Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-07-12

PEARS since I have had vacation. am IN
no hurry to end this one'
She understood, however. that he was
waiting for the breath Of suspicion to pass
by.
That next evening-would he ever forget
iti-was q happy breathing space between
the perplexities of the past and the further
perpiexities which the future was to bring.
Neither Lyman nor Carol had expected to
see him there. A frown darkened the brow
OF the former; the rosy tinge deepened in
the latter's cheek.
Carol noticed that he seemed thinner, aud
thought he looked i'll She was afraid he
would think they We're selfish, never going
to see how he was after that dreadful night.
This between the fish and the fowl, and
Norris was repaid for more than a weeks
suffering. Now, there had been such a
thought in his mind. but the last atom of
resentment melted away under the glance
of those bright eyes.
Yet when the little company returned to
the parlor, he found himself talking to
Althea, without making an attempt to
monopolize the lady of his love. 1t was
enough to watch her, to listen as she
chatted to Mr.. Everleigh, free and fear
less and bright as bird in springtime-
that happiest of sights, a young and lovely
known.
do you think am very silly?' she asked,
with ndire glance up at her elderly enter
tainer. ''You see, it IS such new sensa-
ton to me. / never went out much before,
and indeed, 1 am more glad for Lyman than
myself-about the money, 1 mean-though
it may have turned my head a little, becom-
ing independent so suddenly. And Lyman
says it is not settled yet how much we are
worth. He takes it quietly enough, but to
me it is like fairy tale where the people
live happily forever after"
''You have made others happy-you and
your BROTHER said Mr.. Everleigh, with
feeling Heaven bless you, my child, for
your generous heart"
HE will never do any thing to thwart
Lyman, am sure" thought she, and Won
dered that her brother did not take the
place by Althea's side when Norris left it va
can't; but there were no more tete-a-tetes that
night. Some callers dropped in, to whom
Miss Everleigh introduced her invited
guests; the conversation became general,
and at ten o'clock the Childers departed.
Norris fingered but few moments longer,
and Althea went to the door with him, de-
tanning him a moment to say:
''Come again-come often. 1 want you
tor
y
pressure, she withdrew it and disappeared,
leaving the young man a little startled at
her intensity. The next moment he smiled.
Miss Everleigh might be changing her
ways, but she was not rid of her old i'm
periousness yet. That Il want you to- was
meant to leave him no choice.
He had nearly reached his boarding
place, and was crossing the mouth of black
alley which opened into the wider street,
when two men standing within it nudged
each other with the whisper: That's him."
The next instant they hurled themselves
upon HIM; his throat was seized by strong,
murderous fingers that choked the cry he
tried to utter, and a wicked, uplifted blade
caught CLEAN even in that darkness be
fore his starting, pain-dimmed eyes. He
threw up his arm, and it caught the de-
scending blow; before it could be repeated
there was sound of rapid steps, and a man
came running into the allev.
''Hello, what's this! Some mischief, I'll
be bound! Hey, police! Here, policen' and
he raised such an alarm that the two ruff
fans abandoned their victim and took to
their heels.
whats the rowe Speak, can't you!
You'd have got the worst of that racket if
hadn't happened along. Blest if don't
think the cove has been plugged as it is.
Let's seer'
The newcomer fumbled in his vest pocket
for matches and Lii one, shading the flame
with his hand. Norris leaned against the
wall, too weak and unnerved for the mo-
ment to either speak or move. The light
fiared up and travelled over him, dropped
and went out. There was genuine dismay
in the voice which exclaimed:
Hanged if it amt Bergmanr'
To the distempered imagination of the
young man it seemed as if there were
disappointment in it also-as if Hiram In
got would not have been so ready to inter-
fere had he known the person he was res
cuing.