Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-07-25

My mother started up suddenly from
fit of thinking and piled me with
questions.
"Was Marian the only person who
had access to the sideboardw
"As far as know, the only person"
l Ireplied.
"And did you say her letter to her
brother Frank contained money"
Yes; a postoffice order for ten
pounds"
Had she ten pounds of her ownpn
mot that l know of"
"Was she likely to have saved it from
her allowance for housekeeping or pri-
vate purposesPn
Very unlikely, indeed"
"Then,n my mother continued, 1T
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 aud distracted by conflicting opin-
ions. | felt very anxious to discover
some sign Of innocence, or may be guilt.
Marian, said, as gently as could,
where did you get the money from that
you sent to FrankP"
She started and turned quickly round
upon me.
How did you know 1 sent money to
FrankPn
Never mind how l knew it," l re-
piled. "Where did you obtain itP You
must answer me that question before you
leave this room," | added, more sternly,
for her evasion of my question disquieted
me.
She looked me steadily in the face for
a moment, then, dropping her eyes and
clasping her hands tightly together, she
exclaimed:
81 see now the drift of your question.
The money was lost at the same time
that sent some to Frank. Harold, you
suspect me-your own wife-of being the
thief, and you have sent that man (
saw he was detective immediately to
track me out and prove this against me-
Do you intend to send me to prison?"
Marian" | answered eXcitedly,
"when | sent that man here no such
suspicion had ever occurred to me, and
now that | must confess it has, one
word from you will dispel it; or, if it
should be otherwise (here l extended
my hand to her, but she flung it from
her), you have only to acknowledge it
to obtain my free forgiveness"
Your forgiveness!' she added, haugh-
| tily; " | do not need it," and without
another word she left me.
For some minutes | remained stunned
| by this new aspect of affairs. Could it
be possible that my Marian was guilty?
| would never believe it. And yet she
had not attempted to deny it. Again,
the anxious face she had lately worn, to-
gether with the other circumstances OF
the case, served only to confirm the
| idea. Would that it had not been so, OF
even being so, that she would come to
me for the reconciliation | was longing
for, and the forgiveness / was only toe
anxious to bestow.
| A day or two after this ] found note
awaiting me when | returned home
| to dinner. The hand writing was
Marian's, and my delight at seeing il
was so great that l kissed it again and
again. Eagerly opened it and read it.
1t read as follows:
The society OF thief cannot be con-
genial. For that reason have kept out
of your way till l made up my mind
what to do. / shall not trouble you any
more. Baby and l have gone to my
father. | know you can claim baby il
you like to do so; but | think you will
see that it is better for him to be will
me. Do not ask me to come back.
never can. The miserable life | have
been leading lately would soon have
killed me, aHd my life is precious to my
child. Your unhappy wife,
"MARIAN."
That was all, except few words al
the end that had been hastily scratched
out, of which l could distinguish only
"Oh, Haroldm
Strange as it may seem, this note die
not shock me as the discovery o.
Marian's guilt had done. | felt so angry
with her for her unreasonable conduct
that my tenderer feelings remained al
most untouched. My love for the
Marian of former days had not decreased
one whit, but my anger with the present
Marian was for the moment paramount
the present she should keep him, for
had no notion of fetching her back
She had left me through no unkindnes'
of my own, and no wife could be justi
fled in leaving her husband in the way
Marian had left me.
| was beginning to get little accus
toned to my renewed bachelorhood
when, one night, very late, telegram
! WAS Drought llG WOrQeQ G1uS:
Come at once to baby"
The night train would leave in abou
an hours time. | packed a few thing
and started to catch it. In about thre
hours more | was conducted into tn
room where Marian was sitting witt
our little one lying in her lap strugglin!
/ hard for life. Some medical man wa
Z already there, bending over the child ant
: anXiously gazing at its contorted an,
7 livid features, but, as far as | could see
| doing but little to assist in the battl
D against death. He left at once, an
. Marian looked up into my face:
"Thank God, you have come Fl
' was doing no good. Oh, Harold! say
my baby, save my child"
e Il will do what | can to save ou
4 child,n | answered.
T called a servant and gave my in
: structions. In few minutes the roor
was filled with vapor, every vent bein
e carefully guarded. The cloud of vapo
n kept on steadily increasing, till drops {
: water began to trickle down the walls
f Still the child on Marian's lap lay a
t most choked, its struggles CROWN
d fainter each succeeding time. Til
= cloud was still pouring out into I'll
roo n, and nothing more could be dom
# so / stood at Marian's knee watching ft
n the approach of some favorable SYM
a tom. Only once Marian spoke and the
+ it was to ask me with blanched face an
i faltering lips ifthere was any hope.
Il "To the last moment, yes" | al
IT swered, and she was relieved at one
d hardly comprehending from my wore
; how faint that hope was.
Z Presently the struggles grew more fir
n quent; gradually the almost lifele
It limbs became imbued with fresh vigo
Ie the heavy lids relaxed, the gasps f
re breath became more effectual, and wit
l. Almighty effort nature asserted her swa
In short time baby was nesting peac
" fully in Marian's arms, wrapped in