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THE YOUNG ME
BLIND ELFINE’S SILVER LOCKET.—sue was cRovcHED UPON THE
. FUL EYES TURNED IN PITEOUS, DUMB PLEADING TOWARD THE PASSERS-BY.
N
= N _ cs pee \ -
BARE STONES, THE RAIN BEATING UPON HER NAKED FEET AND UNCOVERED HEAD,
A LADY PEDESTRIAN, TRIPPING HASTILY THROUGH
THE CHILLING SHOWER, STOPPED AND LAID A SILVER HALF DOLLAR UPON THE ORGAN BOX.
upon the animals’ backs! Digby caught one
oF the straps crossing the top of the coach,
and Harrison, hurled against the door, clung
to the topand strove to get out,
The falling coach only rested on the ledge
aninstant. ‘Then it went thundering down the
mountuain-side like an avalanche,
There was a tree near where it had paused
aiter the first contusion, and Harrison seized
an overbanging branch, He was just upon the
point of drawing himself out of danger, when,
with a convulsive movement, the terrifled Dig-
by seized him around the body, and cluug to
him.
“Let go! the branch is breaking!” panted
Harrison. .
“ Not no!
iteously,
Petoey Y ould hear the thundering of the
wrecked coach, as it went wildly dashing and
tumbling down the rocky slope, and once the
unfortunate horses neighed aloud in their pain
and terror, Then these sounds died away al-
together,
A cold perspiration burst out all over Har-
rison,
He could hear the ominous cracking and
snapping of the branch over his head, and
Save me!” whined the rascal,
realized that unless he could shake off the} m
weight of the villain who was clinging to him
so tenaciously, they would both perish,
- The descent below the overhanging tree was
out of sight in the obscurity, and a shudder
passed over Harrison as he speculated as to
the distance if he should fall,
own bent the branch, lowerand lower each
moment, the sirain kecoming greater on its
juncture with the tres the further down they
got. ' Harrison glanced toward the trunk. It
was fully ten feet distant! There seemed but
little chanco of reaching it in time, and his
movements were impeded by the weight and
clasp of hisenemy, Nevertheless, it was worth
atrial, and despite the fact that his arms were
almost pulled out of their sockets atthe joints,
hs exerted his muscle to draw himself u
higher, with the intention of edging in toward
the trunk, ad not gone far, though,
when the strained branch gave away, and he
s
6) .
The oscillation dashed him against the side
of the rock, his torn hands grasped it with ty
energy of despair, and the shook wpe.
Was so violent that he was hurled from Harri-
son’s side!
Down he went over the brink, and Harrison
with a last despniring effort attempted to draw
himself up on the rock. His hands slipped—
he uttered a groan of agony, as he felt his body
sliding down again—and he stretehed out his
arms over the rock and flattened out bis hands,
but slid-slid-slid, further and {urther. His eyes
were starting from their sockets, his breath
hard and labored, and every nerve on edge!
A deep groan burst from his lips—he did not
want ‘0 go—would not--oh, but Aad to, it
seeme
Nol His foot touched a protuberance of the
oc
r
A wild thrill shot through him.
“Thank God!” he hoarsely muttered.
There he stayed a moment, the flerce deter-
mination to battle hard for his life arising in
is mind with renewing hope, and then
knew that if he did not succeed, he must be
dashed down the gulf with but little hope for
his life’s salvation |
He only had paused to gather his strength,
which the excitement and despair had half ex-
hausted; and then, with blazing eyes, and
compressed lips, he started again more deter-
ned than before,as he knew that every-
thing depended upon this hazard. The strain
upon his nerves was terrible in extreme, and
the excitement drowned all thought and sen-
sation of physical torture from his mind, °
® knew thut he must be calm and
cautious,
His hands were u
the ledge, and it was
his head,
Upon his strength alone could he now de-
en
pon the jagged edge of
a full arm’s length above
He gained a firm clutch, and then let his
foot flip off of the tiny excrescence of rock
which had been sustaining him. He drew
He slipped down again—a wild, torrible ery
urst from his white ips—he felt himself go-
ing down like a ball blown from a gun--ho
was dashed frightfully against a bowlder,
whirling through space, and then——
But he did not remember anything else.
