The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-27

diality in which they did not succeed a
certain constraint in look and tone
while speaking to her. / even saw it in
yourself just now as you mentioned her
name"
"You did, I'm sorry for that-ex-
ceedingly sorry !" anxiously. 81 be-
lleve in Louisa Warnings innocence as
do in that of my own child; and If
thought she was hurt or neglected in
this house But there's IL cloud on
the girl, Floyd-that's fact. 1t don't
amount even to suspicion. If 1t did,on
could argue it down. But Well,
what do you make of her--her face
now ?"
"It is not an especially clever face,nor
one that indicates power Of any kind;
not the face of woman who of her own
will would be the heroine of any remark
able story. / should judge her to have
been few years ago one of the sensible,
light hearted, sweet tempered girls of
whom there are SO many in Virginia;
nice housekeeper, and one who would
have made tender wife and mother"
well, wellY Nothing more?"
eyes. She has not matured into
womanhood as such girls do. She looks
as If her growth in every day experience
had stopped years ago; that while her
body grew older her mind had halted,
immature, incomplete. A grief might
have had that effect, or the absorption
of all her faculties by one sudden mas
tering idea"
"You are little too metaphysical for
me-" said Beardsley. "Poor Lou isn't
shrewd by any means, and always gives
me the feeling that she needs care and
protection more than most women, If
that is what you mean"
"There is singular expression i'm her
face at times" / resumed.
"Ahl Now you have it," he NUT
tered
Sitting there in your parlor, where
there is certainly nothing to dread, she
has glanced behind and about her again
and again and again, as though she
heard q sound that frightened her. L
observe, too, that when any man speaks
to her she fixes on him keen, suspicious
look. She does not have it with women.
1t passes quickly, but it is there. 1t Is
precisely the expression of an insane
person, or guilty one dreading arrest"
You are close observer, Floyd. 1
told my wife that we could not do better
than submit the whole case to your
judgment. We are all LOUIS friends in
the neighborhood but we cannot look
at the matter with your legal experience
and unprejudiced eyes. Come, let us go
in to supper now"
The next morning 1 was summoned
to Beardsley's Study" (so called proba-
bly, from the total absence of either book
or newspaper,) and found himself and
his wife awaiting me, and also Doctor
Scheffer, whom had previously noticed
among the guests-a gaunt, hectic young
man, apparently on the high road to
death, the victim of an incurable con-
sumption.
"I asked William Scheffer to meet us
here" said Mr.. Beardsley, "as Louisa
Waring was an inmate of his fathers
house at the time of the occurrence. She
and William were playmates together. L
believe am right, William. You knew
all the circumstances Of that terrible
night 2"
The young mans heavy face changed
painfully, Yes; as much as was
known to any one but Louisa, and-the
guilty man, whoever he was. But why
are you dragging out that wretched
affair ?" turning angrily on Mrs.
Beardsley. Surely, any friend of Miss
Warnings would try to bury the past for
her. t'
mo-" said the lady calmly. "It has
been buriedquite too long, in my opinion;
for she has carried her burden for six
years. 1t is time now that we should
try to lift it for her. You are sitting in
a draught, William. Sit on this sofa. -
Scheffer, coughing frightfully and
complaining with all the testiness of a
long humored invalid, was disposed of at
last. Beardsley began: HHe
The story is briefly this. Louisa,
before her fathers death, was engaged
to be married to Colonel Paul Merrlcly
(Merricks of Clarke county, you know