Connecticut western news., 1879-11-26

and hid my head. When looked up again, only Mrs. Mayfeld WAS in the room, and my heart was beating very fast.
 My poor Martha, is it not time we went down stairs?' she asked, gently. "Can this grief do you any goodP Will you not think of sparing me 8 little?"
 Who was that ?" I said, without heed to her inquiries-"t man who looked round the door just now? ?"
 What mau?''
 !" You did not see any one?"
 "No," said Mrs. Mayfeld "but I was sitting with my back to the door. Arthur will know, perhaps"
 "Yes, he will know" I repeated "bnt you have visitor in this house a''
 "No," said the mistress ''this has not been time for visitors surely 2"
 "Surely not"
 l buried my head in the bedclothes agan< but this time it wasnot. with grief.
 I wanted to work out all that was twisted round my brain in thick travelled skein l wanted to think hard, and not go mad with thinking. That man!- what was he doing here ?-what had he to do with my boys death 2-in what way had he become connected with it tP
 l looked up again. Mrs. Mayfield was sitting in chair by the window with her thin hands spread before her face, and those hands were trembling very much. I looked from her to the dead child lying in it's awful stiffness and it's marble beauty, and knowing nothing of our woman's grisfs; gazed as it till new, strange, wild feeling came over me, and my sorrow was changed slowly to suspicion and dread. l became ss cold as the little body lying in the bed; stole my hand within and lelt for the small rigid arm I turned down the sheets with quick movement and looked at the right wrist, then at the left, although knew that it was on the right that Paul had been cut so des- perately few months since, and there was no scar on the smooth flesh V" Mistress" I exclaimed, springing to my feet, "this is not PauI-this is not our boy l"
 :" Martha r exclaimed Mrs. Mayfield, rising also from the chair, and olutohing at the back for support, "how-how dare you frighten me like this, and talk like this-to me?"
 "This is not Paul; it is not my dar- ling it is not like him now. Oh what have you done with him-my God what have you done with him P
 q tell you"
 "I will not have you lie to me-you to whom I have looked up so long. Don't speak don't say another word just now; but listen," I cried. "That is strange childput there and changed for Paula dead child is brought in and the living one is given up to the man down stairs-the wretch who would have tempted me with his money, who could only come here safely when was turned away. will tell all about it, no matter what it means, unless you give me back the child I loved. You must find him. He must come back, uayp
 Mrs. May1eld dropped into the chair, and covered from me now. Her hus- band entered; he had been startled down stairs by the loud tones of my angry voice.
 "What is the meaning" he began i; then he stopped as I pointed to the right wrist of the dead boy and looked at him de6antly.
 "What is the meaning of this, Arthur Mayfeld2 for this is not your son ?" I said.
 "I protest against"
 1T proclaim to God that this is not your son. will tell the doctor-I will call in your neighbors T will go to the nearest magistrate and say there has been foul plsy-I will disgrace and ruin you if you will not tell ne where my Paul is. And if he is safe"
 "Well, if he is safeG''
 "-and in health-not Sssdone away with I will say nothing to any living soui."
 II will tell you for mercy's sake, don't think of betraying those who have keen always kind to you.'G
 Where is the boyl"
 "I have always trusted you as 8 friend have tried to make you love me, Martha, and to save yoW," mur- mured Mrs. Nayfield.
 "Where is the boy?" I demanded, sternly, still.
 "I do not know"
 "What p
 "Pray, be silent, and listen. As God is my judge, do not know. Be satis- fed as am satisfied" /" said the husband, , "and grieve with us too, and as we grieve for this."
 "Go on-go on l" Icried, impatiently.
 "Be assured with us, good Martha, '' said MT. Mayfield, "that little Paul is we'll. It should be happiness to you, instead of grief, that it is not our dar- ling lying there. Try and think so with us, will you?''
 "Yes T am glad. But who is this and why have you given up the living for the dead p
 "I cannot tell you"
 "It is not true. This Is another lie. '
 "It is the awful fact, Martha, P said MT. Mayfeld, suddenly "we do not know, and we shall never know the whole reason of it all. We can but guess closely at the truth. With that child's death-and whose child it is, Heaven knows-there should have pass-