HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1894-11-29, Page 7A Woman's Crime.
BY AN PX-DETEOTIVIS.
Iehd bY pemission of the ownerp of the
Copyright;
(CONTINUED.)
The front rooms on either side of the
hall, being the largest as well as among
the pleasautest rooms of the house, were
fitted up as parlors for the use of the
patients; .and. the private office and sanc-
tum wasin a wing midway between the
front and rear entranees, and overlook-
ing but a smell portion of the grounds.
It was here that Doctor Burton received
his visitor,
The doctor was a funny, pleasant little
anan, who after all, possessed more hu.
inanity than aetual professional skill,
He was beloved by the most of his
patients and his servants voted him the
best of masters.
"Be seated Mr, Austin," said the good
num, as bis visitor entered his presece,
"and tell me in what wayl: can serve
you."
The doctor was an energetie man,
counting his time as valuable, and, he
was f aro ous for coming straight to the
poiet, The young man took the seat in-
dieated, and proniptly began his busi-
ness.
"I have just come up from Fairlie, and
have called upon, you at the request of
Doctor Austin."
"Oh I You come from my friend the
Doctor ! Is he well, Mr, ---- why bless
me, your name is Austin, too. Are you
a rela,tive?"
"A very distant one, sir. I am study-
ing with him, end called to enquire in
his behalf, after the young lady he left
in your charge not long ago."
'bout Miss Lee. Yes, yes! Miss Lee
is doing splendidly, splendidly. Her mal-
ady was a peculiar one."
"1 never saw Miss Lee," said Mr. Aus-
tin, frankly- 'indeed, I hardly remember
if my friend mentioned the nature of her
peculiar aberration, as he termed it, ex-
cept as an aberration. He desired me to
call and to see her, if you consideted it
best.''
"Oh, Miss Lee is well, comparatively
speaking; why she is as sane as you or
I, except that at times she becomes pos-
sessed of the idea that she is about to be
murdered. She has not hed this notion
•for some time now, and seems as sane as
anybody. Shall I send for her?"
"If you please; I had hardly dem to
receive full instructions, I came on a
matter of business, and at a moment's
notice, in response to a telegram in fact,
having barely time to catch the stage.
The doctor's messages were, necessarily,
very hurried. He wished me to assure
myself concerning her welfare, and ask
when you would think it advisable to re-
move her."
"I don't think it would answer to take
her to any public place," said. the doctor,
gravely. "But if she were taken where
she would have quiet pleasant surround-
ings, and see few strange faces, the
change might be made at any time."
"Indeed Then under your treatment
the malady has become a mere idiosyn-
cracy, I infer?"
"Merely that, Mr. Austin; merely
that," replied Doctor Burton, touching a
little hand -bell.
"Step up to Miss Lee's room., Jane, and
ask her to come down for a moment," he
said, as an elderly woman anewered his
summons. Then, as she went to do his
bidding, "after you have seen Miss Lee,
I shall be happy to show you some of my
other patients, Mr. Austin."
Mr. Austin signified his delight at this
arrangement, and. they continued to chat
pleasantly while waiting for the arrival
of Miss Lee. Meantime, Jane proceeded
up stairs and rapped at the door of the
pretty front room. There was no sound
from within, and she rapped again, at
the same time saying
"Mies Lee, are you there? It's I,
Jane,"
Then she heard a movement from the
other side, and. a soft voice asked:
"What is it, Jane?"
• "A message from the doctor, miss;
please open the door."
In a moment the door opened a little
way, and the lovely young lady looked
out.
"Doctor Burton says will you please
come down to his office; Miss Lee. Why,
what's the matter, ain't you well?"
"I'm a little tired, Jane. that's all.
Who is with Doctor Burton ?"
"A nice -looking young man, miss;
some of your friends, I reckon."
"I suppose so," with an odd laugh.
"Did you say they 'see a leellse private
office ?"
"Yes, miss."
"And -who is down in the hall?"
"Nobody at all," replied Jane, won-
dering a little at the question.
"Jane," said the young lady, "I have
been writing, my hands aro all inked,
won't you just run down the back stairs,
quickeand bring me a pitcher of warm
water?"
"Yes, roiss. Shall I come back by the
front and tell the doctor you will
COMA ?"
