The Grange advance., 1877-05-30
"Guilty or innocent. I ryitv Won Won

"Guilty or innocent pity you, YOU
! are SO young
Concealing him till the hue and crv
were over, Marion smuggled him through
| the gates in woman's dress and with a
basket Of solid clothes. And so the mys-
terry of Aymcr Preston's escape remained
mystery.
The years moved on. Marion was
twenty-five. Her father was dead. Her
idolizcd brother had pcrishcd in a brawl.
She was alone in the world; an invalid.
living on the merest pittancc earned
with her needle, but the same sweet
faced, sweet-voiced girl who had won
the hearts of the prisoners in the gloomy
abode of which her father had been war
den.
One day she was sent for to see about
some embroidery. She was received by a
young lady. and something in the young
girls bright face drew Marion's glance
unconsciously. Where had she seen
those eyes. SO large and so intensely
black!
"Why do you look at me so9'' asked
| the young girl, with naive cagcrness.
Aoo III SOulc one L nave
known Marion answered, simply
"No one ever accused me of looking
like anybody but Robert before, laughed
| the girl.
"Ah, yes, you do. I see the resem-
blance now quite strong" and Marion's
face flushed with emotion. "Perhaps YOU
are related to him. His name was Aymer
Preston.'
"Oh!" cried the young girl, springing
up. "and you are lame. and your name is
Marion Hyde. Tell me, isn't it. I knew
it. Oh, Robert what will you saw
"She vanished from Marion's aston
isIled eyes. with the words on her lips.
She was back, however. in tricc and
with her came a tall, dark haired, hearty
bearded young man.
$ Marion Hyde! Is it possible?" lie ex-
claimed, ciasping both the little tre,l.-
bling hands and putting them over anI
again to his lips. which were culver
ing with emotion. Surely YOU know
me?'
"Iou-you are Aymer Preston, stan.
mered Marion
Il was Aymer Preston, 1 am Robert
Lelsson. Il relative of my mothers lett
AAAS iiAo Ao1 ttauC ou COuIlitlOu VI Ill tdh1uS
his name. l have searched for you vainly
Marion Hyde. My prosperity has been
bitter to me till now find you. Oh YOU
shall never touch needle or work again.
'No. indeed that you shall not
chimcd in she who had been the means
| OF this happy recognition; and as she said
1t, both her arms We're round Marion's
neck. and she was sobbing and kissing
her alternately. Robert always said he
would never marry anybody but you, and
you'll have him, won't you, dear!'
~ have proved my innocence of that
charge of robbing my GUARDIAN said
Robert, gravely. "But it was long before
l could do so. l followed up the man
whose testimony convicted me, till he lay
dying. and gave me written confession
OF false witness. My guardian paid him
to injure me. wanted me out of the
way. l will not be SO abrupt as to ask
you to marry me now, but as this rash
sister OF mine mas said so much. Can do
no less than testify to its truth l have
| always loved your sweet. dear face, Mar
ion. | shall never cease to wish it nv
wife's face till that wish is realized'
And then he left Marion to his sisters
pettng and soothing.
"This morning l was alone-not a
friend in this wide world, and now
A burst of tears came to her relief.
She is Robert lessons wife now and
her beautiful eyes are as dovelike as ever
with compassion for the unfortunate