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FRANK M O It 'TIME It , ) . T T-vTTTiTnvTTk-n-vTm T1 , , rT-r- -t- --r-r-wro.-r- T-.-r-.-r- Terms: IN ADVANCE
Editor and TropHeior. AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. J l5PcrTonr.
Vol. "V. Nov X2 loom fie Id. Ifi., Tucsdny, -Ang-iiHt 89 1871. TVo. 32.
IjloomfUIb (pints
Js rubllshed Weekly,
At New Bloomfleld, Tenn'a.
BY
FRANK MORTIMER.
SCB8CKIPTI0N TERMS.
tlsn PKlt YUAH!
75 Cents forO Months; 40 Cents
for 3 Months,
IN ADVANCE.
A Girl's Promise.
(6
"NE of the most singular canes
J of which I have ever hoard,
catno to my knowledge sonio years sinco
while engaged in tho practice of law, in the
city of Richmond, Va.
I had hcon attending court in Johnstown
one of tho interior towns of the State and
towards tho latter end of tho week a long
and heavy rain set in which destroyed
bridges and made traveling so unpleasant
that I was obliged to remain a few days for
tho roads to become passable, and tho
bridges to be repaired.
The time had dragged wearily along for
two days when just at dusk on tho second
day I received a note from an old friend,
asking me to accompany him to the resi
dence of a client who resided nearly two
miles from the village, and saying he would
call for me in about an hour.
I was ready when my friend, Mr.
Stout, made his appearance. IIo told me
that he had been summoned on some rath
er peculiar business and that he had asked
me to go with him thinking ho might need
my advice. Ho then went on to say that
the person who sent for him was Col.
Raleigh, who was a very aristocratio man
and one proud of his family pedigree as he
claimed to trace his family connection back
to Sir Walter Raleigh.
"But what is the matter?" I asked.
" Oh 1 1 forgot to tell you, it is a case of
larceny which seem shrouded In mys
tery, though from the Colonel's note, he
evidently thinks the deed has been done by
a member of the family."
" Well, why not get the services of some
detective then ?" I asked.
"The Colonel would be afraid of the
matter becoming public and is anxious, If
the guilt rests where I " think be suspects
it does, to have the affair kept secret," re
plied Stout, " and I am called in more as
a friend than as a professional man."
" The Colonel had a brother, who wasted
liia fortune by wine and cards and then blew
his brains out," continued my friend,
"leaving a son Rolf whom the Colonel took
into his family and raised with his daughter
Kate, as if they were both his own chil
dren. I always thought the young folks
would eventually fall in love and a match
would be the result I once hinted my
ideas to the Colonel who evidently did not
think well of it. Kate you see is his only
child, and will some day be the richest girl
in the county. Tilings have not been pleas
ant out there for quite a wbilo past"
" Is it the result of this larceny?" I ask-
i;i ao;s ' .";' . i '! m
"Oh no," replied Stout, "that only hap
ened yesterday or the day before. Rolf
is a queer chap, obstinate and set in bis
way. You see he takes after bis mother
who was a Palm. He came to my office
last summer and began to read law with
out his uncle'a knowledge. I saw then
there was a screw loose, but they are a
family who keep their affairs to themselves,
and so I asked no questions. Rolf had a
few hundred dollars, which bad been' left
after closing up bis father's affairs, which
Mim was deposited in my bands. This he
drew out a short time since, saying be was
preparing to go to Kentucky. The old
gentleman spoke about it to me, saying it
was a boy's whim, but I saw, or thought I
saw thai; be felt badly about bis going. As
a further proof that there is some trouble
out there, Rolf has slept in the village for a
week past, and told me that he did not
look to his uncle for any ' pecuniary aid.
Rut it is time we were off."
When we arrived at the Raleigh mansion
the Colonel was reading to his daughter, a
lieautiful girl who seemed about seventeen
year of age. I was Introduced, to the oe
cuimnts of tfie room, and for a time the
conversation was general, no allusion being
made to the business upon which we came.
