syr?: THE LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCER SATURDAY, TONE 29 1880 - "tt - " T CHEQUE NO. 9031. A FASCINATING ROMANCE OF A LONDON SUBURB. By the Auther of- By Crooked Path," " Sheathed in Velvet," Etc. C&APTES L MUST begin by referring te a few trifling exeats which have no direct connection with my story, otherwbe it will hardly be under stood why I be haved as I did when the crisis arrived. I knew that many of my friends have ac cused me of culp a bio weakness, and even of con cen nlvlni? nt crime; bul then they de net knew all the facta of the case. , I am a colonial merchant, by name Gerald Qulnten, and at the tlme lam going te sjKjak of I was 03 years of age. Sly father had been dead about fifteen mentliH, ami I was still living with my mother and ray ene unmarried sister in the pleasant old gray stene heuse at Clayhlll, which I had looked upon as my home all my life long. I was my mother's only son among five daughters; and, If I was net as conceited a speci men of humanity as ene could meet in n day's march, the fact was due te my father's wlse foresight in sending me here, there, and everywhere for a year or two's residence nt ene or another of his distant branch houses, instead ei keeping me at home te be spoilt by the women. New, howevcr, I had premised my mother net te ream again unless under the prcssure of nctual necessity, and had taken my place ns the resident head of the heuse of Qulnten, Hill, Craxhammcr & Ce., of Hillitcr street, 12. C, Montreal, Pert Elizabeth, Melbourne, Bombay, etc Tills matter of self Introduction ever, I coine te a mero difficult part of my 6tery the introduction of my hcroine. She was the only daughter of the lead ing Clayhlll doctor, and her name was Cynthia Dcbenham. She had ene brother, two years younger than herself. Cynthia was 23 nnd Herace 21 when my story bo be gina with the death of their father, Dr. Delienhnm. 1 had geno down by my usual train, the 4:23 from Liverpool street, and was surprised, en leaving the carriage at Clayhlll, te eceluy sister Jemima wait ing by the deer of the station with a worried, anxious leek en her face, wliich was most unusual. "Halle, Jem," 1 exclaimed she was named Jemima after her godmother, a rich maiden aunt; and her only consola tion under the afllictien was that the ob noxious uanie was capable of this tntinly contraction "what are you doing down herent this time? Isn't this the hour usually dovetcd te tea and scandal, served up het?" She did net nnswer me; and, looking at her mero closely, I made the astound ing discovery that she had been crying. I hurried her into the deg cart without another word, and waited bofero asking my next questien until we were clear of the straggling stream of passengers. "What is It, old lady? Don't break down out here if you can possibly avoid it. What has happened?" "Dr. DcIenliam is dead." "Dead? Geed heavens, hew shocking! Why, he went up with me this morning, Jem, nnd becmed in splendid spirits) Wus it nu accident?" "Ne; he came down by the 1:30, tcek a fly, and went straight home. Cynthia was surprised te bce him back se wien, and wanted te get him home luncheon; but he said lie didn't want te be both ered, nnil almost shut the study deer in her face. She bald she thought there was something inther queer in his man ner, and felt anxious, thinking the sun had been tee much for him, or tome thing of the kind. Se, Instead of going away, she sat down in the hall te be near him. She was tired, having been in the garden all the morning, and, sit sit tingtliere in the silent hall, was almost asleep, wheif 6he was reused by the sound of something heavy falling inside her father's study. Without (.topping n moment te think, she rushed in and found hm lying face downwards upon the fleer. They did everything they could, but Mr. Jennings declares he was dead when he fell." "And what de they say it is?" "Heart disease; but thcre is te be en inquest." "Peer Cynthia!" "She is wonderfully calm," said Jem, witli the tears running down her geed naturcd brown face. "If she bad cried nnd umde ever he little fuss, I should net hae been te upset; but her patient, mournful white face Is mero than I can stand. She grieves terribly about Hor Her ace. He and his father pai ted in anger the last tlme they met, and she thinks the memory of their quarrel will be se terrihle for the KXr ley new." "A geed for nothing young scapo scape scapo grace!" I muttered, witli a cemplete nb nb brnce of sympathy. "She need net wor ry herself en that 6core, Jem; Ilorace won't grioe much, unless his own Inter ests are touched very nearly. Who is with Cynthia new?" "The mother. We want her te coine home with us te-night." "She'U net de that, I'm certain, Jem; she won't ieave the heuse until after the funeral. Cynthia is net the girl te spare herself when thcre are duties te perform, and she will think it her duty te stay at the heuse in Park street until every thing is ever. Then thcre's Herace, tee, te leek after. Can he get here to night?" "He can get up te town from Oxford; but I'm afraid he'll miss the last train down. Here's Park street. Will you ceme nnd bce Cynthia?" I shrank instinctively front this sug gestion. I loved Cynthia very dearly; and I believed she loved me in fact, bhe hml almost admitted that her duty te her father and brother was the only obstacle when 1 had asked her six months be be be foreeo be my wife. Anything I could de ferher geed, I would; yet the thought of going te Dr. Debenham'a houe just new WB3 repugnant te mc. "I'll ceme If I can be of any use," I said, feeling seme self contempt nt my own weakness; "but I don't suppese she will see mc, Jem." "Perhaps net; but it will leek kind: and, even if you