Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-10
lConcluded Dom first page. }

the correct one. WHY should it be taken
Tor granted that this young fellow should
be still wearing the willow tor one
whom he had himself absolved from hel
allegiance to him9 For all we know. in
deed. he might be dead and buried as vel
a. married. No return telegram reached
us that day, and | went home very i'll a
ease; feared that Kitty would gathel
from my manner that something had hap
pened. and if il had been possible 10 make
any excuse for my absence, | would moi
have seen her till next day. As it was.
dined in the city, and called again at tn,
office in the evening, but there was nc
news.
On my return home | found a strange
alteration in Ktiy's face. | was always
pale enough now, poor soul 1t looked
care-worn, though never griel-worn. But
now her sweet eyes were red and swollen
and her cheeks showed the traces OF many
tears. Unable to endure the spectacle
OF her misery. ] babe her hasty good
night, and was about to take up NY bed
candle, when she suddenly put this ques.
ton: Have you no message for me,
Frank Pr
Message. darling? No. What news
did you expect?"
81 did not say news replied she in a
strange tone OF suppressed triumph. at
would be no news To me to hear that Fred
was innocent. knew that all along"
"Mr. Hall and has been here, then ~
cried in astonshmeut. ale has told you
what has pappened."
She shook her head, and from her bosom
pulled out a telegram wet with tears. Ii
was from Frederic, and had arrived an
hour ago. Il am coming home, love.
Not word else. He had not troubled
himself to add. my innocence is estab-
lished;" it would have been two sover-
eigns thrown away.
At that moment "a hanson dashed up to
the door, aud the next moment | heard
the voice at the younger MIR. Halland ask
ing the servant II was at home. | knew
at once that Frederic had sent his reply to
his private house. aud that this good man
had driven over to me at once upon the
receipt OF it.
He came up stairs, and-well, to make
clear, | suppose, how matters stood, or
perhaps it was part OF Fred's message
that he had to deliver-he kissed Kitty
aud we sat up talking till past midnight.
But not word did we ever tell her of
tnut Hucctlpbs <hiC YOU iiCO WhiNh hh'
been sent SO unnecessarily across the
world.
1t was the intention of the firm, Mr.
John told us, since they felt that a man
with such an exceptional sense of duty As
Frederic Raynor was invaluable, TO put
him in his place; while in the two months
that must intervene before his arrival in
England their attention would be devoted
to the selection OF wedding present for
their Junior partner.
The next day we were all summoned
before the partners, and informed that a
grave and terrible mistake had been made
in the dismissal OF Mr.. Frederic Raynor,
who had been proved wholly innocent of
the crime laid TO his charge. But not a
word was said as to the actual offender;
and though all sorts OF surmiscs and sus-
picions were, of course, excit I'd among
my feliow-cierks, not one OF them ever
dreamed OF accusing that exemplary and
public-spirited man, MIR. Jacob Rtynor.
Tor whom, indeed. sympathy greater
than ever was now aroused. from the
sense that he had been hurried to his
death oy the calumny that had exiled his
only son. And here was manifested the
wisdom of making Fred partner for in
any lower position he would have been
exposed TO some painful interrogations
concerning the true culprit, which now no
one would dare 10 put TO him when once
it was understood that he wished TO be ST.
lent on the point. 1t was felt by both his
employers-or. as may now say by his
copartners-that the chief point to be AIM
ed at for Fredercs sake was to keep that
secret, for which he had already sacrificed
50 much, from the world al large. 1t
may naturally be imagined that some
thing like renewal OF sprngtide came to
my poor Kitty (since she was 50 soon to
be Frederic's) after the weary, wintry
time she had endured. But, strange to
say, this was not the case. She had
shown natural exultation at the procla
nation of his innocence. though she had
required no proof of il herself. But now
she once more lost her spirits, and be-
came pale and silent as before.
Why, Klty," said |. not hesitating to
rally her upon "a point which few weeks
ago 1t would have been cruelty to touch
upon, sit Is very poor compliment to
Fred to wear those melancholy looks; he
will expect smiling welcome and the
same bright, merry face that you were
wont to greet him with
Then she burst into tears aud sobbed
out that that was the very thing that made
her sad; her brightness and her merri-
ment, she felt, were gone, and her youth
and beauty too. Fred was faithful, doubt
less, but The girl who had won his love
was no longer in existence, and only this
sad substitute for her awaited him; here
she pointed piteously to her changed self,
with which 1t was likely enough, she said,
he would be far from satisfied. OF course
told her that since the change, if change
there were, had taken place on his ac-
count, it should only make her dearer to
him and even added, in my desire to
comfort her. that 1t was to be hoped
that Fred himself would not be
quite the man he was; but my ar
guments made US little way with her as
reason usually does with women. Indeed,
her very trouble was curiously Characters
tic of the sex; for who, being male.
could bear disappoint and almost des-
pair itself fer years, ike gentle saint,
and then. when the sun shone forth at last,
make himself miserable about the loss oil
a few pounds OF flesh, and the acquisition
OF gray hair or two.
! will do Fred The iugtipe 10 say that