Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-09-17

precious memories 1t was only the
work OF an instant. Mark seemed to
obey an irresistible impulse. He slipped
of his shoes, tiptoed up the steps, softly
opened and shut the outer door without
sound, and was then in the abode of
bis divinity, where the very air seemed
warmed and perfumed by her presence.
He glided into the darkest corner of the
drawing room, filed with distilled odors
from the great jars Of roses she had ar
ranged that morning.
The piano was open, and the keys
seemed warm with the touch of her
white fingers. The books she had been
reading lying on little table in her own
pet corner, and an embroidery frame
laid aside near a banjo-the one he had
given her years ago-al spoke of her
gentle influence. Mark, buried in an
armchair, fell into so profound a reverie
he took no note of time, until suddenly
latch key grated in the lock and
q quick step entered the hall. Mark
knew that step. 1t was Tom, whistling
under his breath little opera air. Tom
had taken the longest way to escort Miss
Amy Nash to her home, and had now
stopped under the hall lamp, smiling to
himself at the thought of one or two lit
tie jokes he had been able to get off,
which, albeit, rather ''moldy chestnuts, {"
had made Miss Amy laugh immoderate-
ly. At that moment Tom regarded him
self as deucedly clever fellow. And,
moreover, he had felt emboldened at
parting to give Miss Amy's hand ten
der squeeze, and had distracted a ring,
which he was now trying on his little
finger, turning it in the light to catch
the reflection of the ''catseye." Evident
ly Miss Amy was mashed" on Tom,
and the conviction filed him with pride.
Meantime, Mark, sitting in dark cor
ner of the drawing room, with the door
open into the hall, was in a peculiarly
ticklish situation. There was no time
even to slip behind the window curtain,
and the slightest movement might be-
tray him. Mark, in any case, would not
have made movement to hide. He had
always been able to whip Tom in their
boyish encounters, and he thought that
he could now trust to his muscle should
he be discovered. But happily Tom, in
total ignorance of the proximity of the
enemy, went to his own room, and pres
emily the whole house was sunk in slum-
Der.
An idea had come into Marks invent
i've head. He chuckled over it slightly
as the thought dawned upon him. There
would be no harm in trying the plan,
and if it failed who would ever be the
wiser? A little seven by nine apartment
opened off the broad hall of the Childers
mansion, known in the family as ''papa's
room" There, on a little table, when
papa" staid out late at the club, was
placed his bedroom candle ready to his
hand. As the Spoford house was built
on the same general plan, the little room
corresponding to this was dedicated to
old Mr.. Spoford. Here stood the writ
ing desk of the master of the house, and
some bookcases where he kept a small
library. Here he transacted his local
business as a town officer, and received
his male friends who dropped in to chat
at odd hours.
But the Spoford "den" had one i'm
portant piece of furniture of which the
corresponding room in the Childers
house was destitute-a money safe, with
q combination lock. Mark noted that
the little table where the bedroom can
die stood awaiting the return of the
master of the house was in almost the
exact position of the safe in his fathers
room at home. He therefore cautiously
turned out the hall light, put down the
night latch, and softly closed the door
behind him. The Spofford house was
profoundly dark and silent under the
stairs, but fortunately Mark had his own
key in his pocket, by which he could let
himself in. He listened for sounds from
the kitchen. Not a whisper. The serv-
ants had all been in bed and asleep for |
1T least an hour. Mark, like a guilty |
lighted the hall lamp and !
put up the night latch. He tiptoed into |
his fathers room in his stockings, and |
striking a match examined a certain |
place behind a small cupboard door, |
where he remembered to have seen his !
father mark up the combination in pen
I'll to aid a somewhat treacherous mem |
Dry. Yes, there it was, plain as day
ight-two thousand and six. But what |
f the old man had changed the combina- |
ion. At any rate, it was worth trying. |
The safe door gently opened to Marks
He looked within, and saw
! sum of money in banknotes.
Mor.Iy3u 70 MANA nom ,,oor1r, |
complete. He took off his coat and waist
,oat, towsled his hair, and taking his
hoes in his hand crept up to the head of
he stairs, prepared to wait.
Mr.. Childers was never hard drinker,
,ut sometimes when the company at the
lubwas especially conyivial, and the hot
tuf particularly good, and when he had
njoyed fine run of luck at cards, he
would imbibe just enough of the potent
oddly or punch to make him little mel
ow and hilarious, and then his head was
lot as clear as it was wont to be, nor his
exceptions quite as accurate. From the
nd of his street he always looked for the
ght shining through the hall window
f his own house, as a beacon ray to guide
is footsteps home on the darkest night.
There was no gas lamp just in that
art Of the street, and the hall lamp was
aturally his safest guide. Now the
light being somewhat overcast, with a
Thite fog rising from the river, Mr.. Z
Ihilders' perceptions were slightly OBJ
cured. He looked for the cheering ray :
rom the window, and saw it plainly be- G
ore him, but the familiar objects about |
is own house seemed not to be exactly G
! tha ribht nlace- After imhihing con- !