Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-03-11

proof of a masculine element unde
our roof-tree. I.
For two weeks everything worked
smoothly. Except for subtle odO
of tobacco smoke about the balls
and a daintily prepared tray thre'
times day, we could almost fancy
that no change had taken place il
4 our household.
Mr.. Sage had asked that for
time his meals might be served il
his room, as his eyes could not a
/ yet bear the light.
1t seemed scarcely right to leave
him all alone in that darkene6
chamber, unable to read, to write
or do anything to while away the
slow, tedious hours.
Helen suggested that she or oc
casionally should read to him.
"At his age and in his condition
of life it really seemed like a duty
she said.
Somehow it fell to my share to
carry out her suggestion. He ac-
cepted my services most readily,
and so grew habit that / should
read to him two hours of each day.
For the rest of the time, as have
said, Helen and might forget his
existence.
He had been with us g. month,
when, one evening, We received
from London a message that my fa-
theirs sister, an old lady, was very
i'll, and desired that one of us
should corae to her right away.
/ had been suffering all day with
nervous headache, therefore it fell
to Helen's lot to go. The evening
seemed very long without her, as [
sat alone in our sitting-room.
Above my head i could hear our
guest walking to and fro. He
seemed strangely restless tonight.
His restlessness impaired itself
to me. -
At ten o'clock / closed the house
and went to my room, but l was
wakeful and could not go to sleep,
even after / had prepared for bed ;
SO, throwing on wrapper, after
two wakeful hours, sat down
to read.
In the Times, which l had care
lessly picked up, was long account
of a robbery committed in house
located in one of the suburbs, whert'
one of the gang of thieves had OBJ
tanned admlttance as lodger, thus
opening the way to the others.
The whole thing had been most
adroitly done, and the police were
on the track of the thieves, whom
it was suspected were in hiding and
disguise.
Disguise! Why did this latter
word suddenly brand itself upon
my brain? Why did Mr.. Douglass
Sage's spectacles suddenly loom up
before me? Why did / remember
how many times 1 had instructive
ly felt the bright eyes which were
hidden behind, fixed searclIingly
and scrutinizingly upon me.
A cold shudder ran through me.
The silver! With what pride we
had placed the richest and heaviest
upon the tray that served our guest !!
Neither had we sought his refer
erences. His payments had been
promptly made, and in advance.
He himself appeared so quiet and
unassuming that it had seemed all
unnecessary but to-morrow-to-
morrow should satisfy myself at
once.
Tomorrow All, it was already
too late! Just beneath my window
there sounded long, low whistle.
1t was answered, / could have
sworn, from an open window with
in the house.
sprang to my feet, and stood
with fast beating heart, listening
to every sound. For a time all
was still, save my own mad heart
throbs.
A half hour must have passed.
Midnight had struck it seemed a
century before, when suddenly /
heard grating sound, as though a
lock were being filed.
Why was this necessary when
their confederate could throw open
to them the door? for no longer
entertained any doubt as to the real
status of our guest. Everything
went to prove it. His close cOnfine-
ment to the house during the day,
the uncertain view we had ever OBJ
tained of his face, the voice of youth
and assumption of old age, the spec
tacles which seemed so effectual a
disguise-all, all +! But my enlight-
enment had come too late.
The grating sound continued,
when suddenly there came to me
a desperate courage. | was alone,
an unarmed girl, but would con-
front those midnight marauders,
possibly murderers, and cow them
by my very helplesssness. / threw
open my door and passed swiftly
down the hall. Yes, Mr.. Sage's
door was ajar; his room empty. L
hurried down stairs. The dining
room was in. darkness but as i
crossed its threshold, light flared
up. Mr.. Sage stood by the table,
the obnoxious glasses gone, a
pistol tightly held in his clenched
hand.
1 now saw him as he was; a
young man who could not have at
tanned his thirty-fifth year-a man
both young and handsome, now
that one could see the bright flash
ing eyes. .
6Miss Margaret" he began in a
quick alarmed tone; but my wrath
could no longer be repressed:
"Coward traitor !" / exclaimed.
But at that instant there was a
sudden noise as the window open
ed; binding flash, a deep
groan; then my courage fled
and / tainted. When 1 opened my
eyes Douglass Sage was holding IN e
in his arms, anxiously bending
over rue.
sPoor child :" he murmured ten
"How dare you !" cried wrench
ing myself from him; then catch
ing sight of a policeman in uniform,
added wildly, "arrest this man J"
and again tainted away.
A long fever followed. For days
| lay unconscious and deliriOus.
They would not let me talk, even
after had recovered my mental
balance. Fresh flowers and rare
fruits filled my room during the
long period of my convalescence.
"Helen, you must not !' l de-
clared. cit is wrong to be so ex-
travagant."
But she only smiled, and my lux
uries were more plentiful than
before.
But one day as l was sitting up
dressed for the first time, in a large
easy-chair, there came a quiet tap
at nay door. ..
s.Come imp / called.
AMI then fhoupht NV dpliriI1nl