Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-08-21

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, her good, cOntented, cheerful husband?
. John, John what is the matter Ha:
anything happened? ? Are you i'll p
All her apathy and want of interest dieC
away with her first glance at him and in q
instant she had sprung to her feet, and, witt
her infant on one arm, had thrown the Other
t about her husbands neck.
- hat Is the matter dearest why dc
you tremble, and look at me so hard John
, have never seen you like this before p
" | have never had occasion to feel like
tins before, Margaret. ! am the bearer o
bad news to you, darling.-news that has al
most broken my own heart. -
She look at him with amazement There
he was, alive and well, and Daisy was slum-
bering upon her arm. What great calamity
could happen to her which did not affect
either Of the two treasures Of her life
" Bad news, John What can it be ? Oh
tell me quickly
He tried to answer her, but his voice fail
ed him. \ dry, harsh sound alone issued
from his throat, which threatened as it were,
to choke HIM. At the same time his wife
thought she heard other footsteps shufling in
the passage, as though their conference was
not without listener
There Is some one in the house ?'' she
cried. :" Oh John. don't keep ne longer in
suspense Is it-arrest -
She had had some experience of that sort
whilst living with her brothers family. and
the dread Of it had always kept her frugal in
expenses,-yet her husband might have in
CURED debt unknown to her
Sc No, no - he groaned, when, at last be
had found voice 10 answer her &c not that.
Margaret, % | wish it We're 7 wish a
liie's imprisonment for me could undo what
bas has occurred to-day. Stop, dearest stop
a minute don'tlook that way. and / will
summon courage to tell you all O Marga-
ret be brave for bring Won news that il
worse than death.
She was too alarmed and a.itatcI now TO
use any more entreatv. She could only stare
INTO her husbands face, with wild pleading
eyes, and press tke shoulder upon which She
leaned
Meg, We have been happy together, have
We not have tried to make You >o Say
. have succeeded.
The thought of her late discomfort flashed
across her mind, and her ewes became blur
red with sudden repentaut tears vet when
she answered " Yes. dear; YES. dearest. God
knows that You have .'' She answered truly.
notwithstanding the mood in which thi- uu-
known misfortune had surprised her.
" And you love me o." be continued
know YOU love me, and Will be brave for my
sake. Margaret, we must part
She did not scream nor faint she did not
echo his words, or excaim at the stmngencss
of their import but one thought possessed
her.-that her husband had lost hi, senses.
and 50 entirely was this fear portrayed upon
her speaking features that John Hartley
read it at a glance
.' No, Meg, ! am not mad / have all my
senses now, though God only knows how long
may retain them. Turn your eyes away
look anywhere but at me. and ! win ny 10
tell you ALL
She turned them instinc,yelv towards the
half closed door. But the next moment she
tore herself from her husband embrace and
pointed 20 the passage iu alarm.
John / saw am sure ! SAW some
one there, she SasTed family some one
moving in the dusk. W no it? Who can
have business here with you and me-
q. | have, said voice. the memory of
which years had not obli,emted from her
mind and in another second the door was
roughly pushel open. and on the threshold
stood the figure of her late husband. Of the
man whom she had supposed TO Doe at the
bottom OF the sea,-ol Robert Nelson.
As be made his appearance. John Hartley
instincuvely moved To the side of his wife,
and placed his arms around her for support
but Margaret neither heeted his action nor
himself. She was standing as though she
had been turned to stone gazing with wide
ly dllated eyes on the new conner.
d" We'll, You don seem disposed 10 give
me much OF welcome. Mrs. Nelson. be ez-
claimed, greeting her surprise with hoar-e
laugh 80 but perhaps should have written
hrst to announce my coming. Only. you -ee,
three years spent IN the galleYs on the coast
Of Morocco during which we were not allow
ed pen and INK and Iostase-stamI- TO COM
munlcate with our friends. mako- man feel
as II no time should he wasted before DE let-
hls Wiie know that he returned TO his law
tul duty Very sorry 70 cut up fun. of course
but You seem to have been amusing your-cH
during my absence so ! think IT. my turn
now. And with malicious leer on hls
face, he approached Margaret side, as
though TO take her from her present hu--
band arms; but she only shFank closer M
to them' ana whispered iantly
10" dia you near oi thiS' Jonn WHO
told 1t You
lie STOPPED to answer her, until hi- cold
hps touched heF forehead
/ was returning u our nome Dearest
an WIN 9,iuuleI) ""al ."llN
nome II mas "eeh L"neh tiiiS man followed
ana accos'ed me- Al nrst ana not recog-
ME nm when did' thank tod that 10
my sTlei ana Geslalr / ana not Aafln nm.
but now mas IL an allshed' J9nnt Ieu
me plainly Tor l can harnly thlnk or un-
derstand'
faIt Oh the ere" oi 'n' ",eeAeI Mary
Jane margaret VINO put Oh I'D tnc long
ooat' IN hopes oi rea'hIis iaha in safety,
were driven towards thecoast oi baIoary ana
there taNen prisoners tor inc last tlree
years lhey nave neeh "oihih5 il lhe -alleEs
there, ROBERT Nelson amongst the number,
and were only SCI lree q month or t"oaS' by
the ald OF an English exploring larty
" Now, parson exclaimed robert Nei-
son, as he approached the Wretched par, '' !
can I waste any more time here whist You
are spinning yarns to my "iie l shall have
plenty oi opportunities 10 tel Aer everything
she may want to kno" concerning myself
and ar | wish to get to my destination To-
night, the sooner she makes herself ready To
90 with me the better.
As he uttered me last words Terclng
shrek burst from Margarets hIs
d" Go with you heexclamed % Leave
my husband to return to You Never ]
VIII peFlsh hrst;
4" But. as Ii happens, missus. You won't
be allowed to choose bet"lXt us, said Ro-
bert Nelson. Sc You belong to me, and with
me You must go,-there : no question about
that,-and I'm not sure that | can't prose
cute the parson Tor having hagsed You as
soon as ever my back was turned. 1t was
dirty trick to play any man, and if I can
make him smart for It, | will. Meanwhile.
shall take my own again
John John p she said, in low de
spairing voice, which yet entreated mm to