The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-01-29

why, lney must take tie consequences.
The notes might be traced but he was
doubtful about livery doubtful.
And the sisters had to endure this, and
the visits to their room ofevcry inquisitive
person in the heuse, till evening approach-
ed, and curiosity was satiated. Then they
once more locked their door, and, faint
with fatigue and borrow, sat down to
swallow the halfcold tea and toast brought
up to them by an Irish servant, whose
sympathy, though coarsely expressed, had
been very acceptable.
The homeward journey, to which few
hours earlier they had looked forward with
such pleasure, must now he postponed till
they could summon fortitude to meet their
aunt. The little gifts for friends and rela-
tives, that it had been labor of love to sc.
lect, were put aside with many signs; and
Miriam, after doing her best to wear
cheerful face, and coax her sister to eat,
suddenly succ umbed to her passionate re-
grets, and, throwing herself on the bed,
wept herself to sleep.
But Katie could not follow her example.
She tenderly drew the clothes over the
sleeper, and kissed her flushed cheek, and
then wrapping herself in q shawl, sat
down to take serious view of their posi-
ton.
1t was bitter disappointment to be
obliged to postpone her marriage, and she
felt that in justice 10 her betrothed she
must put an end to her engagement; for
she must no longer work for herself-no
longer set aside for her own uses every
hard. earned shilling that could be spared
from the daily needs. The widow and the
tatherless had suffered hy her want Of eau
ton, and for them she must toll nnceasing-
ly until the debt was paid.
Then poor Katie began to calculate how
much she might save in the course of the
year by dint of denying herself, and striv-
ing to procure some employment for even
ings; but her heart sank as she compre-
hended that years must elapse before the
task she set herself could be accomplished,
and the tears, that were more difficult to
bring from her eyes than Miriams, fell in
large, hot drops on the clasped hands ly-
ing in her lap. Only last night she had
been so happy, so hopeful, picturing to
herself the pleasure of her betrothed at her
return, and the JOY that would light up
the sunkcn eyes Of the widow when the
precious trust was rendered up, and her
nieces rewarded with II loving kiss.
Only last night, 80 happy, and now
Katie slid off the chair on to her knees, and
gradually found comfort. The neighboring
clocks sounded midnight and then the small
hours; but still she knelt there unconscious
of the lapse of time, till Miriam tossed and
moaned, and then sat up in tho bed, staring
about her, with curions!y vacant look in
her blue orbs.
IL,
pect of this addition to their anxieties Ka
ties reviving spirits sank again, and she
rose and approached her sister to question
her. But Miriam, who had also risen,
brushed past her without appearing to
hear the atfectionate inquiry, and stopping
over the trunk that had contained the
notes, began searching in it. She tossed
the contents over and over, muttering to
herself the while, until she found small
packet, not unlike the lost one in size and
shape, and wrapping her waterproof tight.
ly around her, walked straight to the win
dow, which she flung open.
katie's heart almost ceased TO beat, for
she saw that the young giil was in state of
somnambulism, and u dim conception of
what might have occurred on the previous
night began to steal into her mind. I'm
conscious her terrified sister = grasp on her
skirts, Miriam climbed out Of the window,
and still followed by Katie, fearlessly
made her way along the parapet to where
there stood q hower-pot, containing with
cred shrub and few handfuls of mold.
Over this she stopped, taking out the plant.
to which the dry earth firmly adhered, and
carefully depositing the packet beneath it.
IL, no. Al, ,,A
her own room in the same way that she
had quilted it, crept into bed again, and
slept soundly for some hours.
1t was not till the day had dawned that
Katie could nerve herself to repeat this
exploit; and then it was on her hands and
knees that she crawled along the gutter,
and Selling the flower pot brought it back
with her. Oh, ecstacy The mystery was
solved--there had be- no robbery. Miriam
herself had been the dark figure at the
window-it was she who, her dreams per
turbed by some dread of losing the money,
had risen from her bed and hid it in this
strange and unsupported hiding. place.
1t would have been difficult to make
her believe that she had done this, but for
the proof of it her II jnicing sister put be-
fore her; but she could remember now.
that at some time or other she had heard
or read of prisoner concculing some doc
uments in this manner; and the incident
forgotten in waking moments must have
been recalled and acted upon by the tenn
ing brain during the visions of the
night.
The sisters last morning in London was
busy one, for the recovery of the money
had to be signifed to the police; and so
many were eager to congratulate Katie,
and stare at Miriam MS the heroine of
strange adventure, that the work of pack
ing went on among many interruptions.
But if the early train was lost, there was u
later one; and when tie congratulations
had been civilly acknowledged of those
who had stood aloof in the hour of distress,
and the truer sympathy of Irish Norah
gratefully rewarded. Kait and Miriam babe
adieu to London.
There was much tn ask and to tell when
they reached home; but it was not until
the precious trust had heen safely given to
its owner, and Katie sat with her hand
firmly clasped in those of her betrothed,
that she told the tale of the lost money,
and how unexpectedly it had been recov-
ered,-C aSseWs Magazine.