Litchfield enquirer., 1861-05-30

l
 the love-letters: but the small brown-paper pa
 eel, tied with pink tape, and sealed with the Q flee seal is gone!
 The husband, susrecting he knows not wha
 looks almost sternly at his wife, whose answe
 ing glance is confused and full of terror.
 "Tell me the truth, Fanny, my dear Fanny
 Are you playing trick to tease me? Remen
 Der, if can not produce these papers, am
 ruined man! It would be the worse than tn
 loss of money; Ma might replace, these ca
 not. Tell me at once where they are."
 Indeed Mark, know no more about thel
 than yon do yourself. They must be here pel
 haps they have slipped behind the drawer"
 Although next to impossible, the chance
 not overlooked. Hammer and chisel are 500
 fetched, and the back of the escritoire is 500
 knocked out, leaving no nook or cranny wher the smallest paper could remain unperceived.
 Almost beside himself, Mark leads his wifi down stairs, and commences questioning her.
 Where is her key :? on the ring it has not beel out of her possession. Has she been out? Nc Is she quite sure of that? Quite besides, as sh ventures to remind him, the locks have not bee1 forced, nor is aught, else missing, as would hay been the case if the thieves had entered tn house. In uncomfortable agitation, the bewild cred young man paces the room, while Fanny unable to proffer advice, or assist him with an, reasonable conjecture, watches him in trenholm! silence.
 Suspicious are crowding upon his mind hint given before his marriage about Fanny Roberts brother, and regrets uttered, even within hi. hearing, that a respectable young man like Mir Edwards should lower himself by such connec ton are suddenly remembered and dweIt upon lie pauses before his wife, and sternly demands what errand had brought that brother of hers to | his house. That brother of hers What z speech All Fanny's sisterly feelings are in arms, and yet she falters, for she is forced to own that it is the want of money "And you told him that had those papers in the house, | Mark cries, accusingly. With crimson face she angrily denies it. She did not mention Marks affairs during their short interview Is | it likely she would do so? Or if she did, would George, poor foolish fellow that he is, steal up | stairs aud rob his sisters home? Ridiculous Impossible
 Impossible" Mark retorts, without he pos. sessed the key"
 Ut has not been out of my pocket" sobs Fanny.
 "Then here," asks Mark, are the missing papers?" Their little servant-maid away for n holiday-no one in the house, according to Fan ny's own confession, but this young man. Where are the papers?
 Receiving for reply torrent of tears and protestations he filings himself on the sofa, and tries to steady his nerves to the consequences of this extraordinary loss. Meanwhile, Fanny goes and institutes an unavaing search in every box, and cupboard, and drawer where it could be possible to find such a parcel, u'1tousn It would puzzle her to explain how it could have With drawn itself from uir. secret drawer to take re- fugc elsewhere. At last she returns to the par Tor in despair. The package must have been stolen. But how? When? By whom? Get ting frightened at Marks gloomy looks, she is delighted when tap at the door announces $ visitor, and that visitor proves to be her father.
 To him the affair is circumstantially detailed, and Mark points out the inevitable loss of his situation and good name, if he should be unable to produce the papers or give any clue which might lead to their recovery. To Fanny's dis my he particularly dwells upon her brothers visit and her half made endeavor to conceal it i; concluding by an entreaty that she will, if re- taning any affection for her husband tell all she knows
 But now the father interposes To tamely hear both his children acchsed of such a crime is more than his rather irascible temper will en- dure, and he enters a counter accusation that Mark has, for some unworthy end, removed the parcel himself. Words now become so hot and bitter that Fannys distress is increased, not les, seped by this championship, and she weeps so bitterly and pleads 50 earnestly with both that Mark more touched than he would like to con fess, abruptly leaves them to shut himself in his chamber. After some hours the sound of his footsteps ceasng, the anxious wife creeps softly up stairs, and is relieved to find him lying on the bed in an uneasy slumber. Her father persuades her to rest too, but poor Fanny shakes her head and still sits by his side, leaning her head on his shoulder, and feeling more forlorn and I II. xl, .l, l,l hNnp Iafow hal will poor Mark do? And what will become o her if he persist in believing her guiltys
 Equally bewidered and almost as unhappy as his daughter, Mir. Roberts tries to sooth hel with promises not only to seek George ane bring him to exculpate himself. but forgive Marks nasty speeches, and assist him in inves tigating this mysterious affair. So, at last Fan ny begins to feel more comforted and to wisl her father to leave her; but, tired as he confess es himself, he cannot quit her Tn such trouble and they continue to occupy the same position by the fire till night has long given place tt morning, and Mir. Roberts eyes close involun tarily.
 A footstep over head startles them. It i oply Mark" says Fanny, after a moments list : ening. "Poor fellow, wish he had slept lon , ger" In the modern six-roomed house, every soun' i! is distinctly audible, and they hear him ente the chamber where stands the now shattered es
 critoir. After a short pause, he is heard slowl
 descending the stairs, and his wife raises hersel from her reclining position, and smoothes he disordered hair.
 As he enters the room, MT. Roberts lays hi hand on his daughters arm. Look, chilt
 look r he whispers; and Fanny sees with a' !, tonishment that her husband is fast asleep, an holds in one hand the bundle of old lovele
 ters.
 Setting down his candle. Mark unlocks tn front of his large aud well-flled book casa, an 8 begins deliberately taking one by one the hant 7 somely bound volumes of the history of Englan'
 which grace the highest shelf then he draw g out number of loose magazines hidden becaus of their untidy appearance; lays the old loy letters quite at the back of them all replaces th g odd numbers, returns the volumes to their shel 3 carefully putting them even, locks the glass an - is stalking away, when Fanny, with cry whle + awakens him, snatches the key from his han Rubbing his eyes and wondering, he sees h' ; eager fingers dragging Hume and Smollett fFol y their proud position to assume an ingiorious or ! on the hearth-rug aud in the fender ;-the on' 2 treasured "Belle Assembled" are scattered in g directions; the highly prized love-letters recei, 2 2 similar usage !; and then, from behind all U ' ' rest, Fanny triumphantly takes out the sma . brown paper parcel, tied with pink tape, scale ;s with the office seal. Crying and laughing in oi rns n breath the happy little wife is the next mome e. m her husbands arms, kissing and being kiss' \, ddHbdtas
 nr Little explanation was needed. The gyoul mans brain, excited by extreme anxiety regardil
 ms trust, had led to his cautiously rising in u