-v"?1 ? rtl,'ri -T"ti J i" -" - .--..ri .- t - - - ,ji,: -n- THE LAKCASTEB DAILY IKTELLTGElSreEK, SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1889. I '.irxK vp -.' w is-t'T WiLHsiwn"j- n jkaf-cstwht" B? CHEQUE ft FASCINATING ROMANCE OP A LONDON SUBURB. By the Auther of " By Crooked Paths," "Sheathed in Velvet,". Etc. j f "Ishall go down by Iho mail te-nlgbt, te Plymouth," I Raid resolutely, standimr tttp, and pulling myself together. "I way te enuraru Naples by tlie beat; but ijin mny case I shall have (he satisfaction of bidding her Reed -by. Sce te tlie wnre wnre fceustliff of all theso llilnrs. Jein, or send Levens up from the city te sce te it, and Sed out If there, are any outstanding J bills, and settle thetn. Send me up n I'amall bag te Waterloo at half past 8 te- -jCillifc mntliw." The next night Cynthia and I ait in y bet cabin together. By the use of my taamn Ttnnitn linil cviirn.1 .linr n fntiffl Irk herself net a rcry dlllicult matter at ' that time of the year se we had these ? last few. minutes free from Interruption. r "I waa afraid yen would de this, Gcr " aid," she paid, with her Bad eyes fixed en V my face. "I told llorace net te put the ,' labels en the luggage until he get it te the railway station, but I suppese he for fer f get. It was net wise te come, dear It la only prolonging our sorrow te its ut most limits!" "I caine in the hepe that even new I should pcrsuade you te change your mind and ceme back with me, Cynthia." "Gerald," she said solemnly, 'laying her cold hand en mlne, "let me try te convince you that in the present circum stances nothing in tlie world would in duce me te marry you, nnd I shall net be sorry you have come. Though your loyal leve blinds you te the horror of this crime new, It would net be se always. Can you imagine anything any earthly torment exceeding that which I should suffer when your present blindness clear ed away, and you saw me nnd my nin as they really nre? Out you understand what my anguish would 1 day after day, when I saw or fancied I saw your manner te me growing cooler nnd mera reserved? Hew should I x nble te help thinking tlie change was due te your memory of that shameful net? The thought would be an intolcrable torture; I could net live under It; I should go med or kill myself! Tlie bare idea is se terrible that, If you wcre te tell me new I must cither go back and marry you or threw myself ever the slde of the ship tills instant, I would a thousand timea rather drown myself I" She speke without excitement, but with a calm solemnity wldch carried con viction te my sorrowful heart. I had nothing te say. What answer could I gire te such n declaration as she had just made? She, tee, eat quiet for n few minutes, with that vacant leek in her eyca of which Jem had spoken; nnd then she be gan te speak in a low, dreamy volce that mede me fancy alie hardly knew she was speaking. "If heaven, In infinlte mercy, would let me wake up nnd find it was all a dream a bad, cruel dream If I could come te you nnd 6ay, 'Gerald, I have been laboring under an hallucination; I did net de what I said I did; I am as in nocent of the crime as you are,' I should resign myself te you villi a joy you can not realize. I would ceme te you nnd strlve, by n lifelong gratltude, te show you the thankfulness that my heart feels towards you for your goodness te ine and mine. But that is all fanciful non sense, isn't it'" she said gently, ns she reusod herself from her languor. "Only I should like you always te remember. ficsakTMbxit my leve Is us much and ns entirely yours in this moment of our earthly separation as it has ever been lu the days of our brightest hope!" Tlie warning lell for passengers going ashore began te riag. Thore was a minute of keenest agony, nnd I was out and up en deck with my traveling cap pulled well down ever my eyes and my fur cellar up te my cars. "Geed-by, Qulnten," said the captain; "I'll try te make the voyage as pleasant aa possible te 5 our friends." Try te make the veyage pleasautt I almost bated hliu for his civility. CrjArER VII. Cynthia had goue from me, nnd still I lived. I cannot say it was a very happy, or'evcn cheerful life but I lived. I neither took te gambling, drinking, nor bad company, but 1 became ery fend of my own society, had n set of chambers fitted up ever the elllccs, and spent the best part of my tiuie thcre, smoking u great deal mere than was geed for 1110, and dwelling upon the just in a way that was net conducive te geed health nnd spirits. Whenever I met an acquaint ance nbeut town, he told ine I was looking "precious queer," and advised a trip te Canada or the States; and I knew my mother nnd Jem although the latter had an np- E reaching crisis of her own te distract er thoughts fretted a geed deal about me. I was tee bellltih, hew ever, te shake off the unvvholcsemo depression that held me fast in its grip. Living in this deplerable state of self concentration, it may easily be Imagined that I did net tiouble myself much ubeut tlie well being of people 6urteuuding me. Nevertheless, and in bpite of my increas ing indifference te outward cents, the knowledge was abruptly forced tien my unwilling mind that something was going wrong with our head clerk Levens. For merly the most steady and sober of men, he waa new when well en in the fifties taking te habits of intern perance. The drat tiuie I noticed it was 0110 af ternoon in the middle of October, when he had brought a letter te 1110 te read. A fog waa gradually settling eer the city, and I could net read u 1th ease, se I pushed the matches across te him and asked him te light the gus. IIe lighted it three times, each tiuie turning it out again when he tried te moderate the flame. The fourth time I