don't see her, you may be of use." Sowe get down, left the cart at the top of the 6treet, and went in at the smart chocolate colerod gates, nnd round the neat drive te the slde deer of the doctor's prosperous looking house. I could scarcely rcalUe that he lay dead within, cut down in the urirae of Ida mautioed by this nwf ully sudden stroke! The scarlet geraniums and the rose were in full bloom en the front lawns vivid patches of color In the July sunshine; and, en the tennis lawn at the slde of the house, the nets were still up. Jem and I had been playing there the night before, and I had picked a pebble off the grass and put it en the top of the summer house. I remembered seme re mark the doctor had made about the stene remaining thcre until I tcek it down again I was reputed te be the tallest man in ClayhilL As I turned into the heuse I saw the pebble still where I had put it, and the trifling incident brought home te me a swift realization of the words, "In the midst of life we are in death." I had te wait a few min utes in the little Blde passage te recover my 6clf possession befere I risked meet ing peer Cynthia. She sew me just for a few moments. "Your mother has been se geed, Ger ald!" she said gratefully, raising her patient hazel eyes te mine. "But I can't ceme te you, aa she wishes. Thcre it Ilorace te be thought of,-you see; he will suffer ee terribly ever this! We shall want te be nlone together until the first wrench is ever. But you'll knew I'm grateful nil the same, won't you?" Jem was right! This calm, self con tained grief was a thousand times mera touching than erica and sobs would have lieen. As she steed thcre, with the lean quivering in her steadfast eyes and lici lips set in the saddest curve I have ever seen, but without a sound or movement about her suggestive of the indulgence of grief, I felt as if seme ene had sud denly clutched my threat in a grip el stecL I raised her hand te my lips in passlonate sympathy, and left her with my mother. Befere that week was out Cynthia Dcbenham had need of all the sympathy we could give her. When the affairs of the dead man were examined, they were teunu te be in an almost hopeless state of muddle. He had dabbled in financial schemes; and en the day of Ills death he had lest about twclve hundred pounds. Tills discovery left no doubt in my own mind that his money troubles had had n large share in causing ids sudden death. Herace, when he found hew things were, wanted te offer the creditors a composition; but Cynthia succeeded, after days of patient persuasion, in talking him out of this idea. The brother and sister came te us the even ing after the funeral, and discussed their future plans in the twilight uftci dinner. "Ilorace wanted te tccure a few hun dreds out of the estale nnd emigrate," Cynthia told me, as we sat a little re moved from the ethers; "but I knew it was n hopeless scheme. What de we knew about farming or sheep raising! We should certainly be swindled out of our little capital, nnd ceme home at the end of a year or se absolute paupers. Besides, there is our father's geed name te be thought of. Mr. Scdger tells me that, if we are satisfied te leave every thing for the creditors, we shall be able te pay them in full." "But," I remonstrated, "the creditors themselves would net expect such self denial as that. It would be preposterous te leave yourselves without a penny in the would l" "We sha'n't quite de that," she un swercd, with a certain quiet, gcntle do de do cibien in her voice which I knew of old te be absolutely without appeal. "We bhall take furniture enough te make two or three rooms comfortable the break fast room chairs and couch nnd se en and 6tait housekeeping en our own ac count in n very humble way in town. Ilorace has decided te accept your offer, and te enter the oflice nt ence, Gerald." "That's all right as far as it gees; and I'm glad of it!" I said grumpily. "But what about you, Cynthia? It does boys geed te rough It a bit; but I don't like the notion of your doing it. Yeu don't knew what life is llke in a fourth or fifth rate suburban lodging heuse, ospe cially when yeu're cramped for money, as you would be." "New, don't be hard en my peer little plan!" she whispered pleadingly. "Yeu don't knew what treuble I've had te talk Ilorace into it; nnd, if he ence gets n no tion tliat you nre against it tee, I shall have all my treuble ever ngaln. I assure you, Gerald, it is the only honest course openteusl As for being cramped fei meney, that can hardly be pessible with the hundred and fifty a year you have eircicd Ilorace and the sixty or seventy I shall earn!" "Yeu earn? new?" The tene of her veice was mero plead lug than ever as she answered seftly: "I mean te gctnn engagementas dally governess in a family." "It Is nil a pack of jomantle nonsense!" I exclaimed, angrily. "Why can't you make yourself contented heie with my mother and Jem for a few months until your first mourning for your father if ever, and then ceme te the home I will prepaid for you?" "Yeu are be geed, Gerald! But Ilor Iler Ilor aeo" "Why should your life be sacrificed te Herace?" I cried again. "If lie can't live alene en his salary, let him ceme and make his home here and le a eon te my mother when 1 am no longer witli her." Her face flushed vividly, but she Dup presbed her emotion and answered quiet ly eneugh: "De you think we could consent te live en your charity like that? Even while you propose it you knew well enough hew impossible it Is for Ilorace te nccept such nu offer." "Then let him lheen garcon in the60 lodgings you iieak of, and you ceme here te my mother until Ah de, Cyn thia!" I cried Imploringly, as I saw her lips tightening resolutely. "Let me beg of