"Yes; no; bring the water right up
the same way, and I will leave my door
open, you can put the pitcher down out-
side, and then run right down the front
stairs, now hurry, Jane."
Jane turned and moved quickly toward
the rear stairway. Scarcely had she dis-
appeared when the young lady snatched
up a hat and shawl that lay in readiness
and leaving her door ajar ran lightly
down the front stairs, opened the door
softly, and, in another instant, was
speeding down the path leading to a
small side gate; through this she hur-
ried, and then, casting one swift glance
behind her, turned. her face city -ward.
Meanevhile Jane fulfilled her bidding to
the very letter; she came pnffiing up
from the kitchen and deposited the
pitcher on the fioor as directed.
"Here's the warm water, Miss lee,"
she said as she put it down, without
glancing within the recta or stopping
for an answer, she 'went down the front
way and announced that Miss Lee would
be down
Doctor Burton and John Jacob waited
nearly half an hour, and then the form-
er began to feel surprised, and the letter
uneasy.
"Really, it's unusual for Miss Lee to
be so slow'or so careless," said the
doctor, finally. I'll just send her up an-
other message." And he tottched the
bell once more.
"I think it is tie well," said the visitor.
"The fact is, I am a little pressed for
In'a moment Sane presented herself.
"Jane, go tip and seei what detains Miss
Lee, and be quick about it," said Doctor
Burton.
Jane was quiek about it. She went
and came back im less than half the time
usually employed in goieg up and down
a Bight of stairs.
"She ain't there, sir," she said, burst-
ing into the cffice like a cornet; "she
sent rne for a pitclier of warm water and
told me to eet it outside the door • I did
so, and the pitcher is just 'where I lett it,
and her door open. just the same."
"Bless me," cried the doctor, "she
must have had one of her attacks
again !"
"Yes ; I presume she has," replied the
visitor dryly. "Jane, did you. tell her
that any one was with the doctor?"
"Yes, sir," replied the wondering Jane,
"she asked me who was here, and I told
her, a young man was."
"You. did? Well, I'm sorry for that,
Doctor Burton. I must ask to see the
room just deserted by this young lady at
once, If you have arly idea where she
may have concealed herself, please search
for her immediately."
Doctor Burton looked more than as-
tonished; he looked indignant.
"What, sir; what?" he cried, "you
really presume too much. I do not run
down mypatients in this manner."
"I tell you, sir, you mint search for
this one with all the force you can Qom -
mend," cried the strange doctor's stu-
dent. "Jane, conduct me to her room
instantly."
"Jane, stop," cried the little doctor.
"Young raan, you have no authority for
this: if my patient does not choose to
see she shall not; I believe you are an
iraposter."
The visitor laid it firm hand on the
shoulder of the little man, and said in a
stern tone: "I am a detective doing my
duty; stand aside, Dr. Burton, and let
me pass."
Then he set the doctor aside as if he
had been a wooden man, and rushed out
and up the stairs.
As soon as he could recover his breath,
Dr. Burton scampered after him, and
Jane followed at his heels.
he panted, entering the room,
which Jane's mention of the open door
and pitcher had enabled the detective to
identify as the room of Miss Lee, "ex-
plain yourself; did Dr. Austin send you
here? dare you saY that he would bring
a criminal to my house? Bless my soul!"
puffed the little man, "if I don't think
you are a madman."
"Dr. Austin did not send me here, sir;
neither is that good. man aware of the
charge which stands against this girl.
Jane, come here; is there anything miss-
ing frora this room?" he asked quickly.
Jane glanced about her.
"I saw her hat and shall lying on that
chair, sir, when she opened the door and
sent me for the water; I expect she wore
them."
"Wore them ! Doctor, quick, how
much liberty does this girl", this patient,
have ?"
Liberty! bless my soul! she has perfect
liberty; she goes in and out as she
pleases."
"What! out of the grounds?"
"Yes, anywhere."
Muttering a remark not at all compli-
mentary to the doctor and his system.
the detective, without the ceremony of
an adieu, rushed down the stairs and
burst itt among a few mild maniacs sit-
ting in one of the parlors.
"Ladies, I beg your pardon," he said,
suddenly recovering his politeness, "did
you see a lady go out from the grounds a
httle while ago?"
