The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-11-21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS nnnnnn00ann00nonn0n

ness, and spite, as she was her sou
| was free from od1guiltiness.
you are guilty, she said.
II must be guilty. / said mechanic
ally. What do you propose to DOR
/ # pronose," she replied, ia voice 81
much sweetness, to save you"
no save me!' ! exclaimed. Il an
not fit to live"
Perhaps not" she said, dryly; "bul
Iy0u have a wife and daughter. What
would your disgraceful death mean Il
themg'
This reference to those dear innocent
Zones whose honor was my honor
whose shame was my shame, and who
were l brought to the bar Of Justice
would share my infan1y, completely
unnamed me A sob OF agony es-
capped from my lips.
rs It not worth WHILE said Mile,
Rosalie, ITO save yourself, SO that they
may be saved n
Yes, yes, gasped, seizing her hand
Iand looking inploringly into her face
IssT0 save them from ign0miny and
from lifelong sorrow. o GodI Is il
Epossible that you win do this for me
ana them n
II viii. Hush! There is a knock at
the door. Ask who's there"
Her voice, as she spoke, did not rise
above whisper. strove to utter the
words she Dictated but my tongue
clave to the roof Of my mouth.
"Richardl Richardw
1t was my wife calling softly to me
from without.
open the door," whispered Mile.
Resale. II will hide behind there"
pointing to screen. "she viii not see
me. Do not let her keep you long.
When she is gone will show you that
! you have nothing to fear"
/ She glided with noiseless footsteps
behind the screen, and / moved to the
/ door. / forgot for a moment that it
| was locked, and my wife called to me
4 that the key was turned. unlocked
/ the door and admitted her; but did
not allow her to step into the middle
of the room.1 She was in her night
dress, and / well remember that there
was a piece Of narrow red ribbon at
her neck, which looked to me like
blood. She told me that, waking and
finding me absent from the bedroom,
she grew anxious and came to seek me.
responded with wandering words and
looks, and this appeared to render her
more anxious She tenderly asked
whether ] was not wen. Oh, yes, /
answered, / was well, but I was en-
gagged upon most important task.
Why had she come to disturb me? /
must be alone--alonel And still she
fingered, and continued to speak In
sweet and loving tones; and clasped me
round the neck. and kissed me; but
i pushed her from me, and babe her go
to her room and sleep.
you will ceme soon?s she asked, So
licitously.
| II do not know, / do not know" /
muttered. II have much to do. Good
God! Do you not see how you are
distressing me!'
! Shortly afterward she left me, but
not before she made another effort to
soothe me. She smoothed my forehead
with a cambria handkerchief and put
it into my hand, saying it was clean
and cool and would refresh me. AS
she crossed the threshold l quickly
locked the door upon her, and the
handkerchief fell from my hand. Mile.
Rosalie, gliding forward from her hid
| ing place behind the screen, picked it
up and t0yed with It, and made no at
tempt to take it from her. The vital
issue at stake completely engrossed
me. W
I'VE are free now from intrusion"
she said. "and cur business win not
take long"
"BusinessY' / muttered. "What bust
ness?"
1.-THE business of saving your life.D
she replied. Il have terms to pro
pose"
Name them.''
"First," she said, and now her voice
had assumed new form Of malignity
''tell me what you think / was doing
While was hiding behind the screen. .
Doing? Nothingp'
mot even listeningw
"Ah, yes; you could not help doing
that
"Of course not. It is not to be sup
posed that would play the part of
eayesdropper unless / was compelled
Such an infamous woman as l ami
That is what you called me few min
utes ago, believe. was q liar and a
thief as well. was I NOTE like to be
correct. And but a few short hours
before that you discharged me In a
manner that would ruin the fair name
of any lady, and informed me that
I was not a fit associate for your wife
and daughter. And vet ! am going to
save them; yes, indeed | am. and to
save you, too! But / must tell you
| first what was doing while your wife
was here. I was taking down in short
hand every word that was spoken be-
| tween you. You had no idea Of the
extent Of my accomplishments, had
your l amsreally accomplished. Years
ago I learned shorthand, and it used to
bring me in a few shillings. Oh, what
hard life I hsYe hadl what bitter,
cruel lifel But ! am going to enjoy
myself now that have the chance.
You see. with this handkerchief and
this little piece Of paper in my hand !
can go to your wife and say: Not only