Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-07-14

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one central impression-a girl with great
dark eyes and flushing and pallng tintS
in her checks He turned aimleesly aslae'
and, skirtiDg the thick growth OF tnorn'
passed round into the glade beyond. When
he fret saw the man lying there, 1t ola not
excite much feeling in his heart, except
the natural shock that death must bring
TO the most hardened. John Smith was
By no means hardened, though OF late,
among the lawless men with whom DIS
lines hsd been cast, he bnd grown almost
accustomed to see death follow fast on &C.
tive, bo;sierous life.
This man YVES desd-the first glance told
him that, even before he ran with swift,
long strides TO dis side. Somehow, he felt
very sorry for this man, rs sorry as be
would have been long Ego, when his heart
was still fresh, generous and unhtrdened
by contact with the callous recSlessness OF
a wicked world. He began to wonder, IN
the same vague disturbed fashion IN which
hs had been thinking since he left her,
whether this man had ever cared for any
woman, or if any woman had ever cared for
him. He was wondering about this as ne
reached the rigid, CHASTITY thing, when
something familiar in it, horribly familiar,
seemed TO make his blood run cold.
With a swift movement he turned the
dead mans disfgured face up to the skies.
There it lsy-its eyes staring dreadfully
upwards, as if pleading for veugeance-its
lips parted still, as when the execration
had died upon them.
John Smith stared down at it stupidity
for some moments before his eyes began to
take in other things. Half hidden by the
mans arm was something that looked like
q limp rag. Mechanically he pulled it ont
and inspected it curiously, though all the
time he felt he would rather do anything
than touch that red saturated thing. It
was a woman's handkerchief, marked in the
corner with a monogram, "E. s."
Her name WIGS Elaine! She had laughed
az having such romantic title, when
among other things they had discussed
names. The conversation Rad arisen
through his telling her that his name was
John Smith, which he had said was con-
venient, because it had nothing distin-
guishable about it; it might belong to a
villain or an honest citizen! She had
laughed, and said she hoped he was the
latter.
1t was some time before he returned 70
the spot where they had breakfasted, for
it took him some minutes to hide the
handkerchief as safely as he wished.
He found her pacing restltssly to and
fro. There was great change in her face,
which was no longer lighted up with
laughter, but was hard, hsggsrd, bitter.
She was too absorbed in her thoughts to
hear him approach, and be made no sound
to warn her. The power 10 utter COM
monplace in order to arouse her attention
had gone from him. So it happened that
she caught sight of him suddenly when he
was close to her. He saw the look Of
startled horror that suddenly distorted her
beautiful face; then she looked at him for
q moment in an uneasy, questioning, con-
fused fashion that sent paug OF anguish
! to his heart.
what long time you have beenW she
exclaimed with forced laugh, though that
look of terror never left her eyes. Have
You seen or heard anything remarkable"
mo" he said; but his eyes dropped he
| fore here, and the hand that held the rife,
as it rested on the ground, trembled.
She saw his confusion, and drew IN her
breath sharply as though with sudden
pain. There WAS a moments silence, which
he broke by saying
81 think We had better be pushing or. "
He spoke more natucally-it was such a
relief to turn to ordinary topics. Your
friends will have reached D4admsn'S Flat
By this time"
She bad told him that the friends she
had been separated from would be sure TO
90 straight there. He remembered now
that sac need have no fear of going there,
even alone, for her enemy lay q few hun-
bred yards from them, pOwerless ever to
re turn.
81 shall wait" she replied, flushing and
| trembling from head to foot
mot herew He interrupted her i'm
petuously, thinking no more of the muir
der, only of her great danger. Suppose
that body were found and she in its neigh
borhood? There were stern judges at
Daadman's Flat, and the law was enforced
there now with severity in proportion to
the terrible lswlesspess that had prevailed
only year back LET me take you to a
place of safety. YOn can trust me, Can you
no!?"
you had better have nothing to do
with me-" she said bitterly. go on and
leave me-"
He would not listen to her, however,
and continued his entreaties till her face
flushed holly with anger.
81 thought you we're gentleman" she
exclaimed, land would rot force"
Gas you wish, " he interpreted constrai1-
edly.
He then began to pack up his belong
incs, which were few, with the dexterity
of man accustomed TO knocking about,
they were speedily thrown together. Too
eoon, indeed; for, now that the moment of
parting had come. he realized how painful
it was to him. He was bewildered at the
thought that this womsu, who had come
into his life only just before the dawn of
that day, shonld have in two or three
hours become an influence in it which
would change its whole tenor forever. 1t
was strange and incomprehensible, but he
knew that life would never be the same to
him again.
She had been watching him during the
process Of packing; perhaps she too felt
little of the pathos that underlies all these
chance meetings on earth. He had been
very good to her, and she had requited his
goodness by speaking harshly to MIN. As
he rose from the ground, on which he had
been kueeling, his eyes met hers, ard
their look set all his pulses beating faster.
"Wlll you not let me help you?" he
asked, stepping forward eagerly. us
there nothing can dc? At any rate, don't
stay herew
Il am not going TO stay here" she said,
averting her face. Eyes, there is one
thing" she exclaimed passionately, a
moment later, when, turning to him
again, she saw the stern expression that
was couding his face-don't condemn me
DENT Judge me even! You can't gee
into fellow creatures liie-there may be
extenuating circumstances even in q cate
of murder"-a faint pitiful emile flicker
lug across her face.
He flushed crimson, then paled to the