became Impatient, and watched the operation te sce w hat was wrong, ills hand was shaking se violently that, when he tried te turn the tap half way back, he lest all control ever his lingers and put the light out again. I took the matches from him and lighted the gas myself; but befoie he left the room I liadoneor two geed steady leeks at him. What I saw set me won dering where my eyes had been net te have noticed the change that had taken place in him. His eyes wcre bloodshot, Lis skin bleated and his lips tremulous. This could net have been the work of two or threo days 011 the spree, but the result of soma mentlis' liard drinking at tha least That evening, after dinner, when I had get my favorlte pipe going full blast, and Richards advanced te the pest of major deme of my bachelor establishment was clearing away tlie remains of the meal, I asked him a question or two; and, though be answered with manifest reluctance, I .Matrireti te puma UjaJnfnnnatjQneut NO. 9031. of him that everylKxly In the heuse knew of Icvens' weakness. "Hut it never used te be se, Richards!" I cried in astenhhment. "Dear me, no, sir," he returned prompt ly. "That's why every one'a se sorry about it! It was only early in this year that he broke out like this; and wo've nil been hoping that he would get ever the fit befere you noticed It." "Is he such n favorlte in the house, then?" "Net exactly what you would call n favorite, sir; but he lias alwaja leen very much looked up te nnd respected since he has been with the firm; nnd I suppese 110 0110 likes te sce n man throw ing away a geed position like he la do ing." When Richards had left the room, I sat for seme time thinking ever what lie had said. "It was only early in the year when he broke out like this." Karly in the year! Then Levens had taken te drinking habits ut Just the very lime when 1 was least likely te netice the al teration in hlm while I was still smart ing lelcutly from the pain caused by the less of Cynthia. True, the pain was no less nctite new than it had ecr been, but It was n ditrercut sort of pain. It no longer came in bitter spasmodic attacks, as it had douent first; It had simmered down Inte n dull, steady, hopeless hem t ache, a constant gnawing sense of some thing wanting, which I was nlways dimly conscious of, 110 matter bow I was occupied. I wondered what she was doing new? In his last letter llorace had told me nothing of hur beyond the fact that she sent her liest wishes. Her best wished What n peer, empty mockery after nil that had lieenl The next morning I had I-evens in nnd speke te him ns well ns I was nble, duelling principally upon the less nnd ruin te himself which must at length result if he continued his present con duct. "It 1 1 trouble that has dene It, Mr. Qulnten," he said, humbly, n he turned te leave me, with evciyelgn of deeply feltshame upon him. "1 should inner have done it but for tiouble." If he had Mopped I would li.ne naked him for ids conlldciice; but he was se anxious te getaway out of my sight, se criibhed by the degradation -of his posi tion, that I felt It would Ihj ciucl te keep him, and 1 let hlm go with hi trouble unexplained. I little thought as 1 watched him shambling out nt the deer hew seen and In what circumstances Hint secret trouhle was te be made known te 1110. A few days passed away In the usual plodding, listless way in which all days passed with 1110 new, nnd I was again sitting lonely and thoughtful ever my after dinner plie, when Kichards knock ed at the deer and told me "a person" was down stairs asking te see me. "Didn't he glve his name?" Iaskcd. "Ne," said Richards, "he didn't rIt his name, but he said you would knew him when jeu saw hint." Although I liad 0110 of my most misan misan theopical fits en, and would gladly have been left frce from nil companionship that night, I had no sufllcient excuse handy, and was obliged te glve n grudg ing assent te the unknown's admission. When he came Inte the brightly light ed room I looked nt hlm attentively, but was obliged te confess myself nt n less wliere.it he beamed In evident delight. "I uevcr should have lielievcd a beard could have made nil that dlfferonue," he Bald. "Te think of your net recognizing me, even when close like thlsl My r.aiue U llensen the detective, you Lnewl" "Of coursel" I ci led, shaking hands. "I remember 3011 new, although, ns jeu say, the beard docs make an Immense change. And hew Is the weild using i eu'r" "Tolerably well, sir; l'e nothing te complain of ns things gel l'vogeno into the public business giv en up the ferce altogether. 1 it been wanting te de It for seme time, nnd n certain little affair that took place Bome 11I110 months age" with a solemn wink "put it in my ewer te make n bid for n lltlle heuse that I'd had my eye en for bome time." "I see," I said, wondeilng If this visit was due te 11 tardy lit of gratitude, "And de you like jour new calling as well us the old ener "Dcttcr sir much better en all no counts! .But I haven't nailed en jeu U night te talk nbeut mjsclf, but nbeut that samolittle affair. Ie played us square with jeu all through that business as jeu did with me, sir, every bit." "I'm sure of that, Mr. Bensen." "Thank jeu. As seen us 1 found I was really en the light track 1 sheered off and lookup another clew which I knew would lead 1110 right nway from the trim one; and se I managed te divert suspicion from the leal party." "It was very geed of jeu, nnd I'm all the mere grateful te jeu liecau&e it was net se set down in the bend." "Well, sir, what l'e ceme te tell jeu tn-lilglit IUluttliero'nliiiniediatod mger of the truth coming out new, In splte of nil our past trouble te keep it quiet, The party himself j 011 knew whom I mean; the priuclpil in that