Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-01-03

would have r11ke0 mucn ON JecQucNn6b
truth, yet now that the hour Of test
approached, strange doubts crspt over
her mind.
silently rising, she stole down stairs
ON tiptoe. and stood at the head OF tho
cellar stairway, with Ars. Vinton a.
her side, both trembling, parity from
cold. and partly from undehnsd Appre-
tensions.
Suddenly there was dull, scuming
noise, the sound Of hurried movements,
and then the sharp crack Of pistol.
and a child's cry.
you'll blow on US againr' snaried
a deep voice. ats all up now-but
you shan'n't go scot free, you, Jackey|
More snothered scuMings-hsre and
there a muttered oath and . ry-and
then q sudden up-blazing Of light from
all the gas fixtures at once; put through
could hear the low moaning OF some
one In mortal pain.
"I can't endure this, Maria," abe
whispered. II must go down"
"And be killed in the meleeF cried
Mrs. vinton, holding tight to her arm.
mo, indeed; you shall not stir step"
And at this instant the lights hashed
into brilliancy, and from her elevated
position Miss Fortescue could So the
whole startling scene. The rumans,
bound hand and foot, with sullsn faees,
and blood-shot. rolling eyes-ths triam-
rhant myrnidons Of the law e1uldng
In the capture they had made, and one
little figure dark1y covering In . corner
little Jacqueline.
Needless Of the attempted explana-
tion of the officers, Miss Fortescue
broke from Mrs. vinton's OBTAINING
hand and ran to the child.
my dear, you nre bleeding-you are
hurt"
"Yes'm," Jack answered. phlegmatie-
ally, I'm hurt Slippery Jim he mis-
trusted, as I'd blown on 'em, and he
shot me. guess I'm goin' to del 1
somehow can't breathe easy" and,
thus speaking, poor Jack tainted.
"Lawks! ma'am" said one OF the
officers, as Miss Fortescue tenderly lift
blood In her arms, shes Just as bad
as any on 'em. Mother Jones' Jackey
everybody knows herr
II know her" said Miss Fortescue.
quietly. "It is to her that owe my
preservation from robbery-perhaps as
sault, and even murier-this night.
Henceforward, she shall be my care. !"
Mrs. vinton held up both hands In
amazement and wonder. Was tho rich
spinster going mad?
When little Jackey came to herself,
she lay among soft, scented pillows,
with the odorous breath Of dollhouse
flowers fllling the air, and kind face
bending over hsrs-Miss Fortescue's
face.
"Oh-h-hr' said Jackey, with . long
breath; ~ thought was dead, Nd
gone to heaven. But amt, be IT.
"No, my dear" said Miss Fortescus.
her tears dropping softly on the little
fevered face, "Not yet. We hope You
will soon be well, and then you will be
my little girl" -
Jacoueline stared vaguely at her pro-
tectress, whose kind eyes seemed 80
dim and far of to her fever-weakened
vision.
heaven" she said, with = long, hutter-
ing sigh, and then she fell asleep.
Miss Fortescue wept as she pondersd
over the words, which too plainly be-
tokened the life the poor little wait
had led. And Mrs. Vinton, ever ready
to nisjudge her fellow creatures,
thought, spitefully, as she measured
Jacouelins's drops for the next dose Of
medicine, what skillful little actress
that beggar child was!'
Miss Fortescue kept her word, aid
when Jackey recovered from the long
and dangerous illness consequent upon
henceforth, loved with almost ~ ten
der a fondness rs II some tie Of Acts,al
consangMnity had existed between
The dime which the rich lady had un-
thinkingly bestowed with . smile and
Kind word upon the forlorn street beg
gar had drawn interest