you net te expose yourself te the pet ty wearing discomforts of such a life as you propose. Yeu can form no idea of what it is likeP "It is nil very well for you te talk about living en gaicen, with your knowl knewl knowl eilge of the world nnd your extend ed expeiicnce, net te speak or jour thirty odd jeara of wisdom. But with Ilorace a lonely life in Londen would le a icry different thing. Think of the peer boy he Is really net mero after a long day's work In the oflice with noth ing te go home te but empty rooms! Would he go home te them? Yeu knew he would net. I don't want you te think I imagine that the mere kuowledge of my presence will nlways keep him steady, but I debelleteit must have a certain influence for geed with him. It will make him a little careful in cheesing the men he brings te Ids home, for ene tiling, nud that in itself Is wertli making some 6acriiice for. Mv coer mother alwuvw recegnised Herace's ene rock ahead, hk moral weakness; and his godfather. Capt Sillicetes, used te say that he carried plenty of canvas, but was short of bal last. That's what I am going te be his ball ut The day befere mother died I premised her faithfully that I would take tier plaee as far as I was able, and I muxt keep my word." I knew every sentence she had spoken was distilled wisdom, and yet my very heart and soul seemed te cry out against this sacriflce of our two lives. Knewing well enough that I was beaten, I yet put forth ene last faint pica, but without any hepe whatever for its success. , "Ahd what about me, Cynthia?" I ask ed, still holding her hand in mine, se that she should net escape and leave the question unanswered. "Have I no place at all among your unselfish schemes? Is everybody's geed and comfort te be thought of but mine? Am I the only person for whom you have no considera tion?" She flushed again, with evident 6lgna of distress, and trled te withdraw her hand, but I would net let her. "Yeu cannot compare yourself te peer Herace," she whispered, se low that I had te bend my head te catch the an swer. "I knew oil this is hard en you, Gerald, and you will never knew hew sorry I nm te be the causa of treuble te you; but I've thought it all out very carefully, and have ceme te the conclu sion that my first ilutyat present is te my brother. Loek at his position. Last week he was at the university, with a dc ccnt nlloivancefrom his father; today he has a clerkship in prospect, and years of drudgery befere he can hepe for any measure of success. In this comparative poverty he lias no ene in the world te stand by him but ene well intontiencd but inexperienced woman. In cheesing between you hew can I refuse te stand by him in his loneliness and disappoint ment? Yeu have wealth, position, friends and relations, w hile he" "That is enough!" Iintcrposed, shamed out of my selfishness for the moment by her great hearted generosity. "Yeu nre right, Cynthia, ns you always are. But, If I could have my cheice, dear, I would give your brother all the wealth and position in cxcliange for you, and think it the best bargain I had ever made." Her pale face lighted up radiantly at this. "Yeu've dene the best streke of business In your power for the boy," I ndded jemngiy. "xeua see at wiiat a sur prising rate he'll climb te the tallest steel in the counting heuse of Quinten, Hill, Croxhammer & Ce. And then, as seen as be's In receipt of a sufficiently large 6alary te support a wife, I shall marry him off hand; and then" The last word left my lips in a tene of triumph which thcre was no mistaking, and she smiled in a manner that was as geed aa a spoken assent. "Well," said Jem, as we jolned the ether group, In which Heraco had been holding forth te my mother and sister en what he should have dene nt the Anti podes if he had been allowed te fellow his own inclinations "well, Gerald, have you been able te talk that ebstinate girl into a rcasonable framoefmlnd? Have you converted licr from thisgevcrnesslng mania?" "Au centrairc, she has converted me. Jcml" "I should llke le hit you," Bald Jem, shaking her little brown fist clese te Cynthia's nese; and then, changing her mind, she put her arms round my dar ling's neck and squeezed her tightly. "Yeu peer, pale, beautiful old thing," she said, with an odd little catch In her veice "what an cxample you are te the rest of usl" CHAPTER II. When I went te pay Cynthia my first visit at her new home nt Kentish Town, it seemed te me that of atl the vlle places in Londen she had certainly chosen the vilest. It was cheap, and convenient fei Herace's jeurneys te Bil liter street, she told me, and also for her daily appoint ment ns governess te the two little daughters of a very great man en the Stock Exchange, who lived iu ene ettli2 largest houses near Regent's park. The rooms themselves were light and airy, and Cynthia's cunning fingers had already given them a leek of home. "Yeu will be able te put up with it for an hour or se in the afternoon, ence or twice n week," she said, in her most downright style; "because I shall take care te have everything always at iU best by 4 o'clock, en the chance of you. coming. But you would seen find the difference if you were te spend the whela evening here, nnd sleep and get up nnd dress the next morning. Every day since wo've been here the pcople down stairs have had bloaters for breakfast; I don't think you would care te make your first meal off the odor of your neigh bor's. Thdn the btrcet organs begin be early here; I think most of the men's daily rounds must cemmence at this end of the town, for wee had two or three ergnns every morning aj; breakfast." "I think I could stand the ergnns bet ter than the oderous'brcakfast," I said, with a grimare; and she laughed