"Do you mean the proud woman with
the yellow'eyes?" asked a young girl,
who was religion crazed. "She went
down that path fast, very fast, and then
she went out at the gate and flew up, up,
up; she is in heaven by this time."
"She didn't fly up," said an elderly
woman testily; she ran, ran, ran; I saw
her."
On one point the two lunatics had not
differed, and the detective, .resolving to
accept their testimony, dashed open the
street door and hurried on to the side
entrance.
"Bless my soul!" cried the doctor,
looking after him. "I must write to
Doctor Anstin right away. Bless -my
CHAPTER xXIX.-- THE BALL TOSSER'S
DAUGHTER.
For two or three blocks the flying girl
kept on in a straight course, and then
she paused and looked irresolute. She
could not keep straight on like this; she
could not tell how soon a pursuer would
be on her track. At this moment the
tinkle of a bell, sounding two blocks dis-
tant,struck her ear -the street cars; if
she took the first one, it would be far
down toward the busy part of the city
before the next would overtake it; and
her pursuer had not brought a car-
riage.
She turned down the side street and
ran swiftly; it is safe enough to run
when one runs toward it street car, and
her speed brought her to the track just
as a down -car was passing ; she hailed it,
and soon, panting, and breathless still,
was jogging along 'down town."
They were a long way out as yet, and,
it being too late for many people to be
going -down town, and too early for
them to be coming home, therewere only
one or two passengers in the car. Never-
theless, the fleeing one drew her veil
carefully over her face, and tried to look
as indifferent as possible.
Where was she going? She hardly
knew; if she but dared to go straight to
some railroad depot; but she knew that
by so doing she would incur heavy risk;
besides, she did not know where to go if
she left the city. Sitting there, she
thought of her first ride in a street car,
and of Kate Seaton's laughing •plea,
"You won't disappear soon, will you,
Nora?" And she had replied that she
would "not ride away on a broomstick,"
She would break even that promise now
if she could. Oh, to be able to disappear,
to vanish utterly !
On the seat, not far from her, lay a
crumpled newspaper, one that had been
abandoned, probably, by some passenger
who had no use for a paper ten hours
old. She put out her band and drew it
toward her; if it would only tell her
where to go !
Probably the last reader had been
perusing the advertising page, for it was
turned outward, and the eyes of the girl
fell upon a column of wants, wanted,
wanted, wanted, It was the miscellan-
ous column, and presently she paused,
and considered over this advertisement:
'WANTED IMMEMATELY -WA NTED-
Y I' twenty young ladies for the ballet. Also,
private lessons given in all branches of the
theatrical profession. Apply to Mrs. A. Rams,
4.01 Street.
"I wonder where it is," mused the girl.
"I could go there and rely upon chance
for my inspiration. It le the last place
one would think of looking for Me."
raoreent later the conductor enteeed
from the rear platierm, and elle leaned
toward him and asked in a low voice;
"Where is street?"
"5— street? About seven 'blocks
away, Ve cross it."
"I will get off there, pIesiec."
"Row fortunate," elle thought; "X
can't have far to walk, either." She left
the our at the street clegugnated, and,
after looking up and down tor a moment,
to ascertain how thenumbers ran, she
turned and walked briskly southward;
three, four, five blocks, and then she
eausedt.before No. 401. • Mercy, what a
shabby little house it was, standing a
little back from its loftier neighbors; and
what a very muddy entrance; it looked
as if people had been tramping to and
from it through an ocean of need for
ages and ages,
Miss Lee, or Lenore Armyn, as we
may as well call her, became conscious
at this stage in her observations, that it
feminine face was lookieg out at her
through the not particularly clean
window ; and with a mental
resolve that let come what would,
no one should see her play the
coward, she drew her shawl closer about
her and resolutily approached the door.
