Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-07-08
THE GOLDEN TALIsMAN.

let you depart. 90 at once" "
The voice and face were stern
and unyielding.
Geoffrev Baird knew that all
the piteous appeals he had made,
the assertions Of innocence he
had frantically declared had, fal-
len upon ears not indeed deaf,
but closed to him.
"You have been very kind TO
me. Mr.. Hoyt, The said,his voice
quivering with pain, "and had
rather cut off my right hand
than let 1t rob you"
There was no reply, and the
boy, for he was only nineteen,
walked slowly from the room;
he had been accused of crime,
condemned and punished i'll a
brief half hour. He was Wild
owls only son, and very poor,
but Abraham HOyt had been
very kind to him, employing
him in light labor about his ex-
tensive grounds, and trying him
well, and allowing him to read
whatever he wished in his libra
| ry. And from the library Il
valuable watch and chain had
been stolen from a table drawer,
when there was no one as far as
could be ascertained, in the room
but Geoffrey Baird. Crushed,
Inundated, almost heart-broken
the lad walked from the house
across the wide garden. bright
with summer bloom that seemed
to mock his misery. He had
his hand upon the great iron
gate leading into the road, when
he heard his name called, i'll a
clear, childish voice,
"Jeff! Oh, wait a moment"
And then, turning his heavy
eyes, he saw a fairy of ten sum-
mers, a golden-haired darling,
dressed all in white, coming
down the broad walk with fly ing
feet. OF all the treasures his
EMPLOYER possessed, Geoffrey
knew this, his only child, was
the dearest. Motherless from
her birth. she had been her fa-
theirs idol her whole petted life.
"Jef;," she painted, coming to
his side, "you must go away,
papa says, but | know you new
er, never took the watch! Did
you?" I5
"No, Miss Daisy, 1 never
took it."
81 know it! Pm going to find
out who did take it. And jeff,
you must take this"
She opened her tiny white
hand to show lying upon the
palm a broad twcnty-dollar gold
piece. But the boy shrank
back.
"No, no, Miss Daisy he
said, 81 cannot .
"But you must. 1t is my
own,my very own. Aunt Louise
gave it to me on my birthday.
In the corner | scratched M.
H. for Margaret Hoy, wIth-a
pin, but I guess it won't hurt
it. Please, please, dear jeff, do
take it."
She pressed it into his relue~l
tant hand and then throwing
her arms around his neck, kiss
ed him with her child lips, saying:
II will find ont who did take
the watch, jeff, and then you
will come back"
Before he could answer she
was speeding back to the house,
her flying curls out on the sum-
mer air that waited to Gcoffrey |
a last--"Good-by, dear JEFF" I"
With a heavy heart he went
homeward, to tell his sorrow
and disgrace. lie feared it,
would almost kill his mother,
buf after hearing him patiently,
she said:
''I had letter from Albany
this morning, Geoffrey, from
my fathers lawyers. Twenty
five years ago my father cast me
off for marrying a poor man.
He died without forgiving me
but to you he has left his fort
half million in
money-upon condition you
take his name when you are of
age. l have packed up your
possessions, and we will so to
Albany tonight.
X X X = *
uft
"8Iargaret!"
The voice was sharp and i'm
perative, and Margaret Hoyt,
looked up from the task Of
teaching Alice Bristow her let
tiers, to answer, but before she
spoke the beautiful girl who en-
tered the school-room said:
margaret, / want you to
come and show Elsie how to
trim my dress for tonight.
Everybody said you had rich
exquisite taste before your fa-
ther failed and died."
The pale, patient face flushed |
little at the cruel words, but
Laura Bristow did not heed the
pain she had given.