Year: 1869

equal. 1t can be of no advantage to
you to keep me within the sight of
your door, which is shut against me,
and within the odor of your gardens
and orchards, which cannot enjoy
You will not refuse then, hope, to
supply me with funds that will enable
me to see something Of the world and
to establish myself abroad
"If this is all your business said
the Colonel in a deeper tone, the
sooner you go the better, and taking
up the bundle of bills, he locked it up
in his desk with a firm hand. | sup
posed you had more Judgment than to
come to me on such a FOOLS errand.
Go. | say, boy net a dollar of my
money shall pass into your hands, un.
til you have submitted to my authori-
ty, which you have so lately despised.
Morgan's eyes flashed fire. The
domestic who watched him from the
door, declared she thought from the
grinding of his teeth and the clinching
of his fists, that he was going to strike
his father.


Without giving way to his pas
sion, however, the young man turned
upon his heel, passed out of the door,
and never stopping to speak to his
distressed mother, mounted his horse
and rode off to the hotel.


Mrs. Fl. flew to her husband, and
clasping her hands in agony, prayed
that he would call the young man
back, speak to him no longer in a
stern and chilling tone, but kindly and
fatherly, and effect a reconciliation.
my God : murmured the Colonel,
passionately, am | to be trampled
upon by my own son? Am to stoop
and he to triumph? When he comes
to me with an air Of independence,
which is insupportable, am to bend
to him and beg"


NO. noP sobbed the wretched
woman; not that. But speak to him
kindly. Use persuasion, gentleness


With son. persuasion! You
wrong my patience, exclaimed the
Colonel, in a husky voice. Leave
me-


No more words passed between
the parents Of the unhappy youth !;
but during the remainder of the day,
the mother was keeniy distressed, and
the stern father was i'll at ease.
The latter passed sleepless
night. He paced the floor until late,
with his brow contracted and his lips
compressed; then retired and lay for
two hours, meditating on some subject
which excited his brain. Mrs. H., who
was likewise awake, knew too well
what the subject was.


Considerably past midnight the
Colonel arose.


Is anything the matter p asked
his wife.


Il don't know" replied the Colo
mel; I thought | heard a sound in
the lower part of the house, in the di-
rection of the study. 1t may be only
a cat that has got in there; but l will
go and see.


Il heard something myself said
Mrs. H. But | thought 1t was out
side


The Colonel had heard more, or
understood better than his wife. At
all events he had no suspicion of cats
his allusion to them having been
made merely to avoid alarming her.
He remembered that there was a sum
of money in his desk, and probably
suspected a robbery.


Going noiselessly down stairs and
opening the door of the study with a
steady hand, he heard the same noise,
much louder than before. He STEP
ped cautiously into the room. 1t was
a starlight night, and turning his eyes
to the window from which the noise
appeared to proceed, lie discovered a
dim suadow moving in the curtain.


"At that moment the noise ceased.
The Colonel stood motionless in the
corner Of the room, until 1t recon-
menced, when reaching a heavy sword
which hung against the wall, he slow
ly drew it from the scabbard.


"The Colonel then stationed him.
self near the window, but no sooner
had he done so than the grating noise
ceased again. After a short silence
he heard another sound like the break
ing Of glass; and Immediately after
the curtain was moved aside by an in
visible hand.


THE darkness, the loneliness Of
the chamber, and the mystery of the
dim shadow on the curtain, would have
shaken the nerves of any man of less
GOODNESS and courage than the Colo
mel. Determined to take the robber
dead or alive, he calml ly waited for
him to enter the room. But present
| ly, to his dismay, he heard footsteps
coming down stairs. Some domestic
or out laborer had evidently heard the
sounds, and was coming to learn their
origin. Perceiving that this must
frighten the robber, the Colonel was
revolving in his mind what he should
do to effect his object, when the hand
that had moved the curtain had be
come visible. was groplng along
the window frame for the spring.
Rapid as the lightning, yet noiselessly
and unseen. the old broadsword swep
over the Coloners head and struck
deep into the woodwork of the win
dow. There was a stihed cry
heavy fall-and the curtain swep
back to its place.


Rushing to the window the Colo
mel threw it open and looked out
He could see nothing, however, owing
to the darkness; and shutting it agaiI
he hastened to procure light.


" AS he burst into the hall. labo
rer by the name of Jones, who slep
in the house, appeared at the foot Of
l the stairs.


Good God Colonel, is that you
cried Jones, who appeared agitatec
, with terror, "what is the matter?'


"Give me the light said Col. Fl.


He extended his hand. AS tn
!. light shone upon it, Jones, who mus
q have been terribly frightened, saw tina


If was covered with blood Startin