The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-24

tue nurse nuSDduu. Neil HOW, tnen, 10
sum up: the nurse was Mrs. Dandy; the
rich, weak husband, Mr.. Arbuthnot; the
substituted child, that handsome boy
my SON. ....
A wild scream from Mrs. Arbuthnot
broke the dread silence which accompanied
this frightful revelation, echoed by an
agonized cry, half tenderness, half rage,
from her husband, who had entered the
room unobserved, and now clasped her
passionately in his arms. The carriage
wheels we had heard were his. 1t was
long before / could recall with calmness
the tumult, the terror, and confusion of
that scene. Mr.. Arbuthnot strove TO
bear his wife from the apartment, but she
would not be forced away, and kept i'm
poring, with trenzied vehemence, that
Robcrt-that her boy, should not be taken
from her.
Il have no wish to do so-far from it,
said Danny. with gleeful exultation, only
folks must be reasonable, and not threaten
their friends with the hulks'--
Give him anythingn broke in the un-
hapy lady. % Robert! Robert! she added,
with renewed burst of hystcrical grief,
how could you deceive Inc sol!
Il have been punished, Agnes, he an
swered in a husky. broken voice, for my
well intended but criminal weakness; cru
ely punished by the everpresent con-
sciousness tha; this discovery must one
day be surely made. What do you wantp
he after while added, with recovering
tirmness, addressing Danby.
The acknowledgment Of that little bit
ofpaper in dispute, of course; and say
genuine one to the same amount
Yes, yes, exclaimed Mrs. Arbuthnot,
still wildly sobbing, and holding the ter
ritied oy strained in her embrace, as if
she feared he might be wrenched from
her by force. 'Anythil g; pay him any
thingp
At this moment, CHANGING to look to-
waIds the door of the apartment, saw
that it was partially opened, and that
Danby's wife was listening there. But
what might. that mean2 But what OF
hopeful meaning in such case could it
havel
BE it so, love- said Mr.. Arbuthnot
soothingly. Dauby, call tomorrow at
the Park. And now, begone at once
4 was thinking resumed the rascal,
with swelling audacity, that we might
rs well co me to some permanent arrange
ment, in black and white. But never
mind; can always put the screw on; un-
less, indeed, you get tired of the young
gentleman, and in that case, doubt not,
he will prove abutiful and atfectionatc son
--Ah, devil! What do YOU herel
Begone, or I'll murder you! Begone, dc
you heart
His wife had entered, and silently
confronted him.
Your threats, evil man. replied the
woman, quietly, 'have no terrorS for me
now. My son is beyond your reach. o,
Mrs. Arbuthnotp she added, turning to-
wards and addressing that lady, believe
Her husband sprang at her with the
bound of a panther
'Silece! Go home, or I'll strangle'-
His own utterance was arrested by the
fierce grasp of Mr.. Arbuthnot, who seized
him by the throat, and hurled him to the
further end of the room.
Speak OH, woman; and quick! quick!
What have YOU to sayl ..
That your son, dearest lady, she an
swcred, throwing herself at Mrs. Arbuth-
not's feel, is as truly your own child a
ever son born of woman
That shout Of half fearful triumph seems
even now as / write to ring in my ears. l
felt that the woman's words were words
of truth, but l could not see distinctly; the
room whirled round and the lights danced
before my eyes, but could hear through all
the choking extacy of the mother, and the
fury of the baffled felon.
The letter. continued Mrs. Danny,
which my husband found and opened,
would have informed you, sir, of the swift
ly approaching death Of my child, and
that yours had been carefully kept beyond
the reach of the contagion. The letter
you received was written without my
knowlege or consent. True it is, that ter
rified by my husbands threats, and in
some measure reconciled to the wicked
imposition by knowing that after all, the
right ehild would be in his right place !
afterwards lent my self to Danby's evil
purposes. But chiefly feared for my
son, whom | fully believe he would not
have scrup!ed to make away with in re-
venge for my exposing his profitable fraud.
l have sinned; can hardly hope to be
forgiven. | have now told the sacred
truth
All this was uttered by the repentant
woman, but at the time it was almost
wholly unheard by the most interested in
her statement. They only comprehended
that they were saved-that the child was
theirs in very truth. Great, abundant,
but for the moment, bewildering JOY! Mr..
Arbuthnot--his beautiful young wife-her
own true boy (how could she for moment
have doubted that he was her own true
boy!--you might read that though all