Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-02-01
VOL. XIII So: NO 2

her to catch up the broken meslns while
" tited for it.
II will tell your maid to bring your
workbox," l said, going to the door and
J calling the servant
''Iour mistress has Icd morocco work.
box" said to her and she answered INV
summons.
..Ycs, sir" she replied
''Wherc is it,"
'1n her bedroom" she said.
''Mrs. Forbes wishes it brought here"
; | turned back into the room. Mrs Forbes
had gone deadly pale, but her eyes locked
! sullen, and her teeth were clenched under
her lips with an expression of stuborncss.
The maid brought the work-box. I
walked with it in my hands up to the So
f. where she was seated.
"You remember this mark." asked. 1
think neither of us can ever forget it,.
She did not answer by word, but there
was very intelligent CLEAN in her blue
eyes.
Now" I continued, softly, II promised
your father to befriend you, and | am not
man to forget promise. But YOU must
tell me the whole simple TRUTH"
was compelled to reason with her. and
to urge her for some time. l confess
went SO far as to remind her that there
was an English consul at Alexandria, to
whom could resort. At last she opened
her stubborn lips, and the whole story came
out, mingled with sobs and showers Of
tears.
She had been in love with Alfred. she
said. and they We're too poor 70 marry, and
papa would not hear of such thing. She
was always i'll want of money, she was
kept so short; and they promised to give
her such Il great sum-a vast sum-iiye
hundred pounGs.
'But who bribcd your" inquired.
A foreign gentleman whom she hod met
in London. called Monsieur B0nnard. 1t
was French name, but she was not sure
that he was a Frenchman. He talked to
her about her father being a surveyor in
the post Office, and asked her great num-
ber of questions. A few weeks after, she
met him i'll their own town by accident,-
she and Mr.. Forbes; and Alfred had long
private talk will, him. and they came t0
her, and told her she could help them
very much. They asked her if she could
brave enough to carry off a little red
box out of the travelling post office, con-
tanning nothing but papers Aftera while
she consented. When she had confessed
so much under compulsion. Mr.. Forbes
seemed to take pleasure in the narrative
and went on fluently.
we required papa's signature to the or
der, and we did not know how to get it
. Luckily he had a fit of the gout, and was
very pcevish aud ! had to read over lot
l of official papers to him, and then he sign
5 ed them. One of the papers read twice,
and slipped the order into It's place after
e the second reading. thought should
have died with fright; but just then he was
in great pal" a''h glad to get his work Oy-
cr. made an excuse that was gong to
! visit my aunt at Beckhy, but, instead Of
I going there direct, We c0ntrived to BE- at
the station at Eaton minute or two be-
! fore the mail-train came up. ! kept out
side the station door till We heard the
Z whistle, aud just then the postmau came
: running down the road, and followed him
straight throu Ii the booking office, aud
? asked him to give you the order, which |
t put into his hand. He scarcely saw me-
just caught a glimpse of Monsieur Bon.
. nard's face through the windGw of tho
compartment next the van, when Alfred
; had gone. They had promised me that
, the train should stop at Camden town if
! could only keep your attention engaged
, until then. You know how succerded.'
"But how did You dispose of the box!"
asked.
"iou could not have concealed it about
| YOU; that am sure of.''
t "Ah !" she said. "nothing was easier.
: Monsieur Bonnard had described the van
X to me, and you remember put the box
a down at the end OF the counter, close to
t the corner where | hid myself ut every
d station. There was a door with window
d in it, and asked if might have the win
e dew open, as the van was too warm for me
d believe Monsieur Bonnard could have
e taken it from me by only leaning through
d his window, but he preferred stepping out,
l. and taking it from my hand, just as the
l train was leaving Watford,-on the far
II side of the carriages, You understand. 1t
l. was the last station, and the train came to
Il stand at Camden-.own. After all. the
N box was not out Of your sight more thar,
IN twenty minutes before YOU missed it.,
,e Monsieur Bonnard aud hurried out of the
X station, Alfred followed us. The box was
= forced open,-lhe lock has never been
rs mendcd, for it was peculiar one.-and
e. Monsieur Bonnard took possession of the
le papers. He left the box with me, after
'g putting inside it IA roll of notes. Alfred
ID aud were married next morning and |
went back to my aunt's; hut we did not
ID tell papa OF our marriage fur three or fDur
rs months. That is the story Of my rcd
+. morocco work box"
l. She smiled with the provoking mirtl.
le fulness of mischieyous child. There wa.
m one point still, ousshich my curiosi y VIA.
h, unsatisiied.
"Dd YOU know what the dispatches
Mt were abnut' | asked.
as 40 !" she answered ~ never un,
derstood politics in the least. knew moth
ID ing about them Monsieur did not say
,h word; he did not even look at the paper,
m while We We're by. would never never
,g have taken II registered letter, or anythiu.
d, with money i'll it, you know. but al
| those papers could be written again quit,
r. easily. You must not think me "a thief
he Mr. WilcoX; there was nothing wortl
1t, money among the papers,
. They were worth five hundred pound
Id to you.' | said. Ibid you ever see Bon
IS nard again!"
i'll Never a,ain.' she replied. ''He sal,
L. he was going to return to his native cou,,
try. don't think Bouuard was his rea
Tn name."
eff, Mos; likely not, Thought; but ! sai,
We no more to Mrs. Forbes. Once again
m was involved III great perplcXity ahou
he this affair 1t was clearly my duty 10 re
to port the discovery at head quarters, b,