The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-01-21
Hls ESCAPE.

Geofry Weston had eloped with q
millionaire's daughter, one fine morn
ing. and the father OF the girl had dis.
inherited her and cast her of forever.
Then Geoffry had held his wife in his
arms and sworn. by everything he
held most sacred, that the girl who
had sacrificed so much for him should
not want for anything.
'Never," he declared, "while have
ten fingers and all my senses aud can
work, beg, steal or murder to get it."
"Oh, hush," cried the little wife,
with both hands over his mouth,
''don't say wicked things" But she
did not think Geoffry was really as
much in earnest as he was; she only
thought he meant to do his best for
her.
The young man was deep in his en-
ployer's confidence. He handled
quantities of money every day, and
had keys to the great safe and con-
troll of the account books; but Geof.
try had only good salary, and had
no right to furnish his little home as
luxuriously as he did. The girl knew
nothing of the ways and means.
When in the course of a year her
father-a widower-marrieda school
mate OF her own, and she began to
meet this girl occasionally, she also
began to vie with her in costume, and
bills came in to Geoffry from milliner
and jeweler, as well as from grocer
and butcher. He could not pay them
all. He did what be could, paying
little here and little there;
staying off this one, salts
flying that. 1t was hard task. but
he never told his wife word about it.
At last the time came when there
seemed to be no hope OF evading the
consequence any longer, and desperate
thoughts OF what he might do, il he
would, made him shudder. In this
mood he went home one night to find
his wife in tears. She held q little
note in her hand, which she thrust in
to her pocket, but her strength OF
mind was not sufficient to keep it
there. At q question, out it came.
"It's from Madame Flouncette," she
said. 81 wanted her to make me
new costume for Mrs. Ashforth' lawn
party, and she's written me the most
impairment answer. The mean thing!
I'll just 60 to somebody else. want
a very pretty dress. My stepmother
will be there, and she says such horrid
things; and father warned me that
I'd be in rags if married you, and
you said you'd never let me need any
thing. Now it is time to prove you
meant it all"
81 did mean it," said Geoffry.
"You shall have the money, Rosa"
He left the room, went out into the
hall and paced slowly up and down.
Come to supper, Geoffry," said his
wife.
But he answered.:
"Tll be back in q moment"
And she heard him shut the door
behind him.
As he did so the safe key fell from
the pocket of the coat he carried on
his arm, to the marble floor OF the
vestibule. He stopped to pick it up,
but Rosa heard the sound and knew
it. Her husband had bad habit of
dropping that key.
She ran to the window and saw him
take a car that passed the corner in
the direction of his place of business.
His movements were more rapid and
nervous than usual.
A cold chill ran through her frame,
dread of she knew not what.
"What child am" she thought.
Then the words that he had uttered
on their wedding day came back to
her:
II will work, beg, steal or murder
to get you all you want"
How she had put her hands over
his lips to stop him; still not believing
that he would ever do anything
wrong; but now-now what had she
done?
Suddenly her own folly rose before
Der, plainly defined to sight. She knew
how much her husband made, how
much they spent. He must be unable
to meet his expenses. Her poor Geof-
fry! How could she have been so
blind? And now, under the pressure
of her foolish fretting for g. new dress,
he had gone, as he said, "to get the
money"
How? Where?
She remembered the fate OF q faithless |
clerk OF her fathers, and remembered |
that it was said che stole for the
80 n,,f 60
her heart smote her.
What CO uld she do?
Was it an angel that whispered in
her ear, "Follow him?"
Afterward she thought SO.
She caught upa hat and sacque and
ran out, putting On her gloves as she
went.
She took car anu went suralgnt to |
her husbands place of business.
The street was dark and lonely; no |
one was astir; but through crack OF
the closed shutter she saw a light |
shine. She tried the door. 1t opened |
under her touch and she entered,
Some one had lit thegas in the inner |
room. It threw q shadow high upon
the wall. Now the shadow vanished.
1r6ulDliuS Will cACltciACHU SuO CIOpU |
up to the very door, and saw her hus-
band bending over the great safe.
He turned fiercely, with his hand at |
a pocket in which she knew he carried
a pistol.
s.Who is there?" he asked in q fu.
rious whisper.
And she answered. -
'OIly Rosa"
And be sank down beside desk |
and looked at her strangely.
"You herel" he said. ''Why did
you follow me2"
81 was frightened" she said.
$50 was l, he said. IL remember
ed to have left the safe unlocked, but.
it's all right now"
'No, Geoffry," answered Rosa, cts
all; wrong. I am no longer u foolish !
bapy. / seem to have come back to |
myself. Put that money back. II
this is the first time Ihave driven you |
to such a thing, I will thank God Cor
it. You have kept your vow; even to