More than once since her voluntary im-
prisonment at Dr. Burton's bad she fan-
cied herself in a pcsition similar to this
her present one, and she was not alto-
gether neprepared for this portion of the
emergency. She had had no forewarn-
ing of the ballet mistress, of course, but
she had thought it pcssible she might be
traced even to it mad -house, and she had
fancied herself as she was now, wander-
ing alcne and asking for some secure
hiding place. She h acl even prepared her
"little story," and now, with a few im-
promptu alterations, she must tell that
story to the mistress of this the shabbiest
the ludicrous, and, as in the case with
abode she bad aver entered.
all frank, fearless natures, it decided
taste for adventures of the odd and ab -
"Dees Mrs. A. Harris live here?" she surd sort. But she saw that Mrs. }Thr-
ashed of the woman who had been look- ris had quite set her heart on tbe song
and dance business, and she was dem( us
above all things to propitiate Mrs. H ar
ris. So she said, after reflection :
"I am a graduate, madame, and axe Detere had hurried 011 determined to
eensiderecl a fair elocutionist," get her story told all at oece, end, by the
suddenly hadeg her animation time it was ±014, she began to believe
on this subject. "Weh, you can do as herself quite an aetrese &reedy. It was
YOU likitt. May I ask your motive for not a veeyoriginal story, to be snee, but
taking lessons; you want to go on the et was original for Lenore, Meanwhile
etage ?" • the,hallet mistress tat listening inteetly
'Why ---oh, yes et coulee, Mrs, Barris, and her insaginatioe began to lay its
The stage is any ambition," adding sotto weedy hands upon many more ten-dplia3
voce, "ter the present," bills from the purse of the yonseglady itt
"Well, then, tell you frankly that want of a friend, She was inwardly re.,
dramatic acting is poorly patronized and grating that her house • was not More
worse paid. 3Cou. can make double the commodiona, lint back of this "place of
montiy In some Other branches that you businese," there was only a small kitchen
oan xn the dramatic business." • and a smeller sleeping zoom; end corn-
"1iiiidactedto-stthueanyn.,e,rhaps you can adniee pared with the furniture, not to mention
me
.w
"Can you sing ?" k
the cleasilieees, of these more private
rooms, this front parlor was a peoe.
"Yes -that is -a very little." But let us not be unjust, poverty is it
"Do you play the piano?" hard task -master, and Mrs. Rands bad
• 4'Not-rauch."• learned her worldliness while struggling
Mrs. Harris, being a close obaerver, hand to hand with fate, for her daily
here made this mental note bread. The thee had been -when Mrs.
"I believe she lies" -then aloud. "You Harris had been young and pretty; when
have it fine stage presence, and it nice she had pirouetted behind tho foot -
form ; I think you would make a decided lights, in the pinkest of tights, end the
success as a song and dance lady."• airiest of gossamer, and 'when life had
"I -Pin afraid I don't quite under- for her some dos ny places. Mrs. Harris
stand," hesitated Lenore. had known some generous impulses in
"'Why ! a branch of the variety her palmy days, and if she could have
business, you see, and variety is the wily afforded. it, would have been generous
business that pays in these times. In now; as she could not afford to be genus
fact it is the ra'ge. I presume you could inely generous, she began to evoke from
sing enough for that, and the steps are her "inner cox:solemness," a feeling
very easy. You would look splendid in made up of two parts of avarice, and one
a song and dance suit." part admiration and this combination
"What kind of a suit is that?" she termed adfection, and promptly prof -
"Why -knee breeches, you know, and fered it to Lenore. She pondered a mo-
m cut -away cat-" ment, and her ready wit soon put her in
"Do you mean dressed like a boy ?" possession of a bright idea. •
"Well -yes, similar; only you wear "Let me see." she said, as if she had
setin, etc. ' • not already made up her mine. "Your
In spite of the shadows of her past, and story has interested me wonderfully, and
the uncertainty of her future, Lenore a/- you may rely on me to do all for you
most laughed ; she had a keen eeese of that lies in my power. My place is very
small, or I would offer you a home with
me. You don't want to go out much, I
suppose?"
"Oh, not at all, madame !"
"And you will want to be pretty near
me, then ?"
"Yes, if possible."
"Then, I think I have the idea. There
is a lady living on the very next street,
who has one or two very pleasant rooms;
I have been of some service to her, and
she will be glad to do me a favor. I can
get you, in there I think. But we must
use caution, we must not tell her your
story."
"Then I must trust you to invent one,"
said Lenore.
"Then I would suggest something like
this," said Mrs. Harris, becoming very
confidential and business like, in her
tone and manner. 'I vrill tell Mrs.