and de clared she had almost censed te netice it new. Things went en llke this for thrce months. I, in my selfishness, ruuningever le Kentish Town as often as I essibly could for nn afternoon chat with Cynthia, nnd never thinking te ask if it were con venient for her te have me there se fre quently, when Christmas time came and brought with it a disquieting discevery. Cynthia was looking worn and har assed. I had net seen her in the clear unmerciful glare of morning sunlight bince she left Clayhlll, in September, until she went back there te spend the blessed icspite of her Chi 1st mas holidays with us. Wenll thrce went down together she, Heraco and I by, the usual train en the Christmas eve, and there was se much mutual plcasure ever the meeting and bucIi nn amount of news te be exchanged among the ladies that even my mother, ene of the most observant women in the world where poeplo's leeks are concern ed, was deceived by her visitor's anima tion during the evening of her arrival. But when Cynthia entered the breakfast room en Christmas morning, with the sunlight shining full upon her face, I stepped half way as I went te meet her, with the dear old greeting en my lips, and steed looking nt her in sudden speechless dUmny. 1 ttepiietl half uuyiu uent le unit her. "What U itr" ehe asked, alarmed at my manner. "Has anything happened? la Heraco" "He'a all right," I said, going en to wards her and putting my arms round her and embracing her tenderly. Hew was it I had net seen this ch.inge In her before? She had always been pale, se I did net set much store by her present pallor; but what had brought that leek of distress te her face that wild, anxious expression Inte her eyes, that sadly pathetic droop about the cor ners of her lips? All through breakfast tlme I naked myself these questions ever nnd ever again, with ever increasing anger at my own past blindness In net having noticed the change before. My mother and Jem saw it, tee, I knew, but they made no remark en the alteration te Cynthia her self; and I wondered why they were thus silent. I took Jem aslde after breakfast and speke te her about it, "Haven't I noticed the change?" she cried, echoing my words ironically. "Why, I went beck te the mother after I had been te wish Cynthia a merry Christ mas in my nightdress this morning, nnd told her I didn't knew where your eyes had been for the past three months net te have 6een it coming en. Whatever you de, don't say anything te her about it! She was quite distressed because I told her she didn't leek well, nnd she forced bucIi high spirits all the rest of the tlme I was in the room that I could have cried ever her." "Her unvarying cheerfulness bofero me nil thia tlme must have been assumed, Jem. Yeu knew I can't bce her until after 4, because of this confounded gov erness business. She doesn't leave Mel ford's until half-past 0, except en Satur days; and she asked me te leave her that afternoon for Ilorace, 60 1 have net seen her by daylight for months until this morning. What's te be dene?" Jem looked round cautiously befere she nuswored. "We have arranged it beautifully. The mother is going te have symptoms of sciatica te-morrow morning, and Dr. Jennings is te be sent for te npply the battery. Of ceurse, hearing Cynthia la here, he will want te say 'Hew d'ye de?' and befere he bees her I shall tell him hew anxious we nre about her. He'll manage te take her measure pretty cor rectly, without letting her into the se cret." That was net a very cheerful Christ mas day for me. We had decided, en account of Cynthia's mourning, te make our jwrty a strictly family affair; but, even if the great old heuse had been full of guests, I should still have carried that dead weight of care in my heart a weight which increased with every glanca at Cynthia's face throughout the day. After dinner, vhen Ilorace and I were alene, I tiled te sound him about his sister's health; but he either would net or could net give me uny information. Being conscious of a hestile bias in my judgment of all Ilorace Debenham'a say ings and doings, I was always trying te counterbalance It by giving him the bene fit of the doubt, when there was room for doubt nt all. Se, when he told me he had net noticed nny change in Cynthia, that she never complained, never seemed III, nnd was always in geed spirits, I tried hard te bollevo he sKku as he really thought, and that iuery truth he had net noticed the alteration that had be scared us nlL "Heis such a disgustingly beltlsh young beggar," I told mj self "as long as the peer girl's illness did net prevent hei from attending te his little wants he would let her dle befere his eyes, and never netice it." The next day, when Jennings came, I contrived te be in the library with Cynthia. As this was net te be nn nckneu ledged professional visit, I felt thcre could be no impropriety in my being present. Jennings and Dr. Dcben ham had been old friends, se there was coiiBidcrable cordiality en both sides when he nnd Cynthia met. I stepped back a few paces, watching nnd listening; and through all the medical mnn'n chat tincss I could bee hew keenly observant he was of Cynthia'e every movement. "And hew de you like the gevcrness- Ing?" he nsked presently. -De you find it congenial work, or is it rather against the grain eh? A little hitlikogelng back te the treadmill every morning, I ox ex poet." Cynthia opened hcreyes widely nt this view of her occupation, "Oh, nel" she cried. "I quite enjoy It; I would net be without my work for the world. My pupils ure two of the most delightful little women you could meet nny where, nnd I bollevo we nre a constant source of pleasure te ene nn nn ether. Mrs. Mel ford wanted me te siicud Christmnn