The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-10-03

F''iIIIl TNHP
az HAD ONE MINUTE ALONE WITH HIM
mo, no." I answered. You're here a
my visitor. You must let me let you out By
| the front door quite properly"
Il can't" he cried, trembling. "Tha
would he wrong, very wrong. If anybody
met us, it would give rise to most unjust
most cruel suspicion about your conduct
which you don't deserve. I'd ten thousand
| times rather be taken and punished as
| burglar tonight, than expose any woman a
good as you to such wicked and unworthy
imputations."
And he raised up the windOw-sash.
"Well, you are good" said. 81 suppose
you must do it So But remember, if ever
you change your mind, and are willing TO
let me know your name and address, / shall
be so glad to see you"
thank YOU" ne answered; and then he
stopped down and kissed my hand. Ny
dear, suppose l oughtn't to say so; bat
was quite in love with him by that time. He
behaved so nicely.
Well, he put his foot on the window-sill.
"Good-by,' he said, once more, with a strange
sort of choke deep down in his voice. al
thank you from my heart. You have be-
haved most nobly 10 me-"
/ took up the diamonds one last time.
"Oh. do take them!" said, imploring him.
Remember. you'll be just as desperate as
ever by-aDd-by. You have still your debts
to pay. Why shouldn't you take them ?
You need them ten thousand times more
than / do"
He looked back at me, all remorse. / as
sure you, May, the tears were just roll
ing down his cheeks. Never, my dear
brave yOung lady," he answered, solemniy.
" But you have saved mans soul. Let that
be something to yOu."
Then he jumped and disappeared. 1
leaned out and looked after him. / won't
deny I felt real bad that minute. To think
the poor fellow should be in such dreadful
troubled
Well, weeks and weeks passed. And the
longer time went on, the more and more
thought of my burglar. He was the only
person who seemed to interest me. / liked
that man; did want to see him. thought
he'd behaved so nicely and manfully. As to
his trying to be a burglar, well, that, you
know, doesn't count for much on the Pacific
Slope, where there's been lot of rough-and-
tumble sort of work in the Pixies; most of
our millionaires have sin or two to answer
for. My Poppa didn't build franciscan
Church at SAINT Antonio for nothing, I
reckon. So l went on and on, going out in
London, and hoping some day I'd meet my
burglar. They brought up young men to me,
on the diamond hunt, don't you know
courtesy Lords and such folks, who had heard
/ was an heiress, and wanted to try their
luck in the game. But / didn't care to look
at them. They were nothing compared to
him. He was a mani My dear, as time
went on, Just knew / was in love with him.
1 idealized him, suppose-what's a
woman for, if not to idealize whatever she
loves ?-but did want to see him.
At last, one evening, year or two later
was out at Lady Arcadys. A lady sat near
me, rather young and pretty, q typical
ELECTROMAGNETIC sort that's born to be
good wife and mother. / didn't notice her
much; only observed she was good and
comely. Presently Lady Already came up
to me where | sat, and began to talk to me.
so glad you could come, dear Miss Flana-
gan" she said for want to introduce you
to my friend, Lord Alfred Macdougall"
('Another of them" thought I bring him
on and get it over!") "He knew your father,
he says when he was out in California"
Before / could take good stock of the
watery-looking young man in the back
around and stared hard at me.
"Is that Miss Flanagan, of California ,"
she asked, half-aside, of Lady Already. Oh,
then, / must be introduced to herr
Lady Already waved aside Lord Alfred
for n minute. "Mrs. Mainwaring," she
said, introducing her THAT wasn't the name,
but it'll do just as well as any otherl-
miss Flanagan, of Sacramento"
Mrs. Mainwaring drew me aside. "I felt
/ must know you" she said. 81 owe you so
many thanks. You've done me such a
service. You mayn't know it yourself, but
you've saved my husbands soul for him, as
he oftens tells me. Idon't quite understand
how, but he's been a different man ever
since he met you"
For a minute / couldn't think what the
good lady was driving at. Saved his souls?
/ repeated. "Oh, my, that's not much in
my line, Pm afraid. Though, of course,
there are ways of saving and saving!n
That's just what my husband says" the
lady answered. "You must reeollect him.
He met you two years ago, when you were
down in Hampshire; and ever since he's
been another man. Not that he wasn't al
ways the dearest and best fellow on earth,
except for one bad habit, but from that day
forth he has never touched card; and
whenever / speak of it, he always says, If
Pm n better man now, you and the boys
have only that American angel to thank for
it'n
Ny dear / almost broke down. 1t had
never even occurred to me for ore moment
as possible. A married man! A husband
and father! In my horror and disapPoint-
ment, could hardly restrain myself from
exclaiming, What, not my burgar!"
She followed my eyes with hers, as
glanced round the room. Yes, there he
stood by the piano, as handsome as ever.
NY heart went out to him.
His wife brought him over. "See, Harry"
she said, "who I've found"
He gave sudden start. Then he gazed
at me steadily. My eyes met his. / felt
faint with my misery.
"Miss Flanagan" he murmured, very