Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-10-17

Sne cycC ne Ntt1 clti scrutiny
that had little in il of the child Amar-
anthe.
| then gave Der the hi: ary of my
wretchcd night. and of MY leaning
out of the parlor window. and of
what I saw of what I had heard.
at is all true" said she, and
sighed. ooh dear, dear ne! Poor
me! I thought that l had found a
place at last where they would not
pursue me, but no place is secret
enough. Now, dear Wildly, am go
ing to make a clean breast of it, as
daddy used to say l drew chair
to the side OF the bod, and sat there
looking into her wan face.
Don't look at me, Wildly dear,
don't! I can't bear 1t! Turn your
eyes away. There! that is better!
Now listen! I shall make it as short
as possible, for it is hateful story"
She raised herself on her pillows
again and looked downward playing
with her fingers. She spoke very
fast, but the words are burned in on
my brain.
"You must know, then, dear Wib-
by" she began, "that daddy did not
always do as he should. He gambled,
as told you. We had less and less
money. Sometimes be would come
home with great deal. Then we
lived well, and he bought me lovely
clothes. Then, when it was gone,
and we had not enough for food, he
would reproach himself dreadfully.
Sometimes he would leave me at the
hotel for days and go away alone.
When we moved to sort of pen
sion, kept by an English woman, he
did the same.- 1t was very lonely
there for me. But always when he
came home he would bring some
money, so 1 bore these absences for
the results that would come to us,
we needed money SO much. One day
he came in more flush-I mean with
more money than usual. We had a
splendid time. We feasted and went
on long drives and he took me to the
theater, and things were gayer than
ever they had been. Then one day,
one dreadful day, when all our mon
ey was spent and we were feeling
rather poor, the English consul
walked in. lie came to our parlor
without knocking. He opened tho
door and came up to daddy and he
just said Where is Robcrtson?' Dad
dy turned white Oh, 1 shall never
forget it, never! Dear daddy!
loved him even if he did do wrong,
and love him STILL
The girl was shaken with q par
oSysm OF dry sobs. She writhed and
groaned. "Oh daddy!" she murmur-
ed, dear, dearest daddy" tried
to soothe her. "No, let me finish"
she said, sitting up and speaking
very fast. 81 must-I must get this
over. We had servant, an English
man named Haughtry. He had been
with daddy. He had heard the fight,
had seen the blow. For, dear Wibby,
there had been a fight and blow.
Unless daddy gave him money
Haughtry, 1 mean-he said that he
would turn evidence for the Crown.
He came in Just as the consul had laid
his hand on my father, and stood
looking threateningly at him over the
consul's shoulder. Then dear old
daddy got up-oh! oh! / was there!
l was there! and had to see-I had
to see! Sir he said-you know
daddy's courtly manner, he was ever
gentleman-'sir, he said, not rails
ing his voice at all, you have the adj
vantage of me, but I'll be damned if
won't soon have the advantage of
you With that, before anyone knew
what he was intending, he drew his
revolver and shot himself through
the heart"
Eugene Darlington took his own
to having heard something of the
kind, but we always supposed it was
after the death of little Amaranthe
and because of his despair at her
less.
Again she shook with those con-
vulsive sobs. Her face was flushed.
Her features twitched. "And that
man, that Haughtry, he it is who has
bounded me ever since. That is
where all my spare money has gone,
all that l make by my nursing. He
follows me everywhere. 1t was SO
in England, it has been so in America.
He told them at the hospital in Lon
don that my father was gambler
and thief, that he had killed man,
and then killed himself. Where
ever / go he threatens to denounce
me, and have lived a life of the YER
lest torture. And now he has found
me even here. 1 had little money
besides the amount which l gave you
to take care of. He insisted upon
my giving him that last night. 1t
was our voices that you heard. I
declared that he should not wiring
from me my last sou. When ! went
back into the room after my attempt
at bravado with you, he was still
there. He seized me, and 1 know
not what-gave me some Of that
dreadful stuff perhaps, she point
ed to the handkerchief-.I do not
know. Perhaps he has my money,
perhaps not. Do look, dear Wibby,
the corner of the top drawer. have
been too i'll. Oh! how my head spins
round and round. Oh, if he has talk
en- it, and my mothers diamond pen
dant, what shall do?" l ran to the
chiffoniere. l opened it. There
was nothing in any corner, either
front or back.
,cr Il g.,