The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-23
CHAPTER XIV.
Sparkle In Danger.


AS Carl Brandon's strength was re-
stored he naturally gravitated into
many of his old ideas and lived his old
life out again. Losing his property had
the effect to lessen his ambition Like
many man, he had tendency to give
up and not renew the struggle. 1t is
a hard matter TO live down inherited
conditions and climb over universities
at the same time. The struggle was
more than he had the ability for.
As Sparkle was employed at her new
found calling. that of dressmaking and
caring for the baby, she had but little
time to give to the necessary moral
teaching and personal influence Carl
Brandon was so sadly in need of. He
was wandering along on the very verge
of desOlation. There had already stolen
into his mind many a thought of sui
eide as the shortest and quickest way
out of his troubles. His high and pure
regard for Sparkle Brooke wavered
and weakened as his ambition for per-
sonaI success and pride of character
grew less.
Late in the fall, after several weeks
of half Indifference. during which time
Sparkle had scarcely received an en-
dearing word from him, the care OF the
baby became a matter resting upon her
as if it were her own, while she was
struggling to meet the household eX-
penses feeling all the time that her
health failing. her strength giving way,
and approaching winter with a pinch
of cold now and then. and few feath-
cry snowflakes flying in the air like
the pale girl how she expected to live
through the long cold spell. At times
her young heart almost failed her, she
felt like falling by the wayside, and to
add to this. dire evaporation seemed
to Turk at her very door.
Almost nightly, through some pre-
text. Carl would knock at her door;
though gently told that nothing was
needed, again it would be repeated. In
her wakefulness one night. hearing the
knock. and thinking il was her mother.
she unbolted the door. Before she had
time to reclose 1t Carl Brandon entered
For the first time in her life she saw
him under the influence OF whisky. She
begged and implored him 10 leave.
Placed between two extremiues-she
feared her mother would hear the In
truder and she feared the intruder
would not leave What could she do?
While trying to evolve some means
of escape or Of getting rid Of the Wis
itor. he quickly grasped and held her
as If in a wise. While the girl, with
out making an attempt to release her
self, was using all her mental machin-
cry to evolve some plan by which TO
extricate herself from difficulties so
threatening.
Sparkle Brooke" said the man. 81
want TO know what is the matter that
COLI 1x-1 hat h.axr II
done that you avoid speaking to me?
You make me desperate. l have reached
that point where / believe myself capa-
BILE of anything awful.
The girl shuddered being at = loss
for a reply.
You" he said, have never seemed
like yourself since the young minister
came TO town, that spindle-shank thing"
Quickly throwing his arm about her
he said:
II will kiss you anyhow" and did so
before the girl could prevent 1t. Free
ing herself in an instant, she commanded
him in a low voice, determined. but
audible, to leave. To this he paid no
attention, quietly seating himself in
the only chair in the room, and turn
ing the lamp a little lower than II had
been burning before, continued:
II will not leave this room until you
forgive me for all my past villainy.'
This expression was almost as strik-
could IL mean2 The very idea that
she could stand in the way Of his ref
ormatiOn, in any act or word was the
last thing she would permit. While she
had treated him colby. she had never
ceased TO love and pity him.
Answer this for me- he continued,
land my reformation will be complete.
Without your love and guidance / will
go to the devil by the shortest road
possible"
This touched the girls sympathy.
Her Drawer self threw off her timidity.
Stepping by his side she said in a low
voice:
Carl. you do not know me. you really
talk simple when you drag that young
minister into this affair. II Is mixed
up enough without his creed of disci-
pline. have never spoken to him.
heard him preach one day about orig
inal sin, and that there were little in
fants in hell not span long. and he
actually made me shudder. Such
mild-eyed inonensive little being to
carry I'm his bosom such an awful the
ology. From what little I have seen
OF the world. so far. ! am inclined TO
think II satan gets all the Old ones that
justly belong 10 him there will be no
room In that terrible place for babies
j always shudder at that form OF demon
worship. IL reminds me very much Of
old Wendeck and her pets in the cave
And hoping to change the subject, and
MS mind perhaps, which was not very
clear 10 him. Sparkle continued:
Il went to her cave yesterday 10 con-
suit her about baby She knows all
about these things, IL scenes, and tells
me so much that is strange and new
and, to my poor little pate. IS wonder
full. You just ought TO look I'm once
and see where she lives. For a moment
] was Mortified looking at her and
the tOads and serpents about her. but
her kind, good voice rippled like music
I'm the dim darkness. or may / say in
the pale uncertain light that fioated
out through the gloom Of the den in
mysterious like folds. and where they
came from I could not conjecture. but
sufficient were they to show me- first
her queer and hidcous eyes and her un-
combed. bristly red hair and the great
black wen dangling to her neck, and
the greasy cards that we saw when
she first entered the town. her club
feet and rags. What do you think was
I'm her fap2"
The man seemed fully absorbed I'm
the girls statement. and simply gave
her an inquiring look, as much as to
invite her 70 proceed.
I'm her lap was nothing more nor less
than a large spotted snake that she
fOndled as gently as I caress my baby. -
The accent I'm mentioning my baby
invited Carl Brandon's eyes 30 the baby
and his thoughts changed now; he was
more gentle.
Yes. Carl. she would pet that awful
snake. and II seemed 10 love her. for