Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-14

ernor, who kept us SO long from marrying
and being happy. We will marry in a
month or two now, let who will say nay
By George if there isn't the bureau where
she used to keep her papers. The will
must be there. There is no harm in having
a look at it. Where arc the keys, Lefty !?
Go and get them from her room. She's no
use, | suppose, for them now? She kept
them tight enough while she was alive
Come, hurry off, Lefty ; this is a turning
point with me.' ........ ...... .
Lefty threw herself before the old bu-
reau, the tears rolling from her eyes. "Oh
John, john" she said, edo not be so cruel
and hard hearted What evil spirit of
| greed possesses you? You were not SO
once. | cannot get the keys. Wait.
Have you no love for the dead 2"
Stuff and nonsense. | want no whin-
ing sentiments. thought you were girl
of more pluck and sense. Get away from
| that bureau. Pll soon prise it open. It's
all mine now. Mind, Pm queer this morn
ing Things haven't gone smooth with me
lately at all Get away"
He pushed the weeping girl from the
desk, and, thrusting in the blade of a large
knife, wrenched open the front of the bu-
reau. A will fell out. As he stopped to
snatch it up the door opened, and the cid
Doctor stood before him. There were tears
| in his eyes as he motioned Lefty from the
room. She gave one long look back, and
the door was locked behind her. There
was a terrible stern gravity in the old mans
! pale face, and his mouth was clenched as
! if fixed with the pang of some mortal ago
ny.
John Harkness stepped back and clutch
| ed hold Of the shattered bureau, or he
would have fallen.
john" said the old man, "you have de-
ceived me. | loved you, loved you Heaven
on knows how tenderly. There was a
time when | would have bled to death to
save you an hours pain. There was
! time when | thought more of your smallest
disappointment than | should have done for
the loss of one of my own limbs l foster
ed you | took you from bad father, and
brought you up as my own son. have
been foolishly indulgent, and now, like Alb
salon, you have taught me bitterly my fol-
| ly. You have forged-you have lied Yes,
don't dare to speak, Sir. You have lied
Blacker and blacker your heart became as
you gave yourself to selfindulgence and
sin. Further and further you erred from
the narrow path faster and faster you
drove down hill, till at last, forsaken by the
good angels, and urged forward by the dev-
il, the great temptation came, and y ou fell
into CRIME. Not a word, Sir you see |
know all Old as | am, twas love for you
made me subtle found out your forger-
les l discovered your false entries of pa
tients' names. | traced you out in all your
follies and vices, and finally | saw you,
when you thought me asleep, take the key
ring from my finger, and make those entries
in forged hand in my case-book, that
might, but for Gods infinite mercy, have
led to my being now in prison as a murder
en-. You may start but even "a horrible
cold-blooded crime did not appall you. 1t
is fear, and not repentance, that even now
makes you turn pale. The sin of Cain is
upon you. Even now, eager faces are
looking up from the lowest abysses of hell,
waiting for your coming while, from the
nearest heaven, the pale sad face of one
who loved you as a mother, regards you
with sorrow and with pity"
Father, father !" cried the unhappy and
conscience-stricken wretch, and held out
his hands like one waiting for the death
blow from the executioner "Have mercy!
have died, any how. l am young ; give
me time to repent J"
John, | will not deceive you as you
have deceived me. My sister still lives.
discovered your intended crime, and gave
her antidotes. She may yet recover, if it
seems good to the all-merCiful Father still
you had murdered her but for me. Tell
me not of repentance. Time will show
that. | shall never hear in this world
whether or not your repentance is true or
false Here is one hundred pounds. That
will start you III another hemisphere for
good or evil. | wish, for the honor of our
family, to conceal your shame, and the last
spark of love that is left urges me to con-
ceal your intended crime. Lefty you will
see no more |, too, am dead to you for
ever. 1t is now one hour to the next train.
Spend that time in preparing for your jour
ney At the nearest seaport write to me,
and | will forward all that belongs to you.
Your debts shall be paid. l shall tell peo-
pie that a sudden spirit of adventure made
you leave me and start for Australia"
But Letty--one word" groaned the
| discovered crimi lal. 81 love her-one
word l forgot her for a time in my cruel
selfshness but love her now-mercy-
ONE
"Not one word. She is ignorent of your
crime, but she knows that you are un-
worthy of her love Mind, one struggle,
one word of opposition, and | throw you in
| to prison as forgor. and a man who had
planned murder. Go when that door
closes on you it is as if the earth of the
grave had closed over my eyes. We shall
| meet no more Go. Speak to no one and
remember, that the will you hold in your
hand leaves not single farthing to your
self Go. We part forever If you write,
| burn the letters unopened Co."
The young man stood for moment as
soldiers are sometimes said to do when a
bullet has pierced their hearts. His face
was the face Of corpse, but no tears came.
The blood was frozen at it's source. Then
he stood forward, kissed the old man on
the forehead, and rushed from the house.
In five minutes afterward the door softly
opened, and Lefty entered The Doctor
took her hand They knelt
81 Let us pray for him." he said, solemnly.
Lefty, his fault you shall never know,
but you must henceforward consider him
as dead Those who love me will never
| biC mama lot nc pravy for him