National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-08-19

=" Then old master was not right III
his mind, ! said. He'd never be
against me
After that heard the whole. Master
had paid the men and dismissed Mark. He
had only said, All right | am tired of
work, and had eaten breakfast there, and
left in sight OF all But | was gone land .
then they found that master, who was
always up at cock-crow, did not rise at .
nine they opened his door and found
him on the floor sensless they thought
dead, at first. He had been robbed Of
his pOcket-book, watch, and an old
fashioned pin, he always wore i'll his
neckerchief- the painted head Of a lady
set around with what he used to tell lis
were pearls-an ornament older than his
grandfather
They found nothing about me Of
course but the quarrel and my cut hand
made the case hard against me. The
master dying, as they thought him, had
been able to speak at odd times and said
that, to the best Of his belief, | was his
assailant 1t was dark, to be sure, but III
the struggle he felt that the man wore IA
cap, and was the only hand who had any
thing hut Il straw hat Besides he came
from the inner passage and down the
stairs, and did not break III through door
or window as ii burglar would have done.
And | was the only missing member of
the household 50 | lay III prison with
this awful charge upon me, until they
knew whether master would live on die
and my greatest grief was for Peggy
" Keep it from her, / begged them,
until she must know it,
And they were kind and did 1t, and her
/ letters were sent to me III prison. 1t was
a weary time, and the one drop Of comfort
III it came with those letters ! had had
five from her when, at the end of one
came this:
DEAR JACK | never hide anything
from You, and not to boast of my CON
quests, n thing Hd never do, but Just to
/ let you know that | keep no secrets to
myself, I must tell you what has hap
pencd.
"Om master has hired man, II lazy
fellow. that | dishked at first sight, Mark
Hulker 10y name, and what should he do
hut take a notion to me, or pretend to do
So, trying his best to SIT up after work
hours, and following me about wherever
/ 20 of a holiday Then he trie, to make
NE like HIM by telling me how rich he is.
-Four hundred dollars he has laid by, he
says and has a gold watch like gentle
man, The other Sunday | was dressed
lor church, and up he walks.
.' Why Peggy says he, you've no
pm 20 you collar.
SAID |, L can't afford money for
hnerv
Then says he, Now how lucky it is
that I've to give you, and he pulls "a pm
from his pocket
Jack, / couldn't help looking at it.
1t was a ndy's portrait, with hair all
white-though she was SO young--like an
old woman's He said it was powdered
rs they did it in old times and pink
dress-md all about tiny stones-and no
bigger than a silver quarter altogether.
How hc came 10y such thing, goodness
knows But of course | wouldn't have
it, Say he: Now do take il, Peggy.
] want To keep company with YOU, and
. now you know the truth.
50 says want neither your com.
pany nor your presents, and please re-
3 member that hereafter
1t was rough, know, but | hate hin
SO. And ! wa, none too rude, tor be
bothere me vet a> much as ever Thougl
YOU know If he were ever so good ant
handsome am always your own Peggy
and think OF no one else
I When | read that You could hav,
! knocked me down with Il feather. Tn,
pin was the one the old farmer had lost
! | knew. and it was Mark who was th'
, thief and who had tried to murder HIM
d" | sent for the lawyer who was 10 TAX,
= my side. and who had all along believe,
! me innocent gave him the letter
&" It's old masters pin. ! said Wha
p shall do sir ~
And he said 80 You can do nothing
my poor fellow. but wait and hope.
have clue now and I'll follow IT,
:, Then he went away and afterwards
:. heard what he did He went down t
n the place where Peggy lived, and too
4 her out of danger of eaves-droppcrs AN
q told her all that had happened. Gh
4 brave girl tremhlcd and wcpt. hut III
II spoke out.
-. He's innocent, she said Id n,
q believe him guilty if AN angel told me Il
II, was
And the lawyer said, ont OF his hear
N 80 Ile's worthy of You Peggy Grcy,
~ do believe. aud that Is saying a guo
~ deal
. Then he asked her about the pin, AN
a the two had II long talk II ended
~ Peggy bursting into tears and promisir
al To do anything and everything he askt
No il he would but tell me why she did it.
III " He told me afterwards and 1t vi
/ hard work for little Peggy with her ho
,k est heart Bless her. She turned hersc
81 around and made u different creature
,c herself, and she tried to make Maj
II Hulkcr think she had been coqucttii
- all the while and-oh, how she cri,
II when she told me that she lei him ki
M her, and put his arm about her wais
NO But she gained her end 10y IT, One My
my good old lawyer aud two other IN,
n were shut up IN the pantry with PcggA
l. master. and she dressed iIr her best. ~
ny waiting for Mark Hulkcr
nj That night she had promised Nh
to tnko his pin, aud il hc proved lac Ia
m the money hc Dragged of. to promise
marry him, and Mark came W. merry
We could be-. and little the worse ior liuu,
4 49, Now. lass. said he. u promise i.
4 promise. There's the money tu cuu
IDS aud the watch to look ut and the pin
wear Now you'll have me ?
,ck And Just then the pantry door open
nm behind him. and hand came down
hc his shoulder.
rec a. van have Noit. my iinr icllus. 81
i'm IA voice. aud there aud then they arrest
i'm him: fur the money and the watch aud
of pin were old mustcr's, and one Who ltne
.,,, I.,,ns yns thprp with the Diet