The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-09-22


western hills, where the sun had lately gone
to rest.
tx eep right straight ahead" he said; you'll
see the lights when you get there"
Dermott smiled to himself
$50 suppose. Well, goodnight"
But the agent was already in Dreamland
His last train was in and he could sleep now
until morning.
Lyle started off at swinging pace down the
road He thought himself entirely alone, but
had he been gifted with eyes in the back of
| his head he might have seen a second figure
| SLOUGH out of the shadows that lurked about
| the little station aud follow him at a distance,
| taking care to keep on the dark side of the
| road. 1t was not the station agent either; for
ne was snoring now, at peace with all the
world.
The stars came out one by one but the moon
was only just rising, and darkness began to
! gather thickly over all the fields and woods.
| Lyle Dermott did not reach Beetown that
night, nor indeed for a long time after that.
Silently the dark form followed him, each
moment lesseuing the distance between them;
then he crept up behind the happy fellow
J whistling so unconcernedly, and drawing some
| thing from beneath his coat, raised it high in
! the air, and brought it down with terrible force
on the head of his unsuspecting victim.
Without a word he went down.
Then the form knelt by Dermott's side
lutely nothing so afraid was he that some.
thing of value might be overlooked; gold
watch, pocket-book, and papers, all were
| transferred.
Then one solitary figure went on its way to
Beetown, and that other lay by the side of the
road with the stars of heaven shining down
on his unconscious face aud the night dews
| gathering on his pallid brow.
The next morning, when the crimson streaks
| of coming day were showing family in the
east Farmer Dean started for Beetown. But
he did not arrive there, for half way he came
upon the body of man lying by the side of
the road.
lie jumped out of his wagon and knelt by
the body. Then he put his hand over the
heart.
! by ginger, he's alive" he calculated.
The heart was still beating.
Then the farmer put both hands in his
pockets, where he stood on the road, and gave
vent to long whistle.
Robbery" by gosh!"
Then another whistle.
Then he went around to the back Of the
, wagon, where his hired man. who had been
routed out at an early hour lay asleep.
Jake, Jake" darn it, be you dead, too?
Here. wake up"
"Wha-whatl" drawled the sleepy fellow
"A dead man, that's all" shouted Farmer
Dean in his ear.
Jake sprang to his feet as though he were
shot.
Where? Where?" he cried wildly.
One look was sufficient.
Carefully the now wide-awake Jake and
Farmer Dean lifted up the inanimate form and
placed it among the vegetables in the wagon.
Then they turned the horses head and back
they went past the lonesome little station to
one of the broad white farm-houses that lay
scattered about the fertile valley.
Then lake rode INST haste after dacfnr
The injured man was put to bed, and Mollie,
Farmer Deans delicate daughter, who looked
as if a puff of wind from of her native hills
would watt her frail form afar off, gently bathed
the blood from the poor wounded forehead,
and smoothed the shapely white hand, now
! restless with fever. The doctor came again
and again. The naturally strong constitution
bore up noby under the terrible strain and in
early September Lyle Derrnott came out of his
room and sat down in Farmer Deans sitting
room well man.
Mollie was sewing when be seated himself
beside her, and she raised her eyes timdly to
his, while her pale cheek flushed a delicate
| pink.
/" 1t seems nice to have you WELL" she said
! 1t does to nae" he replied heartily, "and
under God owe my recovery to your father
and you"
Mollies eyes grew wide with wonder.
ado you think it SO strange that we cared
! for you? Do you think my father would let
| fellow-creature lie in the road, hurt as you
were, and not bring him to his home? Fathers
ways are rough sometimes but his heart is very
| kind and good"
The maiden's eyes were tender with unshed
tears as she paid this tribute 10 her father.
your father is one of Gods nobiemen,'
| said Dermott.
Then puzzled look overspread his face.
| "Mollie," said he, were there any papers
| nod nj ma .
"No; everything had been taken"
Have said anything to give you a clew to
my identity?"
"No."
Again the same puzzled look came into his
eyes.
DO you know" he said, I" that have for
gotten all my life, previous to that unfortun-
ate night?"
The girl opened her eyes in amazement.
Is 1t is true" he said sadly. 81 do not know
how i came here, where / belong or what my
business was. ] think my name is Perry at
any rate, that will have to do me, for all my
| past is a blank"
Never mind" said the girl gently, "per-
haps it will come TO you, sometime"
Perhaps" he assented, doubtfully; and 50
the matter rested
AS George Perry-the first name that had
occurred TO him, Lyle Dermott became known
to the country people round about.
FARMER Dean grew 10 DC IKE iatner 10 the
young man, and Mollie. though not sister, was
perhaps dearer than sister could be. He secured
good position in the Office of a manufacturing
concern in Beetown. but his home was with the
Deans. So the long Winter wore away and the
pleasant days of early Summer filled the earth
again with sunshine and gladness. Perry, as
we know him now, grew strong and healthy
and filed his position of trust with satisfaction
TO his employers. His head was perfectly level
!, but the past was a blank, and occasionally the
mystifed expression rose from the depths oil
his gray eyes.
at about this time he became aware that
Molie Dean regarded him with tenderer feel.
) ings than mere friendly regard
, lie noticed, too, another thing about her
She was frail flower, and already that New
J England disease, consumption, had marked hel
young life a prey to its rapacty, as the hec
tic bloom on her fair check testified.
lie loved her.
She was so gentle, she had been 80 much t.
him when he needed help, that he could no
help loving her, and it panied him deeply Il
see her droop as she did sometimes in the try
: ing Spring days.
| a.