The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-07-12
hair back from her flushed cheeks, and

copy it promptly. She was arraugin!
her neat pages when Roberts step wa
heard on the piazza. She nervousl.
crushed the Ms. into her portfolio, ant
was just turning the key as her HUSBAND
entered out she looked so guilty ant
confused that he exclaimed,
Chow scared you look, Annie! Dlt
you take me for burglar? 2"
"Oh no; but aren't you early? There
no bad news, is there p
"No, no, little woman nothing o
the kind Been writing to mother
She'll be glad to hear from you. Are n,
you going to let me read your letter 2
Annie was in the closet getting hl'
slippers, so he did not see her troubled
face as she made some evasive answer
and changed the subject. Robert re-
ferred no more to her writing, anc
Annie believed his suspicious were mol
excited-that he would think of it nc
more. This was far from being the
case, however. :,
The day before the Lawrences sailed
Annie mailed her precious MS, under
the non de plume of Cynthia Sullivan" !"
Size was very uneasy on her errand to
the post, for fear some one might suspect
her mission, and was glad to start on her
way homeward, thinking herself unseen;
but she was mistaken, for although her
husbands Office was in another part OF
the town, he saw her, aud wondering at
her strangely agitated face, his jealous
heart Instantly suggested that she came
from the direction of Tom Lawrence's
Office, as Tom had been an old aud ar
deut admirer Of hers. But he sought
no explanation, and grew moody and
sullen his wife attributing his conduct
to his old enemy, the dyspepsia.
As days went on she had her own
inward anxiety to bear, for no reply
came from the editors. Every other day
she inquired at the post Office for
"Cynthia Sullivan" but without success,
till, at last, during the third week OF
suspense, an envelope bearing that name
was actually handed out to her. Well
was it that the postmaster @as boxed in
behind high wooden barriers, or he must
have observed Mrs. Dana's strange agl-
tation over the letter. She lost all sense
of the ground beneath her feet as she
hurried through the village, and out on
a by-road, where, seated in a gap Of the
wall, behind a tangle of clematis vines
aud barberry bushes, she read, through
happy tears, these beautiful words:
".Nrs. CyntA1a SU0iron:
DEAR MADAM,-Your MS, Stella 6
Summer by the Sea- is accepted for
-IMagazinc, and We herewith in-
close for it our check for forty.seven
dollars and fifty cents. Yours, etc."
There was the crisp, orange lettercd
check, the more than realization of her
widest hopes. She felt that these
editors we're her dearest friends, and
longed to do something to express her
gratitude to them. 1t was almost too
good tc be true. and, as she walked
happily home one haud in her pocket
cla>ping the wonderful letter, she feared
she should wake and fad it all dream.
Going in, she found on the table her
husbands hat aud an unopened letter:
with Liverpool post mark, addressed
to her 10 Tom Lawrence's we'll known
handwriting. Ofcourse it was from
Garry she never pould direct her own
letters. But where was Robert? She
went through parlor and sitting room
seeking him, tearing open The letter
meanwhile. Not fudins him, she was
about going up stairs, but, remembering
The precious check in her pocket, turned
back, smiling happily as she recalled its
contents, and locked it safely in her
desk, quite unaware that Robert was
watching her from behind the bay
window curtains Yes, he had seen her
come in, more joyously than for weeks
past, with Toms letter open in her
hand seen her look carefully about the
rooms, hastily secrete billet in her
desk, and pocket the key. She never
used to lock that desk, or have any
secrets. 10 be sure, she showed him
her letter afterward-but that was from
Carry; the inclosure, so carefully
was doubtless from Tom. and
yet, while all his worst fears were thus
revived, Annie's eyes were so pure and
true, her manscf so loving and happy,
he could not doubt her long. After a
night of reflection he resolved that if
she had secret it could Lot be an un
worthy one; he would trust her aud
respect it. If her heart ever did regret
its choice, he would win her back BY
patient tenderness; for he we'll knew
that if man had guardian angel, his
little wife was his.
Now followed many happy weeks,
during which Annie showed no absence
of mind, made no mysterious journeys,
received no private letters. Roberts
resolutions were easily kept, and be
almost forgot the perturbations Of the
summer. Coming home by an carrier
train than usual, one frosty evening in
November, as he turned up the hill
from the station he saw his wife, few
rods before him, coming from the post
Office with a letter in her hand. She
went slowly homeward, reading as she
walked, too much absorbed to hear him
behind her. "What can interest her
so ?" he wondered. just then the en-
velope, commsn yellow one, fell from
her hand and Auttered down the icy