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Show ilN A SINGLE NIGHT "Wlhat a beautiful young woman- And yet her hair is white as snow." "And her complexion fresh as a child's. Strange, isit not?" Thus two loungers on a hotel porch. But they did not know the history of that snowy hair. The marriage of Harry Wells and Mamie Clausen was a true love affair. Harry had studied law for awhile, but had settled down into a country coun-try notary, drawing up deeds and doing hack work of that sort. They lived a few miles out from the city in a pretty cottage. Gradually Wells' business grew, and finally he became trustee for some minor heirs. They were an odd lot of children, with a half-crazy mother, and no end of coal lands and mining investments. It was a good thing for him, although it gave a naturally lazy man some additional work. One August afternoon Wells had an unexpected summons to go to iScranton about a suit connected with the minor heirs. He had recently sold Borne of their property, and had been making various collections, which left in his hands about forty-five forty-five hundred dollars. When he found that he had to go off at a few moments' notice, he wrapped up a bundle of papers and this money, and took them to his wife. Mamie was making preparations for a picnic they were to go to the next day, and begged him to wait until the day after. "But, my dear child, I haven't time even to go to town and put these in the bank, so you'll have to take care of them. I'll try and get back in two days at the furthest, meanwhile nobody will know that the money is here." Then he explained to her the value of the papers, pa-pers, and handed her a canvas bag in which was the raonoy belonging to the minor heirs. "Wlhere will I keep it, Harry? Between the mattresses?" "Just like a woman! No, But I declare I don't know where to tell you. The most insecure place apparently is often the most secure. Any place, dear, but between the mattresses. I leave that to you. But you must guard it, If necessary with your life; for remember the money is not ours, and at all hazards I am responsible. I don't really suppose there is the least danger for no one knows I have it. But one ought to take proper prop-er precautions and I beg of you not to admit any tramps while I am gone." Harry bade his wife good-bye, and Mamie gave up the picnic. At the end of two days she received re-ceived a telegram from him, saying he had been detained, and telling her to get some one to stay with her for two days when he would be at home. She drove into town, and one of her old frlendB went out with her. At the end of two days she had another telegram saying that he was de- tained until the next day. Her friend went home, and in place of Harry came a third telegram, and so every' day for ten days he was expeciea nome, and every day came a disappointing telegram. The afternoon of the tenth day was a not, murky afternoon. Mlamio had gone upstairs to take a nap and refresh before dressing to meet Harry, who was expected home before night. After a time Sarah came up and told her there was a tramp downstairs who wanted something some-thing to eat and who wouldn't be driven off. "You oughtn't to leave him a minute alone, Sarah. Go down and watch him, and I will come down and send him off." She dressed herself quickly and went downstairs, down-stairs, surprised to find how late it had grown. When she reached the kitchen she found also a messenger and another telegram, which announced another disappointment, but the next day without with-out fail. Harry wrote, he would be home. As Mamie turned into the kitchen she heard the tramp and Sarah in evident dispute. "Yes," said the fellow, "when that time comes your mistress will have another Ironing-table, helping you, instead of wearing her Sunday clothes every day." "An' spoilin' everything for me to do over. I think I see her. I've work enough to do," an- swered honest Sarah, not indisposed to have a chat over her work. iMlamie found a graceless-looking fellow, unshaven un-shaven and ill-dressed, who, with a certain gentlemanly gen-tlemanly Instinct, rose up as she came in. "I suppose my girl told you we had nothing for you, and that it will be a great kindness ir you will leave as soon as possible." "Yes, she did just that, madam, but I took it upon myself to believe that it wasn't so urgent. The truth is. I'm very hungry and dead tired, and I didn't believe but that you would give me something some-thing to eat; at least I've Avaited to ask you in person." Women are soft-hearted creatures, uuuune got him something to eat herself. The darkness that had been increasing for Bome time came down rapidly, and there burst one of those terrific thunder-storms that gather so rapidly and with such force in that country. After its strength was spent, there fell steady sheets of rain that brought the creek over the bridges before morning. morn-ing. "Madam, it's no use talking. You can't send a fellow out in such a storm," said the