All he knew was that he was hurtling down
through the inky darkness into the dreadful
pit below. .
* - * * * *
The scene changes to the bright interior of a
small, but pretty parlor, on a dark stormy
night two months later, in the city of New
ork
TK.
A lady past the meridian of life sat in an arm-
chair near a window, and a tall, thin man,
with dark sneaky eyes and a cadaverous face,
attired in the height of fashion, stood talking
el]
**Oh, it cannot be that both are dead, Simon !”
the weeping lady was saying, in sob-choked
68,
“Rather,” replied Digby, nervously. It
happened this way with George, for I already
told you how your husband met with an acci-
dent which cost him his life:
“Your son was on his wa: home, in the
stage coach with me, and all he had were these
Papers your busband gave him, by which you
can claim certain properties which ho pur-
chased with what little money he made from
mining; and as [ lent him money, for which I
hold his receipts, when you eispose of the
property I hope you will not fail to pay me
your husband’s debt——”
“But he wrote me he had’ acquired over
thirty thonsand——”
“Bosh |” interposed the raseal, imperturba,
bly. “‘A mere fable to cheer JOU eke OS
Was saying, Georgeand rwerp re oO
oiesver & mou
in the stage ocach, when {fuck upon the ear-
n-
himself up. Slowly, slowly, until he was
breast high, It seemed to him, just then, that
he was endowed with the strength of pele
for hope and courage held ont a, frien
greeting to him, in that ple he suddenly
_- 36a,
tense ing hosene weiréw himself up side-
threw 4
iP
wise-=tT0rl He missed,
a
fa, and
ain precinice- LIU8""The driver had disap-
cannes ofs"6roken vehicle had gone down
fewaér, and L saw a band of rascals seizing
upon the baggage, which thev carried away in
wagon, Iwas not seriously injured by 'm,
toping about in the darkness,
found a boiy lying near me. Ignitinga match,
IT saw, that it was George. He was stone
HER BLIND, BEAUTI+
“Ohl” sobbed the grieved lady, afresh.
“Ttook these papers from his pocket, and
making my way to Rapid City I there pro-
cured a horse, with which I managed to reach
the railroad at Fort Laramie, and then I came
directly east to hand you these papers,
fod make good these claims I hold against
t.
“All of which are forgeries!”
“Eh? exclaimed Digby, withastart. ‘Did
you speak?” .
“Nol” thundered the same voice, as the
curtains at the now-opened window parted,
and George himself rushed into the room and
confronted the rascal.
“‘ Harrison I” gasped the exposed rogue, re-
coiling in affright.
Yes!” exclaimed George, vehemently, as
his mother, with a giad ery, sprang up and
clasped him in her arms, “ Alive and well,
too, you seoundrel! Your story was true
enough, but I was not dead, us you supposed,
when you robbed me of the money I had in my
pocket, It was you who planned wrecking the
cvach. I overheard you, s0 do not dare deny
it. When you was gone our driver, who es-
eaped uninjured, found my insensible bod
and conveyed me back to Gulchtown, where
recovered, '
“Then I learned the history of a crime which
you consummated, of which I had been in ig-
norance,
cal who duped you, and was in turn du
himself, Idiscovered from his confession that
ou killed my father!”
yerYou lie!” erled Digby, .turning deathly
Pale ne fact was proves! You evidently de-
Sion nin and myself out of your
way? order to Secure the m .
waich you now hold. But your plot failed
with regard to myself, and ¥ now not only
brand you a murderer and a thief, but those
receipts you elaim are my father’s are mere
forgeries |”
Exposed and frightened, the rascal slunk to-
ward the door to escape, when upon opening
it he was confronted by an offcer! A mo-
ment later and he was a prisoner. George
Harrison recovered the greater part of his fa+
ther’s money m the wretch, and upon
being tried for his crimes, Digby was sent to
prison for life!
oo
Upon the apprehension of the ras~ |