The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-04-15

England hired mar, 1t took usto-Leaq.
vile, anyway, and that ,w,s.s all we could
reasonably desire.
But for the rest of the story
1t was about two years after the road
agent affair, In which we lost almost
everything but our good names and tho
clothing we wore, when, one day. ] was
thunder-struck to receive Hallegan's
wedding cards. 1t was the first time I
had heard from him in year, and had
any one else, told me Terence Hallegan
was marrying man, 1 should have de.
rlded him, but when Terence himself, in
his own peculiar chirography, directed
to me An envelope containing such start
hug news. alt set forth IN the highest
style of the engraver's art-well, it was
too much, aud l went down into the
camp, where there were full score of
Terence's friends and acquaintances to
toast his memory aud console with each
other. And grief was our lot, until the
day Iewett "struck it" in that hole he
had been pegging away at, over on the
other side of the gulch, aud excitement
reigned supreme.
In the midst Of the confusion. tele-
grams came aud went, hyin drought
and sent by special courier to and from
the office ut Sunrise, nine miles away;
and, one day, came one for him who sits
here burning the nocturnal kerosene.
1t was from Hallegan, who was now liv-
ing in Chicago, and summoned me to
hasten to that city, where was needed
to assist in closing transaction inyoly.
ing the sale Of some mining property in
which Terence and were interested.
Terence met me at the station. He
looked remarkably we'll, even for a per
son whose health and spirits had always
been of the very best, and told him so,
adding that IN deponents opinion he
must have drawn u capital prize In the
uiatriDionial lottery.
He smiled happily, and took my arm,
10 walk outside the train inclosure, as he
said:
fdst wait till you see her, and you'll be
sure Of it."
He called cab, gave the driver some
brief instructions, and leaped in after me.
We rode several minutes in silence; then
Hallegan turned to me in a rather en-
barrassed way, and said, in a strained
tone:
''Billy, me boy-it's very near dinner
time at our house-and there's no time
for-exnlnnations. Only-if you think
you've seen-my wife-if her face is IA
miliar-please don't mention it, or act as
though you noticed it. I'llexplaiu after
dinner"
acquiesced wonleriugly, aud won
dered yet more after had net Mrs.
lIallegan, for was quite positive that
had never seen her before, and there was
ample opportunity, during the course of
the excellent dinner we presently sat
down to, to study her. She was slightly
above the medium height, aud of u per.
feet, though rather slight, figure. Her
hair and eyes were dark, setting off ex.
ccllcntly her clear olive complexion, an d
her features were all that an artist could
desire. She was hardly what one would
call beautiful woman, how,ver.
"Handsome' would be the better word
or, perhaps, Striking" There was
something about the firm set of her
mouth when not speaking, aud the
strong, rather masculine chin-in which,
oddly enough, there was charmingly
;fnIninina dim mnla--that nausod fhis effocI- 3
I think. One would never nuvU-eurvu-
Mrs Hallegan for the daughter OF the
little, white. haired, sweet-faced old lady
who sat opposite me, aud whom she ad-
dressed as "mother."
Dinner over, the ladies rose to leave
us, smiling over the broad hint Terence
had just thrown out concerning desire
to smoke. AS they reached the door,
Mrs. Hallegau turned aud bowed mock
ingly to her husband, whose hand was
just reaching for the bell. 81 hope, Sir
Terence, that the cigars may prove dry
company" Then, with bright smile,
she vanished.
Topped into my chair, breathlessly.
Where lad / seen that mocking bow2
Then, suddenly, there cane before me
years since; the dust, the heat, the
sleepy cowboy inside the coach, the
dapper little chap who SO politely took
our money and watches. He bowed just
that way when he finished his work and
"black sheep, blot on family escutcheon.
How much they resemble"
"Well, me boy2"
ih"i'S Soah was io'NiuS " Iuc QulZLlCdlly
through the smoke, we having lighted
our cigars meanwhile. I suppose
looked embarrassed. OF course it was
all rot; the idea of there being any con.
nection, however remote, between tine
stately creature who had just left u,
and the little rascal who engineered that
hold-up!
Hallegan spoke:
BILLY, me boy, 1 won't make a shor,
story any longer than is necessary. Yol
remember the little fellow who held u.
up, two years agof
"Of course do"
eyes, very likely. Well, fancy II
better begin at the beginning.
"Three years ago, a young fellow
named Wilson, who had been employed
as cashier by the L.. ana A. oraas anc
Express Company, got into trouble over
his accounts. The manager-Robin
SOIL charged him with a shortag,
amounting to several thousand dollars
There was an investigation, and, ON tn,
strength o. certain circumstsutial eyl.
Il