Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-02

ing what to do next. Should she run
down stairs again and out on the lawn
to summon help? Perhaps even in the
time she was gone the squire's room
might be invaded. Before she could
make herself decide upon some plan of
Co. on, shabby, rufianly figure came
sight at the other end of the long hall,
and Il hand was lifted to turn out the
lamp that hung there. Lefty drew back
unnoticed into the doorway behind her,
and running through the room softly
opened the sQuire's door and stepped in,
locking and boiling it behind her. Gid
ing across to the other door, she bolted
it also She turned around then, with a
curious sensation Of fear that the real
danger had not given her, to confront
the surprised, indignant eyes of the
squire.
The lights were turned low, but the
room was filled with the ruddy glare of
an eruptive Vesuvius in full play on the
lawn. He had wrapped dressing gown
about him and was watching the display
from his window. Perhaps he could not
think Of words ireful enough to voice
his wrath, for he looked at her in cold
silence.
A real or fancied sound in the next
room brought Lefty to her senses.
Walking close to Mr.. Melville she softly
and quietly explained the position, re-
serving the unquieting fact that the en-
envy was already upon them.
For Lefty it was easy to climb out of
the window, and from the balcony to an
ornamental roof, from which she gave
the alarm to group of guests, who quick
ly disappeared into the house. Under
cover of the intense darkness that fell
after the going out of the last set piece,
she descended the iron trellis work that
projected each side of the front door,
and slipping through the edge of the
crowd, she flew to her own house I'M
noticed. Having gained its safe shelter
she treated her alarmed mother to the
only hysterical attack she had ever had.
She had gone through the chill and the
sobbing, and the half laughing, half cry
ing recital of her adventure, and was ly-
ing back white and tremulous in an arm
chair, when Jack came with fervent
message of thanks from his father, and
an entreaty, which sounded almost hum
BILE, that she would forgive and forget.
He threw the blinds open as he spoke.
Look over there, Lefty, and think what
might be the condition if you had not
been so brave and generous. Those
wretches, with that scoundrel James, are
safely locked in the stable with willing
band of watchers guarding them, and we
Melvilles are all agreed in blessing you.
Surely, darling, now you will take back
the stern refusal, with such a welcome
waiting for your"
The wild excitement of the evening
had interrupted the pyrotechnic per-
formances, but now, late though it was,
some young men, remembering that the
Fourth of July comes but once a year,
fired the fuse of the framework of the
grand finale, which, after representinga
fiery equestrian figure of George Wash
ington, serene and glittering amid a
fountain of sparks, melted into brilliant
portrait Of Abraham Lincoln, with a
scroll above it, on which scintilated the
motto, with malice toward none"
Lefty and Jack had gone to the Win
dow, and as the noble words famed
against the sky, he repeated them softly,
and in their glowing light he searched
Letty's sweet eyes, reading in Their clear
depths no stern refusal.-Mary q. Hun
gerford in Epoch.