San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-15

would not have wondered at her emotion
On their way back to the Roosevelt
mansion they talked little. allie
hung heavily on his arm. When they
reached the little gate he opened it: size
passed through. and suddenly turning
faced him in great excitement.
Watch as you go home" she ex-
claimed in sharp whisper; The will kill
you if he gets the chance" Her ex-
citement and solicitude thrilled him
strangely
"Oh. there's no danger" he replied in
a voice hoarse and unsteady. He had
not taken ten PAGES when he heard the
click of the gate latch, and then Rosalie
called, in a low. thin voice, Colonel
Talbot"
Here" he answered, turning about.
do not forget to be careful There
is great danger"
He slowly strobe toward his home,
driving out of his mind Rosalie's words
of warning. Suddenly man confronted
him He stopped short.
lis that you, Colonel Talbot" said a
voice. deep and husky, that he did not
recognize.
Yes, sir; what do you WANT" he re-
sponded, gripping his cane and making
ready to defend himself.
The figure moved, passing across a
fieck of moonlight. Talbot saw the face
and instantly remembered it. The next
moment something struck him on the
head, dull, heavy blow, and he fell
upon the ground still and senseless. The
figure stopped over him and hurriedly
but cOolly searched his pockets, until a
paper was found, which it carefully ex-
amined, as if to be sure of it's identity.
then rapidly walked away.
The next morning the servants brought
to Roosevelt place rumOr that Colonel
Talbot had been found in the street
dead, murdered by some unknown per-
SON When the papers were brought in
they contained full account Colonel
Talbot was not dead but had been
knocked senseless by a blow from a
sandbag or some such instrument. His
condition was extremely critical 1t had
been impossible, so far, to restore his
consciousness, and no clew to the perpe-
traitor of the foul deed had been discov-
cred The whole thing was yelled in
mystery. No robbery had been COM
mitted The colonel's magnificent gold
watch and seal, and his pocketbook con-
tanning small sum Of money, were left
undisturbed on his person. He was
without enemies, SO far as the reporters
could discover, and not the slightest
reason for his assassination suggested it
self, save that it was darkly limited that
political intrigue might have led to it.
\ certain carpetbag candidate for con-
greSs. who had been beaten mainly by
TalUot's exertiOns, was none too good, 50
the papers stated, to have done the deed,
seeing that in his own state, Kansas, he
had once been convicted of cow stealing!
The blow fell heavily on Mildred Fain
As days and weeks passed by, with no
change in Talbot's singular condition,
she grew thin, and her face wore the
look of one who has little left to care
for Rosalie witnessed her distress with
Il sympathy deepened and strangely col
ored by the knowledge she carried. She
had told no one what she knew about
the matter, and this secrecy preyed upon
her ~ doubt she would have told
Mrs. Roosevelt had it not been for her
aunt's deepseated prejudice against
Ellis Then. too, circumstances had
rendered the young mans guilt matter
of mystery, if not of serious doubt, i'll
her mind. No one else seemed to sus-
pect him. and in fact his presence in the
city on the night of the crime was con
tradicted by his being on the day pre-
vious at Jessup. a town many miles
south of the city. where he had an i'm
portant meeting with railroad friends
Rosalie often felt an impulse toward
writing to Ellis, but quite as often she
recOiled from the thought. She some
times lOnged to see him and hear what
he would say to the dreadful accusation;
then she would start and tremble at the
idea of talking with murderer. The
poor Child-fOr in experience she was
scarcely more-could do nothing save
brood over this strange dark subject by
day and dream of it by night. Mildred
Fain came often to see her, and they ag
gravated rather than softened each
others distress.
Mrs. Roosevelt quickly noticed her
niece's trouble, and after little thought
attributed it to tender feeling on her
part for Colonel Talbot. 1t would have
pleased Aunt Marguerite very much, if
Rosalie must marry, to see her become
the wife of a representative southerner
like Talbot Of course she was not in
formed of his engagement with Miss
Fain. as it had not become public, and
he was wealthy, of good family, hand