The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-07-05


had she done to deserve il? In an angry
moment she returned this misiudged reply:
'Mrs. Stoughton is at liberty to make what
ever Notifying disclosures she may choose,
but she must excuse Miss Loring from rem
dcring account of Il diamond of whose exist
ence she was ignorant" This naturally ex-
asperatcd Mrs. Stoughton, who tattered
herself that she had transacted the affair
with great delicacy and decorum. She had
expected to bring Miss Loring to her feet,
with contritc tears and confessions, and
here WAS absolute defiance. Did such
huSSy deserve consideration ut her hands
And if Mrs. StouGhton was more or less
afraid TO say her soul was her own before
that imprcunioas other half of herself how
much more waS She afraid to say that her
diamond was no longer hers. Accordingly
she made haste to put the matter into the
hands of the law, and the mouths of the
Hampton goSSipS. Doubtless Greta would
have been lodged in Jail at this time had
not Mr.. Grafton secretly eSpoused her cause,
while he undertook the case Mrs. Stoughton
had intrusted to him. Mr.. Grafton was Il
wealthy bachelor, somewhat gray, and II
good deal bald: he had smiled upon Greta
more than once, without receiving any all
sweriu@ smile: perhaps he thought now
that every thing arrives to him who can
| afford to wait-that this was his opportu-
nifty. His housekeeper had once engaged
Gretl to make carpets at Grafton Place, and
| he Ind taken pains to show her over the
the house and grounds, and had nearly
Snatchei Il kiss i'll the shadow of the lin
den , rs he put her into his carriage to send
| her home. Gretl hui never worked there
again. hut perhaps she was too grateful at
finding a friend ut her side in such stormy
weather to refuse favor from Mr. Grafton,
and perhaps she had forgotten his audacity.
| Yet in the midst of her humiliations Gret;l
| remembered with 4 heart throb that she had
a lover to come to her rescue if she chose to
| call him-that she should not be dependent
upon Mr.. Grafton's tender mercies after
Stephen Sotherne had been notified of her
strait At the same time, she felt diSin-
clined to break the bad news to him till
| after all was over. For how could it be
possible for an innocent person to suffer :?
But Greta was not Il little stunned one
morning on receiving Il letter in the hand
writing of her true love-" which ran in
this wise:
My DEAR GRETA:-It is some time since
| | had the pleasure of hearing from you, and
it has occurred to me to ask if time and dis
l.. Il
each other: to wonder how long you would
continue to love a man whom you saw only
| once or twice a Year, since it seems to me
that owing to the bad times our marriage is
Is indefinitely postponed rs the millennium.
Now, my dear girl, | do not wish to stand
in your light; if you We're not engaged to
me, some more eligible partner would seek
you, feel certain. Moreover, my health is
precarious, and the doctors have al vised me
TO try the air of California 1t is Il pre-
scription more nau>eouS than drugs, since
must leave you behind me: but could
not, III honor, carry your promise with me
for an indefinite space of time for my own
selfish satisfaction merely. At the same
time, believe me, it is no easy thing for me
to say 'adieu to the dearest girl in the
world.
Sincerely, STEPHEN SoTnEESE."
To say that Greta was surprised would be
the same as five should call an earthquake
unpleasant" She was thunder struck
overwhelmed, with just spirit enough left
to return Mr.. Sothernc's letters and pres
entS by the next mail without Il word.
Gle has heard all about the diamond
and believes it" She thought 1t would b,
il comfortable arrangement if one could
cease TO love the instant Il lover proves un.
worthy, but hearts are not fashioned after
that manner. When every thought and
motive of ones life is woven up with thost
of another one can not unravel the tangled
web all at once Another such shock viii
send me to the insane asylum" sighet
Greta. But there was another yet in store
for her. Mr. Grafton had taken to dropping
in upon her after her days work. One
evening he said:
"Miss Greta, what if you should be fount
guilty of this-this-'
''F they should find me guilty, How
can they find an innocent person guilty
If | took the diamond, where is it -
Mr.. Grafton smiled indulgently. "Peo
pie have been imprisoned branded, exiled
hanged, and quartered for sins they neve
III u