with them, but of ceurse" "Quite se," Interposed Jennings jocu larly "here was metal mero attractive ch.Quinten?" He glanced nt me swift ly, and then turned his eyes again te Cynthia's face, baying abruptly: "Then it certainly is net the teaching that makes you se terribly wakeful at night." At'these words a deep flush suffused her cheeks and forehead, nnd thcre was a sudden expression of nkirm in the gkince she gjive Jennings. She nt ence suppressed all signs of emotion, however, and laughed rather nervously. "Who told you I was wakeful?" she nsked, with a playfully defiant air; and then, without giving him time te answer the question, she breku off into n whela string of inquiries concerning this, that, and the ether person, nnd completely blocked the subject of her own health. When Jennings went, I left the room with him, meaning te ask hla opinion in the hall; but Cynthia followed us with seme forgotten qucbtieu remembered, I beliove, en the spur of the moment, te prevent Jennings from saying anj thing te me. She eUdcntly did net biu,ect the cxlstcnce of our plot, and wanted te keep him from imparting his judgment te any of us. I wa3 tee anxious te wait until my next meeting with the doctor, se I put en my hat, and walked te the gate with him. "Well," I said, as seen as we were out of earshot, "what de you think? Is thcre anything really wrong with Cynthia's health?" HL answer, in the form of another question, set me wondering. "What is it that id worrying her?" "Nothing that I knew of, or can guess nt." "And yet bhe lias a worry of bome tort, Qulnten a worry that is ever pres ent with her. Can't you get her te tell j en what it is?" "Hew can 1? Yeu Baw yourself hew bhef.hicd the moment youppeloof her health." "Oh, her health, from a purely phys leal jteint of view, is right enough! 1 mean bhe would be in perftet health but for lids mental disturbance. She has one of the beundest constitutions I have known. I wish you could find out what it is that is bothering her te " "I'll try," I returned rather bepclcbsly, "but I'm iifnild it will be of no uw. li she had meant me te knew she vteuhl have told mu voluntarily. But, if she does net mean me te knew, it is net ei much use my trying te find out." "Well, something ought te be done," he said, with an emphasis which con vinced me he thought lather berieusly el the matter. 'She has evidently luul n heavy etrain en her mrtcjfur bome time 1 iiaunnng troueie, 1 should fancy; and the strongest mind cannot stand suc cessfully against that sort of thing. I don't llke that insomnia! Hew does she leek the first thing in ihe morning?" "Why, that is just what first opened my eyes!" I cried, startled by the doctor's words. "She looked terribly ill when she came down te breakfast yesterday morning; her face was quite haggard and drawn." "I see," he said thoughtfully "scarce ly any sleep nt all, nnd what sleep she docs get is se tormented nnd worried by dre-tma that she had almost better be awake. Well, you see, Qulnten, thi3 h a matter beyond the reach of pills ei draughts. I could certainly give her something te send her te sleep, but it would de her no real geed. What you want and it is the only thing that will be of any use is relief te the mind. Lei me see this is Friday, and she is net going up te town until Monday after after neon, you say. I'll leek in again en Sun day, but" His li3 drooped expressively as he shook hands, and I watched him march away down t he snow covered read feeling dcsierntcly wretched and helpless. What was I te de or, rather, what could I de if Cynthia still chese te main tain this ebstinate reserve? Howevcr, I determined te make an effort te discover what really ailed her, se after luncheon I ordered the deg cart, and told Cynthia te get ready for n drive. She tried te get out of it et first, but I was determined, nnd at length she gaveway. She had pleaded the cold aa as au excuse, se, when she came down ready dressed, I sent for my mother's f tu lined carriage cloak and insisted en bet wearing It overall her ether garments, and saw myself that the feet tin wai really het bofero we started. We talked en every day matters until we were fairly through Clayhlll and out en the open read beyend, and then 1 worked round te my topic "Dees the cold get in anywhere?" 1 nsked, turning round te see that tin bearskin was well tucked In en her slde, and noting gladly the increased bright ucssef her eyes and the slight tingea pink In her checks. She smiled eloquently ns she answered "Net anywhere; yeu've net left chink for 'my Indy wind te Bet her feel in.' It's delightful coming out witli you, Gerald you take such care of one.' "The drive is doingyeu geed already,' I said, jcsultically. "I can feel it is!" she cried, withnjoy withnjey withnjoy eua laugh. "The air is se exhilarating every breath I draw bcems te give nit fresh strength. I feel that I want tc shout with gladness." "Yeu ought te have mero air than yoe de, Cynthia. I don't beliove you would have theso wakeful nights Jennings 6oke of If you spent mero time out of doers." She paused befere replying, and I almost fancied she argued with hcrself during theso few mementa whether it would be wiser te tackle the subject .boldly and finish with It for geed or te let it drop. Whether she discussed the matter or net, she adopted the former ceurse. "I'm glad you mentioned that," she said, speaking slowly nt first, but mero quickly afterwards, no I uttered an ox ex ox clamatlen of Incredulity; "very glad, because I can say te you what might have offended Mr. Jennings If I had said it then. Yeu knew that Is nil a myth nlieut my net sleeping at least," she ex plained, n? 1 turned te her with a re proachful glance, "It la a myth