Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-27
The Jaws Of Death.
BY MAGGIE BROWNE.


dow playing with the scarlet curtain
tassel, and DR.. Reynolds sat in an easy
chair beside the fire, covertly looking
at her.
In varied travels he had seen few
women so beautiful.
The round supple form, the regu
larly carved and exquisitely tinted
face, the perfect grace and air of high
breeding, might have pleased a more
fasti6ious man than he.
But something higher and better
than admiration softened Doctor Rey-
nolds' face as he turned away with a
soft sigh and rustled the leaves of his
book by the fire-light Royal desert
ed the window and came softly toward
the fire.
"A year from to-day, I hope l shall
not be here she said.
Again Doctor Reynolds looked up
at her. His gaze was mixture OF
tenderness and sorrow.
DO you hope to be happier Royal?'
he said.
Yes hope to be-, she answered,
knotting the silken cords of her wrap
per, in turn, with those restless fingers
of hers.
Again Doctor Reynolds sighed.
If you have anything to say to me,
why don't you say it?' she exclaimed
impatiently.
You know my WISH, he said quiet
ly.
A sudden color flickered in her
cheek. She glanced at him shyly,
from under her long eyelashes.
i would regret no money that
would keep you off the stage, Royal.
The color died in her beautiful face.
You would pay any price to keep
me here in ennui 7 she exclaimed
'Why, shall eat my own heart in a
year more of this lifeP
His sorrowful eyes seemed unbear-
able to her.
dts so tame and spiritless!' said she;
so worse than thousand cares, with
its inanity! I a woman, loathe it! How
you man, can endure it, | cannot
see.'
1 am tired, he answered simply.
She paused in her walk. Standing
near him, and looking down on his
bowed head, she saw, very plainly,
the streaks Of gray in it. The fire
6iad ont of bor foca
Il am so young! she said, more
gently.
Yes he answered.
Only twenty
'Only twenty, he repeated.
She went back to the window and
stood there IN silence.
The landscape was gray and wintry,
patches of snow on the frozen ground,
and the trees creaking and rushing in
the wind-the great elms and oaks of
Woodmore. The warm, quiet room
was quite still. The Goals burned
without crackle, her canary had gone
to sleep in the dusk, and Doctor Rey-
nolds was mute and motionless in his
chair.
Her impatient thoughts roved away
to the city.
She saw IN fancy, lights, and glow
ing colors, and living walls of people.
Music gave voice to the scene.
Then her soul seemed to steal out of
her body, and she stood before the
admiring throng, all the slumbering
fire and romance of her nature vitaliz-
ing and bringing to life some charac-
ter of olden story that had thrilled her
in childhood and was still famous in
the memory of men.
How the grand words of passion
and inspiration rung from her lips!-|
how complete her success-how enthu-
siastic the plaudits of the throng!
She started suddenly and walked as
from dream as servant brought in
lights and the evenings mail. No let
ters for her; no one ever thought of
her or cared for he1 now; but next
year.
DR.. Reynolds read his letters in ST.
lence and then took up the evening
paper. She glanced around; the quiet
domestic atmosphere was not congo.
NAL.
She turned to leave the room. DR..
Reynolds looked up.
Are you going to your room, Roy
alp
yes. Good night
Il wish to warn you not to 60 out
side the garden tomorrow, or on any
day until the danger Of going around
is removed. A tiger has escaped from
the travelling menagerie now in the
village, and, so far has been hunted
without success. He is probably in
the woods not far off. Good night,
and he turned to his paper again.
Long after Royal was soundly Sleep
ing he kept sorrowful watch.
Royal awoke from troubled dreams
with a headache.