The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-12-02

turing to accuse either his uncle or his be-
trothed.
lie had noticed the number of the house
in the glare of the street lamp.
No. IS Ralph street.
This was the entry he made in his note
book in case his memory proved treacher-
Gus.
1t seemed that fortune favored his plans.
On the next day, happening to go into a
large fruit aud flower store, he saw Fred
Holman selecting the contents of fancy
basket of choicest fruits and rarest bios
SONS.
Nodding to Harvey, he wrote the address
upon card and attached it to the pretty
basket. You will send this at once he
said. and he left the store
And Harvey. taking the place Fred va
Gated. read the card.
Mrs. f. Holman, No. % Ralph street"
What proof was needed now? 1t was
not in the nature of Harvey rockingham
to work openly in any scheme. blow in
the dark suited him. Feeling sure of his
pOSI'Ipil. Iit Huilitl W Nlltc TWO
anonymous letters, that would, he hoped,
disinherit and confound his SO long sue
cessful rival.
One of these venomous mssives found
! Maud Chesterton in her pretty boudolr,
thrilling with embroidery, and dreaming
sweet dreams of her love and Fred Holman S
/ devotion.
/ She was a handsome girl of nineteen,
full of womanly sweetness, unspoiled by
her great wealth.
She loved Fred Holman with the strength
! Of her young heart, and was sure that her
! love was returned.
/ she knew that were she beggared or de-
formed Fred would love her still.
! Not for her money had he sought her for
/ his wife, not to please his uncle. He loved
/ her,
Tie dainty work under her slender fin
/ gers prog ressed slowly, as Maud lay back
in her arm chair, looking into the glowing
CRATE fire, and building castles of future
happiness.
From this tender reverie she was aroused
| by a servant, who handed her squarely
folded letter, awkwardly addressed and
fastened with a wafer.
Won derng who her correspondent could
be, she opened the paper. The same strag
| Cling hand met her eyes. Only few lines
written:
. If you would have proof of the false
/ hood of one you believe true, go at clock
! this evening to the second floor of No. %
! Ralph street and you will find Mr.. Freder
! ick Holman with his wife,
Anonymous-' the proud girl said, her
! lip curling and her eyes flashing. 1.-The
! liar
/ She threw the note upon the Goals, and
watched the flames curl and blacken the
! paper until it flashed out of sight up the
/ chimney.
Then, with all the color stricken from
/ her face, she took up her embroidery.
Had Harvey watched her then he would
! have thought that poisoned arrow had
missed its aim.
buI II was HoJ 81. nc "Dlh wis
aside, the piano rang out under her restless
| fingers, a novel was opened, room was
put in order, but while the calm f;.ce be-
trayed no secret suffering, the girl was
tortured all day by the words of the anony-
nous note.
d" Frederick Holman and his wife,
! Could it be Had those brown eyes that
| had looked SO lovingly into hers mirrored
only a false heart? Was she, indeed, so
far deceived?
Long before $ o'clock Maud resolved to
prove or falsify the words that seemed
burned upon her brain.
Surely of all the world she had the best
right to test the truth of such a charge
against her betrothed.
And while she was striving to hide from
any eyes the torture she endured. James
| Rutherford was storming in his library,
holding Harvey Frothingham's communi
cation in his hand.
In the same awkward handwriting, the
same hour and place appointed to verify
the writer's words.
But the peppery old bachelor made no
secret of his wrath. To have listened to
him one would have thought that making
mince meat of his nephew was the least he
Intended He called him all the pet names
suggested by IA furious rage; he used up all
the adiecives i'll the dictionary to describe
Mr. Frederick Holman.
10. hon, tod fl,nt fur.
could devise, and long before eight o'clock
he had wrought himself up to a rage that
was frightful to witness.
1t was with chuckle of satisfaction that
Harvey rockingham, securely hidden in a
narrow courtway watched a tall, stately
figure leave a carriage at the head of Ralph
street and walk to the door of No. IS.
In the quiet of the street he heard a
clear voice ask the servant who opened the
| door:
docs Mrs. Holman live hereH'
= Yes, ma am, second floor
Is her husband at home 81
"Oh, yes, ma 'am you will find them
both there
utu MAUI culelcu tDc louSt,
just as a short, painting man dashed up the
! steps, and not pausing to make inquiry,
also entered.
In the hall way, Maud Chesterton turn
ing, as rapid steps followed her, faced
James Rutherford.
Z" GU here he said. "You have
heard, too, then of the trick this ungrateful
hound has played upon u.s."
Il have beard,' she answered in a cold
voice, that your nephews wife lives in
this house. | wish to ascertain if it is
true"
I'VE will soon see. we will soon see.
Second floor. Here we are. Now then"
And the old gentleman's raps proved the
excitement under which he was laboring.
A very pale, sweet woman opened the
door, her eyes showing that she had been
weeping very recently.