Horne that your father is a German ball
tosser."
"What's that," interrupted Lenore.
"A performer who juggles cannon
halls with his feet, yet ignorant child,"
laughed the now elated Mrs. Harris,
"Oh! well, my father is a cannon ball
tosser, is he? Go on, Mrs. Harris."
.11 will tell her that he is travelling
with a circus—"
"A circus?"
"Of course! Ball tossers always go eteetialemeeoaesseaaaa+a-44....eaaes
•••titi••••••••••••••••••••••
with circuses."
"Oh, do they? Well, I won't interropt
you again, Mrs. Harris."
"I will say that he is away: with a
circus, and that you have been in a con-
vent school; that now your education is
finished, and he intends fitting you for
the stage; as he is constantly travelling,
he has put you in ray charge; don't you
• "A Box of
see?"
"0h, yes; that s excellent." EDDY'S
"Well, if you: are knownto have
money, some suspicion may be excited, Matches, please,"
so, as your guardian, you had better put
some money in my hands, from time to Says Experience'and
time, and let me attend to all expenses; • Gets what pleases him.
this will be safer for you all around."
MORAL:: When yotfwant a good thing,
"And will please me better, too," said
Lenore, as if she did not see throtsgh ASK FOR IT.
this proposition. "You make all the
necessary arrangements, Mrs. Harris,
and I will let you attend to all the busi-
ness, and be
(ToglBaEd."C
ONTINUED.)
a••••••••••0••0••+•••••4••
ing from the window, and who now
beaaned upon her from the half -open
doorway, not quite half open either,for
the woman's forma filled up the opening,
and it was a very meagre form indeed.
"I am Mrs Harris," replied the wo-
man, opening the door an inch or two
wider and scanning her visitor closely.
"Do you want to see me ?"
rk; "'Yes, madame' " and now the -woman
observed that the Tailed stranger spoke
with a slight foreign accent, "if I may
talk with you alone."
"I am alone," said Mrs. Harris, step-
ping away from the opening; "come ha,
please."
nere was only too glad to get meted
the street, sr d she glided in quickly.
"I understand that you want some pu-
pils kr the stege, mhdame?" she said,
without lifting her vail.
"I take a few pupils," replied the bal-
let ss, loftily, and at the same time
removing some show bills and papers
from the only really safe looking chair
in the LOM 'take a seat. miss."
Lenore seated herself and took a rapid
survey of her surroundings. There was,
fast, a very dirty and very much worn
carpet; a table, that creaked when you
touched it, was covered with an ink -
stained scarlet cloth and littered with old
play -bills, older looking letters, two or
three play books, a quantity of photo-
graphs of the "profession," one or two
shabby bound volumes and a pile of
printed business cards that looked as if
fresh from the press; pens and ink and
a big ledger completed the contents of
this table. Above it hung a few cheaply
framed pictures of scantily clad actresses
and one larger than the rest and better
framed of Mrs. Harris arrayed as the
Goddess of Liberty.
A rusty stove that looked like an elon-
gated barrel, and gave out a little more
-
heat than does a refrigerator, stoodnear-
ly in the centre of the room. A piano,
the sroallest and oldest and most hope-
lessly tuneless of its kind, stood opposite
the table, and six cane chairs, all more
or less decrepid, were ranged along the
walls. And this was the drawing -room,
receiving -room and private office of
"Mrs. A. Harris, Ballet Mistress."
Mrs. Harris herself was a little ferret -
eyed woman with sandy hair, sallow
complexion, ;harp features and figure to
match, and was apparently on the border
land of her fortieth year.
An observer of ordinary intelligence
coulcl hardly fail to interpret aright
some of the characteristics of Mrs. Har-
ris. Her surroundings gave evidence
that she was not overburdened with
riches, while Lenore, who was something
more than an ordinary observer, quickly
decided that she was keen, cunning and
avaricious. A woman whose affections
and sympathies would be quickly drawn
toward a full purse. Having taken a
hasty inventory of the lady and her sur-
roundings, Lenore renewed where she
had left off.
"I called in response to an advertise-
ment, madame," she said, as if duly im-
pressed with the majesty of Mrs. Harris.
