Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-27
CHAPTER xxx.

CHAPTER xxx.
On tn same day and about the hour
that the detective officer had made dis
covery that HELEN King was mem
Der OF Mr.. Henderson's Comic Opera
Company, she herself was standing in
her room in Mrs. Vaughns house ar
ranging her tji!et. Her friend, Edith
Norford, who had been her guest for
the day, sat in an easy chair, bonneted
and waiting to accompany her to the
theater.
"Do hurry, HELEN, we shall be late"
said Edith, ;mpatiently.
~ can not help, Edith. feel strange
ly;in fact, / don't know what is the
matter with me. Why, am afraid to
/ go to the theater this evening"
Edith started up and looking aghast
at her friend. She saw the shadow that
sometimes lny on her friends face was
there now-it was like dark veil
thrown over the beautiful features.
Dear me, HELEN, | don't know
what yon mean. Afraid to so to the
theater?"
"Ycs," replied her companion, with
a weary sigh, "G feel as though some
thing was going to happen. | have a
presentlment that some misfortune is
before me. ] have had 1t all day"
Don't be foolish. 1t is this horrid,
ioggy weather, or else indigestion," re-
Piled Edith, decidedly.
"No, said her friend, shaking her
head, "it is the moral barometer Civ
ing warning Of coming storm--it is
coming events casting their shadows be-
Tore
"Nonsensel" exclaimed Edith. "Why
should you feel SO nervous now when
You are doing so well and arc used to
the business? You are too much
llone, my dear girl. | am sorry you
left Mrs. Parker's and came here to re-
side"
81 do miss you all sadly, though Mrs
Vaughn is kindness itself; but | came
here to be able to study"
Eyes, know Mr.. Waugh could not
conveniently come to our house to give
YOU singing lessons and as his mother
was kind enough ootier to take you into
her family, ! do not wonder you ac-
"epted her offer; besides YOU were wor-
ried to death by visitors"
81 cannot understand how so many
of thom obtained my address. :"
'.Oh, / suppose Sam Parker gave
them the information; he was so proud
OF having you as an inmate OF his moth
ers house Do you know, HELEN that
saw Sir Charles Willis watching lis last
night as we left the the theater2"
II hate that man, Edith. He is so
contemplate that he will not even be
ignored" ("
II wonder Mr.. Henderson allows
snobs to come behind the scenes to an
noy us. Comel we must hurry, or we
shall have to pay aline, for we are later
than usual. " 80 - '-..--.- -. =.
"Then we must take a cab, thatis all;
come-I am ready said Hazel, and
the two young girls left Mrs. Vaughn's
house for the Comedy Theater,
Once at the theater, Hazel forgot her
presentiment and set her mind on her
evenings work As she finished her
solo, she received her usual encore,
also several bouquets; AS she stopped to
pick up the flowers she turned her eyes
to one OF the stage boxes and saw Sir
Charles Villas sitting in the shadow Of
the draperies. Their eyes met, and she
imagined she saw a sinister smile on
his face; she turned pale, bowed TO the
audience, and made her exit, feeling
the presentiment OF the early evening
return to her with redoubled force.
After the performance she babe her
friends goodnight, and as Mr.. Vaughn,
who generally escorted her home, had
accepted an invitation TO supper that
evening, he called a cab and giving the
driver her address, helped her into the
carriage, babe her goodbye, and went
his way. He did not notice that tall,
gentlemanly looking man, with his
overcoat buttoned up to his chin, and "a
low felt hat drawn down over his eyes,
took the seat beside the driver as the
cab ratified away from the theater.
$50 you have succeeded at last in
capturing the pretty singer" said the
gentleman to the cabman as they drove
off
Eyes, Sir, though have waited be-
fore the stage entrance OF the theater
for the past ten nights
"Well, here is your reward. You
will find fifty pounds in that pocket
book, said the gentleman, passing the
cabman the purse.
"rhank you sir" replied the driver,
putting the pocket-book i'll his pocket
Little did Hazel dream into whose
power she had fallen as she leaned back
in the cab, fatigucd by her evenings
performance.
"As she resided in Dalton, the drive
home from the theater was Il long one.
; The night was dark and fogg, = and had
she tried she could not have seen in
what direction she was being driven.
She had not, however. the least suspi-
cion that she was not going directly
home The recollection of the dark
sinister smile which Sir Charles Villas
gave her, fell like a shadow on her
! young soul, but with all effort she
, shook of the impression. Hazel, in
her innocence, little knew how fierce
: are the cravings OF revenge, or that
men become more relentless than the
wolf, more cunning than the serpent
, when under its fell influences.
The cab stopped and the driver
! opened the door Hazel sprung out,
: but she looked around her in dismay,
= for she did not recognize the locality.