While we were talking, a young man enter
ed, to whom J was lutroduoed by the Col.
as "my adopted son, Rolf Raleiglr.' ''
I noticed him particularly, lie was
short and thick-set and though not a hand
some young fellow his countenance gavo
evidence that ho had an iron will and great
intellect. Ho staid but a few minutes, when
ho left tho room.
After he had passed out, Btout spoke
regarding tho business on which wo had
como, and said, " I have brought my friend
hero with me as he has had considerable ex
perience in cases of a similar nature, and
his advice may be of valuo to us."
The Colonel thanked him for so doing
and then laid the facts of tho cane before
us. As ho did so, there seemed to mo to
bo something kept back and I felt confi
dent that somo gravo secret lay beneath
the affair, which was well known to tho old
gentleman and which ho was anxious
should not be discovered. Tho facts told
us woro briefly as follows :
"About two weeks previous" said tho
Colonel, "I received six thousand dollars
from the sale of some property. I paid
out a portion of it and placed tho pocket
book containing tho balance in the cabinet
in my library. Two days ago my daughter
lookingpver the cabinet called my attention
to tho money which I was so careless as to
leave there, and at my request counted it.
After doing so she locked it up in tho cabi
net and gave mo tho key. In tho evening
of the samo day having occasion to uso
some money I went for it and found it
gone. Nothing else was touched. I have
a dislike to having my troubles made pub
lic property and have therefore preferred to
consult you rather than to send for any
officers. All tho servants iu the house
have grown old in my service and I have no
reason to mistrust them."
" What amount of money and what kind
was it ?" asked Mr. Stout of Miss Raleigh.
" There was six hundred dollars in bank
bills and tho rest was in checks," sho re
plied. " Drafts" said the Colonel, " drafts on
George Nolan of Alexandria."
This reply seemed to startlo Stout, and
he hastily asked if thore was any one iu
the library when she counted the notes.
" No one but Lorn the old butler; but he
would no more take them tlian I would,"
said Kate. ,
" No one else saw them at all?" said I.
"No," she replied," only Rolf, he was
there ; perhaps he can tell you better than
I can what kind of notes they were. As
she said this she apparently addressed her
self to her cousin, who had again entered
the room.
The young man made no reply but stood
looking abstractedly out of the window.
"Who was in the library during the
day?" asked Btout.
41 No one," replied the Colonel. " I was
there all day alone except while gone out
to dinner."
" Do you know of any othci key to tho
Cabinet?"
" My daughter has one," answered the
Colonel. i ,
" Oh no, I have none," replied Kate, " I
gave it to Rolf a long time since." , . ,
" My son," said the Colonel, " have you
a key like this?"
The young man carelessly replied that
be had not, when Kate said, " why I saw it
on your key ring a few days ago."
" Well it is not there now and probably
you were mistaken" replied Rolf.
" As I understand it then" said I "the
only time the money could bave been taken
was while you were at dinner?"
"Yes."
" Was the butler present in the dining
room?"
"He was there all the time," quickly
replied Kate. .,,,:,(
. "Who dined with you that day?" asked
Btout. . ,
" We were all alone, Kate and I, even
Rolf was out gunning at the time" said
the Colonel. ,
Stout now put his band in his pocket and
drawing out a paper presented it to the
old gentloman and asked, " Is that one of
the lost drafts?" . . . .,
" Both the Colonel and his daughter look
ed at it eagerly and carefully, and then de
cided that it was.
" Where did you" but before the sen'
tence was completed Btout hastily interrup
ted the Colonel by asking to see that cabi
net. : ' " ' . .. ''
Accordingly we were ushered by the
Colonel into the library where we were
shown a curiously inlaid cabinet, the key
to which be banded to Btout. 1 ' '
Without taking the key Btout hurriodly
went on to say, "you were going to ask me
Colonel where I got this, boys will be boys."
