Year: 1876

luNl montgomery, aIIeT eNIlnSulSH-
ing the light in her bOudOir, stepped
to the window and looked out upon
the night. 1t was a frosty night in
February, the ground was covered
with thick coating OF very light
snow, which the moon beams, ming
ling with the glare of the street
lamps, made very beautiful.


The hour was late, and Idyl would
not have tarried a moment at the
window had not human figure across
the street attracted her attention.


Directly opposite her home lived
her wealthy uncle, David Stagle. He
was bachelor, but lived grandly,
with many servants, in the elegant
mansion erected by a small portion
of his great wealth, and Idyl loved
him above all her uncles, for he was
so kind to her. The old gentleman
had few visitors, and the most of
these were business men. He was
sober. methodical person, who, when
night came, put the cares of the day
away. and amused himself in his Ii
brary until ten o'clock.


That hour had slipped by when
Idyl Montgomery looked across the
street and saw "a figure emerge from
her uncle's house.


At first sight there seemed nothing
remarkable in this, but the face and
form of the man that caused her to
start, for, as he passed under the
lamp before the mansion, she saw and
noted both.


"What could he be dGng there at
this hour?" fell from Idyl's lips, and.
not daring to answer herself, she
watched the man till he disappeared
down the street.


Then she crept, uneasy in mind. in
to bed, and thought and thought of
her uncle's late visitor. till sleep shut
her eyes and bore her to dreamland.


In the person who had emerged
from the bachelors home Idyl Mont
gomery recognized her accepted low
er Walter Clarke. He was clerk in
the bank of which her uncle was
president, and bore an enviable rep
utation, both public and private. But
the young girl had lately learned
that the relations between clerk and
president were not very amiable; in
fact, the former had told her that he
expected discharge from the head
of the institution. Therefore the girl
might wonder at the late visit of
clerk to president, and toss uneasily
on her couch while thinking Of it.


1t was quite early the following
morning when Idyl was aroused by a
vigorous humping at her chamber
door Blushing at the thought that
she had for once oversight herself,
she rose, and opening the portal,
greeted the white face of her father.


"Daugtes, something terrible hap
pened last night, he said in a voice
that increased Idyl's fright. "In the
house across the way lies your Uncle
David, murdered in cold blood"


For moment the giri stared at
the speaker as if robbed of the pow er
OF speech; but all at once she reeled
from him and sunk to the floor in "a
fainting fit.


Restorative5 were at once applied
and she returned slowlo TO conscious
ness on her couch Then the event
of the night returned to her
with such distinctness that she closed
her eyes as if TO shut it out; but il
would not be driven away.


After awhile she listened to the
particulars of the finding of her mur-
dered uncle.in his library at daybrealS
with his cold face resting on the
desk and a poignard wound in the
back.


The murderer mad left no traces OF
identity behind.


The servants had retired early, as
was their wont; but there were sew
eral who had heard the opening and
closing of the library door silently
after ten o'clock.


This unsatisfactory evidence burn
ed on IdyPs cheeks, and she thought
of the man whom she had seen
emerge from the house so late on the
tragic night.


| What Had her lover entered the
mansion and slam the honored Pres
ident Of the Commercial Bank? Did
he take the poignard to secure tc
himself the position which to his
credit be it said, he filled with honori


The thought tortured IdyPs brain
J as no thought had ever tortured il