tramp, as the three stood on the porch watching the storm. "I'm sorry, but I've no place for you." "What! In a house like this? It's a pity there isn't a cranny for a stowaway. I was walking around it, waiting for the girl, and it seems to me it ought to hold three people." "You are very impertinent. I tell you I have no place for you, and the storm is already breaking break-ing away." Even as she spoke the rain came down in blinding sheets, and lightning streaked the heavens. heav-ens. "Well," he said carelessly, "we don't go much on manners on the road, but I know I wouldn't send a dog out such a night as this. I'm not a particular chap, leastwise not nowadays, and I'll have to insist on your giving me some sort of shelter, if it's only your dog-kennel." The man spoke with decision. Mamie felt that after all they were really in his power. "I will keep you on one condition," she said. "There is a loft in the house, a sort of garret, which is very comfortable. It is closed with a trapdoor, and you may sleep on the longue there if you will allow us to lock the door on the outside." out-side." "Dle&s my stars and garters!" he said, looking at her curiously, "I don't care if you look the door." They took him upstairs, and he climbed tip the steep attic stairs. The women shut the door as he politely bade them good-night, and they fastened the padlock, hearing him chuckle to himself him-self as he kicked off his boots. "I'd take the key mum," said Saran. Mamie took the key with her, and the two descended to shut up the house. After they had made everything secure, they went back upstairs. "You must sleep in my room tonight, Sarah," the mistress said. Sarah dragged in her bedding and made a pallet on the floor, and then, after the custom of women, they examined the closets, looked under the bed, and piled the chairs against the locked door. The rain was still falling heavily, heav-ily, and the night black as ink. The mistreBs and maid went to bed, and, although worried and anxious, went to sleep. After midnight Mamie found herself awake, and a bright light shining in the room. She started start-ed up, and saw that it Avas the moonlight. The storm had cleared away at last. She got up, unable un-able to compose herself immediately, and went to the window. The moon was shining brightly. As she stood looking at the peaceful scene before her she saw away down the road, for it was as bright as day, several horsemen. It was such an unusual Sight at this horn that she stood watching them as they came nearer. To her surprise they turned up the lane leading toward her house, and on reaching the gate came Into the yard. She waB almost paralyzed with fear. The truth flashed across her. They must have learned that she was alone that she had this money, and they had come to get it. For a moment she was motion, less. She remembered Harry's last words: "You must guard it with your life if necessary." She ran to the sleeping Sarah and wakened her. iShe got down Harry's rifle. The servant girl was soon thoroughly awake, and she explained ex-plained to her their condition. "It's the tramp that's done it." "The tramp? No. iSarah, the key, the key of the attic." She flew up the stairs unlocked the padlock, and opened the trap, x'he man sprang up at the sound. "Come, come with me." His own senses alert, and hearing the noise of the horses below and steps about the house, he followed her without with-out a word. At the foot of the stairs she stopped. stop-ped. "I have a large sum of money in the house, and those men have come to get it, thinking that I am alone. If they kill me that money must be guarded." "Wjhat, have you pistols, shotguns?" he whispered, taking in the whole situation. "Here is my husband's rifle. It is loaded." "Hist! Where are they going to break in?" The steps came boldly on the piazza to the front door. "Get behind me. I will fire at the first man who enters." There was no storming of shutters. They heard the key applied to the door softly. It opened, a man followed by two others confidently entered. The first figure walked directly to the stairs. He had taken but a step when three shots came in rapid succession. There was a heavy thud; this man dropped and the other two turned and fled. Sarah ran to the window and two horses gallowed down the lane. "Don't faint, madam! there is work yet to do," said the tramp. Mamie caught hold of the rail for support, and then went into the room. "Get a candle, Sarah." They lighted a candle and gave it to the tramp, who went downstairs, the two women following with brandy and ammonia. The man had fallen backward, and lay with his face up and head toward the door. "Ah!" said the tramp, curiously, holding the light up and peering into the dead man's face., "he's fixed. Shot through the head." Mamie advanced and gazed at the white face, across which a thin thread like stream of blood was trickling. She fell back with a wild shriek. It was her husband's dead body which lay before her. The Argonaut. |