Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-03-20


to furnish an excuse for escorting her
home at the unusually late hour.
But, if SO, Dollie felt it was but an
added insult to his dishonorable con-
duct, and she hurried on, hoping he
had not heard her step.
She had gone some few streets from
the shop, when, passing church, she
slipped upon treacherous piece of lee
and twisted her ankle.
The sudden pain make her faint for
a moment and she sat down upon the
stonework supporting the ratings to
recover herself. Beside her, not
stones throw away, a dark, narrow
alleyway ran along the high brick wall
of the chHrchyard, and the girls heart
sank with chill of terror as she heard
mans voice in the alley say:
Didn't you hear q step, Bill?'
GA woman. She's turned off some
where. He amt come yet was the
answer
Hes late tonight" said the first
voice, in q gruff undertone.
You are sure he's taking the dia-
monds home?'
Sure as death. was at IS when
shop at 9 o'clock, says he, and will
take them home with me- And he
gave the address of Bainbridge 81 Son. !"
"But are you sure he will pass here?"
"Of course he will. He lives in the
next street. He'll come"
Suppose he shows fight?'
''You hold him, and I'll soon stop his
fight"
Every word fell on Dollie's ears clear
and distinct in the silence of the night.
They would rob him, these dreadful
men, if nobody warned him. They
would spring out upon him as he passed,
and strike him down before he knew
there was danger.
He must not come alone, unprepared.
False lover, false friend as she felt he
was, she could not 90 on her way and
leave him to death.
When she stood up the pain of her
ankle was almost uncomfortable; but she
| chung to the railing and so limped along
one street. The others seemed in
terminable.
Often she crawled through the wet
slush of the streets; often on one foot
hoped painfully along, till the shop
was reached at last, and the light in
the contingencies still burned.
The side door for the working-girls
was still unfastened, and Dollie entered
there, reaching the counting-house
soaking wet, white and trembling, to
confront both Edgar cambridge and
his father.
Unheeding their exclamation of dis
may and surprise, she told her story
with white lips but a steady voice.
waiting for me?" cried Edgar Balm
bridge. 1.-The scoundrelsn'
You bought diamonds at IS to-
day?" asked his father.
"a parure for Miss Wilson, sir. /
wish to present them, with your per-
mission, on Thursday. All, look at
| that poor girI!'
For, overcome by pain, fatigue, and
mental torture, poor Dollie had stag
gered toward the door and tainted upon
| the floor
A hasty call summoned the porter,
and in few minutes the porter's wife
appeared, rubbing her eyes, but full of
womanly resources for the comfort of
the girl.
A cab was procured, and clothed in
dry garments, furnished by the good
hearted woman, and, escorted by the
porter, Dollie was driven home.
The next morning walking proved to
be impossible, and Dollie was obliged
tocall upon her landlady for assistance
to dress, wondering at herself little
for caring to get up.
But before noon, sitting in the parlor,
her lame ankle upon q cushion, she was
surprised by two gentlemen callers-no
other than Bainbridge and son in per-
| son-and a lady who introduced herself
as Miss Wilson.
1--WE have all come to thank YOU"
the lady said, 'sand [ have come to
carry you home with me. These gen
tlemen owe YOU their lives; owe you
my diamonds"
''But what did you do?" asked Dol
lie
eve captured the robbers by mas
terly stratagem, said the old gentle
man. Edgar sauntered past the alley
way with revolver all ready in his
hand, while ], with thee policemen,
went round and entered the alley soft
ly behind the villains. Taken by sur
prise, their retreat cut off, they were
easily made prisoners. You understand,
we could not arrest them unless they
actually attacked Elgar. AS it is. how
ever, there was very pretty little tus-
sic before we came up. Bless me, dear
child-don' t faint-he's all right!'
My foot!' Dollie murmured, 81
sprained my ankle last night. 1t was
TO stop to rest it that | sat down on the
church WALL
..You didn't come all the way back
with sprained ankle?"
Yes, sir.
you are a heroinen' cried Miss Will
son. But, my DEAR" and here the
heiress drew nearer to Dollie and took
her hand in close clasp, ''we have
been hearing this morning a spretty
little love story, of which yoa also are
the heroine, and h. me to see if
you will be my guest until Thursday,
and then make poor Edgar the hap
piest of men by assisting at a double
1