Litchfield enquirer., 1879-06-12

present but you and Susie. It was an abom- 1 inable careless thing to do, leaving it lying
 loose instead of putting it in the bank, as
 should" Day after day we looked for the mon- l ey, speaking of the suspicious to no one, until l finally we gave it up for lost. A week after
 this, Nellie came to my room with pale face: tIt's so strange" she murmured, 'and 1
 hate to have such thoughts; but John, where
 could Susie have got that splendid solitaire !" I she whispered.
 'What soltaire" asked.
 ''You have not seen it she wore it today l for the first time. "
 T suppose she's engaged-Harry gave it to her., suggested.
 But Harry didn't give it to her. asked l her and she said mo-"
 ''The deuce i" was all could say. l s'And John, it really looks alarming, the
 number of costly things she has been buying of l late. Thirty dollars for parasol, only think and mine don't cost twenty; a box of the dain- 1 tiest gloves; everything by the dozen l We looked at each other in silence | About the richest black silk you ever saw
 better than mine. The material must have cost
 a hundred dollars what will the dress come
 to when it is made up?" | 'What can 1t all mean ?" queried.
 Don't ask me; Pm heart-sick at the thought
 of it. It's miserable busness, can it be possi- ble !-but no, wont say it. Certain it is that
 she has buisness relations with some one in l the city. Half the letters she gets are not
 Harry's"
 T wonder if the fellow loves her?' 1 Cloves her, he worships her. 1 And he will make her his wife?' ''Of course he will.' 1 s'What is our duty in that case, do you
 think, Nellie? ?"
 i ''For heavens sake say nothing about it,
 John. Remember, she is my cousin, and It l isn't as if we were poor. I'd rather loose five
 thousand than to have any trouble of that
 kind"
 'It's terribly unpleasant" said l. 1 ''Of course it is-horrible. And she's so
 happy, so thoroughly happy, that it would be
 pleasure to look at her if one didn't think,
 didn't dread-oh John, John p and poor Mel
 lie hid her face in her hands. l Ana stili the purchases continued Nellie
 and l said nothing-never asked question, now, but were all the time watching, misera- l ble and unhappy.
 1 Susie must have noticed the change in us,
 but she was so preoccupied with her love that l she probably attributed it to some other cause. l Harry was now constant visitor. He came l to my office one day, and with an almost radi- l ant face, told me of his love for my wife's l cousin. 'I hope you do not object" he added, when had herad him through. l ''Why should 1 ?" I asked. "She's only l Nellies cousin''
 "Hang it man, you're cool enough about it, l anyway" he said" Can't you get up little l enthusiasm when fellow is half beside him. self with happiness9 You don't want her to go IF"
 ! 'I am quite willing, answered, ''but con- fess there's no accounting for tastes. She is very far from the person 1 fancied would be l the choice of my fastidious friend, Harry Lons. dale.''
 '.Ah, you are thinking of our old discussions but let me tell you she is perfectly beautiful l in my sight, and little short of divinity, Her eyes are certainly glorious. and then her charm ing, winning little ways and her perfect taste! love what exquisite taste." e'That's true," said I. "Well come, old fellow, Pm glad to hear you own up something. I'll be blest if shouldn't think, were you single man, you were in love with her yourself" @aalsMsr -oatio4icd hlnr: TT I were single, and she the only woman in the world wouldn't marry her." 'Whew well, that's what call trfe de- l cided," he said, and went off out of temper l Several weeks passed. Susie had notified my wife of her engagement She could not but be aware of the constraint in our manner. Nellie and had frequent talks together over | the matter, in which we commented upon the
  ken Miss Susie. The disappearance of my | 1000, and her sudden accession of costly | dresses and jewelry, did look, to say the least suspicious.
 One day, on my return home, my wife in- formed me that Susie was intending to leave | us.
 ''She came to me this morning." continued Nellie, land told me that Aunt Cheney had written saying that she had a great deal to do, she thought it better to have the wedding out fit made there. l said to her, we thought you l would be married from here, Susie.' She look ed strange for moment, for she must have seen how little heart there was in my words
 Then she said Aunt Cheney expected the cere- mony to take place there; had in fact, been | making great preparations. Besides, she quite wanted to see aunty's withered old face-and there she choked She is going tomorrow night, and is packing now." would have given the world to be able to say was sorry, but the truth is her presence had become hateful to me; wanted her to be gone.
 We were very polite to the last. saw Su- sic off in company with my wife. Harry went with her the happiest man I ever saw. It was relief to behold the vacant chair, her place at the table, to miss her gliding move- ments, and feel that we could talk and do as we pleased, with no spy or eavesdropper in the way. Nellie missed her for a time, and often talked and wondered about her. She answered her first letter. and declined to attend her wedding, but the second letter remained l unanswered.
 Not great while after that, Harry took a house in the city for his bride, and saw him occasionally. Towards his wife I entertained a feeling of strong aversion. It was she who had broken up the dear old intimacy, for liar or6T hoAh hooY, for c.. never called at the office We often heard of Mrs. Lensdale's recep- tions, her dinners, her perfect taste, her faci- hating manners, but we never called 1t was late in the following season before we prepared to take our annual fitting into the country. 1 had sent most of the household goods, which always accompanied us, and gathered enough together for the final load. Nellie came up to inspect them.
 "Where in the world did you find that old cap-box2" she asked, laughing, ''and why have you installed it on the top of all the other packages P
 Don't you know the box, Nellie ?" I re- piled Fit was grandmother Carrigan's, the very one in which she used to put her old black cap. Why, can see her face in it this moment, and-what upon earth l" exclaimed cutting short my speech.
 My wife had pulled off the deep cover of the box with some exertion, and there, snugly packed together, staring us in the face, were the missing bank notes. - .
 Nellie and stood dumb with dlsmay, look ing first at the box and then at each other
 ''Oh, John poor dear, innocent Susle~ was her first exclamation. >...
 ''What witchery is this !" I responded; how under the sun did that money ever get there ?" 'John, dear, how unjust we have beenl .'Dont make me think any more meanlv of myself, 'said I. q could self John Darlington. money and all, for sixpence." John, what could she have thought of us ?''
 suppose you go and ask her, dear?" Il will; I'll goright there. John; wouldn't have this weight on my conscience an hour longer for more than twice that miserable money."
 Let us give the conclusion in Nellie's own words
 Il went to the house-you've no idea what