The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-12-28
believe him .yhat. tthns world says he

his seatand stood before her. Ton
bthank you for your confidence,
he said, in low, tender tones, and
from my heart pray your faith may
prove true. -
She rose, too, asAshe spoke, and
placed her little hands in his. Twice
she tried to speak, but the words died
ION her lips. 1t had. been an hour of
intense mental pain, and she was deli
'cateIyl organized and felt such keenly.
Fam your friend2" he5asked. io !
l. My bother" she saidsoftly.
L So be it. Remember, if | can
serve you, my life is at the call of my
| little sister" and he bent over her
and kissed the SUI pny hair ripping
from her low broad forehead, and so
Rleft her, comforted and :soothed, to
carry@away his own agony, and fight
/ ,down.the bitterest torturesof his life5
Said Inot truly this was "a Christian
gentleman? g
Three years glided away, and Leon
MARKHAM had visited many spots in
| the Old World where tourists love to
1alinger. His home had grown insup-
portable when the hope that had made
his loVe-life beautiful was wrested
from him, and he had wandered away
in quest of change and excitement
1t was early Winter, and he was in
Italy, when, wandering one day
through the streets of Rome, he met
what seemed to him the shadow of
Harry Leslie There was moments
pause, then hand grasped hand in
cordial pressure.
You are ill?" was Icons first
W have been, may u be again ain Il
hope So" was the Responding an
swer.. - q How long since you left the
States?0y9, Gft ETn0d
Nearly three years.
y Do you hear often r. s.gr eG on
Never, scarcely. | have l no cor
"Then you-my father?' 1 did not
know but 80 qe.3.,.,!te Ieis,ae
What! I am your friend, Harold.
40" My father died, you know, in
Florence, three months ago, of mala-
rious fever, / had never found him,
in all these years, but he saw my
name on list of arrivals there and
sent for me. tits long story, Leon"
There was something almost pitiful in
the pleading eyes he raised to his
friends face.
, 2" Come tony room, and tell me all,
said Leon. " It is no idle curiosity
prompts me- " = '.e1.D
1t was but a short walk, and when
B0nce the tale was commenced Harold |
poured it forth in terse, hurried words. |
lie had found on his table, on that |
fatal New Years Day, note from
his father, bidding him farewell, and |
limiting at his crime. At once he had
followed him, but was too late to |
catch the European steamer from |
New York. Waiting until the next, /
he had tried for three years to find |
Norris Leslie, and the last year pub
lished his name wherever he went,
hoping it might catch his fathers
eyes The one aim and hope
of his life had been to persuade
his father to restore the ill-gotten I
wealth, and clear his name Attic
renee he was summoned, to Norris
Leslie's death-bed, and gained his
point. All that was left of the money
so fraudulently obtained was sent in
trusty hands to America; but, un-
known to his son, his father had also
transmitted a letter, clearing the
young mans name from all blame,
stating his course, and amply exoner-
ating him from any share in the
swindle, or knowledge of its contem-
plation.
It was long, sad story.
Il never knew of the letter till /
saw it published in the - Gazette"
said Harold My father is buried in
Florence, under his own name. His
assumed one was only dropping the
surname, and it is recorded on the
hotel register as Norris
But what are you doing?p baz
Painting portraits. Very poor
daubs, too, | fear, but manage to
live" f
home?" ..t-f
" NeverI lin fact, Leon, you
don't know all. :" 5a
but I know this. " he answered,
firmly, though the words seemed to
burn his lips. g. Anna Leigh trusted
you through all, and loves you still. Z"
Leon You would not deceive
me?. p3ssszfJl 8IBVII4 I0I aIJJ E
IL habit from herSpEn lips. qQI
There was New Years party at
Leigh House few weeks after the
above conversation. It was
the first one given since the
night when Norris Leslie ran away
from his native city, to die in Flor
ence. wv ~
Anna Leigh was graceful, pretty
hostess, and the light come back to.
her eyes, the spring to her step, for
beside her stands the tall, manly
figure of one who has come home to
live down his fathers shame, in his
own upright life. Leon Markham is
there too, and if his heart bleeds yet.
from its old wounds, he gives no sign
to his little sister as she raises her