The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-09-11

Il
ahout9' l cried, bewildered. Say wha
you mean in plain words, beg
The moneys not here. It's gone
box and all, Marian replied, with whit,
face.
'Gonep l cried, 'gonel Where's i
gone, how's it gone, or who has taker
it, l should like to know9 You must bt
raving. Let me come and look
A man placed in such a position il
bound TO have an idea on the subject
and to assert it, so 1 suggested tha
Martha must be the culprit.
No, no, don't say that, cried my wife
excitedly. I'D as soon believe that
was the thief as she. I've known hel
all my life. No, no, IL isn't Martha
You admit that it cannot be any
one outside the house, 80 il must be
Martina; that is plain logic, said, with
as much evenness Of temper as / could
command at the moment.
1T isn't Martha, replied my wife stub
bornly; I'll never believe it,
For my part l felt sure that it was
Martha. And as it was quite impossible
that she could have got rid Of it yet, I
hoped 1 should easily discover it.
But she denied the charge so EN-.
phatically that it was with a very anx.
ious heart l betook myself to the bed
side of my patient. After paying one
or two minor visits / returned home. -
Martha opened the door, and immedi-
ately retired into the kitchen, without
aword. Marian was nowhere to be found.
went upstairs in search Of her. She
was not there, but little table in the
corner covered with writing materials
betrayed her recent presence. An open
letter in a handwriting knew and de.
tested attracted my attention, and 1
picked it up and -Baw it was from her
brother Frank, begging for $50 to save
him from a grave difficulty.
Presently heard Marian enter the
house. With the letter in my hand /
confronted her. She turned first white
and then red, and asked me by what
right gentleman entered lady's pri-
vate room and read her correspondence.
/ paid no attention to this high-hown
language, but replied by asking her
whether she had been out to post q let
ter. She admitted she had.
TO Frauk9' l inquired,
Il decline to say she replied haush-
tily.
Containing money! l asked.
THAT also decline to say, she re-
piled.
/ think any one else in my place
would have come to the same conelu-
sion as 1 did-namely, that the letter
was to Frank, and that it contained
money. A few inquiries at the post
Office confirmed my supposition. From
the time OF this discovery cloud SEEM
cd TO have settled over our usually
happy household. Marian was sullen
and angry, and sat at the head OF the
table without speaking word. Be-
tween meal times / scarcely ever saw
her. Martha sided with her mistress,
and always looked at me reproachfully,
In the meantime other cares were
pressing hard and fast upon me. In
spite of rigid examination I could
discover no clue to the lost money
OF course l had been obliged to make
it good; and, in order to do this, had
drained myself Of every available far
thing.
I went TO my father and, plainly stat
ing the facts, asked him IL he would
lend me the sum / had lost. This he
agreed to do; and the conversation
turned on family matters generally
The unhappy GOODNESS which had arisen
between myself and Marian was pres
emily discussed and when my father
taxed me with unkindness toward her
I felt bound to explain to him Franks
demand, and her resentment of my in
reference.
My mother started up suddenly from
q it Of thinking and piled me with
questions.
WAS Marian the only person who had
access to the sideboardp'
'As far as / knew, the only person. !
replied.
'And did you say her letter to her
brother Frank contained money!
'Yeg--a P. o. O. for $780,
Had she $50 of her ownp
'Not that knew Of
WAS she likely to have saved il from
her allowance for housekeeping or pri-
vate purposesP'
Very unlikely indeed
'Then, my mother continued, it
seems to me that the nearer home you
look for your money, the sooner you will
find it.
When arrived home, my mind was
torn and distracted by conflicting opin-
ions. / felt very anxious to discover
some sign Of innocence, or may beguilt.
Marian / said, as gently as I could,
where did you get the money from that
you sent TO Frank
She started, and turned quickly round
upon me.
How did you know sent money to
Frank9'
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