The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-05-16

reart STOOD sim wncn you ald your
hand on the carriage door aud con
frunted me with that light on your
face | had never seen disturbed since
we first pledged ourselves 10 marry. In
terror | seized the hand which seemed
my one refuge in this hour Of mortal
trouble, and FASTENED into the house
which for all its dolcful history had
never received within its doors heart
more burdened or rebellious. ! pressed
your hand with mine aud smiled oh,
God. If YOU could have seen what lay
beneath that smile, For with my
entrance beneath those fatal doors Il
thought had come | remembered my
heritage. remembered how had been
told by my father when | was very
little girl presume when he first
felt the hand of death upon him that
il ever was in great trouble-very
great trouble, he had said, where no
dolverance seemed poSsibe-l was 10
open a little golden ball, which he
showed me, and take out what should
find inside and hold it close up before
Il picture which had lung from time
immemorlal In the southwest corner of
this old house.
lie could not tell me what | should
encounter there-thS | remember his
saying--b but something that would as.
sist me. something which had passed
with good effect from father down TO
child for many generations. Only, if |
would be blessed in my undertakings, |
| must not open the golden bali nor en-
/ deayor to find out its mystery unless
!, my trouble threatened death or some
| great disaster. Such trouble had in
/ deed come 10 me, and, startling coinci'
dcnce. | was at this moment in the
| very house where this picture hung,
| and, more startling fact yet the golden
| bah needed TO interpret its meaning
/ was round my neck, for with such jeal'
ouSy was this family trinket always
| guarded by its owner. Why, then, not
/ test their combined effect? | certainly
needed help from some quarter. Ney-
or would William allow me to be mar
ried TO another while he lived lie
would yet appear and | should need
| this great assistance great enough IL
! be transmitted from father to son-as
none of the MooreS had needed it yet,
though what it was did not know and
did not even try TO guess.
yet when got TO the room did not
drag out the tiligrce ball at once nor
even take mere than one fearful side
long look at the picture. In drawing
off my glove | had seen his ring-the
ring you had once asked about. II
was such cheap affair, the only one
he could get IN that obscure little town
where we were married. lied when
YOU asked me II it was a family jewel
lied but did not take it off, perhaps he
cause it chung SO tightly, as If in re
mcmbrancc Of the VOWS it symboli2cd
But now the very sight of it gave me
I
could not defy him and swear his claim
to he false The dream of a man mad
dcncd by his experiences in the klon
dixie. 1t must come off Then perhaps
| should feel myself free woman
But il would not come off ] struggled
Will, ii and tuggcd in vain; then | be
thought me of using nail file to seye
1t. This | did. grinding aud grinding
at it till the ring finally broke, and
could wrench it off and cast it away
ont of sight and, rs | hoped, out o
my memory also breathed easie
when rid Of this token. yet chOkcd Will
terror whenever step approached th'
door. | was clad in my bridal dress
+ Dut not in my bridal veil or ornaments
and naturally Cora and then my matt
came 10 assist me, But | would no
lot them in. | was set upon testing Tin
secret of the fligrec ball.
"The contents Of the ball turned on
TO lie small magnifying glass ana tn
picture maze of written words.
did not dcciphcr it all; did not de
cipher the haf did not need to- J
spirit Of diynation was given me il
that awful hour which enabled me f
grasp its full meaning from the few
sentences did pick out. And tina
mcanngl It was horrible. inconcely
able. Murder was taught but murdc
from distance, and by an act toe sim
ME 10 awake rovulsion A step into tn
empty closet yawning 50 near, an ciIoY
with drawer, a--a- DO not ask III
10 recall Il. I did not shudder whe
the moment came and | stood there
Then was cold as marble Yet
shall surely take my life before 20
see me again. and in that old house
If it is despair feel then despair wi
take me there. If it is repentance, the
: repentance will suffice to drive me
the one expiration possible TO me
| perish where caused an innocent RIA
i to perish and so relieve you OF a vii
who was never worthy Of You an
: whom it would be your Guty to d.
. nouncc if she let another sun rise rpo
: her guilt.
~ message was shouted through Il
u door-thc message for which my, eai
. had been strained in dreadful anticip
ton for the last two hours y ma
. named Pfeiffer wanted to see me b
T fore | went down to be married
y man named Tfeilfer!