Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-10-20

/ so sinister look that Fred fairly re-
coiled to the other side of the coach.
"Come, come; I've no time to waste
here. Unless you wish to drive me to
extreme measures, you'll hand over
your valuables directly. Madam, I've
taken a fancy to that gold snuff-box
and watch seal"
"Wretch! I'll die first. My poor dead
Tobias gave me these before he went to
heaven sixteen years ago"
Fred had but two treasures in the
world. One was the heart of a wonder
fully pretty girl, the other was her pic
ture in miniature, done up quantity
with a gold back, surmounted with IN
significant little pearls. Priceless IN
Freds eyes, though it was but shabby
little trinket.
He had given up all hopes of ever
possessing Emily, who was his senior
partners niece, a girl whose visits to
that dull old iron house had left each
time a broad band of sunlight in his
dull hard life. She had gone back
home now, somewhere very far away
thousands of miles, he thought, and III
giving the miniature had whispered
three words:
"Good by-hope-wait."
"What have you there?" said the
robber, sternly, as Fred endeavored to
conceal the locket up his coat cuff.
"No tricks, sir; be quick Out with 1t!
Is it valuable?"
eyes; it is the picture of the woman
| love and never hope to see again.
You can kill me if you will, but pollute
this token you shall not.,'
| Under excitement Fred was coming
out manfully. He was a fine muscu-
lar young fellow, and when his blood
was up cared very little for threats or
firearms
"You may keep that bundle, Mr..
Ringwood," said the highwayman,
scornfully, as familiar with Fred as if
he had stood godfather to him twenty
three years before. "My real object is
not to take trifes from you, but an inn
portant bit Of information. You are
the rather poorly-paid but confidential
clerk of Giles, Leadbeiter & Read, Of
Cam berwell Road and Harrowditch.
must know VINO deposits the fund in
the safe, how late it remains there, and
who will be on watch there tonight at
12."
The lady in the black gown seemed
transfixed with horror. All this going
on under her very nose.
Fred gave a last thought to Emily
Giles, and buttOned her locket over his
heart
"Why, you villain" said he, folding
his arms over it tenderly. "Betray my
employers-the men who befriended
me, an outcast and founding, and trust
me as they trust no one else? You are
welcome to blow my body full of holes,
if that will crafty you, Tut never a
word will [ speak of their affairs while
| have drop of warm blood in my
body"
The robber made motion toward
Fred very difficult to understand, while
the lady in the black gown threw her
fat arms around his neck, much to his
dismay.
'EDear fellow" she murmured.
Here there was smoJhered cry out
side, a scuffie of moments duration
on the frozen ground, and the driver
cracked his whip. The horses plunged
forward at a mad gallop, and in an
hours time were drawn up before a
superb avenue of chestnuts leading to
a magnificent old, red brick, country
house with window easements.
This was Evenden, and Fred feeling
stiff and sore, full of knocks and bangs,
his hair terribly tousled, handed his
bag to Il valet, who came to meet him,
with the air ola young D'Orsav, and was
soon standing in a splendid old drawing
room, shaking hands with an elderly,
gentlemanly man, with prominent
cheek bones and mild blue eyes, whose
voice reminded him constantly of some
one else.
Dinner awaited-such a Thanksgiving
dinner as one might expect to eat in
such a manor, but what was Fred's sur
prise to see Emily Giles advancing tC
meet him with pretty dove-colored
gown which exactly matched her eyes
while Leonard Giles, the senior part
ner's brother, smiled on in approval
and a stout, elderly lady black gown
stood holding a gold snuff-box in her
mittened hand, looked at him benign
antly.
''No adventure coming down, Mr.
) RingwOod?" asked the senior partners
brother, after the desert had come on,
and Fred was deIiriously happy eating
philopenas with Emily across corners
, mo robbers-no stoppages, or any
) thing of that sort? We fancied you
, were a little late, Mrs. Waggoner and
l."
Mrs. Waggoner was Emily's more
: than mother.
) Nothing worth mentioning" an,
, swered Fred, turning trifle red in the
; face as he remembered the rum which
| was so plentifulIy diluted with annis
seed
Frederick, you arc a good fellow
and full of the right stuff. Emily,
don't mind telling you, my dear, that
you have made an excellent choice OF
a husband. From tonight, Mr.. Ring
wood, you enter my brothers business
as an interested clerk, with partner.
| ship in view, while I've no doubt that
: we can make things all satisfactory tC
you at Evenden."
Emely and Fred go down every yeal
: to eat Thanksgiving and Christmas din.
ners at Evenden.
Daniel WebSter'e Descendants.