'Have you -room for any more pupils?"
Mrs. Harris looked dubious.
"I have a pretty large class on hand,"
she said, as if her large class were at
present securely packed in sawdust and
carefully put away. '"What branch do
you wish to study?"
"Really, I hardly know," replied Le-
nore, flinging back her vail, as if she hadjust thought of it. "I am quite ig-
norant regarding these matters. What
do you teach, Mis. Harris ?"
"Everything !" with a comprewensive
flourish of her bony fingers. "Acting,
singing, burlesque, song and dance, clog,
jig, club swinging, ballet dancing, tea -
p5.
While Mrs. Harris was running through
this list of "branches" she bad been
mentally catalogueing Lenore after this
fashion:
"Handsome, educated, no fool, little
feet and hands nice form: lovely voice,
dressed awful dowdy, but rich; may have
a little money, but still green -one could
make a fortune off her if one could catch
her."
All unconscious of this mental review
and ultimatum on the part of Mrs. Har-
ris, Lenore sat struggling to recall the
list of :accomplishments as given by her
and wondering vaguely if she taught
them all herself. This question shaped
itself into words.
"Do you teach all these -branches
yourself," she asked.
no. I can teach everything but
trapeze and club swinging, I have several
teachers; but some of nay pupils do not
care to have a gentleman teacher, and so
I take them myself."
"I should not like a gentleman to teach
me.' said Lenore.
"No, I Suppose not." With a nod of
approval. "What do you think you
would like to study ?"
"I -I think I would prefer acting."
"Oh! dramatic lessone."
eyeme
"tet me eee. Row is YOUr elocution 2"
"I will leave it with you, 11/1rs. Harris.
Your judgment is better than mine. If
you really think that I will do nicely in
that line I will try and learn, But Tmay
prove stupid."
"If I didn't think sol should not say
so," replied Mrs. Harris, with her lofty
air, at the same time drawing her chair
to the table, opening the him ledger with
much alacrity, and taking up the pen.
"Do you wish to give me your name to-
day, and begin immediately ?"
"Yes;" leoking curiously at the big
book. "Myname is Lena Voss."
Mrs. Harris bit the end of her pen, and
sat as if waiting; finally she said:
"Then, ahem -I suppose you wish to
make a payment?"
Lenore atonce saw her cue. Of course
this ballet mistress must have money.
She promptly clrevrout a wellfilled purse,
and did not fail to mark the hungry look
in the eyes of Mrs. Hams as she saw it
appear.
"This woman wants money, needs it
too, I should think," thought Lenore.
"So much the better for me." Then she
said
"'I:had neglected to ask your terms,
Mrs. Harris. What am I to pay you?"
"I shall charge you twenty-five dollars
for a course of twelve lessons," said Mrs.
Harris, rising unblushingly from her
usual price of fifteen dollars. "And I
find it necessary to require at least ten
dollars in advance."
Lenore promptly opened her purse and
took out a .roll of bills, from which she
drew a crisp ten dollar note and passed it
to Mrs. Harris.
"Now, then, Mrs. Harris I may be in-
truding upon your time if Harris,
long,
but I want to consult you., or ask your
advice, when we have settled about the
lessons," she said.
Mrs. Harris wrote out a receipt for the
ten dollars with a flourish, and handed it
to Lenore before she replied.
"There is nothing to settle except
when you will take your first lesson. You
must get the steps the first thing. So I
am ready to hear whatever you wish to
say."
"The truth is, Mrs. Harris," began Le-
nore insinuatingly, "I am in want of a
friend and advice very much just now.
I am alone and and an entire stranger in
the city. and I want a quiet place to board
at. I shall be glad to pay: you for any
extra trouble I may cause en asking ad-
vice or aid from you. I am not without
income but I am in a little trouble at
presentl"
Mrs. Harris began to look interested.
It was not unusual, by any means, for
Mrs. Harris to come in contact with
young ladies who were in a little trouble.
In fact among the young ladies who ap-
plied to Mrs. Harris for "situations" on
the stage, those who were in "a little
trouble,' were the rule, not the excap-
tion. But young ladies who were itt
trouble, and yet carried a full purse,
were exceptional characters, and to be
treated as such, therefore'Mrs. Harris
bestowed upon Lenore a look of beaming
interest and her undivided attention.