" Now sit down ' and keep cool," said
Btout to the Colonel who "began to show
signs of excitement. ' ' ' ' " '
"I do not understand what you can
mean" said tho old gentleman.
Btout began to grow nervous and at last
said huskily, "my nephew received that
draft laRt night accompanied by this note."
" Read it will you Page?"
I took the note and rend.
" Deau Ned This makes us all right,
tho draft is on Nolan and is as good as
specie I leave town to-morrow night.
Yours in hasto
RoiF Raleigh:."
I looked up as I finished reading. Tho
old man's face was white with passion, as
he said :
" Do you know whom you accuno? A
Raleigh of hoing a thief!"
" I know it all Colonel, but you dragged
me into it, or I would have said nothing.
But the proof is positive. Rolf is leaving
you in disgraco without money "
"I know it," groaned tho old man, "but
I hoped it would tho sooner bring him
back."
" Without money, "continued Stout. "No
one but him saw tho money, only ho
had a key to the cabinet where it was, only
ho was absent from dinner that day.
Whether his past conduct warrants his so
leaving you, or gives any clue by which to
determine his guilt, you know best."
Tho last remark seemed to touch the
Colonel to the quick and ho drew in his
breath as though suffering lrom intense
pain.
"Look at the note" continued Stout "and
see if it is Rolf's writing."
He took the paper and looked at with
groat earnestness while his hand shook vi
olently, and then handed it back saying as
though to himself Oh 1 my son, my son."
I went out of tho room vexed with my
self for having como and still more vexed
with Stout for having brought mo to see
tho old man's misery, and paced up and
down tho hall for some minutes whilo my
friend and the Colonel remained in the li
brary. At last Btout called me back into tho
room. Tho Colonel was standing by the
fire place, apparently having regained bis
composure He thanked me in a stiff for
mal manner for having been kind enough
to come out with Mr. Btout, and then went
on hurriedly to say."
"You are an honorable man, Mr. Page?
you will keep this secret until such time as
the matter may be cleared up, or explain
ed?" I at once assured him X would, but I little
thought how many weary years would
pass before that time would como, and that
the explanation would be so entirely differ
ent from what now seemed probable.
He grasped my hand, I gave it a shake
and then turning to Btout said. " You
tell Rolf ; but don't lot bim come here, I
nover want to see bis face again. , And
Kate ; tell her too, I cannot."
Btout then left the room,.
He had been gone but a short time, when
I beard a firm step coming along the hall,
and in a moment afterwards Rolf entered
the library. .
. Was that the face of a guilty man? I
could not believe it With a firm step and
rigid look be walked up to his uncle, placed
bis hand on his shoulder and forced blm to
look up. It was more the act of an accuser
than of one accused.
The old man looked up, and said, " Qod
forgive you, Rolf, but I did not wish to see
you again."
Rolf looked at bim steadily for a moment,
and then turned away, muttoring, "Impos
sible I"
Something in his manner and appearance
touched me deeply, and hardly knowing
why I did it, I seized him by the arm and
said, " Young man, for your own sake,
and the sake of those you love, prove your
innocence, for I do not believe you guilty."
"I cannot," be replied, in a solemn
manner ; " I never wrote or sent that note."
'' Oq Rolf,!' said bis uncle, " I forgave
all that' went before, but this can never be
forgotten.!? i ... t. , , , , , i
The young man's face grew pale, but still
he did not reply. The sorrowful look of
his countenance puzrled me.
Just at this moment the door opened, and
Kate came hastily In. Her father at once
started forward, with a motion as though
intending to put ber out of the room, say.
ing "this Is no place for you, my daughter."
1 could hardly believe this was the ' shy,
bashful girl that I had seen an hour before.
Without regarding the remark or action of
her father, she went at once to her cousin
and placing her band on bis arm said :
41 Rolf, you did not think for a moment
that I would believe you guilty ?7 ,.','
A strange look of love and trust was
combined with one of terror, which Rolf
saw as he hastened to draw her too him,
placing his hand on her head, and smooth
ing her hair as though sho had been a
child.
