The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-09
CHAPTER LXYIII. p

|
81 You haze 1setted the fish,"
CHAPTER LXVIII.
Il! netted the fish! what fish?'
The man who forged the promisory
note.'
% Mr.. Burt?
'The same man that forged the news.
paper extracts to deceive you forged
the promissory note years ago, and the
man who is setting spies on you is the
man who forged those extracts; 80 we
are sure to nail him. he is in the net;
and very much to your credit. Leave
the rest to me. I'lltel you more about
it tomorrow. You must order your
carriage at one o'clock tomorrow and
drive down to Scotland Yard; go into
the yard, and you will see me; follow
me without word. When you go
back, the other spies will be SO fright
ened, they will go off to their employer,
and so we shall nail him.
Helen complied with their instruc.
tons strictly, and then returned home,
leaving Mr.. Burt to work. She had
been home about half an hour, when
the servant brought her up a message
saying that a man wanted to speak to
her. admit him. said Helen. He is
dressed very poor, MISS Never
mind; send him to me- She was afraid
to reject anybody now, lest she might
turn her back on information.
| a man presented nlIQSelt In well.
worn clothes, with wash-leather face
and close-shaven chin; a little of his
forehead was also shaven. Madam,
my name is Hand Helen started. Il
have already had the honor of writing
to you.'
yes, SIR said Helen, eying him with
| fear and aversion.
Madam, 1 am come'-(he hesitated}-
Il am an unfortunate man. Weighed
down by remorse for a thoughtless act
that has ruined an innocent man, and
nearly cost my worthy employer his
life, come to expiate as far as in me
| lies. But let me be brief, and hurry
over the tale of shame. l was a clerk
at Wardlaw's office. A bill-broker call
ed Adams was talking to me and my
fellow clerks, and bOasting that
| nobody could take him in with a feign-
ed signature. Bets were laid;' our
vanity was irritated by his pretension.
It was my fortune to overhear my
young master and his friend Robert
Penfold speak about a loan of two
thousand pounds. In an evil hour
listened to the tempter, and wrote a
| forged note for that amount. 1 took it
| to Mr.. Penfold; he presented it to
Adams, and it was cashed. 1 intended,
| of course, to call next day, and tell Mr..
Penfold, and take him to Adams, and
restore the money, and get back the
note. It WAS not due for three
months. Alas !! that very day it
fell under suspicion. Mr.. Penfold
ter was struck down with illness at his
| friends guilt, though he never could be
| quite got to believe it; and 1-misera1
BILE coward dared not tell the truth.
Ever since that day have been mis-
cradle man. The other day 1 came
into money, and left Wardlaw's SER
vice. But carry my remorse with me.
Madam, am come to tell the truth. l
dare not tell 1t TO Mr.. Wardlaw; 1 think
he would kill me. But will tell 1t to
you, and you can tell it to him ay, tell
| it to all the world. Let my shame be
so deeply, but, Heaven knows, unin-
tentionally. 1-1-I
Mr.. Hand sank all in a heap where
he sat, and could say no more.
Helen's flesh crawled at this contes-
sion, and at the sight of this reptile who
had owned that he had destroyed Rob-
ert Pentold in fear and cowardice. For
a long time her wrath so overpowered
all sense of pity, that she sat trem bling;
and, if eyes could kill, Mr.. Hand would
not have outlived his confession.
At last she contrived to speak. She
turned her head away not TO see the
wretch, and said sternly-
Are you prepared to make this state
ment on paper, If called onY
Mr.. Hand hesitated, but said Yes
Then write down that Robert PEN
fold was innocent, and you are ready
to prove 1t whenever you may be called
upon
Write that down. said Hand.
unless your penitence is feigned you
WILL
Sooner than that should be added to
my crime will avow ALL he wrote
| the few lines she required.
Now your address, that may know
where to find you at a moments notice.
He wrote j. HAND. II Warwick street,
PImlico.'
Helen then dismissed him and wept
bitterly. In that condition she was
found by Arthur Wardlaw, who COM
forted her, and on hearing her report
of Hands confession, burst out into
triumph, and reminded her he had al
ways said Robert Penfold was inno-
cent. My father, said he, must yield
to this evidence, an6we will lay it be-
PARDON
His pardon! when he is innocenI!
%, that is the form.-the only form.
The rest must be done by the warm re-
ception of his friends. I, for one. who
ali these years have maintained his
innocence, will be the first to welcome
him to my house, an honored guest:
What am saying? Can =? dare -?
ought II when my wife All! am
more to be pitied than my poor friend
Is; my friend, my rival. We'll, leave
It to you whether he can come into
your husbands house,
Never
But, at least, I can send the Spring
box out, and bring him home: and that
will do without one days delay
% Arthur! = cried Helen, you set me
an example of unselfishness.'
Il do what cam said Arthur. i am
no saint. hope for reward
Helen sighed. what shall dol?
Have pity on me! your faithful lover,
and to whom your faith was plighted
before ever you saw or knew my I'M
happy friend, What can do or suffer
more than have done and suffered
for you? My sweet Helen, have pity
on me, and be my wife,
Il will; some day.
Bless you: bless you. One effort
more: what day?'
Il can't. can't. My heart is dead.'
This day fortnight. Let me speak
to your father: let him name the day.
AS she made no reply, he kissed her
hand devotedly, and did speak to her
father. Sir Edward, meaning all for
the best, said, This day fortnight
ITO BE Continued