Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-01-02

such dear fellow-and the promise OF
more
My permission and assurances of
great. good wishes for her future hap
plness being given, Selena again burst
into food of tears This time / had
transgressed. And it took long time,
between Selena's tears and sobs, before
l could learn the cause.
But 1t came at last A few days be-
fore had, in an article dictated to
Selena, enlarged upon pet theory of
mine to the effect that the domestic
machinery of home will move along
more smoothly if the women members
OF the home circle stay at home.
And Selena wanted TO continue in my
employ-"until the house was furnish
ed-S10 week would do so much-one
week it would buy a picture, framed
another week 1t would buy rug-an-
other week an armchair"
OF course, l was glad that Selena
would remain. And Tor the next two
days things moved along with the
smoothnesS that goes with a perfect
adjustment Of love and business. From
my window as / looked down on the
thoroughfare below | could see the
figure of the brokers' clerk waiting,
while Selena labored. And then at five
had the pleasure of seeing them
meet, as she tripped, with beaming
face, across the street, to snuggle up
under his arm in the early dusk
On the third day | looked up from
my desk just in time to see Selena read
a letter and hastily conceal it in the
bosom of her dress. l looked at her
and frowned. l do not wish my clerks
to get in the habit OF reading their pri-
vate letters at the Office, as it is an
other pet theory of mine that each fif-
teen minutes Of the day should be
held sacred to ones employer, and no
one understood this better than Selena.
Selena blushed a little under my
frown, and the day wore on without
further incident, except that l noticed
that she, who was usually anxious to
prolong the day to suit my convenience,
kept glancing at the clock. Each time
l saw her do this | frowned again, and
each time Selena bent her head and
pegged away harder than ever On the
typewriter.
Usually my faithful little key
boardess adapts herself to my moods.
When | am doing routine work the ma
chine takes on a monotony which is
an excellent incentive to applied
thought. And when there is a bit of
sentimental work on hand there is
soft, uneven tapping, not unsuggestive
ct the heart-beats of the mystical per-
sonages who are awaiting the strokes
OF my pen for their literary existence.
To-day, although there was love
story on hand, Selena pounded away
upon the machine in manner so irri-
tating and disturbing that at four l
threw down my pen and wheeled about
in my chair
SeIena bore my reproaches in silence,
and as [ finished she looked up at the
clock.
Tiff you please said she, ''but 1
forgot to tell you before. The Messrs.
Caddagan & Co. left word here at
noon that they would like to have you
call at their office at quarter to five.
And it is nearly that time now Do
please go now
The Messrs. Caddagan & Co. are my
solicitors and have offices in another
part of the building.
Are you sre, Selena,'' I asked, "that
| was to call? Did they not say that
they would come to my Office at that
hour?"
'Oh, no! mol" urged Selena; "you
were to call. And do please go now,
quick! Do not wait! 1t is time now
And if he-I mean if they-oh, never
mind, but go quick! They want YOU
You will always be glad you vent"
And TO my amazement Selena, now
quite hysterical, almost pushed me
from my own office and with a partial
injunction to hurry slammed the door
behind me.
l found Messrs. Caddington & Co.
in their rooms and pleased to see me.
But they had not sent for me-
Had not even seen Selena.
Thoroughly aroused now, I returned
with hasty steps to my office. As l
neared the door 1 was surprised to
hear loud voices; and, as I threw it
open, | was shocked to see Selena, clad
in my caps and bonnet, and with my
parasoi in her arms, clasped in the
close embrace of d strange man, While
he talked excitedly to her. A second
glance revealed to my mortified eyes
that he was my crazy clubman.
81 have come" he was saying wild
ly, ito fulfill my promise. | told you
I would kill you, and this is your last
minute TO live"
Let me explain! Let me explain."
Selena was begging.
You have said too much already"
he cried "Your words were the means
of my imprisonment. And the only
way | see to silence you forever is to
kill you now. l intended to strangle
you, but have changed my mind. l
am going to shoot YOU
Quick as thought he whisked a pis-
toll from his pocket, and, pushing Sc
lena at arms length from him, pointed
it at her head.
Wait! Wait minute!" gasDee
she
AS I rushed forward l was roughly
knocked aside by a big, burly police
man, who grappled with the mailman
and overpowered him with a sudden
rush, while two other policemen who
followed close after quickly disarmed
him and bore him away.
And then Selena, now hysterical and
between sobs, explained that in the
morning mail another wild letter had
came from the clubman telling of his
escape from the asylum and his inten-
ton to kill me because of the article
had written And how she, fearing to
alarm me unnecessarily, had said moth
ing about it, but had watched the door
all day long. And how finally, as the
hour mentioned in the letter for his
arrival approached. she had contrived
to get me out of the way, and imper-
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