Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1896-11-07

tering hastiiy perceived IN uRec
woman, withered bag. with uplifted
knife, in the act Of striking girl who
was crouched In the corner of the wall
struck the knife inside, and the
would-be murderess fed, leaving me
face to face with Veda, the intended
victim.
She only paused moment to press q
kiss upon my hand; then she slipped
through gap in the wall and was gone
That was the last had seen Of her.
To my inquiries regarding her where
abouts received no information, ex.
cepting bit Of her past history which
told me that she had belonged to q
wealthy and influential family, and
that she had received finished educa'
ton. But revsrses had come; her IA
Their had fallen n victim to dreadful
vendetta, and she had finally been left
q penniless orphan.
was deeply interested in her, but
no one could give me the slightest clew
as to whittier she had fed.
Still Ind fingered about the places
I used to see her. Was In love with
the little Corsican beauty?
Her face would come before my men,
tai vision. asleep or waking. bringing
q sweet sensation ! had never before
experienced; and yet tried to dismiss
her from my mind.
sat smoking for some hours upon
the deck Of the Penguin, watching the
yellow lights dancing in the romantic
little city, and drinking in the fresh
sweet air of the night that stole up
from the Mediterranean.
It was about IL o'clock when ]
stretched myself upon the cot which
Muggins had placed upon the deck.
fell asleep soon after, and dreamed oil
Muggins' ghost.
1t seemed that some strange pres
ence came to me-a woman, beautiful
beyond any dream; and just as
reached out to touch her she vanished.
leaving only faint odor OF some
strange, sweet perfume. awolie sud-
denly with that incxplicable sensation
that sometimes tells US Of the unseen
presence OF another.
suit up and looked about Inc IN
vague bcwildcrment. The moon had
risen out of the sen and was flooding
the deck with its mellow radiance.
As my mind grew more composed !
detected subtle perfume on the night
mir, the same that had come to me IN
my dream.
Was 1t only the effect of my imagina-
ton? No; there could be no mistake
as TO it's reality. Something white lay
at my feet; picked it up; it was del
icate piece of lace embroidered linen
and exhaled the breath Of perfume that
had before greeted my senses.
While l stood bewildercd at the nmaz-
ing circumstance, I perceived a white
form emerge from the hatchway and
move forward, with slow, gliding
movement.
I stood speechless. staring at the
strange figure, the words of the super
stitious Muggins coming with sudden
force to my mind, and in spite OF my
utter disbelief in the sailors absurd
story something like n feeling OF awe
came over me.
1 stood immovable, watching the fig
ure as IL came toward me. As 1t drew
near, I perceived that 1t was girl, AMI
M the noonbeams fell on the pale face
I recognized it MS belonging to Ved1
Dorlos, the little fruit seller.
Her eyes were wide open, and staring
vncantly ahead in q way peculiar To
the somnambulist. She was n sleep
walker! The thought came to me like
u flash. Yet, what could account for her
presence aboard the Penguin?
Without attempting TO answer the
ruzzling question, I started toward the
figure, but us l did so, the sound OF
mething like the dropping Of an oar
in n boat came from over the port. Then
n moment later the dark figure Of
woman-the same had seen making the
assault on the little fruit-scller-slipped
noiselcssly over the rail. She paused for
moment to glance about the ship,
then, with n cry Of rage that might
have proceeded from some wild AMI
nal in deadly combat, she leaped upon
the unconscious girl, the blade OF n
long knife glinting in the rays OF the
moon. Reused to action by the sight OF
the murderous intruder, ! leaped
quickly forward, and, before the knife
descended to do its deadly work, /
caught the hand that held 1t.
But II rcckoned on an easy victory
in subduing my adversary. soon dis
covered my mistake, for the woman,
though aged to all appearances. seemed
to possess the strength Of the strongest
man, and, finding herself foiled in her
murdcrous attempt, she turned upon
me with the fierceness Of a panther.
Coming unexpectedly rs the attack did,
il caught me off my guard, and before
realized my peril, the hand that held
the knife was wrcnched from my grasp;
then there was q swift blow, a keen
pain in my shoulder us the blade en-
tered; then n mist gathered before my
eyes, and sank unconscious upon the
deck.
When my senses returned 1t was
broad daylight, and ! was lying on a
cot in Muggins' cabin, the beautiful but
troubled face of Veda bending over me.
1t was about q week before / was
able to get ashore, and, though had
trained nurse from Bastia, Veda re-
fused to leave me entirely In the hands
OF another.
Well. in that week / had learned to
love the little Corsican beauty with
such IN intense devotion that / could
not bear the thought Of separation.
Her life had been one Of trials and
misfortunes. The old hag who had twice
sought the life Of Veda WINS prevented