Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-20

I WAS ALMOST STUNNED
that her young nature had just burst OF
into temporary freedom and true life. ]
was the Gagged birds fight into the brigh
summer air."
''Just the kind of BIRDS" said Aun
Martha, ''that shouldn't be allowed t
| fly, at least until they are used to il
But you can go on with your story"
Swell, said the young man, ''the mex
day we met l took her to the piece O
high ground l had mentioned, and sh,
sketched the castle. After that we me
again and again nearly every day. Thi
sort of story tells itself. 1 became mad
ly in love with her, and am sure sh,
liked me very we'll; at all events was
companion of her own age and tastes
and such one, she assured me, she haC
never known before, and probably would
never know again"
There was some excuse for her." sale
Aunt Martha; "butstill she had no RICH
to act in that way, especially as she wa.
so soon to be married"
81 do not think that she reasoned
much upon the subject" said the young
man, land l am sure I did not. We
made no plans. Every day We thought
only of what we were doing or saying,
and not at all what we had done OF
would do. We were very happy.
zone morning was sitting by Marie
in the very place where l had first met
her, when we heard some one rapidly
approaching. Looking up l saw tall
man in an undress military uniform.
Heavens cried Marie, it is Colonel
Kaldhein.'
1.-The situation was one of which an
expectant bridegroom wouldnot be like
~ to ask many questions. Marie was
seated on low stone with her drawing
block in her lap. She was finishing the
sketch on which she was engaged when
l first saw her, and was kneeling close
to her looking over her work, and maxi
ing various suggestions, and 1 think my
countenance must have indicated that
found Ii very pleasant to make sugges-
lions in that way to such pretty girl.
Our heads wefe very close together.
Sometimes we looked at the paper,
sometimes we looked at each other. But
in the instant l caught sight of the
Colonel the situation had changed. l
rose to my feet and Marie began to pick
up the drawing materials which were
lying about her.
Colonel Kaldhein came forward al
most at run. His eyes blazed through
his gold spectacles, and his close-cut,
reddish beard seemed to be smuggling
with the fires of rage. had but an in
slant for observation, for he came di=
rectly up to me, and with tremendous
objurgation in German he struck me
full in the face with such force that the
blow stretched me upon the ground.
81 was almost stunned, but heard a
scream from Marie, storm of angry
words from Kaldhein, and felt sure he
was about to inflict further injury. He
was much stronger man than was,
and probably was armed. With a sud-
den instinct of self-preservation 1 rolled !
down little declivity on the edge of
which / had fallen, and, staggering to |
my feet, plunged into a thicket and |
led. Even had been in the full posses
sion of my senses knew that under the
/ would have been of no
benefit to Marie had | remained upon
the scene. The last thing ! heard
vas shout from Kaldhein, in which he
declared that he would kill me yet. For
some days / did not go out of my castle.
Ny face was bruised, my soul was de-
ected. / knew there was no possible
hRnee that | should meet Marie, and
hat there was a chance that / might
meet the angry Colonel. An alteration
It this time would be very annoying and
'ainful to the lady, no matter what the
esult; and l considered it my duty to
o every thing that was possible to svoid
meeting with Kaldhein. Therefore,
have said, l shut myself up within (
he walls of old Wulrick and gave strict ]
riders to my servants to admit no one. {
''It was at this time that the strangest ]
vents of nay life occurred. Sitting in !
n upper room, gazing out of the win. {
ow over the fields through which had {
alked 50 happily but two days before i
meet the lady whom l had begun to !
mink OF as my Marie, felt the head of ,
dog laid gently in my lap. Without I
lrning my head I caressed the animal c
nd stroked the long hair on his neck. +
my hound Ajax was a dear compan- ?
N to me in this old castle, although 1 s
ever took him in my walks, as he was
ot to get into mischief, and when 1 o
Irned my head to look at him he was il
me, but strange to say the hand which p
I'd been stroking the dog felt as if it e
ere still resting on his neck. e
Quickly drawing my hand toward me Fl
struck the head of the dog, and, NOV Ii
6 it backward and forward, 1 felt the b
rs and nose of the animal, and then A
came conscious that its head was still b
sting upon my knee. "
II started back. Had been stricken b;
tn blindness? But no; turning nv il
adj kcould plainly see every thing in h
3 room The scene from the window ST
s as distinct as it ever had been. I d,
rang to my feet, and, as 1 stood won al
ring what this strange thing could m
an, the dog brushed up against me in
licked my band. Then the idea hs