llttle job has met with a nasty accident, tumbled through abtictt grating, net much in itself, but a serious matter te him owing te his shaky state of health, nnd be's gene a hit off his head. They brought him into my house, as luck would hae it; and, when I heard w hat he w as talking about, 1 bundled him Inte our private parlor and sent off for the doctor, instead of having hlm taken te the hospital, lie's an old customer of mlne, jeu see has used my heuse constantly ever since I've had it. When the doctor came, he looked cry queer about the case, se I left my jietman lu charge and came round te tee what jeu would like te haodenc If he gevs te the hospital, jeu see, lie'd likelj te blab, and I knew jeu" "Step .1 minute!'" I cried, feeling thor oughly bewildered. "I'm all nt sen! I don't knew lu the least what j 011 are talking about. Who has tumbled down n grating and gene off his head? Yeu can speak out there Is no ene here te libtl'll'l" "Why, jour head clerk, Levens!" "And what it the seciet that jeu are afraid he will betrnj?" "The forgery of that cheque, el coursel" "But what does he knew uleut it?" I asked, rising from mv elinir in terror j and stepping towards the detective, w he also rese with an expression of over whelming astonishment en his face. "What does he knew nleut that forged cheque?" he replied, partially recovering, I from his nmaA'iiient, "Well, if then! j is ene man en this earth who knew? I mero about the forgery of tliat cheaua than nnetlicf, I should say it is this man Levens, seeing he did it himself.'' "Yeu ere maill" I gasped. "What put such an idea into your head? Levens had nothing whatevcr te de with it; the forger was" As I nbntptly checked myself, a new light suddenly came into Ids eyes, and he struck Ids leg Igoreuslj' with his open palm. I "Hang me if what I thought ence or twlce wasn't right after all!" he exclaim ed cnergeticallj. "Yeu've been shield, ing the wrong party!" 1 "Yeu're mistaken," I said obstinately. "Yeu must be mistaken! Levcns was net concerned in it." , "I wonder if you'd glve me another five hundred e preve that he was," he returned quietly; nnd something in Ida tene of calm conviction kindled in my jicart the first feeling of hepe It had known- for nil theso weary months. Hut I was desperately afraid of being cheated j besides, what was this detective's were ngninst Cynthia's voluntary confession? mi ... nJmm I III 1 I mil 2fcW-flP IlirSrV I -1 S. '" -- " I'eti'rs inUtaken," I $a(tl obstinately. "Suppese I told j'eu that seme ene had confessed te the forgery?" Iaskcd, tremb ling lest he should admit that such proof of guilt would lx) Incontestable; but he only shrugged hlsHheulders ferbcaringly. "If it wasuny ene but Levcns I should say they had made nil tiiitrue confession jierhaps te cover the real ci Imlnnl." ! I en ns the words were spoken n veil seemed te fall from befere my eyes, and I saw nil things clearly. When I discovered the less of the ,choqueou that fatal night nt Kentish Town, and accused llorace of the theft, Cynthia had nlse concluded he was guilty, and had leselved te save hlm by sacrificing hcrselfl The very words she had spoken in my ofllce the next morning came back te me hi support of this theory. "IIe told 111c everj thing you hud Bald te hlm your threats, jour accusation, the coiibo ceiibo coiibe quences te hlm if he were tried nnd found guilty, nnd hew strongly apjiear auces wcre against lilm." I knew Cyn thia well enough te be aw are that with her feelings harrowed up bj' such details as thebe, with iter naturally strong In stinct of self denial worked upon by Herace's supjioseiiaiangcr.she was capa ble of throwing herself headlong into the breach, of sacrificing her geed name te save him from epeir Infnmj-. lint again 1 held In check the gloiieus rush of hope that was threatening te take my heart by storm; again I feaied te belie va this bewllderlngly joyful news, lest I should presently be driven back te my former Btatoef hopelessness, only te find It a thousand times worse than ever for my Iketiug glnnce at n brighter existence. All this passed through my mind with lightning speed, nnd when I looked up I found lloiisen watching me narrowly. "Well," he said, "what de jeu think of -that theory?" "Whatiheery?" ' "That the erbOii who made that (also confradeu te j ou did it te cover the real offender?" "I think j-eti nre partly right; but. If Iho forger Is ically Levcns, joiuure nlse partly wieng." Mr. Bensen looked puzzled. "Come," I cried "I'll make a bargain with jeu. Take me te see ioer old Levcns let 1110 hear bome of this 'blab bing' that j-eu nre se nfrnld of, and, If I fun convinced by it that it is u-allj'us you nay, I will glve yeun full account of llie whole chapter of mistakes." In two minutes we were In the stieet; In ten ve weie In my head clerk's pres ence. They had laid hlm en n large couch lu Iho loom behind the bar, and the doctor was with hlm when wenrrived, having returned te administer a draught hlm Klf. I steed at the feet of the couch for n few moments watching the patience of the medical man, ns he again nnd again persuaded his patient te put his lips te the medicine glass, enlj' te withdraw thorn again in shuddering horror, with a wild declaration that he was being pois oned. "I won't be killed like n rat in n hole!" he shouted angrily, flinging his arms up with the evident intention of upsetting the draught. "What harm have I dene j'eu that j-eu want te put 1110 out of the way lu this seciet manner? Who nre jeu? 1 don't knew jeu I never s.iw j-eu befere! What nre j 011 keeping 1110 here for? I must go home at once thej will be missing me and making inquiries. Inquiries?" he lepealed, as if the very sound of the word had started another train