Juliet signal., 1861-05-07

"Tell me the truth, Fanny, my dear
Fanny Are you playing a trick to tease
me? Remember, il | cannot produce these
papers, | am ruined mani 1t would be
worse than the loss Of money; that might
replace, these cannot. Tell me at once
where they are"
Indeed, Mark, / know no more about
them than you do yourself They must be
here; perhaps they have slipped behind
! the drawer"
Although next to impossible, the chance
| is not overlooked. Hammer and chisel are
soon fetched, and the back of the escritoire
is soon knocked out, leaving no nook or
Granny where the smallest paper could re>
main unperceIyed.
Almost beside himself, Mark leads his
wife down stairs, and commences questions
ing her. Where is her key? On the
ring; it has not been out of her possession.
Has she been out? No. Is she quite sure
of that? Quite; besides, as she ventures
| to remind him, the locks have not been
forced, nor is aught else missing, as would
have been the case if thieves had entered
J the house. In uncomfortable agitation,
| the bewildered young man PAGES the ON,
while Fanny, unable to prefer advice, or
assist him with any reasonable conjecture,
watches him in trembling silence.
| Suspicious are crowding upon his mind
hints given before his marriage about Fan
ny Roberts brother, and regrets uttered,
even within his hearing, that respectable
young man like Mr.. Edwards, should lower
| himself by such connection, are suddenly
| remembered and dwelt upon. He pauses
| before his wife, and sternly demands what
errand had brought that brother of hers to
his house. That brother of hers What
speech All Fanny's sisterly feelings
are in arms, and yet she falters, for she
is forced to own that il was the want of
I money.
And you told him that had those
uapers in the house." Mark cries, accus-
Irgly.
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, foolishfellow that he is, steal
up stairs and rob his sisters home? Ri
| diculous! Impossible!
Impossible" Mark retorts, "unless he
possessed they key"
" 1t has not been out of my pocket" sobs
! Fanny.
"Then. where" asks Marx, care the
missing papers?" There little servant
| maid away for holiday-no one in the
house, according to Fanny's own confess
sion, but this young man. Where are the
papers?
Receiving for reply torrent of tears and
protestations, he filings himself on the sofa,
and tIies to steady his nerves to the conse-
quences Of this extraordinary loss. Mean.
! while, Fanny goes on and institutes an
1 unGvaiiing search in every box and cup
| beard, and drawer where it could be posi-
bic to find such parcel, although il would
| puzzle her to explain how it could have
| withdrawn itself from the secret drawer to
take refuge elsewhere. AT last she returns
to the parlor in despair. The packet must
have Been stolen. But how? When?-
| By whom? Getting frightened at Marks
| gloomy locks, she is delighted when tap
at the door announces a visitor, and that
visitor proves to be her father
To him the affair is crcumstantially de.
tailed, and Mark points out the inevitable
less 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 dismay, he particu
lar'y dwells upon her brothers. visit and
Der half,made endeavOr to conceal it con-
cluding by an entreaty that she will, il
retaining any affection for her husband
tell all she knows.
But now the father interroses To tame
ly hear both his children accused of such a
crime is more than his rather irascible
temper will endure, and he enters a counter
accusation that Mark has, for some un-
worthy end, removed the parcel himsel-
Words now Iecome so hot and bitter thai
Fanny's distress Is increased, not lessened
by this championship. and she weeps sc
bitterly and pleads so earnestly with both
that Mark, more touched than he would
like to confess, abruptly leaves them tC
shut himself up in his chamber. After
some hours, the sound Of his footsteps ceas
ing, the anxious wife creeps softly up stairs
and is relieved to find him lying on the BED
in an uneasy slumber. Her father per-
sua6es her to rest too, but poor Fanny
shakes her head, and still sits by his side
leaning her head on his shoulder, and feel.
} ing more forlorn and miserable than it had
ever been her lot to feel before. What will
poor Mark do? And what will become o.
her if he persists in believing her guilty?
Equally bewildered ard almost as un-
| happy as his daughter, Mr.. Roberts tries
: to sooth her with promises to seek George
5 and bring him to exculpate himself, but t
: forgive Marks hasty speeches, and assis
7 him in investigating this mysterious affair
So, at last, Fanny began to feel more com
forted and to wish her father to leave her
S but, tried as he confesse7 himself, he can
! not quit her in such trouble, and the,
continue to occupy the same position b.
the fire till hight has long given place t.
5 morning, and Mr.. Roberts ewes close in.
voluntarily.
: A footstep overhead startles them.
"It is only Mark" says Fanny, after
moments listening. Poor fellow, / wisl
D he had slept longer"
In the modern six-roomed house ever
= sound is distinctly audible, and they hea
!, him enter the chamber where stands til
shattered escritoire. After short pause
; he is heard slowly descending the stairs
S and his wife raises herself from her reclin
r ing position, aud smooths her disorders
hair.
r As he enters the room, Mr. Roberts Law
y his hand on his daughters arm. Look
9 child, lock ~ he whispers and Fanny wit
= astonishment sees that her husbands is fas
n asleep, and holds in one hand the bundl
5 of old love letters.
= Setting down his candle, Mark unlock
s the front Of his large and well>filled book
: case, and begins deliberately taking dow
= one by one, the handsomely bound volume
s Of the History of Eng land, which grace tn
o highest shelf; then he draws out q numbe
r of loose magazines, hidden there because {
z there untidy appearance lays the old lov
letters quite at the back OF them all. re
:, places the odd numbers, returns the volume
II to their shelf, carefully putting them ever
o locks the glass doors, aud is stalking away
e when Fanny, with a cry which awaken
r him, snatohes the key from his hand. Rul
1t 5ing his eyes, and wondering, be sees he
eager fingers dragging Hume and Smolle
. from their proud position to assume an in
), glorious one on the hearth rug and in tn
y fender; the once treasured Belle Asseab
! are scattered in all directions the highl
" nrizah love lettars receiva similar n.a ro