Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-02-03
THE BRANDED ARM.

The room was dark. Not even a
CLEAN of moon or starlight fell
through the curtains of the windows.
1t was a strange sound indeed, but
she saw nothing, heard nothing more.
She sat up, leaning on her dimpled
left elbow, and put out her right
hand and touched her husband s
shoulder.
He lay upon his pillow sound
asleep, and did not awaken at her
touch.
sit must have been DREAM" said
Mrs. Halisont.
Aud her young head-she was on
ly the bride of year-nestled down
again closer TO her husbands arm,
and she slept again.
Click!
This time the sound did not arouse
Mrs. Halifont. 1t was her husband
who awakened.
He did not pause to listen, but
grasped the revolver beneath his pll-
low and jumped out of bed at once.
Iu an alcove in the next room stood
a safe which contained money and
valuables.
1t was not one of the wonderful
safes which defy fire and burglars,
but an old one that had been in the
family long while.
Mr.. Halifont knew on an instant
that some one was opening the safe.
A man Of courage, a man who
never hesltated in the face of danger
one, too, who had warm regart
for his worldly possessions, Mr.. Hal
! font strobe at once into the room
| where he knew housebreakers were a
work, and running in the dark agains
a powerful man tackled him at once.
There was a struggle.
he light OF lantern flashed Ovel
the room.
| There were two more men.
Three against one.
The sound of blows, struggling
and the report Of Il pistol aroused
the young wife once more.
| Amidst her terror she had The
good sense to light the gas.
1t shone upon spectacle Or hor
rOr.
Her husband, weltering in hi
blood, wrestling with a gigantic man
whose features were concealed by
mask Of black Grape; a man the up
per part of whose person was CLOTHED
only in knitted WOODEN shirt 0
some dark color. with sleeves tha
left his great arms bare.
On the right one, which clutche'
Mr.. Halifont's throat, was red mari
or brand, a scar, a birth-mark.
1t would have been impossible 70
Mrs. Halitont, even in calmer mo
ment, to tell what it was, but it in
delibly impressed itself upon he
mind, as she bravely cast herself in
to the struggle, and fought with a
her might to drag the horrible han
from her husbands throat, screamin
all the while for aid.
A blow, a kick, would have 81
lenced her.
The burglar must have known thai
but there are very bad men who coul
not use violence towards woman t
save their own lives.
This man could not.
His companions had flown wit
their booty help might arrive at an
moment.
With great effort he wrenche
himself from the clutch Of his victim
J let 60 his throat and sped away.
1t was not too soon.
| Assistance arrived now that it VIZ
too late: but Mr.. Halifont did NJ
live to tell the story; he was mortal
wounded.
His young wife watched by b
bedside until he breathed his las
J, then dropped beside it senseless.
For weeks she raved in wild deli
ium of the murcerous hand, of Il
great muscular arm with the SC
i upon 1t, and called upon them
save her husbands life; but she w
young and had fine constitution.
After a while her health returne,
7 and, at last, her mind regsined i
! equipose.
She removed from the city al
took up her abode in lonely cour
ry place with a favOrite sister for
companion.
She had resolved, as all wido'
. who have loved their husbands do
first, to remain a widow for ever.
And indeed, though many M
would have gladly tempted one youn
beautiful and wealthy to change b
mind on this point. she seemed
care less for any one OF them th
for the kitten who purred upon b
knee, or for the little black-and-t
terrier who ran by her side along
garden paths.
u She was nineteen when her b,
IL tand was slain; at thirty two she "
still true to his memory.
Is any one for ever utterly true
snother's memory ont of romance
anyone who does not die young?
l fear not.
In this, the lapsing summer of
i, woman's life, when she pretended
believe that autumn had actua
come, temptation to Inconsistency
sailed her.
For many years fine house up
the nei ghboring estate had been ell
ty, but now there came to take p
session of it gentleman, not yet f
ty-a widower with plenty of NOR
n and no children, a handsome M
. well built and stslwart, with magn
cent black hair, and eyes that W
oe like black diamonds; Spanish e,
&c indeed, he called himself Sp,
lard, and his speech betrayed a f
eign accent.
The dark eyes and the blue O
met, a few neighborly words W
exchanged, a call followed soon.
Mrs. Halifont felt new emot
20 creeping into her heart.
~ She fel, pleased and fattered
or this strangers admiration.
Then she knew she was loved, F.
rejoiced, and so discovered that
herself loved again.
So she listened to the words Il
despite herself made her happy,
! promised to marry Col. Hunphrie
4 4