Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-16

u
them in an interview with Mauvain, and,
renouncing his friendship have touched
you, perceive you are but clumsy
| wizard after ALL went at once to Mar.
garet Sylvester, and revealed to her all
that 1 had learned. For my innocent
share in Clarice's sad story
"Innocent share." exclaimed Rant,
with deepest scorn you proclaim that to
me, who but an hour ago gave that wronged
unhappy womans confession into the hands
of her sister +"
For my innocent share, repeated Har-
old, sin that sad story, / do hold myself
blameless l am guilty, and deserve pun
ishment and condemnation-but not at
your hands, hunchback-at the hands OF
higher Power. Yet have done no wrong,
and had | known what have lately learnt
| would have shed my best blood IN
Clarice's service Never was man more
repentant-never was man mora heart
stricken than / when, won to Margaret
Sylvester's side by her almost sanity de-
votion and courage, went to her house,
and related to her ali that knew. Will
it help you to an understanding OF my
feelings if tell you that loved, Clance
with most earnest love, and that II l had
not been misled and deceived by my
friend, her life might have been happy and
honored? lake it for what you deem 1t
worth-it is the truth. Then, when Mar
garet Sylvester, Judging me by an inward
light, believing in my sympathy and my
sorrow, held out to me the hand OF for
giveness-when, knowing / had no root to
cover me, no soul to speak to IN all the
length and breadth of this Silver Isle,
she begged me to accepted bless her tor
it the hospitality of her home-you, by
slanderous message, destroy my hope,
and rob me of the sweetest comfort that
was ever offered to the heart of an un-
happy man. What was in your message
concerning me-"
| told her that knew she had visited
Mauvain warned her to believe not a
word she heard from your lips or from
Mauvains. I said that for your own pur-
poses you would lie and leland that of
the two you were the more subtle villain
OF the two-as I should prove to her by
the written testimony of her own sister"
can understand now why she turned
me from her house. But if you have done
me wrong, and come to the knowledge OF
it, you would right me -
you, or any man"
Have you proved to Margaret Sylves-
ter what you promised p
81 have proved it to her this very night.
She departed from this hut with the proofs
of your villainy in her possession"
"Ranf, you are mad-or dreaming y
Rant smiled scornfully. "There is here a
deeper mystery than any I have en-.
countered. 1t must not remain so. My
honor is at stake. Deal with me fairly,
as man to man. Cast aside for little
while all suspicion of me, and assist
me to probe the heart of this mystery.
met Clarice first by accident, in Mauvain's
company, on the night on which she and
Margaret were treacherously separated.
From that night l saw neither her nor
Mauvain for two years, and when we
met again she and Manvain were together.
saw that Clarice was unhappy that
she had secret grief, and at times
urged her, out of the deep respect and
sympathy had for her-out of the deep
love bore her, but of which l never in
suited her by speaking-to confide in me.
Honestly / desired to help her; but she
kept her heart closed, saying sometimes
that of all men in the world was the man
she would have chosen to confide in, had
not her faith and trust in human nature
been irretrievably shattered. Farther than
that / never went nor did she. To the
last day l beheld her treated her with
such tenderness and respect as / would
have treated an honored sister. Now,
what grounds have you for slandering me,
and for bringing her name in injurious con.
nection with mine %
"Did Mauvain have another friend Of
the name of Harold?'
None other"
"Had you friend, bearing your
name?'
mo"
"The testimony which convicts you is
written by Clarice herself in a Bible given
to her by her father that Bible is now in
| Margaret Sylvester's hands. It is in the
form of diary, written by Clarice from
day to day, in which she describes the
manner in which she was wooed and be.
| trayed. That record is one of almost in.
| credible baseness, and the name of her
lover and betrayer is freely used. The
name is Harold-and you are he p
"As there is heaven above US, and a
God around us, cried Harold, whatever
name is there written, it is not l Do you
know the truth when you hear it? Or is
your mind as crooked as your body
Never have my lips pressed Clarice's cheek
Never has my tongue uttered word
| to her which my own mother might not
have heard. Again repeat, treated he1
as an honored sister. Except in believing
what Mauvain told me of her, never
wronged the suffering girl in thought OF
deed !"
Rant gazed steadily at Harold, who met
his gaze unfinchingly.
If what you say is true" said Rant,
"you have been grievously slandered- but
not by me, nor by Clarice. Search your
mind for a clue"