Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-04-27
possessed me as entered the kitchen

ter Jane, looked at me in startled
way.
''She went up with you, didn't she,
sir?r asked Ann.
with me? Nol'' said.
That's curious said Jane.
I'VE thought she must, P" said Ann.
Then / saw the girls eyes distended
with look of terror.
And God have mercy on us all -
said the old woman.
why do you say that now? What
do you fear? My wife must be about
the place. Nothing can have happen.
ed. Nothing"
Then | faltered, paused and stagger-
ed against the wall. Old Jane brought
me a glass of water.
1t revived me- But no longer af-
fected any calmness. knew some ac-
cident had befallen my wife, and all
that | could hope was that it was not a
fatal one.
Followed by my servants. [ went
through house and garden. We look
ed im every room and every closet, un-
der every bush and tree, where the ivy
shadow fell. where the tall shrubs
grew. We went to the old well, but
the great stone lay across its brink.
IF she could have fallen in, she
could not have put the stone back"
said Jane.
And saw the absurdity of the dread
that had crossed my mind. Once L
thought saw her form, lying across
the path, and ran forward with a cry
to raise it, 1t was only black shad
ow thrown from a great oleander 10y
the rising moon, which my fancy had
TRANSPORTED. In word, Our search
was fruitless at home, in the peighbor-
hood, in the village, and i'm the sur
rounding country. Many came to my
aid. All was done that could be done.
She was gone, vanished. as it seemed.
from the face of the earth. The only
clue we had was the assertion of the
younger servant that she had heard IA
cry from the garden that had frighten-
ed her. She had told her mother. but the
old woman's hearing was duller, and
she had heard nothing.
1t was cruel as 1 knew. to suspect
these women Of having injured Helen.
or knowing anything of her disappear
ance, but they were suspected by 9TH
ers-not by me-examined and acqult-
ted.
Then, family and darkly, suspicion
fell upon even me. knew that it was
that had wearied of my wife, and rid
myself of her.
This past at last, and the story accep-
ted by the vulgar herd WAS that my
wife had left me for another lover. 4
knew her pure as an angel. but | could
not blame stranger for not knowing
her as well.
What did it matter to me what was
thought. My house was desolate. |
continued my vain search. mlvertis-
ed. | employed detectives; aud this went
on for years without bringing me even
the sad relief of knowing the terrible
truth.
grew to I've an old man very early:
INV hair lay white upon my temples I've
fore | was forty kept my little
church, for if Helen were living she
would find me there better than Else
where If she were dead. it seemed IT,
LIE that some token Of her fate must
come tn me at last. Twenty years lad
passed, and still there was no answer
to my prayer for tidings If her.
There was a prison some five miles
from NJ, a gray and gloomy place. A
man was to be executed for Il foul muir
der. lie WAS hardened wretch. but
there was all the more need for spiritu-
al aid; and. the prison chaplain being
i'll at the time, was requested to visit
him. | went, of course.
III was, strange To say, the anniver-
sary of Helen's disappearance.
The same spring weather-warm at
noon, cool at highland the grass was
springing in the garden, fresh and
green; and the buds were on the trees
and on the lilac bushes, just as on the
day when looked back and saw my
wife smiling at me over her shoulder,
as she knet beside the garden beds,
scattering the flower seeds.
thought of all this even as l enter
ed the prison gates and the cell of the
doomed man. found him, now that
death was near, more penltent than !
had hoped. His guilt was established.
and he made no effort to deny it. And
when had talked to him some time,
Re wept, sobbing heavily, as such men
do when grief overcomes them.
This was fight. and with man"
he said, when he regaine,l his compns-
ure. ''Tiie God you talk of may for
give that. Bat prayer can't save m.
I've done one thing in my life that can't
I've got over. That would drag me
down il all the angels tried 20 save me
| killed woman once. It's Il long
while ago. But I've seen her face ever
since Now, il was to look over my
shoulder, I'd STE it there. Some think
that confession does one good. I'll tell
YOU. 1t can't hurt, and I'll die easier.
was tempted by her jewels-ruiy ear
rings they were, and "a pin took Il
great stone off an Old well, and dropped
the body in. | can hear the water
splash now as il did when dropped
her in. and the sound of a girl singing
in the house. can see the blood 90
my hands, and hear the gravel uhd
my feet AS | ran away. | got some
money by the job, but l took no com
fort in it. I've never taken any since.
A woman, young and pretty. and doing
no harm To me.
What is the matter? Help Help !
Great heavens, howyou look ~
/ heard him cry this out, as | lost
consciousness. The truth had come to
me at last. knew it had, before he
told the tale to others. and owned that
the scene of this terrible story was the
parsonage at NJ before they lifted the
stone from the old well, and found i'm
the mire at its bottom the broad we'd
ding ring, which proved that what else
lay there, was all that was left of my
Little Misunderstanding.
Ero,n ,ba Phiiadalnhi. Rnila,;r