"I shall have to tell you a very little
about myself," went on. Lenore, who had
not once forgotten her foreign accent.
"I am, as you perceive, a foreigner. I
ani also an orphan; I have a small for-
tune in my own right, and it is so ar-
ranged that no one can prevent my draw-
ing the interest of it, so long as I retain
my liberty. But my guardians, who are
also foreigners, decided Germau in fai.t
have fairly lived upon my income, and
have supported, and partially educated
their own son and daughter at ray ex-
pense, and I have submitted, because I
knew no one wile could help me -had no
acquaintances, in fact. They move fre-
quently, and give me no chance to make
friends; arid about a month ago they
came to this city. Well, last night I
overheard them planning to try and
make me promise to marry their son,
and I found that, to put me in their
power, they had given their neighbor
the imprersion that I was partly derang-
ed ;saying that they had only to watch
mi
e n °dos to be convinced of my in-
sanity. Well, to -day I had to draw my
money, and my guardian's wife came
with me to get it. I had made up my
mind to leave them for good, for I knew
that they would shut inc up if they could
not make me marry their Hans in any
other way, and I Was very unhappy
bhere, 1 had seen your advertisement,
and made up my mind to come to you,
and if I could 'become an actress I would
go away somewhere where they would
never find me. We went into a store,
and while the woman Wee looking at
some silk, I stepped out and found my
way here. These people will look every-
where for me, but if I can find a safe
place to stay in, 1. can pursue my studies
for tke stage unmolested; and the banker
who pays my income to me, will never
reveal my hiding place -indeed, he need
not know
falls -ea ererreor throws up his heeds'and
tumbles to the e a r drivPr gets &
firmer grin on the /incr., and matter*:
"Splendid! splendid !""
Tile warriors are •gaieivg, Withi a
endden reel the mob parted to lake the
step right and left aid te get at, the
bones. `fliest from tho oven door rifles.
and revo)vera clacked- from flie weaned"
ed crouched on the floor witk faces buried
in their+ hands came khrieks and i%ails of
despair,
"It's a straight run now, and the Lord
help las !" whiepel(d the driver, as he s
shifted all the lines to his left hand and
drew his revolver and ()relied lire, "Take
that, ye painted deed/! Down ye go, ye.
spotted cayuse! Tere'si y...r rst arrer !
Revolvers is the thiug, boy -down with
yer rliles and use thens barbers!"
"Ole God! have pity or, us !" prayed
the women between their sobs, but the
white-faced rnen firing through the oPela
doors ovEr their heads heard th(rn rot.
Thud ! splash! 'whizz! came bullet lied
barjoroodwsn
.eTilliveorezt was tt
the _jtiluagrxlleecoi ffbarceeaskainngd
glass -splinters flew about -a drops of
burned like fire, All at once pan demen-
ium ceased and sileece reigned. • The in'
diens had abandoned the atteck. 011
that are e-niile stretch lay a dozen dead
and wounded bucks -more than that
nilinber of dead and weunded ponies.
"Whoa my beauties !" called the
driver, as he laid aside his pistol and sep-
arated the lines. "This ere lout is over,
and ve needn't throw anymore shoes off.
Easy now -whoa! How is it with you
fellers back tiler?"
As the frightened horse e hegan to
slacken their pace he met a swift glance
over his shoulder. The three men were
lying down on the roof. • Half a mile fur-
ther on he 'brought the horses to a halt
and called to those is side, A. man with
blood on his face and hands stepped out
and asked :
"Are they gone?"
"Yes -licked 'era in a fa'r font. Any-
body hurt down thar?"
"Wemen all right -men all wounded.
How is it up there ?"
"Whoa,
horses l Lemma see. This fel-
ler's dead -that one's dead--ltother one
only hard hit, • I guess. That'll do,
though. Git in ancl chirk up the women.
We've passed the danger p'int, and it' k
only two miles to No. 4, Somebody
must hay bin prayin' to God to pull us
through, and He's dun it in purty good.
shape,
Way to spend a winter 11 10 attend the Northerz, nee -
nest College, Owen Sound, Ont. All who ,,rould
successin life Should prepare for it Send
Announcement -free. - C. A. Fl^*- '•••^ • •• '
"A Box of Matches, please,"
Says Inexperienee, and
Gets what the dealer
Pleases.
