Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-24
20 which the following answer came:


days since with the view of transacting busi-
ness of our firm, he empowered me TO open
any letters that might come for him.. Hence
your note has fallen into my hands. and as it
is not upon business matters take the lber-
ty of returning it to you. i expect Richard
will be home in about three mouths; but, if
you wish, will give you his address in New
York viii YOU forgive my saying that ]
sincerely regretted the rupture which my son
informed me took place between you and HIM
self (the nature of which he did not impart to
me, for know no young lady whom would
rather have seen his wife.
Your ever sincere friend,
Thomas CRATFoRD.o
So there was nothing for poor Nilicent but
TO wait, and alternate between despair and
hope But the present disappointment com
bined with the anxiety of mind she had lately
endured, threw her into dangerous illness,
which brought her to the brink of the grave.
She was i'll for many weeks, and, when she re-
covered, was ordered away from home, for
change of air She went to Liverpool, where
some relations of her own mothers lived, and
with whom she had formerly once spent few
weeks. Here she stayed the summer, and re-
covered her bodily health. But not her spl-
rits for the non-rcturn and the silence OF
Richard Crauford affected her much. 1t was
the beginning of autumn before she proceeded
home, which she did alone, her friends seeing
her safely to the train, in the morning, and
into a first class carriage. Mind you don't
get flirting and run away, Millicent now you
are left all alone to yourself for three or four
hours" one of them, young like herself, laugh
ingly observed and Millicent laughed re-
sponse, in the same joking spirit a hollow
laugh though she felt it to be in her own
heart. She frt, and run away
When the train arrived certain station
on its route the passengers were informed that
they must there alight to wait for branch
train so they crowded, grumblingy, into the
waiting-rooms Millicent, however, made her
a rude bench, placed underneath bank !; and
here she sat, enjoying the fine fresh air of the
autumn day, and occasionally reading, The
near approach of gentleman, an impatient
fellow passenger, who was strolling about,
caused her to look up.
A sudden shock fell over her she knew not
what she did The book was hastily dropped
upon the bench, and she, trembling all over,
took step forward. For it was Richard
Crauford
Richard !" she exclaimed, "is it really
you? Do we meet here ~
He took her hand with cool air he could
not avoid taking it, for she, in the impulse of
the moment, had held it out to him, and the
tone of his voice was very cold.
You have returned from America, then"
she uttered. -..
Z" | am on tHy way home, now, from Liver
pool" he replied we only made the port
yesterday You look ILL., Miss Crane"
Il have been very i'll since you left" she
murmured, and have been all the summer in
Liverpool with my relations, for change of air
l am well now"
They stood facing each other, and there was
a silence. He was the first to break it, by
saying few formal words of adieu, and was
about to turn away.
"Oh, but, Richard, you must hear me" she
exclaimed, a terror coming over her lest they
were to part again for an indefinite period
without an explanation. {" have not yet had
the opportunity of justifying myself to YOU"
But must tell you," she feverishy ex-
claimed, " cannot let you go through life
suspecting me of iDprudence, or, perhaps,
wickedness. Are you aware who it was i
went to see in that wretched street the't
knowing what you did know-that you
must have suspected him at the time and
that was the cause of my terror"
You are talking riddles to me-" interpo
sed Mr.. Crawford But have no wish, and
now no right, to be made the confident of
your private affairs 1t is too late"
"Oh, yes, yes" she uttered in agitation. i
am not aIludng to-to the relations between
ourselves | only ask to be justified. That
sailor was my brother"
Your brother, MilIicent ~ he calculated,
staring at her.
Yes" she said, bursting into tears, fruits
of her misery, long pent up, and her present
agitation. He had disguised himself as you
Saw-if you did see HMM those wide, rough
and the black curls and whskers."
"Do you mean your brother Philip" he
asked, fully aroused from his displayed indiffe
renee.
"I have no other brother" she replied !;
" whom else should | mean? He had been
in cOnccalment ever since that dreadful affair
in London, had been reduced to great straits
and had come down to ask my help to ship
himself off to Australia Whilst be was hid
ing in that room in Port street, was engag-
ed in collecting together sufficient money for
him. You vii! say, perhaps, that | ought
not to have visited him but he had no other
friend in the world to cling to him in his dis
tress, and [ believed that my duty-as my
love-lay in going to see and comfort him
But, Millcent, though there is much that
| do not yet understand why did you not
conGde this to me ~
First of all, your own prohibition, and Sc
condly--"
What prohibition 2" interrupted Mr.. Crau-
ford. What are you talking Off"
Millicent, thinking his memory extraordi-
narily oblivious, proceeded to recapitulate
what passed the night they first received news
of Philips guilt. She repeated-for she re-
very words used by Mrs.