The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-10-16

The summer sped by, and with tie winter
season changes came to the villa.
The aunt OF Tina and Roger went abroad,
and their uncle took the boy into HIS cAunting-
house; so Tina, that she might be near him,
went to live in the CITY.
They hoped that the business discipline
would do the boy good, and divert his mind
from the dangerous pastimes to which he had
taken. but if,as il has been said,a man always
sows his viii bats sooner or later, Roger
Wyndon was only proving the saying in his
impetuous way by sowing his in brief time,
and the harvest came ere he was twenty
lie was missing one day, when next they
heard Of him he was in Texas, and Tina was
left quite alone
The day after his departure she met Arnot
Carlc on the street; their eyes met, she
turned dcathly pale, but she passed. him with
a steady step.
A year went by; and then one day. sitting
IN the shadow of twilight, Tina heard the
door open AIld a step approach.
"Will you ring for lights, uncle?" she said,
thinking If was he, but al the silence that
followed her words she turned and saw a
pale, wan face cleaning in the darkness ;the
cNCS were tlOSe Ol lef NfOthcr.
She shrieked aloud in fear. for It seemed as
if n specter stood there, but u voice feeble
but familiar rcassured her.
"rina, dear, 1t is I, Roger. l do not de-
serve a welcome, but"
She checked his words by falling on his
shoulder and kissing him passlonatcly.
"Oh, Roger, Roger-l have been Sc lonely,
so unhappy"
He lit the light, and drew her to him upon
the sofa, and his dark eyes were full of tears
rs he drank in the pale. sad beauty of her
face,
"An my fault" he said rcmorsefully, "but
listen, Tina, will tell you my story. Do you
know have lived the life of an outlaw since
l left yoAp was the widest ofAll IN that
wild region l squandcred my money, lost
myself in liquor, gd,n5ltd-but there, will
not pain you by recital.
"They made much of me there, and |
gloricd in my popularity. grew overbcar-
ing and bOastful At last the end came. |
sat playing cards in one of the most miser-
able of places; my companions were men
would now blush TO name
81 lost game after game, I grew desperate;
won. All would have gone smoothly but one
man who diSliked me saw my move In an
other instant they were all upon me like
pack of wolves. l would have been torn limb
from limb. but Il stranger came in and saved
me.
"There was a wound in my side made by
my ihformer's knife; and us l staggered,
weak and bleeding, from the infuriatcd men
tins stranger stepped before me and drew a
brace Of reyOlvers. They were forced to lis
ten TO him then, and he talked as have
never heard man talk before. He sllamed
them. the place grew quiet, he tossed purse
of gold in their midst, and they let us go uu,
harmed
"Who was he, the brave strangcr?" cried
Tiiia, with q slludder ii the tSiOlsft of her
brothers danger and close escape. "Oh, i'll
could nut see him and thank hint"
"He came with me--he is here, said Rog-
er, and darting 10 tie door lie thicwtt opcn
and there came into the glslight,a tail,mamy
figure, at sight of which Tina started with
cry.
"Aanot Care" she faltcred.
"Nes, my prcserver" said Roger. "See!
we are now friends. He shook hands with
the last conner. ~ have misiudgcd him, but
that is not all. cruelty wrOngcd him. lie
did not shoot me, Tina; that pistol was my
own, drawn in moment of frenzy, and in
self-defensc he knocked it aside. TlIe ball
that was meant for him wounded me. /
| hated him then, and so let you believe in
his guilt But he forgives me, Tina. Ar
nor"
His voice faltercd, and he rushed from the
room. The next moment Tina was in her
1 lovers arms.