Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-08-28
WHAT FRED SAW.

The day was very pleasant. but I could
not enjoy it.
Long. weary months ! had been in the
darkened room. and still they kept rue
there. allowing no breath Of the pure.
cool air to reach my feverish head.
tried to open the window, but ! was
not strong enough, and / fell back in my
chair, breathing the sitting air, which
every moment became more oppressive.
| thought | could not endure it, yet
how could / avoid it2 There was only
one way without danger Of discovery; a
step into the hall, aud those spiral stairs
would take me to the h~ousetop-to the
observatory.
Waiting until | was sure the way was
clear. / stepped softly into the hall, and,
ascending the stairs; though with much
difficulty, I was soon enjoying the for.
hidden pleasure of breathing the free
air. untainted with the fumes of the
nauseous drugs that had been dealt out
to me with an unsparing hand all
through the long, cold winter.
How exhilaratingl | wondered that
/ had been housed so long. / looked
down upon the group Of young ladies
who were sporting on the lawn.
Jennie Magrair was there, the daugh-
ter Of my host, the only woman ! ever
loved, but / was nothing to her. She
knew not how ! w~orshiped her, and /
should keep my secret well, for she wa
the betrothed of Gerald Macburn.
How | envied him and perhaps hated
him a little, for / knew that he had not
won her love. She had pledged her
hand to save her old father from pow
erty.
She had consented to the sacrifice and
Macburn was satisfied.
Turning away | tried to Danish the
painful, hopeless thoughts that had been
awakened.
Adjusting the telescope ! took a sur
vey OF the farming and woodland that
stretched far away to the east for many
miles
! caught sight of two men whom ! rec.
ognized as Gerald Macburn and John
Layton.
They were evidently in search of
game. The glass was small, yet a very
superior instrument, and ! could see
them very plainly, Notwithstanding the
distance.
l presume l should have thought no
more about them had | not known that
but a few months before they were bit.
ter enemies. | wondered how the recon
ciliation had been effected.
While puzzling my brain with these
thoughts | had unconsciously moved the
glass to keep them within range. | saw
them stop, and | knew by their motions
that they were angry.
| became interested. Icould see them
30 distinctly that | found myself listen
ing to catch their words.
l could see their lips move, and / saw
John Laytou's clinched hands. He was
evidently much excited, but he did not
offer to strik- and if one can judge by
sight alone he was inclined to avoid any
alteration, while Macburn appeared to
seek a quarrel.
For full five minutes they stood tbsre,
g~esticulating vehemently. They were
some distance apart, Layton all the while
~endeavoring TO widen the space and
Macburn following him up.
At last Layton, goaded beyond all en-
durance, wheeled about and shook his
fist menacingly at his tormentor. Mac.
burn was 30 exasperated at this that he
raised his rifle and shot him.
saw the poor man fall out of sight in
the bushes, and | saw Macburn calmly
reload his rife and walk toward the spot
where his victim was lying.
Then J staggered and fell to the floor,
and all vas a blank.
When l awoke to consciousness ] was
in bed. Cloths were all about my head,
and in the dim lamplight / saw a
watcher sitting by my bedside. 1t was
my old chum. Harry Wilmot.
'How is this?' said |. when | realized
the situation
Thank God, you are coming around
again, said Harry; but it has been a
hard case, Fred; you have been as crazy
as a loon for a whole week. advise
you not to try the observatory again till
you are strong enough to crawl back"
At these words, what ! had seen from
the housetop flashed upon my mind. but
had my life depended upon il / could not
then have told that il was not an a dream
To convince myself ] inquired for John
Layton.
He is-no one knows where" replied
Harry; but you are too weak to either
talk or listen"
mo. I'm not, Harry; tell me about II. "
He yet hesitated. but urged him, aud
he yielded.
''John Layton disappeared n week
ago" said he. "Absconded is the better
word, for he took with him quite an
amount Of money belonging to his father
The old gentleman is very wroth, and
has used every means TO find him, bat
has not succeeded. Fanny Morton-they
were to be married soon, you knows
almost crazy about il, and will not be-
lieve that John intended to do anything
wrong This is all that is known about
It. But, speaking Of marriage. did you
know that GERALD Macburn and Jenny
Magrair are 10 be married tomorrow"
"John Layton Is dead said I. without
answering his question, though u had