Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-01-24

Stanhope sat erect and upright,
thinking new thoughts. dreaming new
dreams.
Il shall meet him again. she
Thought; "and then
Her reverie was suddenly inter
rupted.
The click Of revolver resounded
through the country lane. and the
forgotten cry of a past century, Your
money or your life." reused sleepy
James and the easy-going old coach
man to a state of cringlng terror.
A highwayman seemed to have
started out of the hedge. The car
riage lamps revealed that he was tall
and thin: he wore Grape mask and
a riding cloak. and carried himself
with an assumed swagger.
"Hands up. my good men, or fret
Now, ladies. while l cover the SER
wants with my revolver, am afraid
must ask you TO step out Of the car
rlage. and hand me your jewelry.
want all the valuables that you are
wearing, and as mean business and
have no time to waste, l must have
the Jewels before count ten. or"
A horribly suggestive click Of his
revolver sent Lady Halcross flying out
Of the carriage with an agility re-
markable In stout and elderly chap
eron.
take my diamonds. take them all,
you wicked. cowardly mani" she
sobbed, tearing OF her cleaning, gilt
tering gems "Only spare our lives.
Give him your pearls. Janet, my
darling"
Poor Janet stood trembling by her
mothers side, but as Lady Halcross
spoke she put up her little shaking
hand, and offered her pretty trinkets
to the highwayman, who seemed to
take them against his Will.
81 suppose you want my Jewels,
too?" Clara Stanhope spoke. in i'm
perious tones. and faced the assailant
boldly. The two frightened women
had skunk back into the carriage and
were covering together; the coach
man and footman on the box had
their arms up, leaving the horses to
chance and fate.
II certainly do" was the stern.
short answer.
"Then take them, thief" AS the
girl spoke she held out her wonderful
tiara and as the man seized the glow
ing green jewels she sprang at him
like young tigress. and half tore
the Grape mask from his face.
Then a sharp cry broke from her.
Il know youl" she cried. "Oh, l
know youlg
Before she could say more she was
struggling in the highwayman's
grasp, and his hand was over her
mouth.
~Can | trust you to keep silent---ii
II spare your emeraldsf"
She nodded her head: and. as he
removed his hand. Il will keep silent
-on my honor, she whispered.
very well. take the stones" He
banded her the jewels; then added,
half under his breath "Im not rob-
bing for my own sake"
| 1t was doubtful If the girl heard
him. fer she had sprung back into
the carriage.
The highwayman looked in. and as
he met the look In Clara Stanhope's
eyes. he realized what he had won
and lost.
Drive on, you pair of frightened
curs! he cried to the coachman and
footman. and the carriage rumbled
swiftly away. Suddenly, above the
sobbing of the women inside, he
heard cry. and the carriage window
was flung open.
Here. don't want your brIbe;
take it,"
A flash Of green shot through the
air, and Clara Stanhope's emeralds
fell on the path. The highwayman
left them there. People supposed
afterward he had dropped them in
his fight
Lady Haleross never recovered her
diamonds. and the mysterious high
wayman was never discovered. The
detectives had many theories, and
were quite certain who the man was.
He had been wanted for some time,
and was . notorious criminal. they
said. Clara Stanhope used to smile
when sha heard them talking; but
her smilo was a very sad one.
And, out in Texas. Roger Meredith
was learning to write his name on a
clean slate. the name of an honest
man, the memory of girls face ever
with him, and her indignant cry ring
ing in his ears. The words Clara
Stanhope spoke when she hurled her
emerald tiara through the carriage |
window were branded upoa his soul.
The life he lived was lard one,
but at least a clean one; he was
alone for days. but the wild life of |
the ranch suited him, and the loneli-
ness Of the young country appealed to |
him. He liked to look at the stars |
at night and remember that they |
shone on the land of his birth; that |
the same noonday sun poured its rays |
on the old land and the new. He |
felt that he was done with his home !
forever; that he was exiled by his |
own deed from intercourse with the
woman he stlll loved; but, all the
same, he intended to work out a |
new life, for-well. perhaps for her
sake, perhaps for his own. for his old /
life and old sins had grown distaste-
full to Roger Meredith. He knew
there was something better in life
than anything he had found yet, and |.
he had strange sort OF feeling that
Clara would understand one day. the
real Roger Meredith, understand aud |
forgive him.
So the DAYS passed on-days in
which the mans character ripened
and strengthened. and the careless, /
good-for-raught developed into a
grave, reliant man. man who did I
his duty, neither asking nor expect
ing reward.
Clara waited at home. waited as
women have to wait. keeping her love
story to herself-her broken, un-
finished love story.
She sometimes heard news Of
Roger through the Bishop Of Rad
ford. who delighted to speak OF his
nephew to sympathetic listener.