The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-17
BLOOMSBURY, PA, FRIDAY. OCTOBER II. 1884.

turned on me anSrlly.
"You should have spoken sooner"
she said. ''lt's gone too far. I'm half
engaged to him. 1t is a splendid
chance for poor girl, and III marry
him.
"Do you love him I" said /.
She laughed. "No; but, as I said
once before, he loves me. That is
enough. shall get used to his ways
and looks, no doubt and l shall be
mistress of splendid house, carriage,
horses, etc, and shall enjoy myself. lis
only for hisugly looks that You hate my
Cuban. Don't you remember Shakes
pearei 'Mislike me not for my COM
plexion, ETC.. To be sure, he is sus-
piciously dark; but its Cuban-noth.
ing else.
And changing at once from angry to
gay, she kissed me.
"He has horrible face | said /;
but that is not all, Grace, this must
not 90 on. will tell you a secret.
The face | saw over the gate on that
awful night, talking to Jane--the face
of one connected, | am sure, with the
murder, was this mans face and he,
Grace, is the man himself"
Grace answered with laugh.
"You are wild,' she said. "That,
you have already said, was ragged,
wretched fellow"
eyes, but still the same man in
other clothes"
"a millionaire has no need to turn
burglar
''How did this man make lis money!
can you answer :"
"Nonsense-of course not. Cotton
or sugar, suppose. hope you are
not going to have another brain fever,
my dear
"My brain is steady, Grace. Heed
me-"
"That / cant you will see your
folly soon. The idea Because the
poor man is ugly! Ill make him tell
how he came by his fortune! Sleep on
it, and you'll see your insanity
She danced away, and / crept to bed
with heavy heart
The next day she came to me, glee-
fully.
"Mr Cuban made his fortune in
trade she said she took his fathers
business, and gave it up when his mil
lion was made. He showed me papers
and letters and things l didn't under
stand, though l pretended to. lie didn't
find his millions in peoples cupboards.
And he has popped the question, and !
have accepted--so there's an end.
Come, / know you've had too much
trouble, but don't brood over it and 20
out of your head"
She tried to kiss me, but held her
off.
"Listen, Grace" l said If you
marry that man and l discover after
wards that he knows anything of that
horrid night, l shall still denounce
him."
Sand welcome" said she. Then
with sudden childish burst of tears
she clasped me and cried
"Oh, Ella, don't 90 crazy-don't 60
crazy Try to take comfort try to be
yourself {!
1t was useless to urge further, and I
left her.
So being betrothed to Grace. the Gu
ban, Mr.. Zenzee was his name, brought
his hideous face to our house every
night.
l loathed it, but l determined to
watch him. With this end l endured
the sight and heard him talk. At last
l made him contradict himself as to the
places he had spent certain years, !
confused him by blunt inquiries con-
cerning Cuba. became convinced
that he was no more Cuban than my
self. Then watching him still closer, I
saw terror as well es brutality in his
eye. knew the man feared something.
Closer and closer my tancied proofs
were gathered about him, until I began
to zee in him the actual murderer. The
man who had stolen barefoot about
our room, and the clay impression of
whose mutilated foot l had locked in
closet in my room. Could l see his
foot l should be sure--not else And
that has now become the object of my
life and all this while, despite of my
prayers and protestations, the prepara-
tons for my sisters marriage with Mr..
Zenzee were going forward.
The day was set. The time narrow.
ed. Before that wedding day l had
sworn to make my discovery. ! work
ed now with two ends. My old one
and that of saving Grace from becom.
ing the wife of monster.
l watched the foot as a cat watches
a mouse, hut discovered nothing. My
agony grew greater and greater. Time
moved too fast for me ! could have
prayed for days and hours to lengther
those months out. At last there was
but one day between the present il
which / lived, and that in which my
sister would become Mrs. Zenzee. Or
that morningI awoke with my plar
fully matured
l said to Grace at breakfast "Sinc,
the wedding is so near, invite Mr.. Zen
zee to pass the evening with us.
She look ed up with a smile.
"You are coming to your senses,
she said.
l made no answer. After awhile
asked again. "Do you love hint" ant
she answered:
Il told you once, why accepted
him. That is my reason still. Aftel
all, what is love worth p But sh'
sighed
My heart had been at ease on tina
score before. 1t was even lighter now
But how it throbbed with anxiety! Tn
day wore on tediously, and evening
came with murky rain but with i
came Mr.. Zenzee. He took tea will
US and did his best to be agreeable
but somehow, in spite of the remark
ably handsome dress he wore, he look
ed more rufiinaly than ever, After te
we had out the card table, and he show
ed us some strange tricks at cards, an
played against us, and cheated us bot
Tor fun, and laughed at Grace's wonde
Then Grace sang awhile then tn
clock struck eleyen,-my time ha