of Ideas. "Who Is making Inqui ries what about? Can't they let the thing lest even new after all these months of miserable torture? I've had my punishment ever and everngnln; I should havebtiffcicd less In prisenl" Leeking up, I caught Bensen's glance fixed upon inoquestieiiingly, nnd I bhoek inj head. Thcre was souie disgraceful secret en the oer old man's inlnd cer tainly; but what proof had we that It had nuj thing te de with the abstracted cheque? The detective's theory was tee geed te I hi tine, I told mj self. 1 was w filing enough te consider any idea that pointed towards Cynthia's innocence, but I could net see my way te blufting the burden of the affair bodily en te peer old Levens' shoulders without unquestion able uv idcuce of his guilt. "Yeu are an old acquaintance, I think are jeu net, Mr. Qulnten?" inquired the doctor, looking nciess nt me. "Of Mr. livens', j es." "Would jeu iniiul trjlng if he will take the draught fiem jeu? He may j kid te the familiar voice, even though hu does net actually lecegniru j-eu; nud It is be i-ieutial that he should get 6O1110 bleep." "It is 11 sleeping draught then?" "It is something 111010 ihau a meru sleeping draught; it is 11 powerful nar cotic. Half iiie.i-.ures tue of 110 use here. If the present strain 011 his nerves is net iclluveil toen we may reckon Ids lifebj hours." 1 took the glass and leaned ever liv ens. "Will jeu have n glass of vvine with me, Mr. livens?" 1 asked, in a voice us neatly like my every d ly tene as I could command. l'er n moment he looked at me witli keen suspicion, as if he doubted his ou n eyesight. But the doubt been cleared away, nnd he answered in n peifectly rational manner: "With pleasure, sir!" and put out Ids shaking hand for the glass. It was baiely emptied befere some new horror beized him, uud he Idt struleht out In front of hlrn wUliwhat Ngk he evidently thought was n crushing blew, although in reality thcre was scarcely enough ferce in the movement te displace a lly. "Yeu cruel dev 11 te torment ine like thlsl" he whispered hoarsely, with Ills eyes fixed upon' seme imaginary object befere hlm. "Yeu incarnation of evill Yeu bean of wlckedncssl" Ijitoetintthofootof the couch again, watching the wearying, unceasing roll of his head from slde te side, nnd listen ing te the words of terror that fell from his blackened lips. Only a year age only ten months age, in fact he had been ene of the keenest, most rcliable of business men te be found in Londen; and new, what was he? 'What!" I nskctl myself In silent won wen uV r "what had brought lilm te such a p ns as this nt his tlme of life?" "Wliat de you honestly think of the case, doctor?" I asked presently. Ter answer he took Levcns' wrist and timed his pulse. "The narcotie has get held of him," he said, "but he liea had a very nasty shake for n man of his advanced age and of his habits, lias he drunk all his lire?" "One of the most sober men I've ever knew 11 until nbeut a year age." "Geed heavens you don't say se! Then he must have given his mind very thoroughly Indeed te it since then. What de I honestly thluk of the case? Well, I think ills just posslble we may patch hlm up for a few j-ears, under certain condi tions." "And theso are?" "The most important of ceurse is that he should keep from the drink; but nb nb nb Bolute freedom from worry and nnxicty of all kinds is almost ns necessary for his cure. What could have driven such a man te tntcinpcrance new?" "Ou that part of the matter I can glve you no definite information' I replied. "I wish I could." "lie Is safely off new!" remarked Ben Ben eon from his pest of observation by the lire "We must make him comfertablo with rugs nnd pillows for the night, I suppese. Hew long is he likely te sleep?" "Kight or ten-hours, if it is te de him any geed." "And will he knew what he'd nbeut when he wakes?" "Most likely; but thcre will be no do de pending en hlm. IIe will be sensible ene mlnute nnd the victim of his fancies the next. But you'll net find him se difficult te inauage as he has been to night. I'll leek in nbeut the time I ex pect hlm te wake up. If you want me sooner, though, don't mind sending for me." "Held me as the rcsponslble person in this case, doctor," I said, as he began te put en Ids gloves. "I don't at all kneTv what Mr. livens' present means nre, se It will be mere satisfactory for nil con corned if j-eu knew w he is cashier en this occasion." The clocks were striking tvvelve as he left, and seen after I heard the people in thu bar oulside clearing out quietly un der the instructions of theso In charge. Then seme belts were shot, and a sudden silence fell upon the house. "Bensen," 1 said, when he came back presently with his wife, "I will btny here the night, If jeu will allow me. I shall be quite comfei table hi that large easy chair; and, If he should wake up befere the tlme mentioned by the doctor, I shall have mete control ever hlm than n stranger would have. The first thing in tlie morning j-eu must send for a, man from Guj-'s hospital, and we'll get hlm away te his own home." Thcre was n llttle demurring te this arrangement at first, but I meant te have 111 j' own w ay for n particular object I had in v low. I did net quite like the doctor's tone when he had sjteken of the prebable length of Levcns' sleep. It seemed te 1110 that he had hinted at seri ous consequences in the event of the sleep net lasting the predicted time. Something in his manner had even sug gested that immediate danger might he apprehended. If this were se, I would net 1 mi the risk of missing what little chancu there might be of learning some thing about the feiged cheque in the first few moments of his awakening. The foolish hepe, ence planted in Tny mind, increased In strength