The Saline County journal., 1889-02-14
Hiss TIESBL.
EcOHtissed From FTrst Pose.I

ponee, tney should appear Tor an add
tonel three nights, and thus Afford their
admirers oPportunities foE which The
AFst essay had been insufficient. This
Aiss de Montague and Mr.. Bellario for
reasons largely connected. respectively,
wtth the excellent cuisine and bar 0f the
bella Union. why, my dear" OBJ
served the lady, when I fust come up
% do the legitimate fifteen months ago,
love nor money could bur q morspl Of
supper after the play. We had 10 do
with pot Of ginger, and dig Il Out with
ths Macbeth dsggers, and wash Il down
The arrangement was also satisfac-
tory 10 Miss Tinsel. Il seemed well 90
her that abe should be absent for time;
and yet she could not deny q feeling Of
10y over the thought Of returning.
der lover had been greatly shocked
oy the dismal tale she had re-
cited; but, 10 the credit Of his manH-
ness, he had refused 10 accent the facts
g conclusive arguments against his suit.
Was her fault. argued he, that her
father was q scouDdrelT Why should
Stigma OF disability OF any sort attach 10
her for that which she had no hand In.
and had been poweriess 10 prsreutf On
the contrary, should not the world, or
any part Of Il, that might come In con-
tact with her. treat a helpless and limo
cent g1ri with even greater tenderness and |
conmisefatiOn because Of the undearrved |
and terrible misfortune that had befalIen |
herr
Jane had resolved that she ought not |
70 be moved by such arguments. and vet |
she could not help liking 60 hear them |
IL was IN the end sgreed between them
by Hardings earnest entreatieS-that shs /
should think the matter over. and that
her hnal decision should he withheld
until the return Of the troupe 60 perform
te second engagement. Jane had talked
win Miss DE Montague. who. in spite Of
some foibies, was a kind hearted and |
right minded woman. and Miss DE Mon
tague had strongly urged that James
SensitiVeness was OverstTaiBed. II Mr.
Harding had been told all the truth
without reserve and he still wished 10
make Jane his wife. and Jane wished 10
marry him, that was enough. To stand
about and moon over Il, and wonder or
care what people would say. Was ali
hddle-taddle, and all sensible people
would call u %. Besides. California was
o1nerent from other places. Il was the
custom there 10 give everybody a chance.
and value them FOR what they did and
what they were now-And not for what
other people, or even they themselves,
bad done before. Il il right TO admit
that the amiable lady's passion for Mr..
Bellario-whOse similar feeling for Miss
Ttnsel was more than suspe,te,l-had
something TO do with inspiring an tbese
sage suggestions; but the suggestions
were not deprived Of good sense by that
During the fortnight that PASSED be-
tween James departure and her return | ,
the cottage that Harding designed for
her future home fast approached com ,
pletion. Meanwhile its owners claim, ;
was doing better, and his GOLFERS were
consequently fuller than ever before. He l
resolved that, come what might, Jane
should become his wife: and q was in
this frame Of mind that Harding walked
out by the riverside on the night the
troupe returned. As before. he resolved :
mot 10 hurry In his suit, and therefore
Determined TO omit calling until the fol-
lowing day.
Ihe night was clear. the stars shining
brightly, and the stream ran gurRling :.
forward with a pleasant snund Sud, y
denly, Is Harding strulled musing along =
the bank, some one tuurhed him ON the 4.
shoulder from behind; and turning, ne 1
oeheid the Blood Red Demon" Mr.. >,
bellario. That gentleman wore a long :,
cloak, tossed across his breast and Ieh m
shoulder, and slOuclIed sombrero; and =,
bis white, pasty fare wore a look 81 in m
Bcrutahle mystery
Htstf he en- Joined i'm q stage whisper: Il,
''all Is discOveredr' Then be drew hack :. -
with finger ON lip. As 10 TO watch the r.
effect Of his reyelaiiOn. -
whats the matter said Harding -
What do you meanE -
"Meanl Ha! ha!' and the Demon s,I
laughed witheringly. He asks me what ri.
! mean! Mark me" prOceetItti he. with
4
SscretT' -, ~
oh, you do do your Which one do an
fully. ~,
II have neither time nur heart Go
trifie, said Demon" waving his arm ~,
With an air Of ineffable majesty. II
hall be brief and 60 the point. w
You'll very much Obllge ne' 70,
Enough. What prompts me 10 t5is oy
midnight deed, twere bootless now Co M
Ask, and idle 10 reveal. Therefore 10 nv
With Miss TinselY" -,
by what right
Spare your repruaches. ! sm in lore 81
With her too n,
Your "
''ls that SO strange" Long ere you do,
,rosse6 our path ! knew and loved her. il,
But this Is neither here nor there" ia
81 should think not" sJv
Professionally" continued the De
non" with great dignity. she Il. Of .
ourBe, nv inferior Sociallv-weIi yor -,
now, think the damning family a. I
ret"-
whatever that NAV he. Il Il no sin OF m,
eFS. think you may wisely leave IL a Ies.
ecret-so far, that Is, as to omit CRYING Va,
on the hOusetops" M
''Save TO yourself and Miss de Mon 80
Ague, no hint Of the tragedy has passed
~ lips. But 20 the business between yrs
my good sir" said Harding, with ir. An;
Ration. II know Of none, 20 far. II you =.
ave ANYTHING 10 say 10 me I'll listen. fro,
not, Ill pass on" a
"Hal ha! ha!" laughed the Demon =.
'ith bitter mockery. Il come 10 serve dan
., and ye would spurn me from yer %
.thi Poor, POOF humanity! WHY, =.
ny should laugh when should rather will
eepy' s,rs
1 don't know, I'm sure" answered crcS rS
arding simply, land ! don't want 10 400
} unciViL But IL certainly isn't asking =.
% much 20 want TO know what yo9 dea,
San" 60
'.No,- responded the Demon" with JiS dSS
elodious ssdness-"nOt too much. this
hough every woTu be torture vet I will n,or
n 60 through the ordeal Sir, what 4 snd
Ivs 70 say-and Il cuts me to the heart sr~
say IT'S that this lady-this Young =: :
rl-this Aurora Tinsel-is worthy o9 -
ither Of u.s." ,,
''WhatI'
She is unworthy-IOst-and capahls h.Il,
the worst deception SSbs
That's false!" d.,
q How, sirY' ~,
That's false. And you or any one anna
9 who says it Il liar!' ssI
[ho Demon" drew suddenly hack. ~rov
pped his hand TO an imaginary sword Ger,
Nc st his left side-and then thought bodS
TER Of o. cOs,;,
'Pshaw!' be exclaimed lightly, but m
ping at = wary distance from her
rding's reach Why should Weld ~
ragel Ny proves 4 well Known 6rs.
after all, this worthv gentleman az /
abs In ignorance. Sir he added. !.
lnging his tone with elaborate and ,hIns
valrous grace, Il speak Of what I ia
ow, and speak only with the best Of hech
dves. But it h due TO you that I ofhe,
y 20 make good nv words. can ab- ~
ntely prove that what I have said is giyI
Prove it, bowY' sno.l
n