The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-29

Uncle Paul fidgeted, but said nothing
though he felt the thrust so uninten
tionally given, while Philip Hastings
seemed happy and yet uneasy at the
turn things had taken, so different from
what he had desired. The two talke6
of the strange old man, while Uncle
Paul grew uneasy ct every word, until
finally he rose upon his feet and began
pacing the floor in an agitated way that
he could not conceal.
Mary watched her uncle for a few
moments, surprised, and wondering
what there was in the talk about a
strange old man to agitate her dear old
uncle. Philip said to her:
Miss Wayne, the old man of whom
we have been talking is one entirely
worthy of your sweet sympathy, and. IN
word, is my best friend"
Uncle Paul haulted suddenly, utterly
dumfounded at the declaration. He
raised both hands, as if the affrontery
of the avowal had filed him with sur.
prise ana indignation too deep for ex.
preston.
"Tell me, Philip Hastings, that at
least you do not know this old mans
history"
A thousand frightfuI questions sug-
gested themselves to the mind of Mary.
She leaned forward to catch Philips
denial, a denial which she hoped he
would make, and she shared Paul
Wayne's horror when Phillip said
EVERY line and page Of it, sir"
Why, sir, he's the wiekedest man
alive, and if yoU-well, If he is your
friend, if there is any community of
thought with him, why-weI, I'm
right, beyond a doubt. But there can
not be. He has given you his version,
and when I tell you all, you viii cut
him off"
He has told me all, and I have
found that he has told me the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth. When men assume q character
it is not bad one. The old man Quig-
ley has made clean breast of it all.
He arrested me IN my downward career,
and cannot, would not cast him off 4"
There was something in his speech,
so earnest, so manly, that Mary was
proud OF her lover for having uttered
it, and even the lines in Uncle PaUl's
face were softened, and he was almost
ready to acknowledge that he might be
wrong, when Philip resumed his story
"I spent last winter at New Orleans,
as you know. One night I visited
gaming table and was induced to play.
I lost heavily, and, becoming desper-
ate, 1 was about to risk my purse and
its contents upon a single throw,
when a servant stumbled against me
and we fell. AS stopped to aid him
he whispered: 4 did it purpogely.
Play no more. Meet me outsiGe the
door I Withdrew from the game and
met him, and ne said: 'Your antagon-
ist there, pointing inward, was
cheating you; saw it all. Don't go
back. I was ruined there used to
play with thousands, and now I sweep
the floors why do you stay there?
I asked. I must eat and drink, and
who will take me with a character from
there as nv last place p"
Mary felt relieved, and her uncle
Paul said, "The servant was Qaigley
but ne doubtless did not tell You that
all these thousands he stole from his
deserted wife, or gained on forged
papers,"
"No, sir, not then. But I took him
as my servant and then he told me that
l could not trust him, and why. He
told me what you have just stated. /
did trust him and I have never had
occasion to regret my choice"
Uncle Paul paced the floor for mo-
ment, muttering, cit will come out,
beyond doubt; I had better tell it
all, " then went over to Mary and caught
her to his heart as if he would shield
her with his life, and looking at Philip, |
said "You believe in this mans
reformation-this man Quigley. One
more test and that Will settle it beyond |
a doubt. Would you marry his daugh-
ter?"
eff 1 were not engaged and he |
stopped. Surprise was flushing Nary's |
face when Uncle Paul answered the ques- |
5ioning face before him. "There she is
yes, my ward, my more than child, is
QmgIey's daughter, given me by his de-
serted wife, and Mary's dying mother.
Prove your sincerity in this man"
Philip took the poor amazed girl in
MS arms and saved her from falling.
Uncle Paul hoped about the room as
2ne possessed, dashing a tear from his
eye and exclaiming, " It's all right now,
beyond doubt"
Quigley, by the aid of gift left him
BY dying relative, was enabled to
pay those he had wronged in purse,
md with lovely daughter TO caress
md comfort his old age his was a happy
md. We should never distrust the
ability of any man for reformation,
md no ones repentance shonld be de-
'pised.