The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-02-26

up - = Wv ittttNt ~, - X 4 - 4
But Hester, pondefing 0Sef II all
Eacsepscdtte pau one nare sorrow
III ber shSaosed iie, aAa made ric
moan, looked fof SYM ashy.
IT was hard te sssthe ethathad
been eyerfull ofsynpatl sndtepd;
EesnCss turned coldly aw hard Il
hear the childrea onde khy On.
Eele Alfred dsneyer elne Zee then
lany more; but The 100 Re- 81 duty
sxs llslsaah was .
Certainty soon Of release from the
monotony Of teaching,
October was midway her golden,
tinted journey acrossthe earth, when
Mrs. Evans was called upon to fpd q
new governess. In vain she scolled
and even wept. Hester gave no Ea.
son, but she must go.
1t was not to spy upon her move-
ments that Alfred, finding the GOV.
erness leaving the house, followed
her in the train that took her toLon.
don. It was only in is deep, unsbak'
en- affection, the fear for her future;
The anxiety to be sure all was p be
well with her in her new life.
She did not dream she was watch.
ed as she took a cab, and, followed
still, drove TO a small house OF the
outskirts of Kentish town, where an
elderly woman met her at the door
and led her in, weeping bitterly.
That was all Alfred saw; but the
face Of the weeping woman was Hes
ter's face, should years Of sorrow and
tears set their seal upon it.
Restless and curious, in spite o.
himself, Alfred lounged into a re
freshment place near the little house
and called for something to eat
Close beside him two officers Of po
lice (inspectors they seemed were
discussing some provisions, and AL
fred heard one say, $50 stretton'.
time is upl He came out Of the Peni
tentiary yesterday"
According to my ldea," was thu
reply, "he ought not to have beer
there at all. He never did it-7hev
8,
ftsHe was wild, though. -
@Yes; got on a spree too often, and
was in bad company, but never hac
any more hand in that bank robbery
than you or l."
"Got five years for it," said the
other, "and he's come out to die
Giles over at his mothers there
jerking his thumb in the direction
of the little house, "aud won't last a
eek-consumption,"
This was the secret, then! A broth.
er in Pentonville model prison, in.
nocent or guilty, convicted felonl
Alfred shuddered as he thought Of
the fair, stately woman he loved
with her pure, proud nature, daily
tortured by the secret of her brothers.
crime, He had a vague recollection
Of reading the trial of some bank
robbers where the name of Stretton
occurred, but it was only a hazy
memory at best.
Hester was with her mother in a
home, even if a poor one, with crime
for its inmate, and he had no right
to intrude upon her grief. So he ate
the food before him, paid his bill and
went out into the street again, 1t
was quite dark, and he gave up any
idea of returning to Guildford that
night, finding his way to the West
End and q hotel.
Three days passed before be heard
again of Hester's brother, and then
the public journals told the story
He was dead. Only twenty-six, the
papers said; but there had come com,
fort at the last hour. Two of the
gang who had been engaged in the
bank robbery had made a sworn
statement exonerating him from any
guilty part in it. In so far as he
was under the influence of liquor,
was in bad company and was led by
them, he was guilty.
But he was innocent because he
was purposely kept ignorant of their
intentions and had no knowledge
that he was in bank vault until
the hands of the officers of justice
a., ,,, r,o,, Hin