Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-04-23

is the valnest man ever saw for man
who really is great genius.''
"Well, We'll see," said my wife, with
that confident, little nod of hers. at
would be sufficientpunishment for your
unbelief if 1 have the chance to say
some time, told you so.''
To my utter astonlshment, Harry
called at the house three evenings out
of the week after that and under the
influence of his presence that little gray
cousin grew positively beautiful. l no.
ticed a change in her department. She
seemed at times more preoeeupied; at
others, elated, mirthful, almost wildly
happy particularly on those days when
it seemed probable Harry would come.
began to share my wife's anticipa-
tions, began to watch Harry. He did
tnot seem exactly like an iinpassioned
lover.
About this time, my wife said to me
one day that Susie was receiving letters
lfOm sOluc ldr-Ou lTlenu.
InOtice when they come; sometimes
l hand them to her, but she never men
tions them again. "Shouldn t you think
she would speak about them 90 asked
my wife.
Susie's movements were now of i'm
pertanee in my eyes. How had that
plain little girl managed to captivate
handsome, popular Harry Lonsdale,
the most exacting man in his relations
to women l ever knew? The thing
certainly was done.
Susie came out in new character.
Her gray dresses were frightened with
exquisite bits of color. She spoke to
my wife of needing new dresses, and
to Nelly's astonishment, bought several.
Then came ornaments, few, but choice
and costly.
'.Where do you suppose she gets the
money!" asked Nelly.
elbow do we know but she may be
rich and eccentric?" was my response.
"You pitied her, and thought her a
poor lone girl, but her father might
have possessed property to a large
amount for all we can tell"
Nelly shook her wise head.
81 don't believe lie left a cent--in-
deed, what am saying? 1t is mat
ter of certainty that he did not, for
Susie told me so herself. Besides she |
would have got fine things fast enough,
scores of times. I've seen the look in
her eyes when have been shopping at
Stewards, suggestive of emptiness Of
pocket and anguish of spirit-for you
see now what lovely taste she has. But
[ wish she wasn't such a secret little
thing, that's what torments me; do
like to be confided in"
What followed made that conversa-
ton memorable. Some months pre-
vious l had received the sum of three
thousand dollars for a small piece of
land. This money, or part of it, l
had occasion to use. 1 went up to the
closet in my room, one side of which
served as safe. To my utter astenish-
ment, the money was not there. /
searched the closet through, and then
called my wife for consultation.
Together we looked in every available
place-cleared the shelves of the library
and searched through all the closets,
bureaus, boxes, trunks and hooks that
the house afforded, but in vain; the
money was gone-ne signs of bank bills
anywhere.
"Where could you have put them?"
asked my wife, tired and discouraged.
II put them in that closet, my key
has been in that little box on the end
of the mattle-piece; 1 have never been
to the closet since L left the money
there, but some one else has, it seems"
''None of the servants but one, old
Hester, ever comes into this room,''
murmured Nelly, Sand would stake
my life on her honesty
"Of course, and so would l."
'Three thousand dollars, why John
that's large sum to lose.''
Large or small its gone"
"But where?" my wife queried, per-
picked and anxious. "Who could have
known it was there? Have you ever
spoken of the money before-anybody
People will do such miserably strange
things sometimes"
eyes l have spoken of having that
amount by me, two or three times, but
no one was present but you and Susie.
1t was an abominably careless thing to
do leaving it lying around loose instead
of putting it in the bank as 1 should"
Day after day we looked for the money,
speaking of our suspicious to no one,
until finally we gave it up for lost. A
week after this Nelly came to my room
with pale face.
'It's so strange" she murmured,
"and l do hate to haye such thoughts,
but John where could Susie have got
that splendid diamond solitaire?" she
half whispered.
sYou have not seen it; she wore it
tonight for the first time" II
81 suppose she is engaged-Harry
gave it to her." suggested.
''But Harry didn't give it to her. l
asked her and she said no"
"The deuce!.' was all could say.
"And John, it really looks alarming,
the number of costly things she has
been buying of late. Thirty dollars for
a parasol. only think! and mine didn't
cost twenty; box of the dantiest
gloves, everything by the Dozen"
We looked at each other in silence.
''About the richest black silk you ever
saw-better than mine. The material
must have cost hundred dollars; what
will the dress come to when it is made
up?"
"What can it all mean ?" queried.
"Don't ask ne; l am heart sick of
the thought of it. It's miserable bus
iness. Can it be possible? but no. l
won't say it. Certain it is that she has
business relations with some one in the
city. Half the letters she gets are not
Harry's."
81 wonder if the fellow loves her?"
"Loves her! he wOrships herr'
Sand he will marry her?''