in the way he put It. He speke as if it were quite a serious matter ea if I never get nny sleep nt nil, while the truth is I have merely lieen kept nwnke mero or less the last fortnight by violent neuralgia." "Then why didn't you tell Jennings that?" I nsked, looking steadily nt her. Fer a moment she faltered, and a sad little tremor passed ever her face; it was almost an admlbbien of untruth, nnd I was going te overwhelm her with an nvalancha of entreaties for her confi dence, but she was tee quick for me, "Can't you see for yourself why I did net tell Mr. Jennings?" she said, with a forced gayety that was very painful te see, "He would have desed me unmer cifully with iiatibceus mest.es, nnd I wanted te have my little holiday down here in peace," "Cynthia," I remonstrated, laying ene hand upon hers, nnd, after glancing ahead te 6ee that the read was clear, let ting the uiare de pretty much as she liked, "weu't you tell me nbeut this treuble that has crept Inte your life, dear? If the ferce of circumstances keeps us apart, that is no reason why we should net help each ether in every way we possibly can. Let me help you new." Her lips quivered, but she kept her self control wonderfully na she answered me, with her cyeu fixed upon the hori zon i "Yeu have helped me, Gerald no body could have helped me as you lune; you have been the soul of generosity nn foiljcamnce always. I don't need any help from you new, dear." "Net In thia new bother? Let me share it witli you, Cynthia!" "It fa nil nensense, you knew," she de clared, shaking her head gently. "There is no new bother that you can help me In. New let ua forget all thia nonsenbe and enjoy our drive. Wnke Nancy up, Gerald; I like te meve quickly through the air it's like drawing two breaths at ence te feel the wind flying past ene." I felt I could de no mero nftcr this. Leeking back I often try te find out where the mlstake began, and if it origi nated with me; but I cannot see what clse I could have said or dene. In spite of all my leve for her it was evident that Cynthia would net give me her confi dence. CHAPTEU IIL At the time these events were taking place I waa a bhlning light in the Society of Freemasons, nnd en the day Cynthia left Clayhlll the Monday after Christ mas day I had te ntteud my ledgo la town. It was an important occasion, and I was likely te be kept there very late, ee I brought up my bag with me in order that I might drcsa in Billitcr street and go back thcre te sleep, 03 waa my usual custom when unable te catch the last train te Clayhlll. In my new anxiety, !ern of the dis tressing change iu Cynthia, I had de termined te bee mero of Heraco than I had hitherto dene. I thought he had perliapj told his bibter hew little netice I took of him during business hours, and I blamed myself when I thought that my neglect of the boy had possibly seme share in her worry. I rated myself beundly for my want of charity In letting the memory of his past selfishness preju preju diee me against him new, when he had shown hw willingness te Ce his best te keep his father's name untarnished befere the world. On thia particular Monday morning, as he and I dioe together in a hansom from the station te Billitcr btrcct,(I tried tee)en the way towards a more'gciiiul feeling. "I'm going tOEtay at the oflice to night," I Bald; "wo've get a heavy even ing's work en at our ledgo, and I shall net be nble te get away in tlme for the 11:U0." "Get your dress, clothes thcre, I sup jOi.t?" he answered, touching my bag with his feet. "Yes. By the by, we don't dlne un til 7; I shall be having a pretty square lunch at 3 o'clock. Will you have some with me, Herace?" "I shall be only tee glad if you will mnkelt nil right with old Levcns; he's se awfully down en us junior if wo're flv minutes ever our time." , "I'll see te that," I said, aa the cab drew up. "I'll tell him I want you." I remember we were very busy that day, aa we alwaya were after a vacation ,of nearly a week. Indeed I myself was se much pushed for tlme that, lmd it net been for my appetntment with Hor Her aco, I should have had seme feed sent in from the nearest restaurant and eatcu it In the pauses of my letter writing. Howevcr, in the circumstances, ' that arrangement was net te be thought of, se I managed te get out for an hour somehow, and made up for it by stick iug te my work until the last minute. At n little after 0 o'clock Heraco came Inte my private oflice with seme letters for me te sign, and immediately after wards his special bogey, Levcns, came came te ask me for a chcquel had prom prem ised te seme charity. I took my private cheque book out of the tnble drawer in front of me, filled in the cheque hurriedly, passed it te him, and then went en signing Uorace's letters. "I say, Herace," I said, when I had nearly finished, "you might wait and help me te get into my evening coat; I'm se pushed for time, it's just as much aa I shall de te save my character for punctuality; and they nre be precious particular." "All right!" he answered. "I'll coma back ns 6oen as I've given lUchards these he's waiting te run up te the general with them." "Tell him te take a hansom, or he'll be late," I called after him; "and he can bring it back for me." i Then I began te clear my tnble as quickly as I could, and, while I waa doing se, I heard the clocks chlme the half hour after 0. Without stepping te finish my task, I dashed up stairs and began te dress as fast as I could. Heraco followed me in a few minutes, unpacked my bag, and helped me Inte my things. Richards, who lived en the premises, was back again by the tlme I was jdrcssed, and was waiting In the hall, with the keys in Ids hand, te lock up. After oflice hours we went in and out by a