Tho colonel started up with his face
flushed with passion, and going to her said,
" Lcavo him 1 Will you persist in your
folly in tho faco of theso circumstances?
Would you wed a felon ?"
Rolf gavo a scornful laugh, as he re
plied, "Lot us havo no tragedy, for I am a
poor actor. I will come again," he said,
looking down to Kate, who was still cling
ing to his arm, and speaking as though no
ono but her was present, " when I can
prove my innocence. Not until then. Will
you then bo my wife ? Will you wait for
mo Kate?"
" I will wait for you though it be years,"
she quietly replied.
Her father called her sharply, but she did
not turn toward him.
Rolf stooped and kissed her, and said,
" Good bye, my darling, remember that I
will como for you, even though I wait long,
long years. I will como for you when I can
prove my innocence."
Then as ho left the room Kato turned to
her father, and stood by him watching Rolf
as he went down the hall.
There was no longer any uso for us to re
main, and we therefore took our departure
for tho villnge, I feeling as though there
was a mystery in this affair which soine
timo perhaps I should be ablo to unravel.
Tho next morning I left the village early,
to go to tho western part of tho State, and
was gono several days, stopping at Johns
town on my way back to Richmond.
The evening of my return I hastened to
see Stout to ascertain if anything further had
been discovered, which would throw light on
the Raleigh case. After saluting him I at
once asked if he had leamed anything furth
er. He replied that he had not. " But," said
he, "I have been out to the Colonel's a good
deal ; ho is fast sinking."
"What I" asked I, "is he ill?"
"Yes," said ho, "he has not been well
all winter, and this affair has completely
upset him. Ho has now taken to his bed,
and I doubt if he will ever get up again.
His mind seems unsettled too."
" Well, what about tho young man," I
asked; "has be done anything toward
clearing up the mystery ?"
"All that can be done, I reckon, was the
reply. I glanced at him as he said this,
the tone of his voice showing bis feelings
to be against Rolf, and at once expressed
my belief in bis innocence.
"Well, you can think as you please," re
plied Stout, " but I have no doubt of his
guilt. His conduct forces that belief on
me. How would an innocent man have
acted ? How would you ? How would I ?
Stormed, raged, torn the whole matter up
by the roots, and dragged out the truth
somehow." . . , ,
I laughed at his enthusiasm as I replied :
" But the boy showed feeling enough that
night I look upon bim as no ordinary
young man," ; 1
"Oh," said Btout, "he baa made a pre
tence of clearing it up, but with a dogged
sort of a way that seemed to say he bad no
expectations of success. I've no iaith in
him. He takes after bis mother, and I nev
er did like the Palms. Thank God, that
for the old man's sake, ' the' secret is safe
with us. And, beside this, I gather from
the Colonel's talk that this not the first of
fence." ; ' "," '' ,;.
"But how about the young lady?" ;
" She seems entirely taken up with at
tention to her father slnco be has got so
poorly. She waits on him night and
dy "
"If no other person has faith in Rolf,"
I replied, "tht has."
"Yes," answered Btout, "but she bas
as much pride in the family name as ber
father. The other day when I was
there I mentioned Rolfs name, and spoke of
his attempts to aolye the mystery, when
the old man quiokly , replied, ; " God grant
he may succeed. Then after a short si-
lence be continued, "My little girl here,"
patting Kate on the head " thinks it all
right, I know, but she bas solemnly prom
ised me never to marry the boy until ' be
proves hit entire - Innocence. You ' have
promised Kate." ' ' " "'
" Yes," she replied, " I have promised,
and I will keep my word."
' After she bad gone out the ' old man
said, "it has been a bitter disappointment
tome. I thought to have seen Kate, Rolf
wife before I died," and then he entirely
broke down, , , ' ', ' . t i
' There U a young fellow out there now,
some connection of. the family, his name i
Forest, and I fancy be has a warm regard
for Kate. He bas been there all summer
by spells. By the way, Page, hero is a let
ter the Colonel gave nie for you."
