San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-12
APPLIED SCIENCE.
BY CHARLES BARNARD.
Copyright

lCopyright.l
forget me. 1 couldn't bear that. On
Wednesday | am to be married to Mr.
Belford 1t is the only way by which |
can save my father. There seems no help
for it, and consented this afternoon. Mr..
BelfOrd took up the mortgage, and | am
to be his reward"
Elmer heard her through in silence, and
then he stood up before her, and his pas
sion broke out in fury upon her.
"Alma Denny, you are fool "
She cowed before him and covered her
face with her hands.
''Have you no sense? Can you not see
the wide pit of deceit that is spread before
you? Do you believe what he says? VIII
you walk into perdition to save your
father?''
'Oh, Elmer Elmerl Spare me, spare
me, for my fathers saken'
Her sobs and tears choked her utter
ance, and she shrank away into the depths
of the chair, in shame and terror, thank
full that the darkness hid her from his
view Still his righteous indignation
blazed upon her hOtly.
''Where have you lived? What have
you done, that you should be so deceived
by this MANI How can you save your
father If you cannot find that missing
will, of what avail is this withdrawal of
the mortgage ?"
81 do not know. Oh, Elmerl | am
weak, and have no mother, and father
is l must save him if l can-at any
price"
''You cannot save him. The devisce
who held the will has heirs. They can
still claim the property. Besides, how
could Mr.. Belford pay off that mortgage?
Depend upon it, gigantic fraud'-
ELMER! Thank God, you have
saved
She tainted quietly away, and slid
down upon the floor at his feet. lie
called two of the maids, and with their
help he took her to her room and placed
her upon her own bed. Then, bidding
them care for her properly, he returned
to his own room, and the heavy night
fell down on the sorrowful house. Far
away in the northwest climbed up
a ragged mass of sOmber clouds. Altar
off the deep voice Of the thunder muttered
ntfully The son of science drew up his
curtains and looked out on the coming
storm. There was a solemn hush and
calm in the air. Nature seemed resting
and nerving herself for the warfare of the
elements.
He too had need of calm. He drew
chair to the window, and sitting astride
of it, he rested his arms upon the back,
and his chin upon his folded hands, and
for an hour watched the lightning fash
from ragged cloud to ragged cloud, and
gave himself to deep and anxious thought
The thunder grew nearer and nearer. The
dark veil of clouds blotted out the
stars one by one. The roar Of the water
falling over the dam at the mill seemed to
fill all the air with its murmur. Every
leaf and flower hung motionless.
He heard the village clock strike 0,
with loud, deep notes that seemed almost
al hand Every nerve of his body seemed
strung to electric tension, and all nature
tuned to higher pitch as if dark and
terrible things were abroad in the night
He heard a sound of closing blinds and
windows The servants were shutting
up the house and preparing it for the
storm.
One Of them knocked at his door and
asked II she should come in and close the
windows
He opened the door, thanked her and
said he would attend to it himself AS
, he closed the door and stepped back into
THE room. he stood upon somethinR and