South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-10-08
How She Paid Her Debt.

i
do such thing?"
Lillian Wayland's round cheek was
blanchcd To an unwonted Wilderness, as
she stood before her brother in the close,
cramped room which constituted her sole
| home.
Charley Wayland, handsome, dissi.
pated looking youth of two or three and
twenty, with bold black eyes. and mer-
~ mouth that seemed made only TO
smile, stood opposite her, looking half
repentant, halr-defant rs she spoke.
Lillian, l couldn't help it. / tell you
l was hard up. A fellow must have mo-
ney. You women don't know anything
about the temptations and necessitie s
of the world"
But, Charley" she faltered, do you
know how this same world, IA you phrase
it, looks at the deed You have just COM
mitted? Oh, Charley" and her voice
grew low and tremulous, sit is forgery ~
Nonsense, Lii It's only borrowing q
| part Of old Glencross' unused riches to
aid my needs. wrote and asked him for
cash, and he, the unmaDnerlv lout, re-
fused. Well, what could he eypect af.
ter this, but that should help myselr?'
Lillian wcung her slender hands.
GLOW dared you, Charley? That a
Wayland should come to this?" she
walled
dared :" he echoed, recklessly. at
was but a stroke OF tho pen after all, and
old Giencross would be n paltrier miser
than take him 10 be, if he makes Il fuss
about a matter Of hundred pounds"
1T is the right and the Justice Of the
thing" cried Lillian, almost frantically.
five could pay him in any way; but
| have sold everything that remains of
our former wealth See" and she look
cd round the miserable apartment. "see
how live. Last night sat up Gill mid
night sewing, 10 have little money 20
pay the rcnt. | have not jewel left,
not q trjnkct.'
"Oh, bother, Lii. If old Glencross
cuts up rough, it is only taking a run a.
cross thc water. | know lots of ship
captains who would stow me away in
their holds almost any moonlight night
Lillian looked despairingly at him
Was il, then, impossible TO make him
comprehend the moral obliquity of the
deed he had committed?"
"Eut | can't STAY fooling here" Oh
served the young maa with toss ofhis
black Curls. Il must he off about nv
business. Goodbye, LII. Give US a
Kiss, my girl. Except that you''e un-
COMMONLY fonl OF lecturing fellow,
you're not bad sister in the main
Alter he had gone, Lillian sat down 20
try and realize the new situation in which
| she and her brother were placed. All
now dope nded on the spirit in which Paul
! Glenc"oss should receive this new en-
croachmentuponbis pucse and patience.
Lillian had never seen this distant re.
la'ion, yet she had formed an opinio o!
! him in her inm)st mind, "a we all are
! apt to do OF unseen persons whom we
hear great deal about and whenever
she thought OF Mr.. Glencross, the image
OF hookei-nose old man. yellow skin.
ned and cadaverous, engaged in sorting
over piles OF mortgages, or counting
bags ofgold, suggested itsclfto her men
tai eve.
"But he must be human, at least"
said Lillian, in the agony of her distress.
"1f 90 to him myself, and tell him Just
what poor Charley's necessities were.
and how good natured he really il. in
/
ness-if | say frankly to him. that |
have no money or jewels to reimburse
him, but that | will stay and work for
him in the kitchen until have discharg.
ed the horrible debt, surely, lie cannot
| have the heart TO refuse. | can do n
! great many things. | can sew and EN-.
btoidcr. and i could make good bread
and cake. and poor mamma always said
| was n good houSekecper: and il Mr..
/ Glenc-oss is really 80 misery as Char
ley thinks. he would lock at the econo.
my Of the thing. At least It's worth
trying"
SO favornbly did Lillian Wavland re.
gard this idea. preached in her sore ex-
tremity, that in two days from the even
/ ing in which she had hidden goodbye to
her handsome. reckless brother she stop
( ped from She train mt the Victoria 81: n.
. ton, dressed in her brown sober suit.
that made her look Ike a shrinking little
mouse. with her carpet bag in her hand.
A little inquiry sugice1 TO bring her
TO Che West End street where Mr. Glcr-
1 cross resided street lined on either
side with palaces. the like Of which lii.
ian had never seen in the palmer coun.
try town where she had been born and
bred. Her heart sank within her. a ehe
stood on The broad steps leading up TO
the front door.
Then coioriug deeply 1T hcr own cow
ardly tremulouaacss and utter lack ofall
resolution and enterprise. she rang the
bell, 20 settle the matter ut once and
definitely.
us Mr. Glcncross NJ homer" she ask.
cd of Che maid.servant who answered the
summons"
Yes, Mr.. Glcncross was NJ home {:
would the young lady enter? And Lii
ian was shown into oil apartment cur.
tanned with heavy folds ofpurplc satin.
and capctcd with velvet Of the same
rich color-an apartment whose dusky
I splendor made her think Of all the sto-
ries she had read of enchanted palaces