The Washington critic., 1885-08-08
A CLEVER ROGUE.

OF lll'cc uHu twenty, "lpnliY tUoNc Tue
medium height of perfect form, with
large, piercing black eyes and II wealth
OF raven tresses floating over her shou d.
eis. A large, canvas covered trunk
followed her into the hall, and. after
she had been shown into the parlor,
the register, with pen and ink, was
brought for her signature. She nodded
pleasanily--nodded with smile that
completely captivated the impressible
clerk-and then, in very pretty ltal-
ian hand, wrote her name-"Aliss Clara
| Dubois, Philadelphia, Penn"
Later, as the landlord politely escort
ed her to the supper-room, she inform
cd him that she had heard OF his house
that it was quiet and well kept, and
that she had come for n short rest and
respite from the din and turmoil Of the
great city.
The good host was grateful and very
glad the young lady had honored his
house with her presence. He would
do what he could TO make her stay com
Portable and agreeable.
Very soon Miss Dubois got acquaiht-
ed with the guests OF the house and
proved herself rs intelligent and enter
tanning MS she was pretty. She played
well upon the piano forte, but did not
sing, She played chess, too, though
there was only one party in the house
to play with her.
Boarding at the hotel was Mr.. Aaron
Huntly lie kept the principal store in
the village, and was also our postmas.
ter. lie was man Of live. and-iorty,
rotund and good looking, and had been
widower for ten years. lie had been
successful trader, and had been care
ful Of his money, which he worshipped.
And it was Mr.. Huntley who pl'yed
chess with Miss Dubois. He was very
fair player and she was skillful Yes.
she was certainly fond of the company
of Mr.. Huniley, and 1t Is not to be won
, dered at that lie should become fond OF
her. She was pretty, she was witty,
, she WAS intelligent, and she had strong
:. common sense, and furthermore she
was young aud buoyant. What more
could he ask in wife? II he thought
of dover, her conversation of herself
$ had convinced him that her father was
wealthy.
One evening Aaron IIuntley came
from the parlor, where lie had been
3 playing chess, radiant. He had pro-
: posed and had been accepted. lie
+ managed to keep the sweet, blessed Sc
cret for four and-twenty hours, and
then he let it ont to the landlord and
was congratulated. The stcre.keepel
, was happy. He walked AS one who
trod on air. He was smiling and graci
ous To his customers, and even gcner
! Gus.
After this Miss DhbOis was much at the
store, aud in her playful, happy way
& she assisted often In the p0stoillce
4 which was n square room partitiOned OIL
I in one corner OF the building.
And SO the days went on and Aaron
Huntley was certainly the happlcst mar
in the village. But one morning a
thunderclap fell upon him. He went
to his store and found the rear doo
le ajar. He went to his safe aud fount
>. that it had been opened and the money
,t all taken-thc savings Of years! Full1
$, $40 600 had been stolen from the safe
Miss Dubois was early at the stor'
and when she had heard of her lover
loss she endeavored to console him.
Don't worry, dearest" she said
] "When my father comes can lei
:. you. II this loss cripples you 1t shal
n only be for Il time"
"Bnt, Clara, would not have it ap
- pear that married you for your--
Naughty man, hush! viii You nc
LEI me love you little?'
What could he say more?
When the stage arrived that cvenin
an old gentleman, with white hair an
beard and wearing an enormous pair {
green speclacles, was helped out, ant
leaning heavily upon his stout oake
staff, hobbled into the halt, lie signe
] his name upon the register in q trent
Z ling hand, "Dr. Seth Bambus, N. x"
n When supper was finished Miss d.
!. bois took Nj. Hnnlley's arm and re
. tired to the parlor, and presently aftei
ward the white haired man named ID
Bumpus followed them. The two ha
- seated themselves upon the sofa, an
the latter took a seat ON chair belWee
them and the door, and at the sam
time a stout. dark-laced man, in free
and-easy suit OF blue flannel, la
stopped upon the threshold and wa
standing in the open doorway.
Miss Dubois saw these two man-sa'
the positions they had taken--and he
teeth came together with a snap an
her lips were compressed and pale.
.Sir," said she, addressing the white
haired man, "you stare at me as thong
70 you had met me before" And as sh
~ spoke her right hand stole down by hc
side toward the pocket OF her dress.
Look, my dear, and see If you don
remember me-" With this the whit
wig was lifted off, the green spectacle
and the white beard removed, revealin
compact, sinewy, kecn-eyed man
q. about forty. ,
~ In the next instant Miss Dabois had
pistol in her hand, and was cooking i
but the man in the chairand the man
the door had both been watchful OF he
They were upon her before she could
- any mischief, and after sharp, furioI
struggle-a struggle in which the tw
-, strong men had severe work to do
sss' pair of racket irons were upon h'
ow wrists.
nd Mr.. Huntley for the second tin
that day had been thunder-strnck, !
2. completely struck that all power OF d
- Tending his promised wife was 10
him, and ne did not even recover b
- power Of speech until the ignoble irol