The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-02-17

to my house-despoiled the dead
took from my mothers corpse a relic
beyond price"
"Despoiled the dead-he surely can
not-you must wrong him, young sir.9
''No, no. 1t is the fact, lady-and
that relic-forgive me-but that relic
l must have You know not what de-
ponds upon it.
wait, young sir" replied the maid
en-. 81 will soon return"
Philip waited several minutes, lost
in thought and admiration; so fair a
creature in the house of Mynheer
Poots! Who could she be? While,
thus Illuminating, he was accosteQ by
the silver voice of the object of his
reveries, who, leaning out of the win
dow, held in her hand the black ribbon
to which was attached the article so
dearly coveted.
Here is you relic, sir" said the
young female; 81 regret much that my
father should have done deed which
we'll might justify your anger; but
here it is" continued she,' dropping
it down on the ground by Philip; "and
now you may depart"
"Your father, maiden! can he be
your father?" said Philip, forgetting
to take up the relic which lay at his
feet
She would have retired from tho
window without reply, but Philip
spoke again:
stop, lady, stop one moment, until
I beg your forgiveness for my wild,
foolish act, I swear by this sacred
relic" continued he, taking it from
the ground and raising it to his lips,
chat had I known that any unoffend-
ing person had been in this house
would not have done the deed, and
much do l rejoice that no harm hath
happened. But there is still danger,
lady; the door must be unbarred, and
the lambs, which still are glowing, be
extinguished, or the house may yet be
burned Fear not for your father,
maiden for had he done me thou
sand times more wrong, you will pro-
tect each hair upon his head. He
knows me we'll enough to know l keep
nv word. Allow me to repair the in
Jury I have occasioned, and then l will
depart"
mo no; don't trust him." said
Do with in tho hnr
Der.
Eyes, he may be trusted" replied the
daughter; "and his services are much
needed, for what could poor, weak
girl like me, and still weaker father,
do in this strait? Open the door, and
let the house be made secure" The
maiden then addressed Philip: HE
shall open the door, sir, and 1 will
thank you for your kind service. I
trust entirely to your promise"
81 never yet was known to break
my word, maiden" replied Philip; "but
let him be quick, for the flames are
bursting out again"
The door was opened by the tremb-
ling hands of Mynheer Poots, who then
made a hasty retreat upstairs. The
truth of what Philip had said was then
apparent. Many were the buckets Of
water which he was Obliged to fetch
before the fire was quite subdued; but
during his exertion neither the daugh-
ter nor the father made their appear
ance.
When all was safe, Philip closed the
door, and again looked up at the win
dow. The fair girl made her appear
ance. and Philip, with low obeisance,
assured her that there was then no
danger.
81 thank you SIR" replied she-T
thank you much. Your conduct al
though hasty at the first, has yet been
most considerable"
"Assure your father, maiden, that all
animosity on my part hath ceased, and
that in a few days 1 will call and sat-
isfy the demand he hath against me-"
The window closed, and Philip, more
excited, but with feelings altogether
different from those with which he had
set out, looked at it for minute, and
then bent his steps to his own cot
tage.
(To be continued.)