Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-03-04
"Jef'!" cried papa and aunt Edith

s'Jeff!" cried papa and aunt Edith
with one voice.
"Jeff!" we all echoed in amaze
ment. Here was the sequel to the
story with vengeance.
''You do not seem oyerjoyed to-
see me, Robert" Mr.. Lawson said,
after another pause. "Well, per
haps ,.ou are not to blame. But
you, Edith-after all those long
years-might give me your hand. .
at that moment his eye rested on
aunt's helpless right arm, and the
most terribly awkward, awful silence
| ever witnessed ensued.
Mr.. Lawson was the first to recov-I
er his self-possession. ''Forgive
me-" he said, and there was tremor
in his voice, 81 did not know am
sorry Papa remained stern and
silent. | really pitied Mr.. Lawson,
the odds were so fearfully against
him. Not. a sigle kind, encouraging
glance met his eye as he looked
round. However, he drew himself
up little haughtily. and continued
addressing US all. II did you great
wrong once, Mr.. Neville; have
travelled many thousand miles to Of
fer what reparation l can. That will
| by which [ obtained five thousand
pounds was forgery. But 1 have
come to pay it lack, with interest. "
Papa bowed his head, but was si-
lent. w
''Money was absolutely necessary
then, for had many pressing en-
gagements to meet-my safety, my
| liberty, was at stake. l Was desper-
ate, but though my base trick sue
ceeded, it vas too late. Absolute
ruin and disgrace stared me IN the
face, and | was compelled to fly,
like a thief in the night, to escape
the consequences of my folly. That
night secretly left the house, escap-
ing by my bedroom window. Con
: cealing all the money l had L took
passage for Australia, where, by
= careful spec ulation and hard work ]
: soon realized considerable fortune
+ had no desire to return. / formed
= new friends, new habits; a sauattel
life suited me, and SO / remained
t year after year. But was heartily
= sorry for and ashamed of the part
! played about the will, and | resolved
e one day to try and make it squar,
h with you. Then the gold-fever broke
t out. and the spirit Of adventure be
e ing strong in me. l resolved to go *
the disgans. l was singularly sue
g cessful but others were not so fortu
=? nate. One poor fellow who went b,
Il the name of Down Ted | heard fre
Q quently spoken Of as singularly I'm
0 lucky. One day l was surprised t.
y receive message from this fellow
d requesting me to come and see him
J., as he was very i'll, and had an impor
II taut confession to make. | went a
+ once, and saw at a glance that til
h man was dying; but imagine my SUI
$ prise when, on a closer survey of hi
q features, recognized him to be Tc
Judson, the son Of your old stewar
V -good-for-nothing, graceiess, Va
y grant Ted, who got me into aImos
y AS many scrapes as | got him out o
n With the utmost difficulty, for h
Il was dying, he told mo singular ste
,e ry. On the very night | left Ga
Il rick, he tried to rob and murder IN,
It Hearing from his father that
81 f,f E.-
s. resolved to have some of 1t; and G,
/ tering the house in the dusk of tt
Il evening. he concealed himself benin
le the curtains of the corridor window
l. and waited till the house was =
m quiet; then he entered my room, an
If after searching in vain for the none
"a he seized a knife which lay on a tabl
J. and in a lit OF drunken rage and di
yv appointment, resolved TO cut m
ot throat If / did not give up my purs,
ID Advancing to the bed where l /:
4. sound asleep, he lifted the knife al
f, made slash at my throat, when,
,e his horror, he saw the White Lac
at who walks bending over me. Thro,
le ing down the knife he fed in terr,
and made his escape through a wi
n. dow he found open, In moment
a flashed upon me that your room W
ut mistaken for mine, and my windo,
10 which | had left open, proved Il
III means of escape for the william, as
~ had alreadr proved the means of e
~ cape for me. 1 hope the timely a
* pearsnce of the White Lady prever
r.. ed any serious mischief
B. at did to me,' papa said sadl
t. ''but the slash that missed my thro
or cut my sister-her right hand. s.
m was the lady who saved me, jeffrey
cd II am better pleased to have Il
It mystery cleared up than l would
nv to have the right hand back again,
ly such thing were possible" au
y said softly.
n, ''The knife Judson saw on the b,
en- bic must have been your prunin
knife, Robert, which l asked one
d. the servants to return to you," &C
ne tinued Mr.. Lawson. "Here is Tee
i'm written and signed confession, W
in messed by a magistrate. And nt
r. let me once more entreat your I.
as giveness; and as my mission is
of complished, | will not intrude a
,er longer. L should have remember
that the Nevilles are not race
ed forget or forgive"
Are the Lawsons, Jeff?'' pa
Ike cried. advancing with outstretch
nv hand. ''if so, claim yours. l hs
gs done you an infinitely greater wro
ii. than you did me. am very sorry
A bright smile passed over
,n- Lawson's face, altering his whole
,ur preston, as he grasped papa's har
nd and I'm sure there were tears in
,d, eyes as he bent down to kiss A,
,ut Edith's forehead; and in the smili
silence that followed, while they lot
his ed into each others eyes, all
M scores were wiped out, all old so
me healed and and forgotten!
md Man proposes, but her father
rar poses.
en- He'll hath no fury like won
md cornered.