The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-07-28

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Catharine stood Watching them disappear
down the walk. Painful as that scene had
been, it left almost feeling of pleasure
they were not:wholly outcasts For once
that mans schemes had failed, or turned,
to the advantage of those whom he sought
to ruin. She re-entered the little parlor
and sat down, waiting until William
should wake and require her presence.
Upon the table by her lay two books
which she took up, looking at them with a
sorrowful bitterness-it was her own last
work and volume of Williams poems.
They had won fame those two-what an
added woe it seemed at such season
She wondered if the clouds which en-
veloped her would ever clear up years had
passed since she ceased to struggle, be-
lieving that all attempts to penetrate that
dreadful mystery would be in vain. The
sight of Williams sleeping face had
brought the countenance of her dead hus-
band SO vividly before her-must she go
into eternity without the power of solving
that secret She checked the thought,
almost smiling at her own folly-there all
would be made clear-she could leave it
still, to time and God
She went into her own apartment, opened
casket where those letters had lain for
years, and taking them out returned to the
parlor. How often she had studied that
handwriting, and sought clue to the
fatal packet She was folding them up to
restore them to their place, when again
sound from without aroused her. She
went to the door and saw in the hall
young man, travel-stained and weary, who
seemed to have uncermoniously entered at
the open door. He walked toward her,
saying quickly,
"You are Catharine Lennox, I suppose,
wish to see William Sears"
"He is very i'll and sees no one."
81 tell you what it is, madam" exclaim-
ed the determined-looking youth, "I have
made this journey for an express purpose,
and am not to be defeated in my under
taking. That man has destroyed the
peace of the dearest girl that ever breathed
and by heaven he shall answer for it,"
"This is more of William James work."
said Catharine, calmly; "you will scarcely
wreak your vengeance upon man SO near
death, / think"
" James, yes, believe that he is black
hearted scoundrel Look here madam, l
have no idea that you are half so bad as
they have said, for it don't seem to me that
Nellie's sister could be-will you sit down
and talk honestly with me, and both try to
get at the bottom of this thing ?"
May / ask your nameP'
81 am Robert Morris, grandson of old
Judge Morris-you used to know him."
eyes, yes; l have seen you too when
you were child it seems very strange to
meet you here now. Yes, will talk hon
estly with you Tell me first of my sister"
Roberts face lost its determined look,
his eyes grew misty and his voice tremu-
lous with feeling as he answered,
"Poor Nellie ! She is better now
thought she would die once--if she had"
and the fire flashed into his eyes again, and
his voice grew hard, "by heaven, would
have killed William Sears and torn James
heart out of his body"
"Has she spoken of me--of Catharine Pp
"Only once-she could not bear It,"
"Did she curse me 9--did she think i'll
of meP"
"Oh, madam, what could she think |
But she never cursed you, she wept and
prayed for you p'
"And you too believe me bad, false
woman%
~ did before looked in your eyes--I
don't know what believe now. At least
you win own it has all been mysterious
thing"
"Do you mean that charge P-those
letters P'
"No, about Sears--I don't know much
about the first affair-but James says you
had been living with William for year
past"
"Robert Morris, have not seen him for
year until met him in New York |
knew him first in Paris--we were both free
lit was my right !! In the midst of the only
month of happiness came that James, he
dragged William away, maddened him
with his horrible falsehoods, brought him
TO America"
"And then he married Nellie-after he
was betrothed to you-then he is a villain,
after all ~
"No, no, we were parted forever, James
told him that i had been his--his-oh, 1
M snaak n William xVaa IN ora~ad