small slde deer, which led Inte the Uwelllng part of the heuse, from which the offices were separated by heavy doers have way down the halL When these doers were locked thcre waa no commu nication between the business and the private parts of the heuse. Se Richards waited te let me out nt the front deer, because the cab could net get up te the narrow alley leading te the slde en trance. "Will you ceme as far ns I go upon your read, Heraco?" I asked, as I slipped en my overcoat. "Ne; I won't bother te step you te Bet me down," he answored. "Besides, I have te get my coat. Ta-tnl I hepe you'll be in tlme." As the cab moved off I saw him turn back into the dark doorway of the outer oflice again, and Richards behind him reaching up te light his taper nt the lml bracket, ovldently with the intention of giving Heraco a light te find his coat. I had hardly rcallrrd this te myself when I suddenly icmcmbcred that I had left my prl vste cheque book lying en my oflice ttibje. I was certain of itt When I Heard the half hour chlme I had waited for nothing, and I knew I had net put it away before. In fact I had left it en the tnble en purpose, Intending te fill in an other check te take with me ns ray do nation te the Masonie school; but I had forgotten all about it in my hurry. However, thcre was no great harm dene, I assured myself; no ene would go into the room between new and te-morrow morning except Richards and his wife, and they were trusted servants of many years' Btandlng. In spite of all my efforts at feeling comfortable, howevcr, thcre was n lurking boiise of uneasiness in my mind as often as I recalled that glimpse I had of Ilorace Dcbenham plunging Inte the darkness of the outer office which led through into mine nnd slew, steady old Rlcharda stepping te light his taper at the hall bracket bo be bo fiire following him, It waa iu vain that, as often as this idea proHentcd itself te me, I brought myself up eharply and anathematized my narrow minded prejudices, and be en. The thought would recur und I could net get rid of it, bully myself na much aa 1 liked. It waa quite a relief when my solitary drive was ever te And myself nmenff a j number of friends and acquaintance;), nnu te ue nnie te put tue ugly suspicion out of my mind. Having ence get rid of it, it did net recur until the next morn ing, when, oddly enough, my first thought wa3 of the cheque book. I looked at my watch and found it waa half past 8, be I rang my bell and asked Richards if he had seen anything of the book when he had shut my room up the night before. "I did net go into your room, sir," he answered; "I locked the deer without going inside. Mr, Dcbenham went in te fetch his knlfe from your table, and I locked the deer as seen as he came out." ' "Ilia knife?" I queried: and then I re membered he had used it te crase a wrong initial en ene of the letters he had brought me te sign; but the romem remem romem brance did net bring me much satisfac tion. "Is Mrs. Rlcharda In the offices yet?" I asked. ' "Yes, blr, this half hour past." "Then just run down nnd bce If my cheque book is en iny tnble there's a geed fellow." I lay In a Btate et unpleasant expecta tion until his return nn expectation that was fulfilled te the loiter. Thcre was no cheque book there! I get up and dressed, feeling much tee worried te keep still, and was down in the outer oflice when the first clerk Mr. Lcvcns arrived. He looked very much astonished when he saw mc; but, befere he had tlme te say moretliau geed morn ing, Heraco Dcbenham came following en his hrela. He, tee, looked astonished at my unusual carlincss and confused, tee, I thought, when I told ldm I wanted te speak te hlni for a few moments in my room. As we passed in I waa conscious of I a) en:t' keenly curious glance follow ing us; ha was inclined te be "down en Herace," I knew, and itessibly he hoped tlmtthoyeuugbtcr was In fera reprimand. As seen ua Ilorace had closed the deer behind him, te my untold relief he took my cheque book out of lita pedket and put it upon the table, "That waa what j ou wanted me for, wasn't It?" he bald coolly, "I saw it lying here when I camu in for my knife lat night after you lmd geuu, be I thought I had better take it home with me for bafety. 1 expected te Jiave been here be be bo eoro ou had time te mi&s It." Nena but thevj who have geno through a bimilar experience cuu understand hew thankful I felt. It would have bcenbad enough te have lest the book in any cir cumstances, but te have lest it in such n way that suspicion pointed teCyntlua'a brother as the thief would have been in in eupperninie. I thanked him for his forethought; and was bill! btaudin( with the book In my hand whii Ia ii -am iu with thuflrbt hatch of letter, having just unlocked tee letter itex. He clanccd at the cheque book rleualy, and, under the impula dMl' moment, made mere commaaleatff 'Jtth ' the relief te my feelings, I told Ma witt ( i bad happened. I never saw a ma ,' affected out of all proportion te thecMM of hla emotion as be was. - "And Mr. Debanhem had it In kta MM '-' all night!" he said, in a tragie tone. "Well, I think yeu're lucky te have gel it back- safe, Mr. Qulnten set thI should llke te say a word against lb lad himself; but he gees into such queer company that it would net have sur prised me in the least if his pocket m4 been picked of it." "What de you mean by queer com pany, Levcns?' I asked, with a auddea idea that I had perhaps stumbled upon Cynthia's secret worry by accident "Why, betting men, and se en. X1 overhear the juniors talk sometimes, and it seems te me that Mr. Dcbeabaa , mixes a geed deal with bookmakers and i such rabble, for I often hear him give what he calls a private 'tip' from So-aad-Se te ene nnd another of thorn." "That's bad business," I said, indiffer ently, turning te my letters aa I spokes ' and he took the hint and went I did net open my letters for soma minutes, but sat thinking ever thia newi of Herace's associates. T , ,- "27it teaj what veu u-anttd .mt for, tvam't itr This was werse than almost anything, tlili rtcnvn en lnlilHf T IawiB T lJ Set. I ME!?4HlLLaV&3 I M til 'WeWeOttwf J JgJf. Hh7 tutu witM.li iui UVlllIlgi 1 JkllUtVj IUJT M 1IBU vv gonetnrougn tue oxpenence myself. I urnulil n1mnt tfiHtrti htrn tiAfml thA ITnrnrVl liml fnltnn lntfttnvrihrtnrms0 vlce tliaa UiU particular ene of backing homes net bccau&a it Is Iu Itself met heinous, but because IU held en IU rle- fltt Id an tanartUua nml lvrwniaA ve? lim .i7i"j",T.' ,"".