Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-09-11


| turned and looked st he beg ear.
lie was miserable, also.
Come in" / said. "I'Il give you
some clothes; you need them sad
w."
@It's nothing but needing with
me, sir" sid lie. The likes Of me
can't work"
"You have bad an accident ~
my father threw me out Of vim
der Tor joke when he was not So
her,"
l took from my wardrobe gar
ments / had worn, and babe him put
them on. Afterwards | gave Lin
food.
I called no servant il. no one
saw him come or so save myself.
He departed blessing me. | watch
ed him out of sight. Then | burst
out in a laugh.
HE had best go and Offer his
hand to Kate Norman" / said.
"They would make well matched
couple. Does he look like me in
my clothes, l wonder? They fit
him WE'LL"
Then | remembered going out Of
the door and down towards the wa.
ter's edge. A boat lay there with
the oars in it. ! stepped in and
rowed up the river.
The twilight faded night came on,
a dark, moonless night. bad drop
ped the oars and was drifting sea.
weird, lying in the bottom of the
boat. ] knew was in danger, but
the knowledge Of it did not affect
NE.
Suddenly glare ofred light fash
ed over my face, | heard q heavy
throb Of machinery, then shrieking
whistle, and a steamer was hard upon
my little boat.
After that / knew nothing until
| came to myself in a strange room,
in strange hotel at Albany.
The captain of the steamer which
bad run my boat down fancied that
to his account lay the fever and de.
lirium which had come upon me-
and had me taken care Of. 1t was
two weeks since the day last in my
memory. | read that in the paper.
There also, read this paragraph:
1.-THE body found in the woods at
has been identified by the
garments and some personal peeul-
iarities as that of Mr.. Casper Ath-
void, wealthy citizen, who has
been missing many days. His fun
eral takes place this morning
l dropped the paper. My own
pame-the record of my death.
Then | burst into q bitter laugh.
understood it. The beggar whom l
had clothed had died upon the road.
He it was who was that day to be
buried under my name.
At first it seemed merely cruel
joke. Then the memory of my will
and the letter written to Kate Nor.
man flashed upon me. l must reach
home and prove my self living man
before it was too late.
Weak as l was, I rose and dress
ed myself, and giving my address to
the landlord, left the hotel for the
depot, but | reached it only in time
to find the train had gone. Another
hour or so must pass. They were
ages to me. She would not read
that letter while I lived
AT last l was of-fairly on my
way. In the dark of the evening |
alighted at the depot and hurried
homeward.
There I should fud my servants,
end, probably, the lawyer, who
would find it his duty to secure ev-
erything for the future heiress.
They would rot, hoped, read
the will so soon-yet it was custom.
airy. II this had been done, how
should ] act? How speak? Only
little space lay between the depot
and my home.
The railroad Entertainments had
been my mother's greatest troubles
in the last years of her life.
Now this fact enabled me, i'll as |
was, 10 reach the house without de-
lay. 1t was dark, and | met no one.
In a moment I knew why. They
had assembled in the parlor to hear
my will read-for, through the Ven
etian shutters long bars of light fell
across the porch and, looking in,
unseen myself, ] saw Kate Norman
with letter in her hand.
The will had been read. Before /
could interpose size would have read
the letter also.
What should l do? Return as ]
had come? Change my name !?
Dwell were no one knew me? 1t
seemed that this were better than to
return to the gaping towns folks
nine days wonder, Worst of all to
meet Kate.
/ iErntd from the window and
hurried away-bnt | was still weak,
very weak, AMI soon my strength
gave way. Il was just IS | had
reached The church yard.
Tire road was bare, With no resist
ing place upon it, but within the