The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-07-10

meut. outely gou couiu not INV
Ieen so cruel7 Poor Henry !" she
murmured, in low tone, TO herself,
"if had only known the truth Mr..
Spurgeon, it is hard mattor, but still |
forgive you the wrong you have done
me; perhaps you hardly knew how great
it was. Although it is late to do 80 now,
! should wish to be able to clear Captain
Willoughby's name Of the stain that has
rcst,d upon it, and write down the do
position that you have just made"
Spurgcon, who, to do him justice, bad
never known the extent Of her affection
for Willoughby, agreed, and affixed his
signature to the paper; and then, with
trembling limbs and IN agitated look
that surprised the nurses, she loft the
hospital, and hurried home to rejoice
her sister with tho intelligence TINT her
confidence in Willoughby's honor had
not been misplaced.
As she entered the drawing-room,
where she knew sho should find Miss
Keith, she exclaimed, with breathless
eagerness "Oh, Anne, Henry is in
nocent; it was nil wicked - but
stopped short on seeing two strangers en-
gaged in conversation with her sister
and Meenah Baee. Her bewilderment
did not at first allow her to distinguish
their features, but she felt strange
trembling as she marked the tall figure
Of tho one who came forward TO meet
her. No, she could not be mistaken,
and in another moment her hands were
clasped in Henry Willoughby's, and her
tremulous "Henry, can you forgive
mcl" answered by their warm pressure.
Excess Of happiness was almost too
much for Indiana after her long trial;
but by degrees she recovered sufficiently
to be able to learn how this happy
meeting was brought about. And first
Colonel Willoughby-for he now held
that rank-had to present to her his
friend, Major Mil!ingsby, who had un.
Willingly been the cause of their long
estnugement.
"Aftcr you LETT Agra" continued the
colonel, az went through all the Sikh
campaign, and then my regiment was
ordered to Gibraltar. After that--rather
unfairly rs We thought, though had itnot
been for this.piece Of iniustice,as We con.
sidcred it, might never have seen you
again-we were ordered back 10 1ndia.
This time I saw no service, beyond the
triAing business Of reducing q refractory
Alahratta chief, whose fort we took
and there We found poor Millingsby,
who had been prisoner for ten years
or mote, and was believed to be dead by
his own people, and so hid never been
sought for, and had given up all hopes
Of getting free"
"Yes," said Major Millingsby. "if
you only knew what that feeling Of utter
hopelessness was I could hardly realize
that I was free when the fort was taken.
But go on with your story, Willough-
by"
We'll, Millingsby, when be had re.
covered his senses little, began talking
OF his wife; and when I heard her name
aud birth, the truth suddenly flashed
upon me; and though it WIS impossible
to account for the substitution Of my
name for his, felt sure that the mis-
take had arisen from the similarity CT
sound, and that you, Indiana, had been
equally deceived with me. OF course,
l hurried homo at once; and will own
TINT my first impulse was to meet you
with rcproaches; but your exclamation
rs you entered the room disarmed me"
All was now joy and happiness at No.
25, and Meenah Baec, or, as We ought to
call hor, Mrs. Millingsby, was in state
Of ecstacy at her husbands return,
though most pcnitent for tho delusion
which had caused Colonel Willoughby
and Indiana 80 much misery.
Spurgcon's confession, although not
necessary, rs it turned out, WAS satisfac.
tory, rs clearing up the mystery Of the
story; and the wrctched man, during the
brief remainder OF his life, was nursed
with tender solicitude by her whose
happiness he had so nearly shipwrecked,
but who was now, thanks to the guid-
ing OF merciful Providence, after
long trials, given back to her faithful
lover,