The Union and journal., 1869-12-10

why, am accused. Godfrey, as well Is you
The best detective officer in England declare
that have stolen my own Diamond. Ask hin
what he thinks, and he will tell you that have
pledged the Moonstone to pay my private debts /!
She stopped--ran across the room--and fell OF
her knees at her mcther's feet. '0h, mamma
mamma! mamma must be mad-mustn
f-not to own the truth noup Che WIS To-
vehement to notice her mothers condition
she was on her feet again and back with Mr.
Godfrey In an instant. Il won't let you
won't LET any innocent man-be accused and dis
graced through my fault. If you won't take M
before the magistrate, draw out q declaration
Of your innocence on paper, and win sign 1t
Do as tell you, Godfrey, or I'll write Il TO th'
newspapers-Ill 50 out and cry 1t in tn
streets =
We viii not say this was the language Of 70
morse-we win say IL was the language Of hys
terics. Indulgent Mr.. Godfrey paci6ed her By
taking sheet Of paper and drawing out th'
declaration. She signed II in feverish hurry
SHOW il every where-don't think Of me- sh,
said, as she gave ii to him. Il an afraid. God.
frey, have not done you justice hitherto in my
thoughts. You are more unselfsh-you are a
better man than believed you to be. Come
here when you can, and will try and repair
the wrong have done you
She gave him her hand. Alas for our fallen
nature! Alas for Mr.. Godfrey! He not only
forgot himself so far as to kiss her hand-he
adopted gentleneSs OF tone in answering heI
which, in such a case, was little better than .
compromise with sin. Il will come, dearest,
he said, 'on condition that We don't speak ol
this hateful subject again. Never had l sccn
and heard our Christian hero TO less advantage
than on this occasion. ..-' ... ..f.
Before another word could be said by any
body laundering knock at the strcet-door
startled us all. l looked through the window
and saw the World, the Flesh. and the Deyil
waiting before the house-as typihed in n car
riase anil horses, powdered footman, and
three Of the most andaci0usly-drcssedw women
ever beheld in my life. . .... ....- 2
Rachel started and composed herself She
crossed the room TO her mother.
They have, come to take me to the flower.
show she said. .0ne word, mamma, before
20. have not distressed you, havoI.'
The drops had produced their effect. My
no, my DEAR she said. Go with our friends
anil enjoy yourself
Her daughter stopped and kissed her. Ihad
left the window and was near the door when Ra-
chel approached Il to 20 out. Another change
hal come over her--she was in tears. l looked
with interest at the momentary softening Of tha,
obdurate heart. | felt inclined to say a few
earnest words Alas my well-meant sympa.
thy only gave oiiense 'what do you mean by
plying mel' she asked, ina bitter whisper, as
she passed to the door. Don't you see how hap
py am, I'm going to the fower-show, Clack
and I've got the prcttiest bonnet in London.
She completed the hollow mockery Of that ad'
dress by blowing me kiss-and so left thu
room.
Returning TO my aunt's chair observed dear
Mr.. Godfrey searching for something softly her'
and there in different parts of the room. Be
fore could offer to assist him he had found
what he wantei. He came back to my aun'
and me. with his declaration OF innocense in
one hand and with box Of matches In th'
other. a-
Dear aunt. little conspiracy = he said.
'Dear Miss Ciack. plous fraud which even your
high mJvai reytitude Sill excuse / win you
leave Rsslei u suppose shat aocePt<he gener-
Gus sclf-sacrihce which has signed this paper
And will you kindly bear witness that destroy
il in your presence before leave the house |!
lie kindled a match, aud lighting the paper laid
il 10 burn in plate on the table. ANY trihing
inconyience that may suffer is as nothing,
he remarked. compared with the importance
Of preserving that pure name from the contains
mating contact OF the world. There |! We have
reiuced il to little harmless heap Of ashes, and
our dear impulsiye Rachel will never know
what we have done How do you feel!-my
my precious friends, how do you feel, For my
poor part, am rs light-hearted as boy"
lie beamed on us with his beautiful smile ht
held out hand to my aunt and hand to me.
I was too deeply affected by his noble conduct
tospcak. closed my eyes put his hand, in
kind Of spiritual self-forgctfulness, to my lips,
He murmured soft remonstrance. Oh, the
ecstacy. the pure, unearthly ecstacy Of that mo-
ment! sat- hardly know on what-quite
lost in my own exalted feelings. When Iopenei
my eyes again 1t was like descending from beav-
en- to earth. There was nobody but my aunI
in the RON. He had gone.
Finding myself alone with Lady Verinder
tdrncd naturally to the subject Of her health
touching delicately on the strange anxiety which
she hal shown TO conceal her indispostion, and
the remedy applied to IL, from the observation
Of her daughter.
My aunt's reply greatly surprised me.
'Drusilla.' she said (if have not already
mentioned that my Christian name is Drusilla
permit me to mention II now), you are touch
ing-quite innocently, know-On ayery dis
tressing subject
rose Immediately. Dclicacy LEFT me but one
altcrnatiye--the alternative, after first making
my apologies, OF taking my leave, Lady We
rinder stopped me and insisted on my sitting
down again.
'You have surprised secret she said
(which had confdel to my sister Mrs. Able
white, and to my lawyer, Mr.. Bruii, and to nc
one else. l can trust In their discretion and
am sure, when tell you the circumstances,
can trust in yours. Have you any pressing en-.
gagement, Drusilla or is your time your owr
this afternoonl
II is needless TO say that my time was entirely
at my aunt's disposal.
keep me company, thcn,' she said. 'for an.
other hour. Ihaye something to tell you which
believe you will be sorry to hear. And shall
have q service to ask Of you aflcrward. IL you
don't object 10 assist me =
II Is again needless to say that so far from ob-
jecting, was all eagcrness to assist her.
'You can wait here she went on, 'till Mr.
Brutf comes at Ave. And you can be one Of th,
witnesses, Drusilla, when sign my will.'
Her Viii. thought Of the drops which
had sen In her work-box. thought Of III,
blush tingc which had noticed in her complex.
ion. A light which was not Of this worlds
light shinging prVphetieally from IN unmad'
graye-dawncd solcmnly on my mind. My
aunt's secret was secret no longer.
CHAPTER III.
Consideration for poor Lady Verinder for.
a a 4 A. 4 A Ill 4