The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-12-12

haPs you took the ponds that are missing
Clements heart stood still. "Are
there any bonds missingf" he asked.
"Just as if you didn't know better'n
US! If the wind hadn't hauled round
you'd got of splendid with 'em.
IL was Rll abroad and in the daily pa
pers by the following day; everybody
WAS talking about it. Mr.. Cleverly
stepped into Aunt Hitty's to give the
latest particulars and assure Dora that
she should not be annoyed.
"But Clement is As innocent as you
are; it was l who opened the door" abe
Nobody suspects you of taking the
bonds, child. You wern't about TO sal
for foreign shores-there's the rub. I'm
afraid you'll have to go into court and
give testimony"
"You don't believe that Clement Is
guiltyr
"It looks black for him. suspend
my judgment"
but you believe me when ] assure
you that he never touched the safe"
81 believe every word you utter. Blu,
that will not convince the directors OIL
the jury. II no bonds had been missing,
of course opening the door would have
given no concern"
sit is 30 unexpected, 30 undeserved!"
"Thst must be proved"
"Mr. Cleverly," she asked one day
later. "whst will they do if Clement ID
ia found"
several years in the State r.i.nn AT
hard labor, believe"
"And nobody to keep up his heart, to
encourage him. He will get hardened
by such injustice" she sighed.
As the time of his trial drew near,
everybody spoke of Clement Is one al
ready condemned. Poor misguided
fellowI" they said; and even Aunt Kitty
hoped he was supplied with tracts. In
the mean time it almost seemed as If
Cleverly had stepped into Clements
niche. He was always at Aunt Hitty's
and going away late; and Aunt Kitty
was usually i'll with neuralgia, which
prevented conversation on her side,
while Dora had nothing to do but keep
the ball rolling, and was never weary of
talking of Clements case.
"You are profoundly interested In
this affair" Cleverly said to her one
night when she had stepped out upC n
the piazza to wish by the new moon, and
he had followed.
Nothing interests me 80 much" Mr..
Cleverly WINGED.
"What would you do TO prove his in
"Anything-that was right"
Would you marry some one else, if
that would save him?"
"Some enc do not love? Would
that be right"
Where would be the harm, if he pre-.
ferred to marry without love, rather than
not at all2"
"These are mere idle words, Mr..
"No, they are not mere idle words.
Listen; you will do anything to save
Clement Smithers. Is it wrong 70 make
another happy, and save a friend from
ruin? Then marry me, Dora, and / will
save him; l give you my word"
"Why will you make such a condition
If it is possible for you to clear HIM
Why will you not accomplish it gratu.
iously?"
because / love you, and / am not
Quixotic. At present your story is not
credited; you are suspected of weak.
ness for the prisoner. Were you my
wife, that prejudice would be cancelled.
Marry me, dear Dora, and l swear to
cave his name and credit, of forfeit my
own"
Chow could l do such thing, even
to save Clement"
at is in your power to decide whether
he shall spend his best years in prison,
in the pursuit of mental tasks, in a con.
Vict's garb, in the society of abandoned
men, imbittered by injustice. 1t seems
to me that you cannot hesitate"
Was it true, then, she asked herself,
that it was In her power to save Clement
from ignominy, snd did she hesitate
Did she not love him well enough to sac
rifice everything for him? Daily she
reached the heights of remuneration,
daily she slipped back into the valley OF
humiliation and self-love. Every day
Mr.. Cleverly pressed his suit, waved
eloquent, convinced her ignorance by
plausible proofs and promises, and one
day he carried his point.
eyes," she assented, feebly; 81 will
marry you to save Clement"
accept the terms" he said. "You
will marry me for Clements sake; by
and.by You will love me for my own"
She could make no objections to an
early marriage, since it was only as Mr..
Cleverly's wife that she could influence
Clements fate, while Aunt Kitty, un.
aware of the conditions of the contract,
at that time, pressed the matter forward
with feminine slacrity. 81 am sorry
for Clement Smithers, !" she confessed
"but you couldn't marry felon If you
loved him to distraction.
noon, always darker in the place where
Clement awaited his trial than else
where, that Mr.. Oliver, one of the bank
directors, was admitted TO an interview
with the prisoner.
"You have come to beg me to confess
what / have done with the bondsR'
laughed Clement, bitterly.
"No," replied Oliver; have come
to tell you that the bonds have beer
found"
"Foundp
Exactly. We had q wind-storm or
Mr.. Cleverly's wedding day. You have
the newspapers here; you must have reaC
of it"
L read nothing here; have beer
composing satire on justice instead.
did not know Cleverly was married"
Nor 1t was furious gale, anC
the old elm that stood near the Church
of the Heavenly Mamma broke beneath
1t. A Splinter struck Mr.. CIeverly a
he passed from the carriage to tn,
church door. 1t proved his death blow.
"POor fellow! On his wedding day
too! But what has that to do with M
or the bondsF
"Mr. Cleverly was our teller, yoV
remember. Yesterday the bonds wer
found among his personal effects. Tha
Is all"
"That Is q good deal" said Clement
a new color flushing his face. AZ shout,
not have thought It of Cleverly. How
ever, let us speak no Ill of the dead. o.
his wedding day, tool Who was he 90
ing 70 marryT
miss Theodore Gray"
Miss Theodore GrayI Ny Doral'
he cried. The cloud that had lifted 70
a space, dropped again over Clement
and he walked out OF prison more hope