everj- mo ment. I would net have confessed ns much te nny ene, but it was true that, in spite of the warnings of common sense, which told 1110 I was only prepar ing a bitter disappointment for myself, theso wandering words of I -evens', which pointed te 1111 ever present consciousness of deserved punishment, would associate themselves in my mind with the theft nud fergerj of my cheque Ne. 0,0111. I kept en telling mj-self that I wa'i mad te dream of such a thing, that Lov Lev cns had never had the least chance of getting at my private cheque book en the night it had bccuiuipcrcd with, hut that despoiate, wild, Improbable hepe had been infused into mj' mind bj the ex-detective, strengthened by Lev ens' unconscious words, and it llitly re fused te leave me again. Bensen's old fashioned little tavern was situated in an out of the way Bide btreet, through w Inch scaicely anj traf fic passed nt the busiest time, but new, in the binall hours of the morning, there w.is 1111 intense silence around us, bro ken eiilj bj- the chimes of the distant chuieh clocks ns thej told off the quar ters 0110 ufter another. New and again the bhoutlngef a street bravv ler vv euld bieak the stillness, robbed of nil its discordant coarseness by the distance, nud seeming rather te accentu ate than dUtmb the seething quiet of the night. Slowly the hours wero nwny slewlj', but net wearilj", for mj- heart was tee vvildlj expectant of what the morrow might have in store for me, tee full e( delicious imaginings, te leave time for weariness or impatience. What if I-eveiu should awake conscious, and w hat wna of far greater importance repentant? What if he should confess te abstracting tlie cheque? Hew should I then have tlie patience te live through the bhc or beven weeks that would Mill beparate me from mj- iioer, proud, brave Cynthia? As often as I thought of her my pure mltided, mj- noble darling the mad hepe in my lieait became stronger. I asked mj self if 1 had ever really believed that she had dene this thing? I de net think 1 had, for in my heart there had nlwajs been 11 lurking doubt of llorace, no ditll cult Is it te uproot n strong prejudice. Closely occupied with these thoughts, 1 nnd 5 o'clock ussed without mj notic ing the lapse cf tiuie; and it was only w hen my patient liegan te show increased signs of lestlessness that 1 loused injsclf and diseeveied that it was 11 quarter te C and that the tlie was neailv out. Moving cautleuslj, I picked a few pieces of call from the bcuttle with my lingers, te avoid making any noise, and then went te have 11 leek at Levens, whohe arms were lieglnuiiig te twitch uleut nervous! j Was he going te w ake? He had only had bix hours of his eight or ten jet. Was that enough te serve the purjwse? As I leaned ever him, trjing te place a pillow mere comfortably under Ids tossing head, he opened his eyes and looked 1110 in the face. Fer a moment he beemed uncertain; but tlie uncertainty seen cleared away, and his glance went weuderingly round the room, and then back te my face, us though he were try lug te account for tlie iuceiulstencies of his surroundings. "Den' bother yourself fe Jlilnk, ijctcus," 1 tain quietly. ieu nan a diiagrccahle fall last night through en Insecure grating and they brought you here and sent for mc; but yeu're all right new, nnd by and by we will get you round te your own place." IIe put n tremulous band up te Ida head. "I don't remember," be muttered feebly. "I remember nothing. What la the time?" "Nearly 0 o'clock there, it la striking new." "And I have been In a faint all the night through?" "Ne; you have been asleep." "Asleep? Net all the time, surely! Have 1" a sudden fear showed itself in Ida glance aa the idea occurred te him "have I been wandering in my mind? Have I been dollrieus? And did they send for you te hear what I was talking about?" "Ne," I answered at once, trying bard te speak in a way that would carry con viction te his understanding; "the land land eordMr. Bensen sent for me because he did net knew where you lived, nnd" "Bcnsenr be exclaimed, suddenly putting his hand out te feel for mine. "Are we nt the 'Crown and Thlstle?" I nodded, for sooner or later he must knew, and thcre was nothing te gain by making a mystery of it. IIe sank back upon the pillow, breath ing with hurried gaspsj Ida eyes fixed n Ith a painful expression of terror upon mc. "Don't put yourself out about anything there's a geed fellewl" I said seething, ly. "Yeu see, you were nearer here Ihan any ether public heuse when you fell, se they brought you In. We'll seen get you away if you don't like the jdace" "It's net that," he whispered; "ene place Is ns geed aa another te me new. I was frightened just at first at the thought of your being here, In Bensen's house; but it does net really matter much. I fancy I'm about dene, sir; and I fnucy, tee, that you knew mero than you seem te." He paused nud looked nt me steadily. The terror had left his glance new; he teemed anxious only te knew what was passing in my mind. What was I te de? My whole being yearned passionately te knew the truth that I saw trembling en his lips. Would it be harmful te lilm te speak? I won dered. He nt last relleved me from my painful indecision by saying quietly: "It is ns I thought. I've betrayed mj. self, or Bensen has betrayed me. I don't think I'm sorry, theuglu Would you like te hear hew It happened, sir?" "If you don't think it will de you harm te tell me," I answered, trying my utmost te keep my desperate anxiety out of sight. "Ne; it won't harm me. I'm tee near my end for that. I have a conviction 011 me that I am about done for, and I should like te tell you all about that ter rible mistake of mlne. Might I have Femcthlng te moisten my threat