The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-11-07

scenes of gaiety. But severe cold had
rendered exposure to the night air an
imprudence on this, the evening of Mrs.
Walton's large party, and Elsie had
joined the family IT friend.
Memory was very busy in Della
Merriman's heart as she sat over the fire
during Elsie's absence-so busy that she
started as if from a dream when the car
riage rolled to thu door as the mantel
clock chimed two.
There were words of parting, then
| light steps on the stairs, and Elsie came
in, not as usual, full of bright animation,
but with an earnestness of purpose quite
unusual to her.
"Did you have a pleasant evening,
dear ?" Miss Della asked.
"Yes-no-I don't know. Are you
very tired?"
The last words were all of the discon-
nected answer the girl seemed abls to
give, on account of her emotion.
"No, dear Why, Elsie, love, what is
it ?"
For she was looking troubled.
81 have a message for you, auntie."
"For me?"
"From stran or who was at Mrs.
Walton's, Mr.. Carrington-Ralph Car
rington." -, - E.. -
Della Merriman rose to her feet.
She tried to speak, but the words
would not come.
"Auntie," the girl cried, terrified,
HDont look sO-don'tp f-F'.. I'd. - d.
"The message ?" she whispered.
"He told me to tell you that the man
who killed Henry Garman was Charles
Ralston, tho cashier of tho Hope Bank,
who has confessed his guilt. he said:
Tell Miss Merriman that tomorrow I
will see her. Auntie," Elsie continued
urgently, "what does it mean? Was
not Henry Garman my father?"
eyes, child. 1t MEANS" Miss Merri-
man said solemnly, {" that the cross that
for twenty years has lain upon my
life is lifted tonight. You shall know
all, Elsie, at once. Twill not send you
to sleepless bed, child, with your heart
so troubled. But give me a few mo.
ments to think of your tidings, and tell
me how this message came to be intrust.
ed to you"
"Mrs. Walton came to me late in the
evening, and asked permission to indro-
duce Mr.. Darlington. had noticed o
stranger, who looked at me very earnest
ly." -.
GA tall, handsome man, with curling
brown hair and pleasant features, wear
ing full beard of waving golden
brown ?"
"No. A tall, grave man, with stern
features, smoothly shaven, and hair
almost white-quite an old man."
"True true! had forgotten. He
must be tifty-fve."
"When he was introduced to me, he
touched the locket upon my neck.
Pardon me he,' he said, if I am too
curious but your name and that trinket
are connected with 30 much OF my life
that 7 venture to ask you something con-
cerning them. The locket first. Did
not somebody give it to you-a ladyT
His looks were 80 eager that I told him
the locket was yours. Then he led me
IN, little by little, till I told him my
whole life. He said he had been here
two months seeking you. He did not
look for a wealthy woman, but one poor
and solitary. Then I informed him how
poor we had been ; and about your
cousin, and how you had lavished every
good thing on me. And then, auntie,
he whispered, half to himself, that had
no claim on you. What did he mean2
Are you not my aunt" 49,
"No, dear, there is no tie OF blood
between us. Your claim is the claim OF
love, for you have been the one comfort,
the one sunshine of my lonely Life.
Twenty years ago, Elsie, Ralph Caring
ton gave me the locket you have upon
your neck, a gift of betrothal, for we
loved each other truly and were engaged
to be married. was poor girl, making
artificial flowers for bread, an orphan,
too. He was assistant cashier of the
bank, where your father was night
watchman, and Charles Ralston was
head cashier. Ralston was in love with
me, and pursued me with unwelcome
attentions.
"One day, to rid myself of his i'm
portunities, T told him had promise to
marry Ralph. He left me in rage.
Only one week later the bank was enter
ed at night, your father shot through
the heart, and Ralph Darlington discov-
cred in the vault trying to revive him.
Hewas arrested and tried. Hetolds story,
not credited, that Charles Ralston had
sent him from his house to the bank for
papers, after keeping him busy there
over the books all the evening. But
Ralston swore that he had not been at
home that evening; and proved it; that
the keys of the vault safe, found hanging
in the keyhole, were stolen from his
desk, and he had not sent his clerk to
the bank. So Ralph was convicted and
sentenced. He escaped! Elsie, had
saved fifty pounds for my wedding gar
ments. / went to see him in prison,
and, knowing he was innocent, I gave
him the money to bribe the keeper of
his cell. The man took it, and Ralph
was free. have never known if he
lived or died until tonight.
"Atter he was gone your mother was
taken i'll. Before her marriage she had
worked for the same establishment
where I was employed, and knew her
well. The shock of her husbands death
was too severe for her, and she never
rose again from her bed, though she
lived three months. When she died l
promised you should be my charge, and
never know the shadow upon your life
till you were woman"
Elsie was sobbing quietly, often lift
ing to her lips the gentle hand that had
given her all she had ever experienced
of lfe's blessings.
There was long silence after Miss
Merriman ceased speaking, and the gray
dawn was creeping in at the windows
when, softly kissing her, Aunt Della told
Elsie to 60 to rest. = .1..
But for herself there was no rest.
Feverish!y, with an agitation altogether
unlike her usual quiet, she waited the
coming of her lover who had fled from
his unjust sentence twenty years before,
but who was free now and his innocence