The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-17

cumstances, think even my worthy
spouse would hlye condoned, put mo
into possession Of the facts.
Miss Maidmont was really going to
be married tomorrow morning at st.
Spikenard's Church to o Mr., Charles
Tempest, o very gsod.lo0king young
man, whom they had not known long,
but who seemed TO he very well of. My
description OF my friend tailed exactly
with Susan's Of the bridegroom; but the
coincidence might be merely accidental.
Had Miss Maidmont photograph
Of ler lover ?" I asked.
She had, in her own room, il seemed.
Susan couldn't get at 1t now without
suspicion; but she promised to secure
1t, and bring il with her, II would
meet her at niue o'clock at the corner
Of the street.
was punctual to my trust; and ut
nine, Susan made her appearance with
q morocco. case containing IN excellent
likeness Of my friend, Charles Thrap.
stow, massive pin with topaz in it, and
all. ''''l
Now, what was TO be done? Should
I go to Mrs. Maidmont, and tell her
how she was deceived in her daughters
lover? That would have been the way
best adapted TO spare tho feelings OF
the Maidmonts; but would 1t bring
back the five thousand pounds? /
thought not.s
"Aliss Maidmont," 1 soliloquiscd,
| a. will f,nd aon,a ,yo,, IN xvo,u bnT lnya,.
Even robbing n bank may not embitter
o girl against her sweetheart, and no
doubt she's over head and cars in love
with Charlie" No; I determined on n
different plan.
I rose early next morning, dressed
.myself with care, put on q pair OF pale
primrose gloves, lonned my newest
beaver, and took q cab to ST. Spike.
nard's.
Tho church. bells wero jinrling merri.
ly as / alighted at the church. door q
small crowd had already gathered on
the pavement, drawn altogether by that
keen foresight OF coming excitement
characteristic Of the human species.
"Friend Of the bridegroom,"I whis-
pered to the verger,. and l was forth
with shown into the vestry. The cler.
gyman was then already, and shock
hands with nae in vague kind Of way.
"Not tho bridegroom ?" he said in n
mild interrogative manner. I told him
TINT I was only one Of his friends, and
We stood looking ut each other in a
comatose kind OF way, till a little con-
fusion at the yestry-door broke the
spell. "Here lie comes |" whispered
some one and tho next moment there
appeared in the vestry, looking pale and
agitated, butvery ryhanlsome, Mr.. Charles
Thnpstow.
l had caught him by the arm md led
him into n corner, before he recognized
who was. When he saw me, I thought
he would have tainted. "D0n't betray
me, he whispered.
l held out my hand with significant
gesture.
Five thousand" whispered in his
ear.
"Yor shall hayo 1t in Eve minutes"
"Your minutes are long ones. Master
Charles, said.
With trembling fingers, ho took ont q
pocketbook, and handed mo q roll Of
notes.
"I meant it for you, Tom" he said.
Perhaps he did, but We know the fate
OF good intentions.
Il didn'ttako long to count over those
notes; there were exactly FIVE thousand
pounds,
Nov" saidI, "Master Charley, take
yourself of"
"YOu promised" he urged, "nOt to
"No more I will, il you co.
"She's got ten thousand Of her own"
he whispered.
"Be o0, or else-"
mo, I WON'T" said Charley, making
up his mind with desperate effort,
"1'll not. I'll make clean breast OF
IT."
At TINT moment there was o bit OF q
stir, and q general call for tho bride.
groom. The bride had Just arrived,
people said. He pushed his way out to
the carriage, and whispered o few words
to Isabel, who fell back in faint.
There was q great fuss and hustle. and
then some one came and said that there
was an informality in the license, and
that the wedding wouldn't come OF that
day.
/ didn't wait to see anything further,
but posted of to the bank, and got
there Just as tho board were assem-
bling. I suppose some Of the directors
had got wind Of Thrapstow's failure,
for the first thing I heard when I got
into the board. room was old yenables
grumbling out: "How about those
Damascus bonds, Mr.. Manager ]
rode roughshod over old Venables, and
tyrannized considerably over the board
In general that day, but couldn't help
thinking how close thing II was, and
how very near shipwreck I had been.
As for Thrapstow, I presently heard
that, after all, he had arranged with his
creditors, and made It up with Miss
Maidmont. He had tongue that
would wind round anything, II you only
gave him time, and wasn't much sur.
prised at hearing that his wedding.day
was fixed. He hasn't sent me IN invi-
tation, and don't suppose he will, and
I certainly shall not thrust myself for
ward second time as IN uninyited
guest.
Tie True Woman.
"The true woman" says late
writer a neeilR In be snuOht SIe ilnee