befere I liegin, Blr?" 1 mixed him eoiiie weak brandy and water and gave it te hlm, for w hich he thanked 1110 crj- humbly. "Yeu were always a consldcrnte man," he said, ns I took the glass from his shaking hands; "and the thought of many n past kindness makes it all the harder te say w hat I have te. Yeu hnv e found out somehow that it was I w he took the cheque, but jeu don't know knew know hew 1 get iossessIen of it even new, de j ou?" Heavens, hew wildly my heart beat with joy as I heard the words that cleared the guilt from Cynthia's name! But I still contrived te speak quietlj, ni I told him he was right tlmt I could fei 111 no idea hew he managed te sccure the cheque. "De j-eu lomeniber being In a violent hurry that 01 euing?" he asked. "Yeu had II heap of letters brought te sign letteis for the Australian mail and jeu had an Important dinner te attend. While j-eu were signing the letters I came in nnd told jousemo ene had called fera cheque jeu had premised tosemoeharitj-. Can't jeu lecellect hew jeu fumed nt the in terruption, and hew jeu snatched up jour cheque book, filled hi n cheque, tore it out and passed it te 1110 without even blotting the writing?" I nodded in assent, nud as lie speke I recalled every trifling incident he men tioned. "That was w here the mischief came in, Mr. Qulnten. If you had turned the cheque ever te blot it you would have 6(en w hat j ou had dene. Yeu tere two cheques out instead of one, and j ou pass ed them both te 1110 together." Wns it possible? Had nil this" cruel trouhle ceme nlieut through such a sim ple mishap as this? I sat looking nt hlm, dumb with amazement. I must have looked almost incredulous, for he went 011 again with Inci eased eagerness. "It is heaven's truth I am telling j-eu, Mr. Qulnten! Yeu cannot dlsbcllove the word of a dj ing man?" "Ne, no," I cried; "I de net disbelleve you it Is tlie simplicity of the thing that seems be wonderful te me." "Yes; It was simple enough fatally simple for, if the temptation had net been put Inte my very hand, nud then further strengthened by what followed, I might have been a hearty and an honest man today, instead of the wreck, soul and bedj-, that I am. De you remember hew earlj you came into the olllce the next morning?" "Quite well." "And de you remember, tee, that jeung Dcbcuham came Inte the ofllce befoie I had bald mere than geed morn ing te jeu? Well, I had the blank cheque in mj- pocket te give te j-eu; and I was going te fellow jeu into your loom te tell jeu what jeu had dene and te leg j ou te Ik) mero careful for the future, when j-eu anticipated me bj' telling Do De benhani jeu wanted te speak te him, and going into j'eur pi ivate room with him. The moment he came out I went in te j-eu still with the intention of re turning the blank cheque. I found you with the cheque book In your hand, and I thought j-eu had discovered jour less. The words that would have explained everj thing were ou my lips, vv hen 6oiue ev 11 spirit must have put it into jour mind te tell 1110 what a fright you had had about the book, and that Debenhani had had It at home vv ith him bince the night liefere!" The dying man paused vv ith seme signs of exhaustion, and I tried te persuade him net te saj- any mere just then; but he insisted upon finishing. I "Can't j ou see vv hat a desjierate temp tation this news was te me? I liist.intlr saw hew suspicion mu-t inevitably fall en Ucbciiliani vv lien the less of the cheque was discovered, then ngaiu, knowing of jour engagement te his bister, I felt sure jeu would net lie hard 011 him, even If j-eu were sure of his guilt; and I ant ed the money most urgentlj'. The horri ble thought seemed te held me entranced; 1 paused the thing wasUeue, the oppor tunity for speaking had passed! Ne mat ter what hanitciicd utter that. 1 knew 1 could net return the cheque, because you would waut te knew whv 1 had net dene lse before. Then came ait hour or tw e of torturing Indecision, and then I took the next step 1 tilled in and signed the cheque, indorsed it with a fictitious name nud paid it away with Instructions te present it at once. That Is all. It is ftn awful thing te have te tell jeu; but me tcmng et 11 is netning compared with wliat I have gene through since that day. First thcre was the misery of knowing that Dcbcnham was suffering under sua plcien, the breaking off of your mar riage, tue abrupt departure of Vtl and his sister, nnd your palpable unbap frfness. Then there came a new phase, In which selfish fear blinded me te all ether considerations Bensen was en my track! "Certain inquiries had been set en feet which, if followed up, would, I knew, lead te posltlve discovery. It vas at this point that I began te drink te drown my fears; and when, after a time, I found the evidence against me was net being followed up, I continued the drink te keep me from thinking. I was puz zled te knew why the matter had been allowed te drop, for I was certain Ben Ben eon had been clese en my track once se clese that I had serious thoughts of put ting a bullet through my brain. Can you understand the curious fascination that has drawn me te this place night after night? Can you understand how hew knowing he believed me te be the thief who stelo the cheque I was attracted te his presence constantly, hew I vas always watching hint for signs of Ida suspicion, hew It was torture te be with him, and yet it was impossible te keep away from him? Ah, there he is!" 1 turned and saw that Bensen was standing in the doorway leading from tlie bar. -3: "Ah, there he " "It Is nil out new, Bensen," continued Levcns, feebly; "I've made a clean breast of it, nnd I'm net frightened of you new," "Let hhn have everything he wants, Bensen," I said, ns I found my hat. "Don't