The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-08

though he mourned the missing girl, and
SO I was obliged to believe hat there had
been nothing between them but a iiirts-
ton. A few weeks passed and saw
him no more, and on inquiry learned
that he had received an engagement in
some South American city. TO which ne
had departed.
| come now to the third incident,
which for a time puzzled me extremely,
but which can here be disposed OF quick
w. One warm evening in the summer
following the events already narrated, l
was following out q rule / had adopted
of walking, every evening l could get
away from my desk, at least five miles
rapidly, IS q health pr~eservative. On
this particular evening | had crossed the
Schuylkill at the Wire Bridge, and was
trotting away under a bright moonlight,
my back being turned to the orb, when
l saw a couple coming toward me with
the rays full In their faces. At a glsnce
7 took in both figures. The n was
John Barrett, and the other-good Heav-
ems !-was the lady of the forged che9ue,
changed as to the style and every point
OF her dress, but the same In every Inca
ment end in the expression of the face /;
TOR never could | mistake that cold blue
eye and stony look, which made her in
the moonlight seem like an animated
statue. : stared her full in the face, but
to this day l cannot tell whether l stood
still as they passed or went on at my reg
ular pace. l remember looking after
them end noticing that John neVcr turned
his head something told me that he had
rot recognized me. By the time / had
recovered my presence of mind they were
out Of sight, and as all my efforts to trace
them were 10 vain, Idrew the conclusion
that my frat suproeition was wrong, and
thet ! hid been seen and purpOsely avoid
en-. The storm of conflicting emotions in
which | went home that night WAS terri
BILE. Never before had any suspicion OF
John entered my mind, but here was real
evidence, and the duty of revealing it
| seemed clear and unavoidable. W. had
never been very friendly, but the daily
intercourse of years had produced q GER
tain intimacy, and on my part at least a
feeling of regard and l was now in a
state of agony. l walked the streets till
the last allowable hour, and when |
reached my room found John already
there. 1t was plain from his composed,
even cheerful look, that / had not been
seen /; bu soon a steady glance showed
that he noticed something in my face that
differed from his usual expression. Icould
see the change myself as I glanced at
the glass. At last the question came from
him:
what is the matter?"
81 saw you this evening"
".Ahi did you? Why didn't you
speak?"
This staggered me q little, for there was
q nlpaeant smile urOn his face.
"You know the reason why"
ooh, you needn't have minded that. !
would have introduced you"
Good Heavensi What did the man
mesn. | only exclaimed,
introduced me!'
eyes, certainly She's a very clever
girl. I'm very fond Of her, and had l
met her q few months sooner there's no
knowing what might have happened. l
was bringing her home from her broth
er's, where she had been spending the af-
ternoon."
I echoed his words;
"a clever girlm,
Yes, very clever. What do you
mean ?"
"Mesn! Why, John, do you know with
whom you were walking, or do you think
l have forgotten her?"
"Forgotten herr DO I know with
whom | was walkingp What the deuce
do you meang"
"Do you talk to me in this way, know.
ing that the woman you were walking
with is the Il to whom you paid the
forged ~cheque?"
The Smile went out of his face now,
but his lip curled in d~erision. l was
getting frightened. There was a dead
silence OF some seconds. At last he
spoke:
i "See here, w~arrener! If 1 had ever
seen you drink, | should say you wore
drunk. AS it is, L can only believe you tC
be laborlng under one Authorization, fol-
1 Know you would not dare to try such q
thing as this ON me as a Joke"
1 was speeches.. He went On:
The young lady with whom you saw
me is OF unimpeachable character. ! new
er met her until within q few months
and she no more looks like the woman
/ who brought that accursed cheque thar
she looks ike you. Your madness ant
FOLLY, possibly, would lead you to repea
| this tale to others, n in SO doing, though
you cannot permanently iDjure hex or me
: you could revive the sorest subject of my
Lille, and bring an estimable girl into no
AJ AIN ouSDlSlOu. ~ ufClI I'LL tllc
II you are not too positively insane to sc,
truth when it is set before you, l vii
give you a chance to meet me with tn,
same lady, at the same place and sam
hour, 10 morrow evening speak to he
and satisfy yourself of your delusiOn. Il
the meantime, let me advise you to sleel
on the Wild air your cOuntenance wears
1t won't look well in the office tomorrow
Good night"
L He turned from me coldly, and in
few minutes was abe3 and apparentl
asleep.
| That night l tossed and tumbled feaI
i fully IN my bed. The GOODNESS and conf
dence OF Barrett had staggered my convi(
tons. L turned the matter over in m
5 thoughts, and wondered whether it wer
L possible that the memory of this woma
) dwelling always on my mind could hav
I lea me to identify her appearance wit
that OF another. l remembered how tw
I or three times within the past year ] ha
. caught sight OF faces in the street whic
had startled me for a moment by q resen
: dance TO that of the woman whom / ha
L seen but for two minutes, but whose fes
l lures remained too deeply engraven i
r my memory to allow of any mistake O
! uncertainty after a full examination {
l those which had recalled them.
The next day 1 went about my work q
~compoaedly as 1 could, and waited 70
evening. AS Barrett left the Office h
e said, coldly, "Remember-etght o'clock.
| nodded, and at the hour mentiOne
found myself slowly traversing TIC pat
e l had trodden so quickly the night befor,
s The moon was Obscured this evening, bu
it was not really dark, and my heart bes
wildly as L ssw the two figures approach
a ing in relief against the sky. There wa
g no mistakiDg John Barrett, his figure an
g walk were too marked. AS they DIRE,
/ near, | gathered in the other more dil
tiIctly. l cav the form, the dress, til
r arrangement of hair, the blue eyes, tn
e cold look, the light complexion, but n,
ther resemblance of the night before. ]
n was enough improbable as it had seen