American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18
VOL. XIV.

caught her hands, and almost crushc
them in his clasp.
| Twill you stand by me, Syl, when al
the world scorns and jeers at me for
theft Or will you decide that your f.
| TIERS worldly wisdom is best, after all
snd marry that honest, godiy man, Sila
Daggett?"
The fierce sco-n in Willis voice toll,
| Syl that, whatever his new trouble Nigh
be- silas Daggett was at the bottom
What has he done now? Do tell me
Wil1r'
1.-The store was robbed last night-yo,
hadn't heard of thatS The village is aliv
with it; the safe and the money-drawer
Stevens paid Daggett $1,000 yesterday; h.
left it in the safe, Intending, so he says, t.
put it in the bank this morning. Ofcours,
he managed to make suspicion fall upoI
me at once, and he has got q warrant nov
for my arrest"
Indignation got the better of Syl's feal
at once
What possible reason could he give fol-
suspecting yos!"
"Oh, a good many! He is keen enough
you know, and believe that he has beer
planning this for long time. A key was
broken off in the lock of the money-draw
er, and the other half was found in the
pocket of my coat, which / left in the
store. OF course it is of no use for me te
say that left the coat in the store. Dag
gett says didn't, and of course his
word could not be doubted. Then was
out until after eleven O'Clock last night
and can't say where / was; that is
against me, you know"
Can't? Why not? Don't mind me
don't think of mel Tell just where you
were, and will tell, too. Oh, Will, don't
look SO! don't feel so! How can he prove
you guilty when you are innocent?"
If he can't prove me guilty neither
can prove myself innocent and the dis
grace will cling to me-will cling to you,
too, Syl, until you cast me off. l think
you had better do it, dear; 1 seem fated
to bring nothing but trouble upon you
Syl's brown eyes flashed, and then filled
slowly with tears
"Wili, don't talk like that; do try to
have more hope and courage Silas Dag
gett Is q bad man, know; was sure Of
it from the first; and he is sly and cum
ming, but we shall find way out of this
trouble, or, if not, we will bear it to-
gether."
Will was evidently not to be cheered,
bat Syl's courage made him ashamed of
his weakness. Syl let him stay few mo-
ments longer; she wanted to hear the de-
tails of the robbery, and she could not let
him go until she had inspired him with a
little hope and confidence, and then she
hurried him away. She knew that it
would not help his cause to have her
father find him there.
When he was out of sight Syl sat down
on the window-seat and buried her face in
her hands. She had spent all her stock
Of hope and courage in trying to cheer
viii. The future did look gloomy to
her.
Silas Daggett was SO powerful and so un-
scrupulous, and her father would be sure
to be on his side, and leave no stone un-
turned to prove Will guilty; and he said
it would be very hard for him to prove
himself innocent. Silas Daggett had
woven q subtle snare. Syl knew him well
enough to be sure of that. She did not
believe that he had been robbed at all, but
had formed the plot for the sole purpose
of running Will, and so winning her-or
rather, her fathers money, upon which
his affections were firmly fixed. Some
way must be found to outwit him, Syl
said to herself over and over again, as she
sat there in the pantry-window; but still
no way suggested itself; and she had
promised never to marry Will without her
fathers consent, and that would never be
given now. Syl gave way to despair at
that thought, and cried until her head
ached, and the biscuits were burned to a
cinder in the oven.
The Deacon looked at her red eyes
when he came home to dinner, and hav-
ing, dou btless, a little pity for his daugh-
ter in his heart, forebore to enlarge upon
upon the subject Of the robbery, as Syl
expected he would; but he spoke as if
there was no doubt of Wills guilt, and
Aunt Dorcas and Syl's mother groaned in
unison, and said it was no more than they
had expected, and Silas Daggett had-or
6yl fancied that he had look of CON-
placency under the distress and anxiety
that he assumed.
Syl scrutinized him carefully at every
and was more firmly con-
WINGED each moment that he himself was
the robber whom he expressed such anx-
iety to bring to Justice; and once she
said quietly, yet with searching glance
at his face:
81 will do all that can to bring him to
Justice, Mr.. Daggett. -
A dark red flush rose to Mr.. Daggett's
face, but he answered with a smile that he
should be very glad of her aid.
But what could she do? She could
think of nothing, though she racked her
brains for hours, but to openly declare
that Will had been with her the evening
before, and to wait patiently and watch ST.
las Daggett.
the robbery which she had
gained from the conversation at the din
ner-table. -i
The keys of the store-door had-b in
Wills possession, AMI that told against
him, as the thief seemed to have entered
in that way; at least, according to Silas
Daesetk though Deacon Rankindid remind