Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-03-30

reason OF more than one sheet hav'
ing been written over it,
"Can you make it out, Aggie?'
asked my cousin John, earnestly.
spelled slowly what words 1 could
discern.
:" Certai,l-bet,oeen ten and mid
night - Cooper's house - MdQog.
Why, what is all this about. cousin
John?" / asked, bewildered.
60 On. Aggie." he said, breath
lessly.
Il can make out no more" / made
answer, turning the paper over and
over to the light. 80 as to bring forth
the impressions in palmer rellef, "ex-
cept-yes, here is one word Leech. ~
II thought so; but are you certain,
Agnes? And are you sure that it is u
name-that the l. is q capital, /
mean?"
Yes. the L was- clearly capital.
Colonel Conyers looked closely, and
was convinced.
Agnes, whose writing is this
Who dropped this bit of paper there
on the floor?"
Mistress Abigail" answered, "did
tear sheet of paper just before you
entered. and threw the fragments in
to the fire.
He looked at me steadily and stern
ly.
Not Abigail-not my wife," he
said, in a tone between doubt and as
seition.
"She did as say" replied, calm
ly. Il know not that the writing is
hers. There are other bits OF the pa
per-" and with my slippered foot 1
moved slightly the fender, from be-
meath which peered the edges Of the
torn fragments, which from either
haste or thoughtlessness, Mistress
Abigail had not observed when the
rest were consumed.
Then Colonel Convers stopped
down and picked up ano.hcr bit.
which he examined as he had done
the first He did try also to lit ;heir
edges together, but they did not cor
respond. Yet something on this sec
ond fragment did appear TO interest
him even more than the first.
"Aggie," said he. turning suddenly
agaia To me-and 1 saw then that he
was quite moved-"Aggie, lock the
door. And now come here: pick up
every one OF those bits OF paper, even
to the least, and bring them To me. "
1t was Il strange request for John
Conyers to make. and L looked at
him in some wonder. the which did
not escape him. He rose up, and
placing both hands upon my shoul-
ders, did look into my eyes with "a
clear and serious though troubled
gaze.
Know, Agnes" he said, slowly, and
almost solemnly. that mans honor
and the honor OF his family do often
times require Of him to do that which
under other circumstances would be
OF itself dishOnor."
had no doubt OF John Conyer's
honor. and therefore did his behe.t,
gathering together the scattered
fragments and placing them on the
table before him; whereupon he pro-
ceeded to arrange them carefully.
edge to edge. Variou. pieces he thus
fitted together, and over these he
poured with strange intent eager
ness. Suddenly he started up, and |
saw that his face was as white Us a
sheet. He said no word, but did walk
out OF the room and along the pas
sage and up the back staircase--a
thing unusual with him-straight, as
1 knew by the sound of his footsteps,
20 the apartments OF his wife. Pres
emily l heard him coming hastily
down, and, through the open door. his
voice in the hall. speaking to Folsom.
Where is your mistrsss?"
Mistress Abigail, sir, is gone out
but short while ago"
"Whither?" he demanded, abruptly,
and sternly.
THAT 1 know not, sir She but
bade Inc to have her dinner dress
laid out ut six, as she should return
late"
"At SIX" he said. slowly, and in a
tone OF disappointment. Then he
came hurriedly again into the library,
and without noticing me, snatchcd
his cloak and hat and went out. A
moment thereafter heard the sharp.
heavy tramp Of ais horse as he rode
almost furiously away.
He had left the bits OF torn paper
still upon the table in the order In
which he had arranged them.
would not look thereupon, knowing
that they held some secret the which
he had not seen fit TO expose to- my
knowledge; wherefore | swept them
into large unused Book OF Senten-
ces. which / did reach down from an
upper shelf, replacing the same in its
place. Should Le ask for these pieces
OF paper, / could thus direct him
where To find them. Yet ali the time
my tongue seemed repeating the
words / had read, "Certain-between
ten and midnight Cooper's house
Magog- whilst my mind un-
consciously strovc to attach thereun-
to some definite meaning.
At six o'clock we met at dinner
my uncle and aunt, my cousin Anne
and /, with one or two familiar
guests. Mistress Abigail came il
late and hurriedly, for the which shs
graciously apologized; and did no.
tice that her manner was less easy
her eyes more bright and restles:
than was their wont OF late, and thai
oftentimes at some sound in the hall
or when sdddenly addressed. she die
start and change color; and so soor
as could be done with propriety, sh'
1 I;J Ia,x-o @l,o .,I ,at;r.