Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-07-31
A FEARFUL DANGER.

summer klICnou IOE tue cOufculCuOO Va
the men in the busy season.
Some unpleasant thing had happen
ed, OF Guy Fellows frank face would
not have worn such a perplexed un-
easy look. At last he said quietly:
.I wish to speak to you Louis"
..Yes, Guy" answered Louis in a
startled tone of voice; for Guys man.
ner was SO unlike his usual one that it
foreboded trouble OF some kind,
though what it could be was a puzzle
Had he hurt himself, or had his pet
colt gone lame?
Something unpleasant has happen
ed. Hermione's handbook is gone,
and they tell me at the bank that the
money was drawn yesterday by man
who had an order purporting to be
signed by me-"
..Either the officials at the bank are
very careless, or the handwriting must
have been a good imitation. Banks
can't be much protection to the people
depositing in them, if it is SO easy to
get another persons money out. 1t
strikes me l won't patronize them
much when my ship comes in"
Forgery is difficult to be guarded
against, Louis, and the name append
ed to the order is such q perfect fac
sinliLe of my autograph, that l myself
could not detect the difference. Is this
your work?"
As Louis looked at the page of fools
cap which was scribbled over with va
rious names. among which was that of
Guy Fellows. he first turned red and
then pale. For Louis was very expert
with his pen, and was always copying
specimens of peculiar handwriting
which fell in his wav.
'.Yes, it is mine," he said with
brave effort TO tell the truth, no matter
what might be the consequences.
For, like a lightning flash, he real
lied what danger was hanging over
him-a worse one than was the tabled
sword which had threatened Damocles
in olden time, for that only menaced
life, and this, at what did it not strike
q blow?
For an instant he stood as though
dazed, looking blankly into Guy Fell
lows troubled face; then he threw
himsely impulsively upon his knees be-
fore him.
Il see now. 1t looks badly Cousin
Guy, but don't judge me by appear
ances; judge me by what you know of
me since we have been together. Do
you think any one who knew her
would have hand in robbing Her.
moineP No, not even if he were an
accomplished thief. far less man
whose only wealth lies in his good
namer'
Il believe you, Louis, even in the
face of evidence which would convict
you in court OF justice. l have felt
all along that you were innocent; and,
see here"
As Guy Fellows spoke he held up the
paper which had been given as an order
for the money, and let Louis compare
the brief form signed with his name
with the practice-sheet, which he had
acknowledged as his work.
Then he turned, and lifting lid
from the cook-stove, put the danger
GUS document in and watched it catch
fire, and then burn to ashes.
Guy Fellows, although scarcely
thirty-fve, had already come into
fine inheritance by the death of his
father
He was practical farmer, and also
what some people consider, visionary
one. That is, he was always trying
any new experiment which might COM
mend itself as an improvement upon
old-fashioned ways.
Louis Carmichael was a second cous-
In, who had been taken under his pro-
he 1f l.;
He had been with him now about
four years, and although somewhat
dreamy and impractical, had grown
very dear to his generous kinsman. =.
Another inmate of the family was
Hermione Alleyne, the orphan ward of
Guy Fellows.
She was two years younger than
Louis, but looked to be his equal in
age. as he was slender and boyish-
looking, while Hermione was of tall
and stately proportions. Bat her play
full ways, and merry laughing face
were still essentially child-like.
In his secret heart Louis cherished
the hope that some time in the far
future, he might win her love when he
should have attained to fortune and to
fame.
But Hermione was quite an heiress
Tor a country-bred girl, and he was too
proud to let her know of his love un-
less he could meet her upon equal
grounds.
Now, had Guy been less noble in his
trusting generosity, Louis would have
been crushed to the earth with shame.
As it was, it caused him to elevate his
cousin into the hero of his life, and de-
termined to repay him.
1t was quite long time before he
had the desired chance, but it came at
last.
Guy, although wealthy, did not dis
dain to put his own shoulder to the
wheel day after day. and set his men
good example.
One day in the height of the harvest
ting one of the men fell i'll, and it
chanced that stranger came to the
place and asked to be employed about
the farm.
He was dark unprepossessing man,
with restless uneasy ways. and lower
ing stealthy looks from his deep-set
eyes; but Guy engaged him, thinking
only of the Inconvenience of being
short-handed at the time
After they had all set off for the
fields, a man drove up to the farm
house in hot haste, asking if a person
of the strangers description had been
seen there; and upon receiving a reply
in the affirmative, he looked very
much startled, and caused Hermione's
blood to turn cold in her veins by ex-
planning the cause of his uneasiness.
He is an escaped lunatic, and
nearly killed his keeper to make his
way out of the mad-house. If his
frenzy seizes upon him, he will make
bloody record for himself before the
day is over. Is any one here who can
go and warn Mr.. Fellows? 1t won't
answer for me TO be seen by him. He
knows me, and it would set him frantic
TO know that he has been followed.
The only safety lies in not arousing his
suspicious until a strait-jacket can
be put upon him."
Il will 60" said Hermione unhesi-
tatingly. Il would do anything TO
prevent such tragedy"
Take this with Won and rive il to