Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-11-29


spoke in fierce hurry, but my
brains were clear. My insane scheme
looked better each moment, and 1t was
the only possible solution to our diff
Guilty.
think Agnes began to see 1t, also;
but she appeared too astonished to
speak. And then l did a thing for
which 1 have no excuse save one, but
1t woke her from her trance. All,
was young and daring then! bent
and, gathering her in my arms, kiss
ell her on the nouth. Go" said as
loosened her.
She had neither struggled nor pro-
tested, but her face was like the pink
of summer sunset as she looked at
me as il she would probe my soul;
then, without a-word, she turned and
ran from the room.
She had not gotten down the stairs
ere had pulled Melton from the bed
and dragged him into his closet, lock.
ing the door of it. He was then be-
ginning to recover. and moaned feebly.
/ took of my coat to prepare for the
4
thought the girl would never return,
she Sas so long gone. l use the word
act in rs histronic sense. l had rath-
er distinguished myself as an amateur
In days gone by, and as had never
thought TO put my talents IS a mimic
to such hign test as waa now de-
manded.
,ad 1np =
full Of effects from my auEtb ward
robe, was ready for tie ordeal; but
saw that here were not all the things
secessary. There was a lchg, black
gown Of some stuff and bonnet
whic.s would easily pass muster and
help hide my face, but Mrs. Melton's
peculiar raarks were too widely known
to BE- neglected. l turned to the girl,
whose manner gave no hint of the
little passage between us. did you
tell Peter to go to headquarters" /
asked.
"Yes-and he has gone"
SIS Mrs. Melton still in the library?"
Yes. She was sitting by the win
dow, looking like Patience on mon
i
Remain here while l interview her
would not have you identified with
what / Am about to do" And with
that left the room, rsa down The hall,
and entered the library
My aunt was sitting stiffly upright,
her mitted hands folded, her position
indicating tense expectancy When
hn h,,r, l1ty
less, she showed her astonishment in
the way she threw up her chin. / con-
fess l had no liking for my business,
but war is war.
Madam" said I, bawling into the
trumpet she aimed at me, ~ see that
your son has returned. He has con.
cluded that he will not go with you to
see Sir Henry Clinton"
GLORY to Gideon!" she exclaimed
sharply AN he leavin' me settin'
here as if"
Mrs. Melton" l interrupted, driy-
ing my words together in an effort
to get done with her, did it never
occur to you that l might not be what
/ appear to be? Did 1t ever occur to
you that your step-nephew might not
be fool?"
She looked at me from head to foot,
then threw up one hand "Glory to
Gideon! Ye mean that ye be Daniel
Dressler?"
bowed.
Land O. Paradise! Ye don't tell
me! Where's Lysander?"
II don't think you would care to see
him at present, MAIDEN. l have Just
had an interview with him."
Her hard face seemed to become
harder; she stared ct me with her
black eyes like stones. "My land!
You've killed Lysander-you've killed
Lysand-"
Her rough voice dwindled off into a
whisper, and the great woman, who
might have put up better fight than
her stepson, tainted and fell back in
her chair. This unexpected weakness
did away with the force l had feared
i would have to use, and it came like
a godsend. / had small feeling for
this female who would do no more
than mildly protest at my contemplar.
ed murder by her stepson, and / am
afraid my haste made me handle her
unconscious figure less gently than
might have done.
What wanted l took.
dragged the pelisse from her
shoulders, her lace mitts from her
hands, and took possession of her
spectacles. These, with the long ear.
trumpet, made my treasurer-trove,
and with them hurried back to Ag-
nes. But first locked the library door
behind me; she would have had to be
a man, indeed. to break 1t down; and
the room, being in the second story OF
the rear wing. made it impossible for
her TO escape by window.
Agnes questioned me only with her
eyes. A bright spot burned on either
cheek, but she made no inquiry as TO
| how ! came by what i carried. And