Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-23


md innocent for me. II ] do not
,eem to feel 1t as l should, it is my
own sin and not your fault. Blame
ne if you like, but never, never re-
proach yourself. oh, my white rose!
Ny spotless blossoml Why am | not
worthier of your
Then he kissed her--kissed her on
her eyes, and lips and forehead. And
1t that very moment there reposed at
the bottom of Harry Powells pocket
! note written in a woman's hand,
these words: 4 can meet
you at your Office at IL o'clock to-
night and signed Amanda.
Harry Powell was a headed,
impulsive fellow, and had been from
bov an ardent admirer of dashing.
brilliant women. When he found
himself in love with the mild. fair,
gentle Rose Forest he wondered how
anything so quiet could have won it.
Still he was in love, and deeply. Being
what he was, he would have married
her if all the world had opposed their
urion. AS it was, there were no
obstacles in his way, for her heart was
truly his: and the rivals who frowned
upon him, and the maiden aunts who
shook their heads and called him a
very wild young man, were disregard
ed, and so he took her from the old
homestead where she rad been so
tenderly cared for, to his own home,
to be its lifelong mistress At first he
had only been little thoughtless at
times, and had dried every tear she
had shed with kisses. For though
champagne and cigars. and Tom, Dick
and Harry had their old charms for
him, he valued her above them all,
and she knew it we'll.
Only year before. the spell which
had of late kept him from her side,
had begun to distil its deadly poison
and claim him, body and soul. He
was the confidential clerk of a wealthy
establishment, and, as such, had at
times heavy responsibilities upon his
shoulders. Important papers and
great sums of money were often IN
his care, and he was trusted as few
men are by their employers. They
were right in reposing their confidence
in him thus implicitly; for, wild
though he was, there was not one
atom of the swindler in his compost
ton. The keys of the great safes
we're always within his reach, and
sometimes he was left alone to receive
large payments, and to lock them up.
There had been a time when rumors
of meditated robbery had reached
the firm, and he had carried loaded
pistols in his bosom night and day.
1t was at that time, II months ago,
that he had first met with the woman
who had written the note which now
lay within his pocket. A beautiful
woman he thought her; and strange it
seemed to him at FIRST that she should
follow him with her eyes and seem to
watch for him in the most unfrequent
ed places. At last perfumen note
came, and he read that she had invit-
ed him. 1t was daring declaration
all the more astonishing because the
writer professed herself to be a
wealthy woman and wife. 1t would
have disgusted many men, but Harry
Powell liked ''queer" adventures, and
had a penchant for daring women. So
he met her. and In little while Rose
was only second in his heart. while
this mysterious woman haunted his
dreams by day and night. Thus far
he had been unfsithful to his wife
only in thought. But the siren who
had bewitched him was to meet him
as his Office at midnight!
There had been q moment when
Rose wept upon his bosom. and he
thought of all her purity and truth, in
which Harry Powell had resolved tc
break his appointment and forget his
unholy love forever. But the mood
passed; and with the return of his old
self came a remembrance of those
black eyes and red lips, those tender
glances and bold professions Of afec
ton. Good, beautiful Rose grew
tame in comparison. and when the
timeplece told the hour of IL ht
started to his feet.
Go to bed, Rose he said. i have
business appointment tonight that
had nearly forgotten. l will be back
as soon as I can
"A business appointment at ,l;
hour!' thought Rose in surprise.
But he had gone before she could
put her thoughts into words; and, still
full of her new-found happiness, she
went up stairs to her own white
curtained chamber Harry had beer
up before her, and changed his dress
leaving his every day garments lyine
untidily about. AS she picked them
up paper futtered from his vest
pocket--a folded paper, perfamec
with musk. She opened it with 1
strange sinking Of the aeart, and reac
her wicked rivals note.
She did not scream or tear her hail
as many would have done, but with {
low moan she sat down upon th,