Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-09-18

garden whilst The solctoT anu 'aH
over the inventory Of the chief valuables
to be surrendered together.
This was agreed to. A minute or
two before the conclusion of this neces'
sary Formally, l received a message
from the ladies expressive of wish to
be gone at once, if l would escort them
to the hotel and Martin, who was no
where to be found, could follow. hast
ened to comply with their wishes; and
we were just about to issue from the
front drawing room, into which we had
passed through the folding doors, when
we were confronted by the widow and
her party, who had just reached the
landing of the great staircase. We
drew back in silence. The mutual con-
fusion into which we were thrown caused
a momentary hesitation only, and we
were passing on when the butler sudden
ly appeared.
"A gentleman, he said IAN officer, is at
the door, who wishes to see Miss Maria
Emsbury, formerly of Swindon.'
| stared at the man, discerned a
strange expression in his face, and it
glanced across me at the same moment
that / had heard no knock at the door.
See Miss Emsbury' exclaimed the
Widow Thorneycroft, recovering her
speech-'there is no such person here +?
Pardon me, madam, ! cried, catching
eagerly at the interruption, as a drown>
ing man is said to do at a straw-'this
young person s0aS at least Miss Ems
bury. Desire the officer TO walk up.
The butler vanished instantly, and we
all huddled back disorderly into the
drawing room, some one closing the door
after us, ] felt the grasp of Mrs. Aller>
tons arm tighten convulsively round
mine, and her breath heard, came quick
and short. | was hardly less agitated
myself
Steps--slow and deliberate steps
were presently heard ascending the stairs,
the door opened, and in walked gentle
man in the uniform of a yeomanry officer,
whom at the first glance / could have
sworn to be the deceased Mr.. Henry
Allerton. A slight exclamation of terror
escaped Mrs. Allerton, followed by
loud hysterical scream from the Swindon
young woman, as she staggered forward
towards the stranger, exclaiming, OH
merciful God my husband = and then
fell, overcome with emotion, in bis out
stretched arms.
Yes said the Rev. Mr.. Wishart
promptly, "that is certainly the gentle
man united 10 Maria Emsbury. What
can be the meaning of this scene ?"
is that sufficient, Mr.. Sharp?' ex-
claimed the officer, in voice that re-
moved all doubt.
Quite, quite ! shouted-'more than
enoughP
very well, then, said William Mar
tin, dashing off his black curling wig,
removing his whiskers Of the same color,
and giving his own light, but now crops
ped head Of hair and clean shaved cheeks
TO view. Now, then, send for the pc,
lice, and let them transport mel richly
merit il. / married this young woman
in false name | robbed her of her
money, and ! deserve the hulks, if any
body ever did,
You might have heard pin drop in
the apartment whilst the repentant ras-
cal thus spoke; and when he ceased, |
Mrs. Allerton, unable to bear up against
the tumultuous emotion which bis words
excited, sank without breath or sensation
upon a sofa. Assistance was summoned
and whilst the as yet imperlectly inform
ed servants were running from one to an
other with restoratves, had leisure 10
look around. The Widow Thorneycroft,
who had dropped into chair, sat gazing
in bewildered dismay upon the stranger,
who still held her lately discovered niece
in law in his arms; and | could see the
hot perspiration which had gathered on
her brow run in large drops down the
white channels which they traced through
the thick rouge of her cheeks. But the
readers fancy will supply the best image
Of this unexpected and extraordinary
scene. / cleared the house of intruGers
and visitors as speedily as possible, well
assured that matters would now adjust
themselves without difficulty.
And so it proved. Martin was not
sent to the hulks, though no question
that he amply deserved punishment as
great as that. The self sacrifice, as he
deemed it, which he at last made, pleaded |
for him, and so did his pretty looking
wife and the upshot was, that the mis-
taken brides dowry was restored, with
something over, and that a tavern was
taken for them in PiccadilIy-the White
Bear, | think it was-where they lived |
comfortably and happily, ! have heard,
for considerable time, and having con-
siderably added to their capital, removed |
to hotel OF higher grade in the city,
where they now reside. 1t was not at
all surprising that the clergyman and