spare nuything en the ground of expense. I can't stay te sce te it myself. I have something clse te de that cannot wait." I tinned and groped my way out through the clese bar and leaned against the wall outside, feri was dizzy with excess of jej I clearly remembered the Incident the peer drink sodden creature had alluded te. I could even recall the wordlngef the letter I wasnttachlng my slgnature te when hocame Intomyefllco and asked for a cheque which I had prom prem ised te seme charity. I recollected what a great hurry I was in en ncceunt of my Masonic dinner, and hew I filled In the cheque, toie it out, nnd passed it te hlm se hastily that I did net even wait te blot the ink en It. Thcre was nothing in the least improbable in Ids assertion that I had tern two cheques out and handed them te him together, nnd thcre was something very impiobableln the idea that he should have imagined such a thing in his delii ium. Ne; he had sieken the truth! I knew It; I was absolutely certain of it! Cynthia's self accusation was false! I took off my hat nnd raised my eyes te the morning sunlight with 11 feeling of reverent grntltude in my heart nene the less ical because it diil net express itself in any set form. Then I went home, looked at mj newspaper, anil found that a ship nailed for Australia lu two days' tlme. I reached our ofllce in C0IH113 street, Melbourne, a few minutes befere closing time ene day towards the end of Decem ber. L'verj- ene was groaning under the Intolcrable heat, but I did net feci it; my thoughts wcre se much taken up with my approaching happiness that I was utterly insensible te all mere physical impressions. When llorace looked up from his desk and saw me he gave vent te his feelings In a great shout. "Where is Cynthia?" I said. "Take me te her directly." IIe glauced nt the clock. "Never mind the ofllce reutine!" I cried, impatiently. "I'll bet that straight for j-eu to-mei row. Come nt encel" He put en his hat nnd I followed him out into the glailng sunshine "We are living at St. Kilda," he said; "j eu'll have te exist another half hour without seeing her, although I'm afraid it's of no use. She has nlvvaj-a held te what bIie said that she would net marry jeu with that stain upon her character." I let him go aud get my ticket; nnd when we were in the train I leaned for ward and said quietly: "But if tlie slain upon her character never existed, what then?" He looked nt 1110 incredulously for a moment, and then murmured: "Impesslblel" "llorace," I whispered, "she never did It! She beheved j-eu had dene it, and ehe took the bhmoeu herself because bhe was afraid of the consequences for you. I liave found out the real thief. She had no hand at all in it. There's a sister for j en!" His eyes met mlne inquiringly, and his color came nnd went ncrveuslj'. He seemed te find it difllcult te grasp the idea; but he mastcied it presently, nnd his face softened under the inlluence of n great sense of gratitude. "Heaven bless her!" he said earnestly. "Heaven forever bless hcrl She is a noble hearted woman 1 Hew I thank heaven te be able te say that I have never caused her nu anxious thought Bince we left home!" We giipped hands, though I de net knew vv hat for, unless it was te let off a llttle of our suppressed emotion, aud that hand grip was the vanishing peiut of our old mutual animosity and the commence ment of a lasting friendship. When we get te tlie struct vv here they lived such an essentially colonial street very wide, verj sandy, with 11 row of tiny ene storied cottages with corrugat ed iron reefs and deep v erandas llorace btepped and teiuted out the heuse te me. "It's possible she may nut be home from her iniisie lessens for ft few min utes yet," he bald, "because I'm here a train sooner than usual; but j en won't have long te wait. She's always home in time te greet inc. Tell her I'll be in te dinner at 7." I went en aloue then te the heuse he had indicated. 'Iho gate of the llttle flower filled ceuttv.ird in front was en the sw nig, and thoheiisodoorbtood wide 0k!ii under the bhadj veranda. 1 went hi and steed In the little tiled hall, and wondered what I should de next. Three out of the four room doers were njar, but there was net u sound te be heard in the house. A cool breeze blew through the hall, and 1 took off my hat, conscious of the relief after the walk under the burning eun. Aa X steed thcre ene of the doers waa opened wider and Cynthia stepped into Ine hall and saw me. In that dim light I thought she looked taller and mere ethereal than ever, al though somewhat pale and worn, In spite of the peace which shone in her dear eyes. She steed still, gazing at me In breath less wonderment, with her lips slightly parted and a leek of fear gradually steal ing ever her face. "Cynthia," I murmured softly, "have you no word of wclcorae tot me?" With a tremulous little cry she wa across the hall and her dear arms were round my neck. "I thought it must be your spirit," she sobbed, with her head upon my shoulder. "I thought you vere dead and that your spirit had ceme te warn me." "Cynthia, de you remember your Im possible dream, dear your dream of crime and sin your cruel hallucination of evil doing? Tlie tlme of the blessed awakening has ceme, my child! I am llioprlnceln the fairy story who is te awaken you from the long dream of sor row ami trouble Tlie sin was only a de lusion after all, the crime only an evil dream 60 far as you are concerned, my queen among wetuenl Anether in whom we are neither of us interested lias confessed te the wickedness which In your dream you thought you had committed. Awake, princess, nnd see hew fair the world Is again for you. Threw off this long dream of evil, and sce yourself aa ethers see you, a noble hearted, generous, self sacrificing wo man, in whose past llfe there is no flaw or blemish a w eman who is an honor te her sex and n pride te her future hus band." "Dear Gerald," she said softly, with the tears rolling down her checks, "hew came you te find out? Who ia the real culprit?" - A fortnight later my wife and I sailed for England. The Idiotie fuss my "mother nnd Jeiu made when they heard the whele mys tery ia beyond the power of my pen te describe. They have new subsided into a chronic state of adoration of my wife. I eften tell my mother she will spoil, Cynthia; but she smiles and answers quietly: "Yeu cannot spoil lefined geld." ' Teer old Levena was dead and burled befere I reached home. j TUB entj. ' A Famnut Ijurj-er. Simen Greenleaf, the famous law pro fessor et Cambridge, and author of the best treatise en cvid.