I put the letter in my pocket, and after
leaving Stout, opened it. It contained a
few words of thanks, and then followed tho
request for mo to see Rolf, and inform him
that his undo had secured an appointment
on tho English legation for him, and urgo
him to accept it.
I had intended to lcavo for Richmond in
tho morning, and here was a call for fur
ther delay, as I could hardly refuse to
grant the Colonel's request. But I could
hardly conceive why tho request was not
made to Stout, who was an old friend of
tho family, instead of to mo.
During the evening a servant came in
and said, " A gentleman, Mr. Pago, wants
to see you; ho says on private business.
I think it's somebody from tho Raloigh
place."
Telling him to bring him to my room,
ho soon returned, and ushered in young
Raleigh.
"You are welcome," I said, extending
my hand, " and I am really glad to see you ."
IIo bowed, but appeared to tiko no no
tico of my offered hand. I placed him a
chair, which ho accepted, and at once be
gan to stato tho reason why ho had called,
which was to inform me that he intended
to leave the place that night.
"Then," said I, interrupting him, "it
is very fortunate that you called, and"
handing him tho letter I received from bis
uncle "this will explain why I think so."
IIo took the letter, read it carefully, and
stood a moment in deep study, when ho
handed it hack to me.
" You accept tho appointment i" I said.
"Certainly not," replied ho, "I de
cline it."
" What reason shall I give your undo for
your so doing ?" I asked.
" No explanation will be necessary," said
Rolf; "he will understand it.
"Mr. Raleigh," I said, "do not bo too
hasty; you are young, and without friends."
The kindnoBS of my tone and my words
touched him, and as ho replied, his voice
trembled with emotion :
"I know that too well, Mr. Pago, but I
shall succeed ; I am not afraid. I am very
thankful for your kindness ; and now let me
tell you what brought me here to-night.
Iam going away. Should my Innocence
be proved, which I am confident will yet be
the case, I shall come back ; if not, never.
I come to ask you to let me know when
that is the case." , '
"Can yon do nothing to clear yourself
now?" I asked.
" Nothing," he ropliod. " I tried a little
but did not expect success."
" How about that note which was sent in
your name?" I asked. '
" I never sent it. It is a forgery, and
being sent through the post-office, I am un
able to trace it to its author." .
I waa puzzled I "Do you think yourself
the victim of some plot. Has Forrest had
anything to do with it ?" asked I.
" I bave said nothing about any plot,"'
replied he. " I aocuse no one, but if the
story was public, God only knows what I
should do."
At this moment bis self-control seemed
to give way, and for a short time there was
silence, while be seemed to break out with
a cold and clammy sweat. ! - ' '
" No," continued he, ' I can do nothing
now, I came to you because I think you
bave faith in me. Stout bas ot, and it is
not easy to ask a favor of a man who thinks
you a thief." . -
I was about to speak, when he hurried
ly interrupted me. . . , i, ' . w.
" I know what you would say. It will
all come right some day, and whon it does,
I waut you to promise to let me know. .
" I promise to let you know at once.".
I am obliged to you Mr. Page, it will be
a trifle to you, but to me it will be much.
It may be year before it will come, but if
old and gray, I will bold you to your prom
ise." , ,.!.; ! :.. J. .
. He wrote an address on a slip' of paper,
and banded it to me with the remark,
" That will always find me if I am living."
He arose to depart, saying, "I will shake
bands with you now." '
I grasped bis band warmly, and we part
ed, I feeling a perfect trust In bis honor
and Integrity, even though evidence was so
strongly against him. ' 1 "' 1 ''-n --
; By what trifles the current of a iife may
be changed, and how slender the thread
upon which bangs our destiny, was proven
in this case for bad Rolf but deferred his
departure till morning; bow many year of
weary waiting would have been saved! to
two brave hearts, and how suddenly the
plans of another would have been destroy-
ed
ionciuaea next week.