The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-12-01

more than he had ever openly &C
knowledged, we can understand in
what a whirlwind of fiery wrath, be
rode full speed through Canstow and
up to Newlards, not ten minutes af. |
ter Grantley had returned.
"Grantley !" he called out as soon
as he entered, and still standing in
the hall, "Grantlcy Watts, where are
you"
"lTere, sir," said Grantley, coming
out of the drawing room, where he
mad been giving Hope an account of
his proceedings, and emptying his
pockets of her commissions.
"Where did you get that twenty
pound note you just now changed at
Tells y shouted John Rashleigh.
Grantley was silent.
"Come, sir, want an answer 7"
cried his cousin. "Looking down
and keeping q demure silence, will
not suit me; j want simple answer
to straightforward question. -
Where did yon get that twenty pound
note from ? left it in my desk when
| went to Canstow to-day, and my
desk was locked; whoever got it,
forced the lock or opened it with O
false key. 1t was either you or some
one else. Who was it Grantley ?"
Grantley still made no answer
The truth was just beginning to break
upon him.
81 do not think any one in my
household would do such thing
two hours ago l should not have
thought that you would have done it.
and even yet, suspicious as the whole
circumstance is, even yet | will ac.
cept any explanation that will clear
you, else | must hold you responsi.
bic for the theft.
81 did not steal it. ] have com.
mitted no theft" said Grantley, look.
ing straight into his cousins eyes.
"Oh you may dislike the
word, but that l do not care for
said Mr. Rashleigh disdalnfully. 81
have always remarked that people
shrinll more from word than deed
and think themselves especially i'll
used if called by the name of theii
crime. IT you are not thief, wha,
are you then? If YOU did not stea
it, how did you get it ~
81 did not steal it," was all Grant
ley could say, repeating himself mo
notonouslv.
John Rashlcigh was an impatient
man as well rs n proud and high TEN
pered one. At Grantley's second as
servation, he raised his hand ant
struck the youth across the face.
Coward ~ he said, "you have moi
even the bad courage of crime. Oar,
you not confess what by confession
would have been only fault? ]
you had told me frankly how an,
why you had come to do such
thing, l could have understood it n,
a boyish liberty, and have forgiven
it, but now | have only one way O
dealing with it--as a crime"
| When he struck him, Grantley in
voluntarily raised his own hand; bu
a thought came across him, and h,
retreatcd step or two and dropped
his guard.
at takes the remembrance Of al
You have done for me, Mr.. Rash
leigh, and more than even this, tC
make me bear your insults" he said
eXcitedly, his boyish face convulset
with contending passions.
His voice, harsh and broken as il
was, had somehow different ring ir
it to that Of guilt, and Mr.. Rashlcigl
had not been II magistrate for sc
many years, and accustomed to al
shades of criminals, not to know
something of the human voice, ant
what it betokened under accuration
Grantlcy started him-so did the
proud, flushed face with the honcs'
eyes looking SO frankly, and the in
dignation rather than fear upon it,
and made him half afraid that he had
been too hasty. But men of his char
acter do not long doubt themselves
for good or evil and while that one
broad fact remained unexplained
how did Grantley get possession OF
money locked up in his desk ?-hc
was in ais right to suppose that he
stolen it, and common sense and the
law were on his side.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.