-"' $ viuu BirunuuiK biuu issues. increwas no ueuui ten inmymma -v-. new en the subject of Cynthia's trouble & site Knew or tins weakness or her '; urevue-rs. . T -tl.l 4 . 1- TT I M. w i. & i uiu uut Bpuuit tu uuraw, out i get i away from the oflice as coon aa I could that afternoon and went te her te tell her I had found out' her secret and te arrange seme plan for reclaiming the -young idiet.4 when I was announced ', euu m:uuicu icas sen pesscssca inaa x, usual, I thought, and her agitation in-. t creased when she heard my story, ' V "Vaii nrnwrvinffnn nn, tittnt flAt-al.! I J' u. . i.avuQW.. W..W VM.,WV1., -?, she said, when she had heard all I had i' te tell her; "I knew Heraco waa In dllB- Z culties, but I did net knew hew he get' , Inte thorn. I never had a suspicion of 'l tne cause I only knew he waa In dee- xs pcrateiy low spirits nnu ewcu mere mon ey than he could possibly pay; but be never told me it waa bettinE that kad t'3 caused his troubles." hi "uui, an tue same, ue nas reanagea M a3 mnlsn mil tit a inn r9 ttiiwttif I 4sejMfr fTa SaW J WU IIIV UIIU VI fVeVfrl4 tVIUIVUI tTJ of the worry the yeunir rascal had been. U.J te her. "I knew all about it, my dear, Jj gin j you necu net try te ncicnu mm. i4 vg can quite unucrsiauu new no nea come .a Immrt ulit lifii liApeji lin.1 Iuiam !...- '"& wherc,' hew he lias cried out against fate, and snorted ami fumed and paced llin rctcim. nml nwnni tin wnt n mlrifvl tn.in. nml flnnlnril thorn u-iu nntv nna n; way out of his misery te put an end te himself and all the rest of the cheap tti-nd.lln Kiw tttfrtia in ma f.rll.l. that van have raised mnnnv tar him v', mero than encer" "', .V PJIU PUIU lJU,f.-,.J, tVW IH3 eyes ana loeicmg asnaraeu or ncrseuv M. VUUIU I4UII li' I1IU4 uu du tvuitivu. Hum I had the means te help him." A "Andl8uppoiie you have parted with J seme of your mother's Jewelry?" , "I did net want it new, you see," she fe. unswi-ruu. ' "new much have veu lest?" I naked. " fccllner rnv rnc-n increasing within ma at l every reply Bhe made. "De and fetch me all you have left, Cynthia; I will keep it for you he shall have no mere." "I have nene left. Qerald." i - It wan quite as much as I could de te kcep back the exclamation that rose te tgi ... tin- It... Y .11.1 131. ,. .I.K.M..1 -. f. fti iuy nfia, uui a uu. euu Butuumj wu law caimness. wnai rigut nau i 10 atoms a-: ana rave wuen tue cmui suucrerwaa v patienu i toeic a iew rapiu turns up ana aewn the room, and, when I had thoroughly regained my self control I speke again. "Ia he in debt new?" "Yes." The word was scarcely mero than a BiyiJ, UU 1 lillUIV WIUlli Ik tUSIr 11CI MJ say It. 4 "Hew much de you knew? $; due loeucu nt me wuueuc speaiung. : anu ncr lips quivereu. 'IVin'l h fnn!tli fVnMil.il" t until. going ever te her. "What fa a little B' money te me compared with your com- i fort nnd bnnniness? Yeu eucht net te 'rj fnnl If cr. She tried te sneak, but her face worked -, 4 . ., ... , , aa.. ....I ft! .nl .. i..il ..liii in .m lin. I.M..J 4: niiil .... ivn'1 K)r ni-ita Pni- n nn- fiinmitnt. ,' I smoothed her pretty hair gently; and, $; when I heard a sob ceme from behind Z, the sheltering hand, I felt I wanted se - murder seme ene Heraco for choice. By and by, when she took hoc hand from Imr evra. nnd murmured semcthlnc vt about being silly , I druw forward a chair 4', and sat down in front of her. "New I am going te talk business," I eald verv eolemnlv. "This bcttinir isa .i; Bcrieua matter, and I don't knew 'hear Q best te set about curing Herace. If I , WUUIU fclVU uu t ima fcwie ,b." J n' might pcrhapa have Bome effect ou huij ji hnrari Ami if veu will leave ua ti win veu let me wait ucreumu no cettiea gethcr, I will go at him hammer and - ...nn r..l iti(.AtlAn liln virlili Incinnf til.- I .UilfcO, UIU, ..l..V... ...U ...... II1.M.H.UU- 3 honor net te steep te thia felly.again! ' When I've given him a geed shaking up ; i ii iiiiibu vy Eeiumg ius prsacui uewut, -, What is the ameuntr" ' A I took my cheque book from my pocket & ns I speke, nud began te fill iu, se that ' Cynthia might have tlme te recover her f , self. When I had written in 'Tay te Mr. 4? 4? Heraco Dcbenham ," and Blgned my namev A: I turned back the last tally te leek at tha -,' "ate" Cnttiuat next Aiturdupi ( J f Hanliu.1 PrsUe l-wt -r.- Thi. c... iv-nelcs. Phrnn(aii la onietvid ail V.'. giving an Interview with Baake, fee, i.i...,in ciiil..,. at th world, iii which k ia jt VIIIIIIII'IVU WHHVI T - -mr --- -- j. , full of pratsoef the young AuVralUin, Scat la "J ; i. m mut nYYinner for k ckaiBDiOB. .1 " thlpef thawerlJ tldi autumn ia Kugmad. H "jS Ilanlau declares tua rer jerui, pect, ....!., .,.-.u... I.I. .W-.1.1.I nl ftfc V he for outclasses uch tueu aa Baacb eatH Wme. lumevei- reed thaw two BUV b.ft "-J .:' aa; c- " M :$ m 41 wv. m ;s W fr.A " y a V , -y . H--ty . - ,y . i3r !Vtjt"i &&& . w?T iKtf - . Vvi, 't$Ptg1ka; i'4sii, vSkI
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers