St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-01-13

in false partition that he had found
a roll of money closely packed away
" 1t is her own, no doubt, and she
puts it there for safe keeping" Hugh
said, without touching the money.
Take it out and examine it," said
Mr.. Wcthcrell, sternly.
The bills that were lost have those
marks and numbers" said Hugh, put
ting piece of pcncilled paper into
his employers hands, and slowly tax
ing out the roll. Mr.. Wctheroll looked
at the numbers, but he could not sec
them plainly. A mist came over his
eyes and a strange, sick sensation
ovcrpowcrcd him. He put the paper
into Louis hands and went to the win
dow. 1t seemed an age before any.
thing was said, and then Hugh spoke,
almost indistinctly, and pronounced
the two last bills to be the stolen ones
The others were just the amount OF
the former losses, but in different bills
:" 1t is false I'll stake my life up.
on it !" exclaimed Louis.
You have the numbers of the bills
in your hands," said Hugh. You
can examine these. ! don't pretend To
say how these came here. | accuse
no one, and l heartily wish this had
never taken place"
Mr. Wethcrell graspcd the window
frame for support, and a sudden blind.
ness came over him, but with a great
effort he controlled the emotion and
came forward. He examined the
money and the note made of it. There
was no doubt of its being the same,
for he could himself remember one of
them. After moments delibcration
he bound them all to secrcsy, and TAX
ing the money and the note went to
his own room and locked the door.
To explain how Helen was thus easi-
ly drawn into the snare, we must go
back some three weeks to the night of
Alicc's visit to the office. Helen had
been in her room nearly an hour, and
still sat looking into the fire, with her
long hair floating over her shoulders,
and her hand clasped listlcssly in her
lap. "Could she ever love Louis, and
marry him ~ was the question asked
over and over again to herself, and al
ways with the same perplcxity. She
was conscious of a decided pleasure
in his admiration, preference for his
society, but still there was not the sen
timent she had imagined love to be, in
her heart, no feeling, she thought that
could respond to his passionate regard.
She would have been well satisfied to
trifla with Louis for any length of
time. but to bind herself to him she
could not. There was sense of pain,
almost of disgust when she thought
of it. While she sat thus, Alice's
door opened and the girl came in, pale
and trembling, and sunk down at Hell
ems feet, hiding her face in her lap.
"Why Ally ! what is the matter,
dear? what is it that ails you ?" cried
Helen, trying to lift her head up.
Let me lie here Don't look at
me, Helen, l cannot bear that you
should. lam so miserable and wicked!'
said Alice, sobbing. .
"You miserable and wicked Ally !!
why you are crazy to talk so !"
a wish was crazy!" exclaimed
Alice. ooh Helen, what shall ! do :?
am so miserable "
What makes you miserable, sister
Alice Is there any thing that | can
do for you, dear ?" Helen said softly,
stroking her hair.
"Will you promise never to tell
without my permission, If will tell
you all, Helen ?" asked Alice, starting
up, her pale face and trembling limbs
attesting her agitation.
Pm sure won't tell if you don't
want me to, Alice" was the answer.
"Will you swear not to tell, Helcn?'
asked Alice, excitedly.
don't think it would be right to
do that, Ally. My word ought to be
enough" answered Helen.
And if you mean to keep your
word, what different is it from an
oath ?" sneered Alice. "I dare not
tell you without you swear, Helen, for
my life depends upon it. As sure as
should be discovered l would die"
Helen shuddcred. "What awful
thing is it, Alice? am almost afraid
if it is so dreadful"
"Then l must bear it myself" said
Alice, rising slowly, and leaning on
an easy chair for support. 81 had
hoped you might be willing to help,
me, for there is no one else | could
trust" .....
"stay, Alice! I know that it can
not be SO bad as you think" said Hell
en- 81 will say anything you want
me to. 1t is pity if your sister can
not help you out Of trouble"
Thus assured, Alice brought the
Bible, and with trembling lips Helen
went through the form of an oath
never to reveal any thing her sister
should tell her, Or anything in relation
to it, without permission from her.
This done, Alice sank down at her
feet again, and poured forth a tale,
that had Helen not been as confiding
and honorable as she was, would have
seemed utterly false. They had be-
fore coming home to Hazelwood on
their last vacation, made a visit with
one of their schoolmates to her aunt's
in the city, and both had received
much attention. One gentleman in
particular had been greatly devoted to
Alice, and had even sent compliment
tary notes with flowers and books af:
ter she went back to school, and called
upon her once when he was travelling
in the vicinity. With him Alice now
declared she had formed a private
marriage, and that finding out toe
late that she had been deceived in him
had been obliged to purchase his alb
sence and silence by sums of money
sent at various times. That these
sums had gone through the hands of q
poor woman i'll the neighboring town
who was devoted to her, lest some one
should mistrust from the size of the
letters, and that she had reason to feal
that Hugh suspected and watched her
and that though one Of the payments