Wilmington journal., 1874-02-06

found, but Lilly said she had had two
made, SO that such thing could never
happen again. She could keep ono
and Rosa the other.
''And, as I presume it was lost here.
you must have the value of it from
u.s." said Margaret Ann. sIt's not
much but its just" And that thought
very kind of the widow, considering.
Well, time passed on, and one day
was about like the other. Winter
went and summer came. People be-
gan to go to the country, and trade
was dull. And Sam told me that he
and Lilly were going to be married
soon, God willing.
had just left Sam when Margaret
AIMS colored girl stepped across the
street and told me her mistress wanted
to see me.
got into the back parlor found Mar
garet Ann wrapped up in shawl. her
eyes red with crying.
Anything happened ?" says I.
yes" said she, "Tm afraid So.
Oh, I'm so sorry."
Dear me! Do you mention the
fact" says I.
"Wel,'' says she, 81 can hardly
bear to do so; but-who has a chance
at the safe besides you and me?"
Nobody but Lilly Rathbone, said I.
"You are sure," says she.
"Why, of course" says I.
"Ah we'll - says she, "perhaps
there is another way out of it. Nav
be you have had occasion to use that
money of mine. I mean the one thou
sand dollar bank note that put in
there in q red pocket-book last week"
NO, said l. ''Of course I'd spoken
of il. 1t was your private money"
"1t's gone, Richard" says she.
You saw me lock into the safe to-
day ?" -.
eyes" said 7.
I couldn't bring my self to speak OF Il.
You see girl like that has so MANY
temptations; going to marry and ali.
Richard, promise me you won't have
her arrested, or anything, if it's hcr?'
"lt is not - / cried. Besides, it
was your money. You would be tie
prosecutor to any thief
Dear me, yes, says she, land I'll
let her go; but I must get it back, and
she must leave the store"
"How can you think so i'll of the
girl ?" said l. "Why don't you sus-
pect me. [ am ever so much more of
a doubtful character than she is o.
''4ou are my brother-in-law," said
Margaret Ann. "Now listen 20 reason.
Come to the store with me, and we'll
search. If we don't find it I shall
charge Lilly with the theft tomorrow.
and, if she doesn't confess, get a search
warrant for her rooms. / will be very
kind, but l can't lose sum like that"
She cried again. I did really feel
that she was in great trouble. We
went to the store again and searched
the safe, but the money was all gone.
| Margaret Ann had the number in her
pocket-book. 1t was easy to identify
and besides the poor girl was in s,,s-
piciOus position, and I said ii she
should prove guilty, my faith in hui
man nature was gone.
"Mine, too" said Margaret Ann.
81 had come to like her SO. And then
| poor Sam"
[ went home to tea with my sister,
in-law, but We had not much appetite
| She promised not to come to the store
until the closing hour, and to be very
mcrciful, and to give the girl every
| chance.
And so we parted. I arose to say
| good night and came around the table
to shake hands with Margaret Ann,
when, being a clumsy old bachelor,
not used to women's tixingS, my coat
caught in a little wicker-worI1 sewing
basket on spider legs, and overset it.
Out tumbled cotton, buttons and tape,
and stopped to pick them up, when,
among them, l saw n key, brass door
key, with nick in it, and long piece
of pink ribbon tied to the handle. It
was little thing, and it made my
blood run cold
If that was the key that Lilly lost,
what was it doing there? l didn't
dare to look at my sister-in-l law And
[ walked the floor all night, bat by
| morning my mind was made up.
At nine o'clock met the boy and
girl at the store, and told them l
should be gone al the day. In ten
minutes more L stole Lilly's key from
under the counter, and went to the
house-to her little room on the third
floor, and entered it like Il thief 1t
was very poor and very bare, but very
neat and clean; and there was a closet
IN it, with a few dresses hanging upon
pegs, and bonnet-box upon a shelf
In this closet | went, and there sat
down Oh trunk and waited. l heard
a queit old clock ticking in the ROOM
/ heard it count the hours-ten,
eleven, twelve-and kept saying 10
| myself
eff Won are a wicked, suspicious old
| fool, Rood, may the Lord forgive
YOU"
But [ waited still, and just rs the Iol g
black hands pointed at half.past one, [
| heard such knock as my :isttr-in-
! law gave at the Office door.
| There was another knock, q pause,
| a II -
lock, and saw the door open and nay
sister-in-law come III. She looked
about her, shut the door, rc-lockcd it,
and stole across the room Then
God forgive the woman, | suppose she
was mad with jealousy-8he lifted up
the mattress OF Lilly's neat little bed
in the corner, and taking a red pocket
book thrust it under pulling the
Guilt we'll down about The bed after
ward.
81 hardly think you'll marry Sam
Spencer after this, Miss Lilly she
said aloud with Il wicked toss of her
| head. I've ,outwitted YOU
" Not quite" said I. Margaret
Ann, there are two words to tEat
! matter"
I walked out of the closet and stood
with my back to the outer door. She
knew she was entrapped, but her wick
ed tongue had its way still.
$50 you are in the habit of coming
here" she said. ''Nice young lady,
certainly"
"I never came here before" said J,
land you know it; but [ have been
here all day waiting for you. 1 saw
Lillys key in your basket last night,
and / began to guess the truth. Firing
me that pocllet-book.
Margaret Ann did it. She was pale.
as death and almost as cold. | looked
at her and felt sorry for her after all.
''You are my brothers widow" said
I, "anl poor. foolish, jealous crea-
ture. | haven't told any one of my
suspicious yet, and ! never will, on two
| conditions
"Name them," said she, ''I cannot
help myself
"You will retire from the business, -
said 7.
sEGIaI to do II - coiI cbn