Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-08-23


croaking dismally (; the wind seemed 10
whisper and moan.
I shlyered out with a naneless
dread, and closed The door; went to bed
and cried myself TO sleep.
l had slept an hour, perhaps, and
then awoke with a sudden start. feeling
great difficulty 10 breathing. A part
of the guilt lay across my mouth, l
thought, but Oh reaching ny hand TO
remove it, 1 found that 1t was a hand
kerchief saturated with-what? Chloro
form
A thrill of terror passed over me.
Who had done This !? Was there some
one 10 the house?
half arose and gazed sbout me. All
was dark except little ray of light
falling through the partly closed doors.
I silently arose, and just then al
most screamed in fear when sudden
sound smole upon my ear. 1t was on
~ the clock strickiDg the hour of mid
night. 1 placed my hand upon my
heart TO soothe its fierce thrObs.
Stepping along, carefully avoiding
all obstacles, l reached the door, OPEN
ed it, and glanced into the sllting-room.
No one was there, but some one VAS
in the ticket office, for l saw light
and heard a voice. What did they
want? The money !-oh, the money
left 10 my charge. Somebody was
stealing il, aud what would l say to
Mr.. Sayre? My God! l might be
accused of taking it myself, and thus
lose honor and position.
Rather lose lile,' said to myself.
Il will defend that money unto death,
and / looked about for some weapon.
Under the stove was a large iron
poker. SEEING it carefully, l start I'd
slowly toward The door. Tie light fell
upon the mirror, rejecting my figure,
and pve often thought since, with a
sick feeling of horror, what a picture oil
desperation was, clad in my flowing
white night dress and my hair all un-
bound, my face white as marble, and
eyes dllated and glltteriDg with a
strange, steely light.
God aid me y l said with white
lips, and then opened the door OF The
Office aud stole softly 10. A man with
his back toward me was at the other
end ofthe room. He had forced open
the drawer, taken out the money. and
was looking gloatingly at the crisp
green bills, when 1 stole behind him.
Ihad just raised the poker to strike
him when he glanced around.
Ny God 1t was Clarence Devar'
ges
Hang it Now l suppose | will
have to kill this pretty He seized
me by the throat, and muttering faint
cry, / sank down. Just then Jack,
nv own Jack. rushed in. l heard
oaths, blows, fierce struggling-then all
was dark.
For the first time In my life tainted
When l recovered, Jacks face vas
bending over me, aud Jacks voice Ut
tered LOVING words. I put my arm
around his neck and cried like weak
baby.
Aren't you hurt, Jack 2
Not a bit, dearest. Deyarges i:
disabled, though, with a pistol WOUND
in his leg. 'Tisn't very severe, but il
will prevent his escape
But how came you here?
'Why, you see, when we plr'ed Ibis
morning, Nell, l thought I'd never see
YOU again; but tonight. after came
home, made up ny mind TO come
round and try and make up 1t was
pretty late, between nine and ten
when | came. and who should L SEE
proylipa around but Devarges. Thinks
T what does he want? If he's come
ACQUIRING, why don't he 60 in instead
Of peeping in the window" L rather
thought he was a scamp, because wher
I was in the city yesterday the Chief o
police told me that they had reason to
thiuk that a noted gambler and black
leg had come up in these parts. H'
gave a description and it suited Devar
ges perfectly, all except nous tache
And, by The way, Nell, that silly
moustache you so much admired wal
false, and fell off in our scuffie.
well, as l said, saw Devarge'
prowling about, and l thought ia se'
what he was up 10. He looked IN a
the window at you, and heard hin
mutter: The deuce take 1t She Is a
home after all! What the deuce made
her say she was going to her grand
mothers. Now l suppose I'll have Il
wait till my pretty birds asleep
so he sat down under one tree ant
I under the other. We both saw yol
when YOU opened the door and looke'
out. After you had been abed abou
an hour, Devarges forced open th
sittlne-room window and cra~led 10
While he was in the Office lighting IN
lamp, l also got 10 at the window an
concealed myself IN the closet, ana
we'll. you know all the rest
jack said 1, tearfully, you'll lor
give me for being naughty and way
ward, and you'll believe me when sa
that | loved you all the time. won
you!'
Well. Jack said he would, aud !"