Daily Republican., 1879-10-24
THE GOLDEN TALIsNIAN
BY s. ANNIE FROST.

BY s. ANNIE FROST.
81 cannot recommend you, believing
you to be a thief, but will be so merci
full that will let you depart. Go a
once"
The voice and face were stern and un
yielding.
Geohrey Baird knew that all the pit
eous appeals he made, the assertion 0
innocence he had frantically declared
had fallen upon ears not indeed deaf
but closed to Linn.
you have been very kind to me, Mr.
Hoyt," he said, his voice quiverinI
with pain, "and | hope some day yol
will know that had rather cut off m,
right hand than let it rob you.'
There was no reply, and the boy, fo
he was not nineteen, walked slowly
from the room, where he had been &C
cused of crime, condemned, and pun
ished in brief half bour.
He was a widows ouly son, and very
poor, but Abraham Hoyt had been very
kind to him employing him in ligh
labor about his extensive grounds, try
ing hin yell, and allowing him to read
whatever hp wished in his library.
Ani nom that library valuable
waLrh and chain had been stolen from
table drawer, where there was no one
as far as could be ascertained in the
room but Geoifrey Baird.
Crushed, humiliated, almost heart.
broken, the lad walked from the house,
bright with summer bloom that seemed
TO mock his misery. He had his hand
upon the latch of the great iron gate
leading into the road, when he heard
his name called in clear childish
voice.
"Jef, jeff! Oh, wait a moment"
And then, turning his heavy eyes,
he saw fairy Of ten summers, golden
haired darling, dressed all in white,
coming down the broad walk with fly
ing feet.
OF all the treasurers his employer
possessed, GeotIry knew this, his only
child was the dearest. Motherless from
her birth, she had been her fathers
idol, her whole petted life.
jeff" she painted, coming to his
side, you must 60 away, papa says,
but know you never, never took the
watch. Did your"
"No, Miss Daisy. l never took it,"
81 know it Pm going to find out
who did take it. And, jeff, you must
take this."
She opened her tiny white hand to
show lying upon the palm broad
twenty-dollar gold piece. But the boy
shrank back.
"No, no, Miss Daisy he said, 81
could not"
"But you must. 1t is my own, my
very own. Aunt Louise gave it to me
on my blrthday. In the corner l
scratched m. H. for Margaret Hoyt,
with pin, but guess it won't hurt
it. Please, please, dear jeff, take it,
She pressed it into his reluctant
hand, ard then throwing her arms
around his neck, kissed him with her
childish lips, saying:
"I'll find out who did take the
watch, jeff, and then you will come
back
Before he could answer she was
speeding back to the house, her curls
flying out on the summer air that waited
Geoffrey last:
"Good bye, dear jeff
With a heavy heart he went home
ward, to tell his sorrow and disgrace.
He feared it would almost kill his
mother, but after hearing him patiently
she said:
~ had letter from Albany this
morning, Geoffrey, from my fathers
lawyer. Twenty-Five years ago my
father cast me off for marrying poor
man. He died without forgiving me,
but to you be has left fortune, nearly
half million Of money, upon condl-
ton you take his name when you are
of age. have packed up your posses
sion and We :. willg0 s to Albany tonight"
" Margaret. ~
The voice was sharp and Imperative,
and Margaret Hoyt looked up from the
task of teaching little Allie Bristow her
letters, to answer. But before she
spoke, the beautiful girl who entered the
school room, said;
Margaret, | want you to come and
show Elsie how to trim my dress for TO-
nipht. Everybody said you had such
exquisite taste before your father failed
and died" ,..,
The pale, patient face flushed a little
at the cruel words, but Laura Brlstow
did not heed the pain she had gwen:
"Com., now," she said impatiently,
.I want TO look particularly we'll, tor
Willard Wharton is coming. 1t is the
fist party since he came from Europe.
He had been vegitating in Florence
ever so long, with consumptive moth-
ar. but she died year ago, and aftef
travelling a while he has come home.
Did YOU know him =
81 never heard the name.'
Come to think of 1t he left here long
before you came."
Allies primer was put aside, and
Maruaret accompanied Laura to the
room where her fnery was being pre-
pared for brilliant party a few hours
later.