The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-07

- f7hN cNulANAyi hntW uDW tue Alul'
4 passed, though the hours went int,
days and the daysgweht into a week
It seemed that, he had been ther,
months, or years, and his personality
had grown to be part of hers, and
when there came to her the thought
that he would leave her she put II
away with a dread and a chill at he1
heart. And when eventually he de-
elared his love for her, surely no hap
pier maiden lived.
s0Ns
1t was the night before he was to
leave for London. and she was strange
ly restless. The little clock had chimed
the midnight hour. but she could not
Sleep She heard the rustic of the au-
tumn breeze in the ivy on the house.
the chirp-chirp Of a cricket and the
sough Of the wind in the tree tops.
But to her acute ears there came an
other sound; the creak of a stealthy
footstep on the landing outside her
door and the just percepible sound of
some one breathing hard. She could
indistinctly hear the footsteps recede.
Then, urged by some strange impulse,
she threw on her dressing gown, softly
| opened her bedroom door, and looked
without All was dark, save where,
down on the next landing, a pencil of
light stole out into the passage. 1t
came from the door of what was
known as her fathers office, and with
soft, light footsteps she crept down
the few stairs to the chipk of light and
gazed in through the doorway.
She saw enough to make her heart
stand still with frighte and to cause
her brain to reel for a moment Theo-
dores erossley was there. his pale, intel
lectual face drawn into a smile, his |
brow puckered as it were in perplex-
ity, meanwhile that hewas hastily ex-
amining and hastily selecting papers
from her fathers desk. He found
what he evidently wanted, for he ut
tered chuelSIe of satisfaction and
thrust the paper in his pocket, even as
the hand of Lily Ashuryi fell upon his
shoulder and caused him to fall back
in dismay. The look on her face was
and he could not speak. -
.Robberw she said, quietly. "Eob-
ber,I have discovered your 81
1Ie recovered himself and faced her
tesolutely. 4
g"Lily?rhe said. "You here9 What
= heard yod.'' she said quietly. 81
'ollowed you What have you stolen?"
Cain and unbroken as was her voice,
ret she felt as if her heart were break
ng, for in such a brief space of time
lad there been shattered lat her feet d
heddol}of her life. His face, pale as
t ,habitually was, seemed ashen In the
.old glare Of the lamp. 1928 WIS r.
81 would prefer not to say Lilyv nI'
She -Gprang to the bell rope and laid
Ter hand upon it. Tell me- she said,
Or Firing for assistance. kM j.
He faced her. - % L,
~''Don't ring that bell ,',.he said quiet, 4,
J, for if you do it will mean greater
misery for you than you can bear. :
.istenw He went to her and caught ,
Ter arm. Listen. In my pocket /
lave proofs which mean the ruinlof !,
our father-your father-trusteeg Of
he Brackley estates, who, for years, .
las been swindling, and swindling, !
nd swindling. Oh, Lilyl you think =
hat am Theodore Crossley, the anti :,
Iuarian. / am not. My name is not =
l am not an antiquarian. l :
m a police officer, one whom they call :
detective, who has been sent here for !,
purpose" He laughed rather bitter !,
Y. Three days ago l had collected =
Il the material for my purpose and A
roof of the guilt of your father. The n
roof is here in this paper, and to- ir
borrow it had been my intention to p,
ormally seize his papers and to bring ri
bout his condemnation"
We'll" said Lily, calmly, ''hcw do NJ
now that what you are saying is =,
,ue?a !,
He handed her the paper aud she n
sad it. Af ~ M+N II
Her eyes were wild, and her breath p,
lme thick and fast when she handed %
back to him.
1T is true" she said hollowly. 1T
true. OH my poor father"
He caught her as she staggered back. -
Listen. Lilyr he gasped, rather =
ian said Il came here not to steal !,
lis paper, but came for something I.
Sc. | came to save your father at =
e risk of my own reputation. l came g.
do this because, Lily, love YOU -
Andiwith that he took the paper and
Id it over the lamp. 1t blazed and I.
ackled and aared and. cindered. un- ~
1T fell at his feet, but black mass -
d its secret dead with it.-Penny 49,
etorial Magazine. :"
The shah Disiilxes Lobsters. g