The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-07
Patience and Pride.

i
1t docs look strange III admit. But at
the same time, insist that nothing is
wrong Nothing can be wrong where Louis
Merrivale is concerned"
The gentle, womanly tones were earnest
ana enthusiastic, and the round smooth
checks grew flushed while she spoke
Pshnw, Millie you are too innocent
yourself to believe that guilt can cxis, in
another. And then your purtlallty for Mr.
vi: :rrlvale prevents an unprcjudiccd opin-
ion."
'No; I am not Interested in him to q
sufficient extent to permit me to regard hin,
US master piece of perfection; but do
admit that MIR. h1errivale Is too thoroughly
gentleman ant. a Christian to 10 anything
absolutely wrong. !, for one, utterly re.
fuse to balleve II word Of this scandal.
Millic Thorno had dropped the fine worl,
Ill her lap, but now took it up again, Us If
TO end the subject under discussion. But
the tall, handsome woman at the other win
dow was not thus easily silenccd
''But, NliGic, admitting that since YOU
ceased 10 be engaged to Lu Merrlvae YOU
care nothing for him"-and here Isabel
Wlld's keen black eyes sparklcd and flashed
across the sweet face bent over the work
''and according you duo credit for your
feelings, why. in the face of such positive
evidence, do you refuse to regard him as
others do2"
Isabel, you are cruel, you are harsh to
me. Still, will speak on this subject
further. You ask Inc to regard HIM as
others do. Who do you mean by 'others?,' "
"Why, everybody, of course You
know as well as /, AlilIie Thorne, that Lu
Merrivale's crime is on every PERSONS lips
in the town. Go ask thm six year old boy
out Wonderland she pointed to a little
fellow dragging his toy cart after him.
land he will tell you that Mr.. Mcrrvale
stole five hundred dollars in the city, and
ran off with it."
A faint rosy tinge suffuscd Millic's checks
while Isabel was talking.
~ am aware of that" sho returned.
"But his friends firmly deny the statement.
am one of them. You ought to be-"
"Why, let me ask, should be2
"4ou took him away from me, Isabel;
you wear his ring; you have promised to
marry him."
81 took his ring of when heard the
news, " was the heartlcss response; che is
nothing to me now, more than to YOU"
Her cold, bitter words seemed to stab
BIillie, and she tossed her work on has.
sock beside her, as she sprang to her feet,
and walked over to Isabel.
"What have you done, then? You came
between us, and made no complaint, be-
cause, If Lu Merrivale loved you, never
was the woman to desire to be called his
wife. Then, Isabel Wild, after you had
taken my all from me, you wound me
of hxyr oil I.
OF necd-thc time when you. of all women,
should stand ready to clear his name, and
vindicate his honorl"
Pale and fearless she stood before Isabel
Wild, in all the commanding glory of her
noble womanhood.
Miss Wild's low, metallic laugh came
ringing in her cars.
'You are welcome to do It yourself, Mil
lie. Besides, accepted George Halliday
this morningl"
cry burst from Mlllie Thorne's lips.
''Hcartless-cruell Poor Lui" s
Isabel Wild arose, with freezing court
esy.
''After such unparalleled politcness, /
could not presume to annoy you longer
with my unwelcome presence. Good morn
ing, Miss Thorne."
Millie bowed, as in waking dream, and
Miss Wild departed
A fortnight before, the inhabitants of the
quiet town Of Croydon, wherein dwolt the
characters mentioned, had been petrif1ed by
the news of Louis Mcrrivalcs sudden dis
appearance from the city; Mortified and
gricf-stricken to learn that the sum OF five
hundred dollars had been simultaneously
missed from the safe Of Merand & Mcrand,
the great mercantile firm in the city, fol
whom Louis Mcrrivalc was confidential
clerk and head bookkeepcr. He alone,
besides the proprietors, possessed a key tc
tho safe: consequently, he alone could
have opened it.
Circumstances thicl<ly combined, went
far to prove his guilt, among which tho
two most tolling were, that, first, lie hat
been alone in the counting house from ninc
the evening previous to his departure, un
til after midnight. which had often beer
the case before, and had never excited tho
least suspicion until it was proven as such
Further, a note had been found in his city
lodgings that read as followe:
''Tell Messrs. Merand for me that pur
suit Is useless. Tell them | have scrvct
them well for seven years, and they cal
afford to lose the paltry sum have taken
Tell l. w. that when 1t blows over, sh
may expect to hear from me.
"L. NJ"
Everybody in Croydon had learned tn
contents of that note, for 1t had been pub
lished In the papers; everybody, save
few firm friends, had made up their mind
that Mr., Merriyale was O rogue. One O