-nce ever written, was a native of New Gloucester, Me. Of jioer but respectable parents, his early ndv antages w ere extremely limited. IIe contrived te study law, nnd commenced practice in Giay, a little town about twenty miles north of Portland. IIe was se peer ns te be ence arrested for debt. He removed te Portland, where he made such a favorable impression that he was appointed reporter of de cisions after Maine liccame n state, and acquired a fiue reputation. Ills business was large, and he steed among the first when he was invited, through the influ influ ence of Judge story, te beceme royal professor of law at Cambridge, where he seen acquired n national reputation. The Ircatise en ovldence waa written here. lie also wrete n work in defense of the Gospels, w hich was a failure, inasmuch ns the attempt was made te support the testimony of tlie evangelists by the rules of ovldence administered in ceuits of justice. Ne genius or learning could make success of a work en this basis. The Gospels me true; but the ovldence ia of a far higher kind than that adminis tered In courts of justice, although law yers! sometimes nffect te be very wise, and talk in a watery way en this sub ject. Their efforts in this direction de net stiengthen the evidences, nnd some semo seme times tend te threw a doubt ever what is clear enough when seen from another and proper standpoint, Judge Metcalf, n sturdy believer of the old sort, was net deceived by this sort of thing, and pro nounced tlie work of Mr. Greenleaf "the meanest 1ke1c ever written bj- a white man." Bosten Beacon. CULTimil OF THE GRAPE. lUqiihi uiL-nts Nrrrssar for tlie lrepr Pro duction nf tlie Weed mid) fruit. The conditions most faverable te lapid viiie gievvth nre generally well under stood, but thai they nre antagonistic te the production of fruit has been almost entirely evci looked. There are distinct stages of giew th absolutely necessary te the proper production of weed and fiuit. These nre explained as fellows bj- a Kan sas hoi ticultui 1st in Pepuku Gardening: The ene is the get initiating, unfolding, developing nnd expanding period, the ether the elaborating, contracting, solid ifying nnd maturing period. Tlie first pro duces n rapid nnd succulent, the hitter a slower nud firmer growth; and condi tions beneficial te the ene aie often detri mental te the elhcr. The first btage of development is aided by veiy high, stimulating culture, the latter by the opposite treatment. The one produces the stock, tliu-ethcr thu fruit. Incase of execshive stimulation the plant becomes tee succulent jind tender, unable te withstand the vicissi tudes of the climate; lu case et the op posite extreme the plant dies fiem neg lect, debilitj' or evei bearing. Upen these principles we hase the true 6) stem of pruning, training and culture. for these different btages of growth must 1 1)0 kept propel ly balanced. The first re I quires deep and thorough cultivation with considerable moistuiennd a mean temperature of from Ci te G5 dogs., I while the latter needs somewhat shal , low tillage with diminished moUture and a mean temperature of from 70 te ' 80 tlegs. Te mature the grape requires I 15 degs. higher temperature than it doea I te grew the vine. This higher tempera I tuie is net only necessary te clnborate the sap, but also te solidify nnd mature t the seeds, harden the weed, and te oxl exl I dize nnd diminish t e acid, thus increas ing nnd concentrating the sugar. All these processes take place in proportion I te the high temperature nnd diminished 1 rain fall of the maturing season. j Kvcij thing bheuhl lie done te glve pel feet surface diaiuage and u frce circula tien of air, as nothing tends se much te diminish the tunperature of thu soil as execssive meistuiu and shade, livery inch of rain nbseihcd by the soil requires 10 degs. of additional heat te icatore the lest equilibrium, and this is equal te the less of half 11 day 111 the ripening of the grape. This ui.itdin of the maturing season, bj either exti . ive moisture, low temperatuie, rleudiues,, unfavorable lo cation or latitude ha the effect of reduc ing the amount of Mii;ai 111 the grape, nnd the sicch.irimirti r I. is bhevv 11 this te reach 0.1 degs. i f, eVg ,n ta. ai,e0 cases, equal t...-m. 1. -If .., t K.iind of sugar t twilve n..i,.,i f tup.3, or at the rate of bix huii.1t.si (hjuh.'s of sugar te the acre. Thus n.,- excess of acid ro re duces the value nnd quality of the fnit. Orlciu if k Werd. The word "teetotal" had its origin through n stuttering temK-rance orator, lwhe urged en his heaiers that nothing jicbstlmu "te-te-tetetar nliMiui-nce would satisfy teiiqicraiice reformers. Koiueens St ence adentcd "teetotal" and It nrnm 'into gewrw use. Londen Time. ,--t-. !. s.i kV- .-ALiiS ?M?wS . sfejh4iJt- u k-- yjfcytaa'- -w;v rg'jjttfewajji-jabitgfc.iijA -V-- -fj . w -
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers