Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-09-26
those he had brought to the rescue.

renewed the poor girls at least hall |
hour earlier"
"And to think" cried Mrs. Barnes |
in horror, "that the villain who at
tackled them, and shot our child, was
the man we have treated as friend |
and relative for weeks. We learned a
part of his perfidy in Stanton to-day,
but did not dream the whole"
eff you had been here alone, he
would have made way with you, l
have no doubt" said her husband,
with a shudder.
"Brave girls!" cried Frank enthusi-
astically, "their pluck and persever-
ance is worthy of a medal. l can
never be thankful enough that gave
Jessie that little pistol, and taught her
to shoot"
Dollie soon recovered from her
fright, and in day or two was as
bright and sunshiny as ever. But
though Jessie's wound was slight and
grew rapidly better, she seemed to
droop as the days went on.
Frank called every morning, but
after brief inquiry as to her health,
devoted himself exclusively to Dol
lie.
They sang duets together, while
Jessie lay listening; they took horse
back rides where, from the Win
dow, she could see them start; they
brought her flowers they had plucked
together.
"They were very kind, of course"
poor Jessie said to herself petulantly,
"but why should they do everything
together?"
Frank had never seemed so manly
to her, nor so handsome. His voice
had never been so rich and full, nor
his manner so filed with strength and
tenderness as when she saw him with
Dollie.
She felt Inundated at what she i'm
agined his opinion of her to be. "He
holds my weakness in contempt,
know" she often thought, "and can
never really respect me again" which
thought bore for her far more bitter
ness than the remembrance ofherrude
awakening.
One day, however, a sudden change
was wroughtin her, both mentallyand
physically. 1t was brought about
through short conversation.
"To think" said DOllie, indignant
ly, one morning, "that that rascal
should have pretended to be cores
ponding clerk in the bank at Stanton /;
why, JESSIE" with blush and drop
of the pretty head, 81 am engaged to
the corresponding clerk in the bank
at Stanton myself, and assure you
he is very nice, indeed"
"Engaged~ cried Jessie, rising up
on her elbow, while a sudden flush
spread upon her cheek; 81 thought
you were engaged to Frank Graves
} ooh! no." with soft little laugh,
che is in love with-some one else"
Jessie lay down again with quick
> ened breath.
"You knew who it is, Jessie. Now
| don't you think, dear, you made a
great mistake in preferring Whitney
= DeVane to one so noble and manly as
Frank Graves"
preferred him." cried Jessie. "In
: my heart l never preferred him.
was only foolish and silly, and allow.
ed myself to be dazzled by fine dress
< a good appearance, and a plausible
tongue. Frank is worth ten thousand
such, but he despises me, / know he
t does, whereupon she burst into food
2 of tears.
: "Indeed, darling, he does not,
: cried Frank, coming forward at this
t juncture and taking her in his arms
"lOok at me once and see."
4 "Forgive me for eavesdropping,
d he begged, moment later, wher
Jessie's tears had been kissed away
: "Miss Dollie and have been carrying
:, out preconcerted plan for days, anC
IS l could not resist being present to hea
e what you had to say in answer to he
remarks this morning"
n Jessie was too happy not to forgiv,
e anything to her handsome lover, ant
e all through the future years she spen
o with him felt a keen sense of graft
tude that she had met her awaken
d ing" at the time and in the way sh
v had, terrible though it had been.
d Whitney DeVane, alias Jack Par
ker, who had once before been con
d victed, was sent again to the peniten
% tiary, and Jessie never saw him after
xt,ord