The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-27

! open fireplace, hzs she arese nov and 2 stood facing him.
 : =Yes," he said. @I will try to induce them to give me hearing" | Her color faded slowly from her face. do not wish you to speak to the , strikers" she said sharply. @You have not my authority for addressing them iA He made no answer, but little iron. , ical smile touched his lips and exas-
 perated her into further speech,
 You have planned to resist them. You have said they are erased with hquoE
 aud that they are joined by professional , laW- breakers. There can be no wisdom
 in speaking to them They are unworthy of remonsuance. You have done what you can to protect the mills if they must ! burn let them go without any humilissing appeals to their destroyers." The strikers are men," he said, "ig, norsut and n-guided, but not devoid oi reason or conscience. They know me as a workman, not as a capitalist. They
 believe that have no personal interest
 at stake, and may, therefore, listen to me. !" But" she said, her voice now broken
 by intense feeling, l forbid you to speak . to them."
 The sarcastic smile returned. !, "Then must be disobedient." "lt is time you understood your posi- . tion," she continued passionately-she , was utterly bereft of her usual calm ;" l own the mills, and have the right to do as choose by my own workmen. You
 acknowledge that you are a workman . like any of the others, and like the others,
 you must obey my commands" 2 am so like the others that l am
 going to disobey you," he said quietly
 you see the strike is general" - He, too, had risen, and was looking t down inte her face with an expression on C his own which nearly robbed her of her
 self-possession. v She changed her tactics. # "Why you should wofk ia opposition
 to my will is mystery. You have had d a specially independent position. You + have literally been master of the mills v ever since you entered them. You have . ignored me and my authority. am II surprised that you should wish to leave q
 place where you have matters so entirely t in your own control"
 He did not alter his position, but hi, !. !. face plainly showed his strong emotion am ambitious" he said. an not satisfied with being master of ths {. mills. would be your master and have II you for my wife 1"
 r She turned away with such anger tha, II he believed he had lost her
 "This is an insult r she said.
 "No," he told her, his voice deep with feeling, Git is the greatest honor 1 car Q bestow. offer to make you my wif, Il and give you my life's devotion. You
 call this an insult because you are Mis-.
 Lytton, of Lytton hall, and am you . superintendent! An accident of birtt [. has given you pedigree and has made you appear cold and intolerant, yet z know it is in your nature to be as coura q geous, as wonanly and as perfect wifi, II as ever a man was blessed with" "l cannot prevent you from saying 4 what you like," she said with suppressed V excitement. "A woman living alone ha. ,, no protection from persons whs force :, their opinions upon her" :" She has her own weakness for hei 1 defense," he answered more gently "Since my presence and sentiments are < unwelcome, will leave you. will no , again offend you believe me, would = not have spoken if had not loved you = He left her, and she sank down upon g = lounge. She was so silent that servant < who entered did not observe her, ano V turned down the lights, believing the room d to be unoccupied.
 The 6relight glanced about, frightened the faded furniture. and finally shons : soft and warm upon Helene Lytton'. . face. She was lying still, deep in thought h her dark eyes fixed upon the fire, her lip'
 and cheeks crimson as wine. l She was startled out of her reverie by = shot from distant rife. She sprang uJ and listened.
 :, It was followed by dozen more re S ports, which rang out sharply upon thu < < cold night air. They came from the direc t ton of the Treadwel mills. What terri ble tragedy was being there enacted? d Her heart beat unanimously, and he
 face was drained of its warm color. He :, suspense was painful.
 y When would she know the result o ,t her first decision concerning the strikers ~ He was there amid all the noise and dan . ger; she was sure that nothing she hat S said would deter him from trying to say' the mills.
 y Would he come back and tell her tn, < result of his efforts? Might he not b, . injured, dying-dead, even-and so un u able to come to her? She caught up ; |. cloak, wrapped it closely about her, ant drew its hood over head. < She was going out into the darkness . and danger alone, to know what was be = ing done on that frightful riotous night
 
 ,f Everything was in readiness when thu e strikers reached the Treadwell mills tha 1t night. The police had vainiy tried tt ,f dis band them. The rioters were strong
 in number, and the police force in tha d little town was small
 z Behind the barred doors of the mair
 building 500 silent men waited with rifles in their hands Onlv onA windou