to be incapable of making any
resistance.
George Kicker" said Mr. Dalton, as a
policeman came up in answer to his sum-
mons, s'you must turn back, and go quietly
with us to the house which you have just
left"
Upon reaching the house, James Dalton
sounded his whistle twice and rang the
door-bell violently After few moments
delay, the door was cautiously opened, and
the bold-faced woman called Jess looked
out Without ceremony, the young man
gave the door kick which sent it back
against the WALL and the party made their
way in, reinforced by two officers, who had
answered James Dalton's signal.
AS they entered the drawing room, the
woman Jess, who rushed in ahead of them,
gave O bundle of wood, strangely enough,
lying in the open fireplace, a kick, as if de-
string to put it back out of sight.
James DaIton sprang forward and picked
up the wood, which proved to be box
painted in imitation. The box had in it a
quantity of bank notes. He then walked
over to George Kicker, who stood looking at
him with adogged expression, but who seemed
afraid to move from the side of the police
nan in whose custody he was. James Dali
.on inspected the thiefs coat from the collar
Town to the bottom, and from the bottom
lp to the collar again, on both sides. Then,
catching hold Of the left lapel, he drew
from his vest pocket small piece of cloth,
which he had picked up in the Ovington
library, and fitted it in the rent lapel.
f'You have had tussle with somebody,
ind have lost portion Of your dry goodsT
ne said, dryly.
One of the police officers, who had as