Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-27
sitting beneath it. Imagining the truth,
/ rushed furward. 1t was Mariel

l rushed forward; 1t was Marie!
t'It was needless for us to say any
thing, toexplain the state ofour feelings
toward each other. That tale was told
by the delight with which We met:
When asked her how she came to be
there she told me that about an hour
before, while sitting in front of her
fathers mansion, she had felt some
thing gently pulling at her skirts, and
although at first little fright
ened, she was at length impelIed by
curiosity to obey the impulse, and,
without knowing whether 1t was the
wind or some supernatural force which
had led her here, she had come.
"We had great deal to say to each
other. She told me that she had been
longing to send me a message to warn
me that Colonel Kaldhein would
certainly kill me the next time he saw
me, but she had no means of sending
me such message, for the Colonel had
had her actions closely watched.
"When the news came of Kaldhein's
death she at first feared that had killed
him and would therefore be obliged to
fly the country, but when it was known
that he had been almost torn to pieces
by wild beasts she, like every one else,
was utterly amazed and could not under
stand the matter at all. None but the
most ferocious creatures could have in
fiicted the injuries of which the man had
died and where those creatures came
from no one knew. Some people thought
that pack of bloodhounds might have
broken loose from some of the estates of
the surrounding country and in the
course of their wild journeyings might
have met with the Colonel and fallen
upon him. Others surmised that bear
had come down from the mountains and
killed the man, but the fact was that
nobody knew any thing about it.
81 did not attempt to acquaint Marie
with the truth. At that moment the
invisible dog was lying at my side and l
feared if 1 mentioned his existence to
Marie she might fly in terror. To me
there was only-one important phase of
the affair and that was that Marie was
now free, that she might be mine.
Before we parted we were affianced
lovers, pledged to marry as soon as pos
sible. wrote to my father, asking for
his permission to wed the lady. But in
his reply he utterly forbade any such
marriage. Marie also discovered, with
out difficulty, that her parents would
not permit a union with foreigner,
and would indeed oppose her marriage
with any one at this time.
However, as usual, love triumphed,
and after surrounding many difficulties
we were married and fed to America.
Since that time l have been obliged to
support myself and my wife, for my
father will give me no assistance. He
had proposed very different career for
me, and was extremely angry when he
found his plans had been completely
destroyed. But we are hopeful, we
work hard, and hope that we may yet
be able to support ourselves comfort
ably without aid from any one. We are
young, we are strong, we trust each
other, and have firm faith in the sue
cess of our efforts.
81 had only one regret in leaving Eu
rope, and that was that my faithful
friend, the noble and devoted invisible
dog, was obliged to remain on the other
side of the Atlantic. Why this was so
do not know, but perhaps it was for the
best. 1 have never told my wife of his
existence, and if she had accidentally
discovered it l know not what might
have been the effect upon her nervous
system. 1.t,
THE dog accompanied me through
Austria, Switzerland and France to
Havre, from which port we sailed.
took leave of him on the gang-plank.
He licked my hands, and caressed and
stroked him. People might have thought
that my actions denoted insanity, but
every body was so greatly occupied these
last moments before departure perhaps
1 was not noticed. Just as left him
and fastened on board sailor fell over
board from the gang-plank. He was
quickly rescued, but could not imagine
why he had fallen. l believe, however,
that he was tripped up by the snake
part of my friend as he convulsively
rushed away
The young man ceased and gazed pen
sively upon the floor.
swell, well, well!' exclaimed Aunt
Martha, ''if those are the sort of expert
enees you had, don't wonder that
realism was wonderful enough for you.
The invisible creature was very good to
you, am sure, but l am glad it did not
come with you to America"
David, who had been waiting for an
opportunity to speak, now interrupted
further comments by stating that it was
daylight, and if l thought well of it, he
would open the window shutters, so that
we might see any one going toward the
town. A milkman, he said, passed the
house very early every morning. When
the shutters were opened we were all
amazed that the night should have
passed so quickly.
The tall burglar and the young man
now began to exhibit a good deal of
anxiety.
TO BE CONTINUED. "