Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-01-12
last parting interview.


miliar to her she might not hav,
recognized it. Looking out, sb,
perceived Walter standing amid
the heavy shadows Of the lilac
thicket below her window.
Kitty knew that he had waited
all this time in hope Of the prom
ised interview. Her heart was
touched, and she was moreover
fearful that If he remained where
he was he might be discovered
So, creeping softly down the back
stairs and noiselessly opening the
door Of the little entry, she stood
moment by her lovers side.
"Oh, Walter, why did you come
so latei 1t is past nine o'clock,
and every one in the house is
asleep"
allow could / leave in the morn
ing without seeing you again l
knew that you would come to the
stile if you could, and waited, ex-
pecting you, until | saw the light
in the window, and then ! came
here, if only to see your shadow
on the curtain"
They moved away from the
house, and passing through the
little garden gate, walked slowly
down the embowered alley to the
beach In the shadow OF the hedge,
where they talked long and earn
estly, forgetting how rapidly time
passed.
The faint sound of the kitchen
clock reached them where they
sat, and Kitty started.
"Ten o'clock | must so, Wal
ter. am afraid father would be
angry if he knew of my being out
so late"
As she passed around all angle
of the wall toward the back entry,
she was surprised to see something
dark lying before her at her feet,
close to the wall 1t might be Os-
car, the house dog, and, pausing,
she stopped to pat him, but the
touch revealed that the object was
some sort of garment, which had |
doubtless been accidentally left out |
Of doors.
She picked it up, and had moved
away few steps, when slight
sound caused her to turn. 1t was
very dark just here in the shadow
of the thick elm that shaded the
side Of the house, yet Kitty could
distinguish another dark object let
down slowly and cautiously from
the window above-the window Of
the best room.
A vague alarm seized her; yet
in the midst of it she felt brave and
self-possessed. If he we're leaving
the house in this manner some
thing was wrong, and her father
ought to know Of it.
Perhaps-yesl Suddenly there
flashed upon her recollection Of the
peddler's keen observation Of her
fathers movements while he was
getting the money out of the secre-
tary drawer.
The man was robbins her faith
or.
Quick almost as the thought it. {
self, Kitty had sprung to the entry, {
and thence to her parents bed l
room, which opened upon it.
At her first touch and words the {
'armer was wide awake, and snatch {
ng loaded gun which hung above t
he mantel piece, was in the yard t
Ind beneath the window as quick t
y as Kitty herself could have |
been. r
There indeed, was the peddler, a
lis pack already on his shoulders,
omething cleaning family like f
in box in his hand, while he CROP a
ID along the ground, as in search b
4 some missing article. 4
With one bound Farmer Lane u
gas upon him, and for some mo- 7
nents there wss heard only the ?
ound of a desperate struggle,
,ingled with smothered oaths from 9
be peddlsr, who at length, on hear c
,g the rapidly approaching foot c
tops and voices of some Of the a
lrm hands, who had been aroused u
y Kitty's cries, suddenly wrenched 0
imself from the grasp of his an a
lgonist, gave him a stunning blow u
! the face, and with long, swift II
rides made for the nearest fence, IL
I'D was out Of sight before tho r
en- conld reach thu snot