Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-03-27

arm, and said, Miss Montressor, this
gentleman, Mr.. Remson, is the lawyer
who is to manage your case tomorrow,
and he wants to see you She started,
turned quickly round, and made an in
clination of her head, to indicate her
readiness to listen, but she said not a
word. The sheriff had already left the
cell, and we were alone. Conscious that
every moment was precious, I said,
Miss Montressor, we must throw
aside all ceremony and communicate
frankly upon this painful business. 1
say painful, because it is no less harrow
ing to me than to yourself
Not that think you guilty, for I be-
lieve that you are innocent. The next
thing is to prove that you are so. AS
things now are, this promises to be a
difficult matter, but I am not without
hope. If you will tell me frankly what
your experience has been with the Wes-
leys, my task may be very much light
ened.'
1 then put a series of questions, which
she answered with entire frankness,
whereby 1 learned that she was fifteen
years old, that she had lived with Mrs.
Wesley, who had been married about
eight years; she had lived with kind
old gentleman, named Gregory, who
taught her to call him grandpa, that Mrs.
Wesley, who was then called Miss Ne
smith, lived with Mr.. Gregory also; that
he seemed afraid of Miss Nesmith; that
Miss Nesmith inherited all his property,
and married Wesley about month after
old Gregory died; and she told her
| (Helen) never to call him grandpa any
more, for he wasn't any relation to her at
all that the day on which old Mr.. Greg
ory died he gave her sealed packet,
and told her not to let Eunice MRS. Wes-
ley) see it, but to give it to certain
lawyer, when he returned to town, for it
would make her rich young lady, and
then he cried, and said he had let Euniee
have her own way too much that she
fell asleep with the packet in her lap,
and when she woke up it was gone, and
she had never dared to ask any questions
about it; Mrs. Wesley hated her, and
beat her, and treated her like slave
and threatened to kill her, and that she
had sometimes thought of drowning her.
self. she was so miserable; that Mr.
Wesley had said improper things to her
and he was bad man, but very veal
and cowardly, and completely under hi.
wife's control; that the day on which hel
trunk was searched, she was sent to tht
minister's on an errand, was gone abou
an hour and half, and on her return
was taken up stairs to see her trunl
opened, she had pulled off her bonne
and shawl that she was sure Mrs. Yves
ley had put things in her trunk while sh
was gone out, because she (Helen) ha'
overhauled it that very morning, ant
they were not in them; but whether MI
Wesley knew about it she could not say
although she rather thought he did, be
cause he lookedsguilty when his wife wa
opening the trunk.
Telling the poor girl to cheer up, an
keep good heart, I withdrew, and wen
to the sheriff s sitting room where foun
Mrs. Mace. I at once informed her tha
!, in my opinion Miss Montressor was a
innocent prosecuted girl, and thatI hope
she would try and cheer her up that da
and evening, SO that they could enter th
> courtroom with good heart on the moi
row. This the kind hearted woma
= promised to do, and hastened to my o.
! fee. My brain was in a whirl. Gree
ory-grandpa-the packet was to max
: her rich young 1ady-its mysteries
disappearance. What could all ths
: mean? Was that packet his last will an
i testament, bequeathing his property I
her? and had Eunice Wesley, stolen
L from the child as she slept, that she migl
clutch the property by virtue of a formt
: will which had been forced from the ol
/ man; q He cried, and said he had let ht
have her own way too much p Her oW
! way about what? l felt certain that ha
got on the track of a great villainy, ar
y thought l could somewhat understand IL
reason for Eunice Wesley's hatred f
- Helen, and her desire to blast the po'
, girls character. After spending a ha
hour in settling my thoughts and arran
" ing my plans, / went to livery stabl
A ordereda a carriage, and drove to Bedfor
Vi 1t was two o'clock when / reached Il
10 village. l wished first to see Hannega
d Wesley's serving man. BY making
n few cautious inquiries at the tavern. a,