New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-23
D SUSPICION.
lHAPTER i-THL ARREsT

KIM 49, I
l did .e. 20 the luggage, and then took
tickets for the partv fOr the iorh eA
press by the Great Northern railway. |
Fortunately we had a compartment 10
OurseIyes-tha is. Mrs. Webster, my hlece
Clara and myself. .ou
CLARA, nv dear. you look s. rs ~
can look: No one would thlns IhaI A'
row was YOUR wedding day.
.Do ! look Ill. mamms. sAu o1"i"'
dreamily. o..
wonder you ve not more sense 81 your aSte-
q girl Of twenty-f'e-than breaking hef
heart for love Of A man who Tot Jour years
! has taken not the slightest noIice OF you.
"Whv, il was one OF the conditions hifs.
Webster. that he should not write. ex-
claimed. -,
clara said nothing. bu. looked Ter thanks
..uoweyer. uncle Joseph, ne ought 60
have come back and taken his dismissal
quietly. have no patience with these
poor men jlighting a girls chance OF get
Ting well settled in life in thi. way; how
ever. thank goodness, it's all over now; the
four years are gone this three months. and
to morrow y0u will be the happy wife of a
man whose age will command your respect,
and whose position vii! secure you every
comfor'.'
And. III whom nothing on earth
but my solemn promise to my poor dear
father would make me call husband
well nv dear, it's fortunate for your
| future interests that you made that promise.
I'm sure Mr.. Tredger is a man after my
! own heart. If | hadn't other views tor my
children's sake 1 should have set my cap at
him myself"
srm sure, madam, Mr.. Tredgar would
| feel only too much honOred if he knew your
sentiments The candid aTowal OF them IL,
| think, higely calculated TO add to Clsra's
happiness under existing circumstances
well you know, Uncle Joseph. ! am
candid to q fault
decidedly, madam, most decldediy,"l
| replied, a remark which caused Mrs. Web
ster to read a yellow-covered novel for
! some time in silence, though shortly after
ward she dropped asleep.
Clara stole to my side of the carriage and
leaned her head on my shoulder.
"Oh, uncle, ! wish 1 were dead; can it be
so very wrong to die! ! am so wretched, |
dread tomorrow. Oh! will not God pity
me and take away my lite 2
'My dear Clara, don't, there's q good
child its wicked to talk in this way; lie
| must be borne; l have felt as you feel and
vet | live, and am not positively unhappy;
only q vague, shsdowy regret tor what
might have been, stands like a CLOUD DC,
tween me and any happiness that might be
mine. Yours are keen sufferings, but bear
them patiently, and use will dull the pam.
But uncle, why did he not let me hear
from him, as mamma saysf
"Because he was q man Of honor; the four
wears were only up last April, and this Is
but july: who can tell where he Is Nher-
ever he is, he is faithful and true, l know.
ooh, uncle, God bless you for those
words. / know it, too, but what can | do!
| can not delay longer; my poor fathers
Ir;,r uyordS m " pplnmO nPOmlSe 10 marry
this man, nv step-mothers prosecutions
what can | do! Three months have l fought,
and now | wish ] could lie down and die.
Oh uncle, is there ne way of escape! L
nave a dread that he will come back after
| am married, and then-Oh il would be
worse than death 10 see him The tempta-
ton oh why can not ! die -.
"POOr child my poor child! was all l
could utter.
Bound by a vow made al her fathers
deathbeG, she was going the next day TO
marry a man who was old enough TO be her
father, and who, but for the fact OF his
persisting in his claim, in spite OF her openly
expressed dislike of him, vas esteemed a
very good kind of man.
True. Clara was beautiful and accom-
nlisbed beyond the average of women of
her class, and il would he a struggle to any
MANY to give up SUCH prize. backed as she
was by the assurances of the step-mother
that il was only a girliish fancy, and that
love coming after marriage was more to be
trusted and more lasting than If 1t came be
fore: | confess l was but a poor counselor
under such ri circumstances, still loved ler
very truly; she was almost as my WI
daughter. for l was a chlldless WldOWer,
and | would have given my lite to save her.
But it was impossible. and TO MORO" Would
seal her fate.
1t was not a pleasant journey, that. Mrs.
Webster read and slept at intervals the
whole time, and when she slept Clara
nestled close to me.
We arrived at York about six O'Clock.
and, Just as tie train was slackeniDg its
speed into the station, a guard jumped on
to the footboard, locked or unlocked the
door, and remained there until the train
stopped.
Have you all your parcels, madam"
"All, thank you, uncle Joseph, except
nv umbrella-oh. that's under the seat"
said Mrs. Webster.
"Now. guard, unlock the door"
Ear you with that young lady. Sir,
pointing to my niece.
Eyes, certainly, unlock the door,"
Better not make a fuss, sir"
Fuss! What do you mean!
The man, who seemed to be looking out
for somebody, now asked:
"Ail right, SIR"
.AI right" said the stati9n-;naster. com
ing to the door. and opening it; this way
Miss"
"What does this mean"
.Step into my office; | dare say it's all
right. Better not say too much out here.
YOU know" .
We followed him through the little crowd
Of passengers and p~orters, accompanied by
a policeman in uniform. As we passed we
heard fr~agmentary observations OF - most
pleasing kind.
(Which is il :" said some Oneo
Its the girl, j think
mo: it's the old woman. she looks IA if
she would do any one mischief ii 1t suited
her =.
..Old man looks too soft for anything"
and SO on.
We went into the office. and | Indignantly
turned to the station master:
What is the meaning OF this. sir!
.Oh. lis very simple. sir; a telegram has
arrived from the police in London with
orders to stop thls young lady: here 1t is"
] took it and rest:
THE Young lady looking very i'll. dressed
in black silk mantle. white straw bonnet
with white flo Hers. is to be detained at the
station till the arrival of the officer by the
afternoon mail. She is seated IN the middle
compartment of the third tirst-class carriage
from the end of the train. Her present
udult Is IldI5 SbSltl. ~ ''' w. tN'
sihility Of mistake. she has a diamond ring
on the third finger of the left hand, with
the words. From HERBERT engraved on ths
inside
II certainly was \ correct description,
and the name-'hsr. nigh: BE- two Clara
WebsterS though
lie. me see you, lett hand. dear"
She pulled o: her glove. ana there wa
the ring.
"Le, ne see tina, ring with the diamond
on H.
"Unc'c. what dec. til. mean is any
thin. wrong a. acme :"
I'm t.lI Won n~r...rtiy. Lcar, .ive mr