Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-09-28

Miss Monille. She had frequently admitted
both in your presence and mine the fact of
her poverty, and"
ssBut surely Genevra, interrupted Mrs
Payson in disturbed voice, 'you don't sup
pose Ellice Monille has stolen my collar??'
Geneva depressed her long lashes with a
gentle little regretful sigh.
sDear aunt, we are all fallible, and it was
a great temptation to place in the girl'sway."
Mrs Payson turned short round to her
open mouthed maid, who was eagerly listen
ing to the conversation.
'.Mary, go to the nursery, and tell Miss.
Monille that desire to see her Immediately
do you hear-immedia
And in minute or two Miss Monille obey
ed the summons all uncousions Of the ordeal
which awaited her.
''Miss Monille," began the lady abruptly,
.swhere is my Spanish point collar 2"
Ellce looked surprised
sIs is not in the box, Mrs. Payson %
sNo, Miss Monille, it is not" angrily
enunciated Mrs. Payson, beginning to grow
very red in the face, tand wish you to I'M
derstand that l consider you responsible for
ii!
"Me."
.sYou certainly had it last" chimed in the
cold hard voice of Genevrp Ware 'Believe
me, Miss Monille, yo~ .,ll1 be consulting
your best interests in giving it up at once"
ssGiving it up" There was color enough
in Ellice's face now ''Do you for a moment
believe Mrs. Payson, that have taken your
lace?"
Mrs. Payson flushed and faltered. There
L. ! ..l,4 %
eye that disconnected her.
'sOf course you have, there can be no
doubt OH the subject and insist on your at
once returning it. have searched in every
imaginable place for it, and can come to no
other conclusion"
Confess at once" urged Genevra, ssand
avoid the modification of further exposure.
Ny aunt will not be very hard on you, CON
sidering that it is your first offense."
El,ice turned upon Genevra like hunted
fawn at bay.
elbow dare you address me in those terms
Miss Ware? l, who am as innocent as your
self %
81 will have no more of this alteration
Miss Monille," said Mrs. Payson, whose lip
had grown very cold and rigid. ''rhere is
but one alternative open to me Geneva, and
you will have the kindness TO send John for
a policeman to search Miss Monille's boxes.
/ am surprised Miss Monille-surprised and
shocked at witnessing such wicked obduracy
and depravity i'll one so young. You will
be good enough to remain here in my pres
ence until the policeman arrives. | do not
wish this web of deceit and mystery to be-
come any. more complicated than is neces-
sary."
And Ellice stood there white and silent,
listening to the tumultous beating of her own
heart, and feeling the crimson heat sweep
across her face, while Mrs. Payson calmly
contemplated her dollhouse boquet and Gen
evra' 9 blue eyes flashed full Of fierce trium-
plant light for she fancied that every mo-
ment now was widening the gulf between
Ralph Payson and the pale governess who
was accused as being thief.
But in spite of the active and unrelenting
search, no collar made its appearance.
ooh, supposed as MUCH" said Genevra
Ware scornfully. "Of course she was too
wise to preserve any witness against herself"
Mrs Payson's torpid nature was now fully
aroused.
.sYou shall leave this house at once grip
she said stamping her foot passionately, ''and
don't refer to me for any future character.
have no doubt that you stole my coller-you
bad, ungrateful creature-though you have
contrived to elude your deserts Don't stand
there but pack up your things at once! Good
gracious! Only to think of the horrid influ-
ence to which my poor little girls have been
exposed"
Elice silently obeyed, moving like one who
walks through the mazes Of bewildered
Tha et,.n Of ri 81
tial evidence seemed tightening even closer
around her failing footsteps and she felt the
utter hopelessness of an appeal or remon-
STRANGE
''Of course resumed the indignant mat
ron, giving her silk robes toss as if to
shake off the very atmosphere that the gov
audacity to ask for your quarters salary.
1t is scarcely a fifth part of the value of the
lace you have stolen from me-"
Ellice made no reply. She knew that she
was almost penniless; yet at that moment
she would cheerfally have accepted starva-
ton rather than have touched d coin of Mrs.
Payson's money. And all this time Genevra
stood looking on with bitter curve on her
lip, and malignant sparkle in her cold, cruel
eyes.
Yes, she had triumphed at last
From the mansion in Belgravia to little
house in by street tenanted by. no less than
three distinct families, is rather an abrupt
transition-but not more so--alas! than
many of the transitions we meet with in this
| life And Mrs Benson was only the wife of
lawyers clerk and fondly imagined that
her three rooms were the brightest little suitf
in Camdentown.
And so they were with bright red curtains
at the windows, and pots of mignonette
drinking in the sunshine, and the black-lead-
ed stove winking with red eyes of flame at
the suspicious looking mahogany bookcase
that never held any books, but which turned
into bedstead at night in the most incon-
ceivable manner And Mrs Benson singing
at her work, and counting the hours until
her husband should come home, never dream
ed of the dark shadow of trial that was de-
scending on the horizon of her young sister
life.
'.Ellice my darling"
She started to her feet with q slight in
voluntary scream as the door opened, and
Ellice Monille hurried in pale and trembling
with large, dark eyes that seemed beyond
the blessed relief of tears Barbara Benson
threw her arms around the new conner, and
held her close, close to her heart, as she had
held her years ago. in the first lonely mo-
ments Of their mutual orphanage.
| '.What has happened Ellce? Tell me p
| And Ellice, for the first time finding the
gateway of tears, sobbed out all her griefs
upon that loving breast.
at is a shame-a burning shame reiter-
ated little Mrs. Benson, biting her cherry
lips, and striving desperately to keep back
the tears. 'Never mind darling. you shall
] stay with me- Ii won't be long before YOU