Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-05

not hand me the letter to read, but said,
as he folded 1t up:
"By Jove! I feel like thief. Not
one word of recrimination, not an ex-
preston that is unladylike, and still a
mixture of semi-pleading and semi-con-
tempt that makes me feel like a cur.
Well, the affair is ended now, thank
heavenw
$50 much the BETTER" ! replied.
But how abost your lettersP
"She says she will send them back
after reading them over. BY the way,
l forgot to inclose her photograph, and
she didn't mention it, Sd I'll keep 1t as
souvenir"
Saying this, he took the picture from
his pocketbook, and after looking mt IL
for while I'm u dreamy sort of way,
carefully replaced it, and then walked
out of the room without word of part
ing; but the fag end of n sigh reached
me through the closing door.
About week later Fowler came into
my room, saying:
"Here's nice piece of business. just
read that. will youP"-handing me
letter.
1t was this:
MILWAUKEE, September 9th.
SIR: | am brother OF the young lady
not been we'll tor some time, poor child. and
| has hat to keep her bed during the past week,
| This morning iB~hnding your correspondence,
| | also found the cause OF her i'll spirits. will
not waste time at present in discussing
| your Dlaokgardly conduct-thnt can wait.
| A lew letters passed between you by way OF
| Joke, would have mattered little; but when
| your words grew warmer in each successive
letter, is il strange that an inexperienced
child fell into your snarel Now, sir, my busi-
ness IL to find who you are Tor the purpose OF
| getting satisfaction; and II / can't get II in
one way, why am SOutherner, and j ii get
| 1t in another. write this that you may feel
uncomfortable while am looking for you, as
| you certainly will when have found you.
| One WHOM You WILL Know.
"Phew! This is u nice scrape. What
are you going to do about it, WHIP"
| What can / do about it except
await Developments / really wish it
would turn out to be matchmaking
scheme; for then, although | would
perhaps feel more like "a fool, there'd
be less ofthe knave in it,"
Il wouldn't worry about ii any more
than I could help. old fellow" said ],
"for this may be only first explosion
on the part OF the brother, which will
amount to nothing 1t sounds to me
| like genuine letter; there's the true
ring of Indignation in it, and, therefore,
there is the least TO be feared. If the
parties meant blackmailing 1t would
pay them to employ detectives. but if it
is true bill, why family pride ough, to
act as a check upon publicity"
After thinkinga n bit. Fowler said:
"I'm going to write to him and ex-
plain that no harm was intended, and
! that am extremely sorry if any harm
/ has come Of il, That's the way / feel.
and II will do no hurt to send the letter,
you know"
How will it reach him?"
Hum-m-m, didn't think OF that.
| Yes I'll send II to her address and
! write for her brother on it,"
| The letter was forwarded that even
| ing. and n cleyerer bit of composition |
| have rarely seen. The writer expressed
regret for what had happened, and
| apologized for his share in 1t; mt the
same time he delicately insinuated that
| II would be mortifying to expose fam
| lily secret, especially when no benefit
could possibly accrue to any member in
terested. Five or six days later came
the following reply:
SIR: Curse your regrets and n hg for your
I apologies. Those matters should have been
| thought Of earlier in your correspondence
with my family. ! also decline your advice
a. to what are the best interests OF TINT family,
considering myself iully competent to Judge
/ upon that question. My detective thinks he
has spotted you, and If you are the mau he
| points ont, you are worse scouRdrel than
I even had given you credit for being. IL IL
/ possible that you have vile and children,
/ thar you arc q man of respectable position in
/ the community, and yet that merely for the
/ sake oi a laugh, you can trihe with the limo.
/ cent affection OF n child. who knows nothing
/ of the world! You will hear ngain soon from
OSE WHOM YoU WILL KNow.
"What the deuce shall I do?n asked
Will, after | had read this cheerful
| effusion. Had | better leave town
until 1t has blown oyer. If there is 60
ing to be n scandalp"
Certainly not | advised; there's
no clear proof that he has found you,
and If he has, what can you gain by
leaving? The best way TO get out Of
n row Is TO face the music, and If you
do IL now 1t may prove. after all. that
there is Is bluff game being played. lam
partially To blame in this matter. and
will certainly stand by you TO the best
of my ability"
1t was so decided. Fowler bought a
revolver and a savage looking club,
and spent most of his time with me !;
this was the more easily done as our
offices adjoined each other, and his fam
lily were still absent at watering
place. We did not talk much about
the affair rs he evidently shrank from
any mention made of 1t; but it never
left his mind, as could be seen by his
inattention to business and his furtive
shoulder-watching when he was in the
street. At last, after n week of pro-
longed SUSPENSE, the bolt fell.
We were sitting in Fowler's Office one
day, when the door opened and voice
said:
This Is Mr.. Fowler. | believe"
"That is my name," said viii, ~ his
hand slid TO his revolver, and he eyed
the speakers tall. well-built and
rather handsome-looking man. appar-
emily under thirty.