Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-12-25

| -Ai' W do uuil nOIi-
ored-it would have been good for an
hundred-fOld as much. Mabel, keeping
out no more than sufficed for present
needs, deposited the balance in a savings
bank. She took tidy room in respec-
table street, which she was fortunate
enough to secure on moderate terms,
and stralghtway advertised for pupils in
French and music
Fortune seemed to smile on Mabel at
last. She rendered so complete satisfac-
tion to the first few pupils that gave her
a trial, that she soon had as many as she
could take. Her income enabled her to
add to, instead of diminishing her de-
posit in the bank; and she was begin
ming not to be so rigid now in her ban
ishment, during her waking moments, of
that face that always 0lOuId come up in
her dreams.
But a shocking blow was in store for
poor Mabel. She WAS on her way from
the house of pupil one day, when a
stranger accOsted her:
Il am sorry to trouble you, Miss, but
it is necessary you should go with me-
| am Adjective, and have warrant for
your arrest. As am not in uniform, no
one need know you are in custody.
Will you not at least inform me of
what am accused 2" Mabel ventured to
ask.
"My instructions are to answer no
Questions, said the man dOggedly. You
will learn all at the pOlice-offiee; and it
is my opinion the sooner we go there
the better"
Seeing no alternative, Mabel acquies-
ced, and walked in silence at the side of
the officer.
When confronted with the Judge-a
shrewd, but Withal pleasant looking gen.
tleman, on high Seat-She was not so
much intimidated as might have been
expected. She had had time to collect
her thoughts by the way, and there is
ever true courage in innocence, that
makes the weak strong, and inspires the
timid with bOldness.
"Will you be good enough to tell me,
sir, why have been brought here ?"
Mabel asked, in a voice so gentle and
musical, and with flush on her face so
far from betokening guilt, that his Hon
or forgot the prisoner, and remembered
only the lady.
"You presented a check some time
since, Miss Gleason, for five hundred
dollars, purpOrting to be drawn by Mr..
Wentworth on the - Bank, on which
you drew the money"
81 did," Mabel answered; it was
Christmas present from Mr.. Wentworth
himself He gave it to me with his own
hand" said Mabel, astounded at a charge
so unaccountable.
"Mr. Wentworth has been sent for,
and will be here presently" the Judge
answered. "Ahl here he comes"
As the little old gentleman hustled his
way to the front, and his eyes fell on
Mabel, he started with astonishment.
"YOu herew he exclaimed. What is
the meaning of this?"
"That is the person who presented the
check" said the Judge.
"ImpOssiblel" said the little old gen
tleman.
"She has admitted it"
Mr.. Wentworth was dumbfOunded.
The whole affair was involved in myste-
ry. The written part of the check. had
he not known the contrary, he would
have sworn to be in his own hand. His
check-book, too, was missing, though
how it could have been distracted from
the safe in his room, of which he kept
exclusive possession of the key, was
quite past his comprehension.
"You gave me the check yourself, said
Mabel, ION the steps of my lodgings, Late
on Christmas night; you surely cannot
have forgotten il"
Late ON Christmas nightw-why, the
old gentleman was sure he hadn't stir
red out of his room after dinner, and
that he had gone to bed at nine!
Whatever conclusion the little old gen.
eleman's mind might have reached in
its bewilderment, MabePs was fast ap-
preaching one at the ludicrOusness of
which she would have smiled under less
serious circumstances, which was, that
Mr.. Wentworth had celebrated Christ
mas little indiscreetly, and taken 4
drop too much for his memory, when her
reflections were cut short by the appear
ance of a new face upon the scene-a
decidedly handsome one, belonging to a
young gentlman who had accompanied
Mr. Wentworth to the court. 1t was,
moreover, the same face that would
keep coming up in Mabels dreams-and
sometimes when she was awake, too.
mabel GleassOnl' cried the young
man. "What-what absurd blunder is
this? Who has dared"
A deep flush, succeeded by deathly
pallor Overspread Mabers cOuntenance,
as she tottered, aud would have fallen,
but for the timely support of her youth
full companion.
"Unclep the latter vehemently ex-
claimed, Il know this lady, and would
stake my life upon her inn0cencep
so would /, boy, though l am puZ-
zled to my wits endr'
'See here" he continued, addressing
the Judge, "this case must go no fur
therr'
''Th9 charge can only be withdrawn |
by those who made it," the Judge an |
swered.
"And who are they? cOnfound them!"
"The officers of the bank"
"The officers of the bank be blowed |
I'm one of them myself! I'll go her bail
anyhow, and fix it up with the bank af-
terwardS!'
The proposition was satisfactory.
As Warren Harding conducted Ma
bel home, he learned for the first time,
her altered circumstances. When last |
they met, it was in her native city, in
the midst of a refined and fashionable
circle, of which she was the chief center
of attraction. He had been absent for a
year in Europe, and had returned but a
few days before. How little had he ex-
pected, in accompanying his uncle to the
police court. that the meating to which
he had looked forward with most i'm
patience should take place there.
Whatever explanation passed between
the two young people, they led to War
ren's passing sleepless night. 1t was
past midnight, and he had not yet re-
tired, when his uncle, whom he believed
snug in bed, muffled, HATED, coated, and
equipped rs if for going out, uncere-
moniously entered his apartment \
strange expression in his eyes arrested
the young mans attention. Taking Il
key from his pocket, he openeda secret
drawer of secretary in one corner of