The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-07-10

next year
DR.. Reynolds read his letters in
silence and then took up the even
ing paper. She glanced around;
the quiet, domestic atmosphere was
not congenial. She turned to leave
the room. Doctor Reynolds looked
up.
"Are you going to your room,
Royal2"
eyes. Good-nightl'
81 wish to warn you not to go out
side the garden tomorrow, or on
any day until the danger Of going
around is removed. A tiger has
escaped from the travelling menag-
erie now in the village, and, so far,
has been hunted without success.
He is probably in the woods not far
off. Goodnight and turned to
his paper again.
Long after Royal was soundly
sleeping he kept sorrowful vigils.
Royal awoke from troubled dreams
with a headache. She lifted herself
higher on her pillow and saw u sheet
of sunshine on the wall. She clos
ed her eyes npon it with a moan of
pain.
But gradually the pain abated,
though she arose languidly at nine
o'clock and commenced making her
toilet.
But when the soft crimson wrap
per was donned, the glittering but
tons in the snowy cuffs, and the dark
hair put up in a loose, shining coil,
suddenly off came the cashmer
wrapper, and down came the loose,
shining coil of hair-to be replaced
by an out-of-door dress and snugger
braids, surmounted by a little Polish
cap of fur.
81 must walk myself into better
state of health; l can't standit to be
so stupid" said Royal.
She slammed the hall-door behind
her and went down the avenue
She walked mile down the road
and then turned into the woods
attracted by some brilliant sprays
OF bitter-sweet.
She gathered handful and, un
conscious how their orange and
scarlet set off her dark, brilliant
face was turning away, whena a crack
ling in the bushes behind her made
her glance pack. "A large, strange
tawny animal was gliding towart
her. Herguardian's forgotten warn
ing flashed over her.
"My Godl the tiger" she murmur
ed, in freezing borrow, below he
breath.
Seeing himself observed, the ami
NAL paused. With terrified eye
she saw him preparing for a spring
Ghastly pale, one wild, frenzieC
scream of horror burst from her
At the same moment there came (
shock, and she was senseless.
The next she knew was bearing
her name pronounced in the tende
accents Of compassion and love
She lay upon the ground her heaC
pillowed upon her guardians breast
and the smoke of rifle still hung
in the air. She raised herself with
out speaking, and saw the grea
CORY brute stretched dead at he
feet.
"Did you kill him?" she asked
bewildered.
eyes; just in the act Of leapini
upon you, Royal" he answered
"The creature was savage with hun
ger"
For the first time since she was
little child, he saw her burst int,
tears.
Don't cry" he said quitely; tn
danger is past now," and took he
home.
Somehow the crimson library
with its glowing CRATE, was some
thing better than it had been tn
night before. But the gray streak
| in DR.. Reynolds hair showed quit
as plainly by day as by twilight, a
= he seated himselfin the chair again
l with no word of reproof for the dan
l ger she had led them both into.
S Suddenly he felt two clinginl
arms about his neck, and a graceful
Q form, with shining hair and dashin
r tears, sank ON its knees beside him
Q 81 am not going away' | am nc
S going to leave you," cried Roya
sobbing.
Trembling, he snatched her t
?. his breast.
g Darling" he said, "but l cannC
c keep you always"
d "As long as you will, - she said.
G Royal, l must tell you, he sale
:, lido notlovc you as ward only
e "Then 1 will be your wife," 81