Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-01-13


: can't see why poor Dicky bird should no
, have chance of dying honest He's get
| ting on in life now."
''welI," said Fred 'you can do as yo
: please, but couldn't have any thing to sa
, to Wickham if were to meet him a hundre,
| times"
pushed away my soup; it was as mucl
] as / could do not to groan aloud.
1t was impossible to stay there any long
er. What evil chance had led me. on tina
special day, into that pastrycook's?
went mp to the counter, paid for wha
} had had, and went back to my sketch.
} But not to draw. / knew ali power haC
left me. My head seemed to be going
round and round, as / made the best of my
way back to Doughty-street.
OF course remembered the forgery on
Poptops', but even now / could not dis
tinctly recall tb names OF those who had
been tried and convicted for having com
mi.ted it / knew there had been three ol
four concerned. Once or twice, as walk.
ed home, l told myself il was impossible
that the lover of my child was returned
convict. / tried to look at the case &c the
Shanghae man had looked at it; but lis
friend words had more weight 1 felt thai
the other notion was overstrained and qul-
xotic. w
had some hope that Molly might have
gone out to take walk; but when l OPEN
ed the door, there she stood in the middle
of the painting room, before the open
sketch book.
For moment felt choked; but the sight
of her swt ct innocent beauty hardened me
yet more against Wickham.
81 will not give him a creature like that
to drag down to disgrace" said firmly.
Molly came mp to me timidly, and held
up her face to be kissed,
1t seemed to me as if l could not tell her
what had heard, but she left me no power
of silence.
"Father, grew crimson while she
spoke-s.Mr. Wickham has been here, and
he says he is coming again this evening to
explain matters to you :"
Poor, dear Molly! saw in her covering
figure and whitening face how angry was.
1 don't know what had said; my words
had burst from me like q tempest.
Bot she only ran away for a moment;
then. like true woman, she rallied to de-
fend her lover.
Father. You may not like Mr.. Wickham.
but you have no right to call him a scoun-
drel.''
'Silencer Isaid.
Molly and stood just by the easel where
1 had stood last night She did not cry;
anger, flashed out of her beautiful eyes
anger. and a sort OF wondering contempt
felt that must tell her the truth at
once; but I did not look at her while /
told it
.And how do you know it is the sane
person. her voice rang out il triumphant
scorn; show do you know those men were
speaking the truth? Father. can't believe
it is you telling me all this. Why did you
not turn round on the men and dare them
to prove what they were chattering about?"
She turned away impetuously, and walked
up and down the room as fast as she could.
Presently she came back to me, her breath
comirg in quick short pants between her
words.
And if it is true. do you thin, shall
leave off loving him? What! when he is
trying to do what is right aud just. shall
desert him. 1 shall only cling to him more
closely-only strive to show him that at
least one heart believes him true anG hon.
orable; but don't believe this story"
confess that her passion frightened me.
I had aasn her aAlf-willed, but not often;
she had been such gentle. yielding girl.
How ever WAS to convince her of the truth
of my story.
1t seemed to me. that fits truth were
once made irresistible, a pure, innocent
creature like Molly must shrek from the
contamination OF such a marriage. / was
determined she should give up Mr.. r. r.
Wickham; but wanted her to do this will
lingly. -.-..-,
'sIf Wickham confesses to this when see
him tonight. will you be convinced then?"
said gravely.
'.Not unless he tells me so himself" and
she went out of the room, as if she were
afraid to trust her own self f-control.
Mr.. Wickham came. told him my story.
At first he hesitated; but when he saw that
remembered him, he confessed the whole
matter.
He pleaded very strongly against my judg-
ment; he said he did not believe any one
but the man had heard called Tom would |
have recognized him he it seems, had been |
clerk to Mr.. Atwood at the time of the for |
gerry. Wickham explained his prospects to |
me, ard offered to make q settlement on |
Molly; but I could not yield. The man |
spoke fair enough; but there was furtive |
in his eyes that strengthened my |
dislike.
called Molly down Stair; he turned pale
when she fixed her clear, candid eyes on
his; but at my request he confirmed the !
tale had told her
She shivered slightly, aud then she put
her hand in his.
"Bear witness, father, that love him /
better than ever, and that will not marry |
any one else"
He took her in his arms and kissed her |
before could interfere. An instant before |
had felt sorry for him, but this sight stir
red my anger.
"Molly, go up stairs" Isaid, as quietly
as / could As soon as she was gone, /
turned to Wickham.
"You had no right to touch my child. /
bad just told you that will never give her
to you. feel sorry for your position; but
do not consider that man who was striv-
ing earnestly to regain an honest name
would have acted as you must tsye acted
in your acquaintance with my daughter
Now understand distinctly, you must not
come here; you must not write to Molly,
nor must you attempt to meet her II you
do any Of these things, tell you, frankly.
that shall not feel bound to keep your
secret
He looked at me for moment, a keen
glance from under his light eyelashes that
seemed to be probing my nature.
II will trust you, Mr. Norton" he said,
''and You may rely on me Good evening"
- nEg iHJ nAsr m.
Molly fell ill-so pale and weak that my
heart ached for the sorrow that / knew she
was suffering. sent for onr doctor; but
he oplv al visad cbanOa of air Mira lack