E. B. EDDY'S MATCHES.
On the Overland Trail.
"Did ye see that?"
A stage coach which has been pushing
along the Overland Trail in Western
Kansas is suddenly pulled up by the
driver, who rises in his seat, points to
the broken ground on the right and
ahead, and turns to the two outside pas-
sengers to repeat:
"Did ye see that? Thar's Injuns am-
bushed in the dry ravine ahead !"
Two passengers on top- five inside -
seven in all, but two of them are women
-wives of army officers. Five men with
guns and pistols. The driver won't count
unless a bullet brings down one of the
horses.
"Ready inside the,r?" he asks. "Tell
them wimen-folks to crounch down on
the floor and keep quiet. Throw open
them doors and fasten 'em back. One of
you better cum up yere. Now, then,
thar' may be ten or fifteen, or thar' may
be fifty or sixty of the varmints. They
have got their ponies, in course. They'll
make the rush jest 3,shar' the road bends
to'rds the river. They'll come whoopin'
and yellin' like lunatics broke loose, but
don't let the noise rattle ye. I'm goin'
to put my horses on the dead run and
keep 'em going' at that, and I expect the
rest of ye to do the shoothr. Everybody
ready? Then here we goes !"
Two women crouching on the floor of
the coach praying to God -five pale -faced
men with teeth 'hardsset gripping their
rifles and determined to make a good
fight of it. With a shake of the luxes
the driver breaks the four horses into a
runt and then braces his feet aiadlooks
straight ahead. The spirited animals
will be terror-stricken at the first yell,
mad run away. He must keep the coach
in the road or a wipe-out is certain.
Yes, the Indians axe there -half a hun-
dred of thein. They have been in, am-
bush for an hour. This is the first stage
to the west for three days it will be the
last for a fortnight. 1t is another In-
dian outbreak and Ouster's men will ride
over the Smoky Hill section to find muti-
lated corpses at every relay -house for a
hundred miles.
The bend in the road is reached, of a
sudden fifty ponies rush out of the dry
ravines, which spread out there like the
fingers of a human hand, and fifty In-
dian warriors whoop, shriek and yell at
the top of their voices. They fire their
rifles and discharge their arrows as they
charge, but it is it wild fulled°.
"Steady, now !" calls the driver, but
keeping his eyes on his flying horses.
"My little trick has knocked 'em out.
They'll luiV' to swing in 'behind as, and
you fellers want to take it cool and riot
waste yer lead. Gee whew, but ain't
thou horses cuttin' out the pace ?"
The Iadians fire at the men on the
roof -they urge their ponies to overtake
the swaying, /sounding, flying coach -
they yell like devils lot loose. Crack!
crack! crack! go their rifles. A on
THEATRICAL GOODS.
Wigs, Moustaches, Paints, Makeups,
Clogs and Song and Dance Shoes. Also
tights supplied to order. Moustaches on
wire frames 85 cents. Send stamp for
price list. Address
CHAS. °LAREN
1 Richmond St. W., Toronto.
4,8444 044-0•40044.4.0.4104eiseeeefease
•il4fieeslatesa4iseiateletee44011404e040•104i
LAKEHIIRST
SANITARIUM
• e>
‘.3r
reser/ea ---e-
OAKVILLE, - ONT
For the treatment and MUM 01A
ALCOHOLISM
THE MOBPHINN HABIT,
TOBACCO HABIT,
AND NHAVOIIS DISEASItS.
The system employed at this instittiotin
is the famous Double Chloride of Gold
System. Through its Agency over 200,-
000 Slaves to the use of these poisons
have been emancipated in the Tut four.
teen years. I,akehurst Sanitarium is this
oldest institution of its kind in Canada
and has a well-earned reputation to
maintain in this line of medicine, In ite
whole history there is not an instanee of
any after 111 -effects from the treatnxent,
Hundreds of happy homes in all parte of
the Dominion bear eloquent witness to the
sidleacy of it course of treatment with me
For terms and full information write
THE SECRETARY,
28 Bank Of Commeree ChaMberse
Taranto, ant,