New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-28
THAT LITTLE Guilty..
CHAPTER l.
BY MRS, OLIPHANT.
luthor of The Chronicles Of CarliRGford' etc., etc

overwhelming JOY as had scarcely ever been seen
gether it had been an extraordinary day. mat
morning, Mr. and Mrs. Pillaus, after some uneasi-
ness about the want Of letters from their daughter
who was absent on a visit. had received from the
friends she supposed to be visiting letteT Oh
inuuiry ms to why Jeanne had never arrived. The
countenances of the parents had grcwn CHASTITY as
they read Jeaniu had never arrived! III was III
conceivable 70 them, and as they could not believe
that she cold be at fault, that her Will had any
thing to do with this, their minds naturally Jumped
at the most terrible conclusions. She had been
spirited away somewhere-she had been robbed
worse her mother said to herself with lips
out oil wc& WAS eV tbSyr eSes obdho eGest
of two. who were left to them after many
bereavements-a slip of a girl, not much over SIN
teen, as light, nd as merry, ana as tuheiul as any
bird that ever sung bough She had made lie
bright tor the sober pair. whose previous existence
had known many sOrrows, and to spare her even
fol- visit at DalrulzIan had been an act of self
sacrifice on their parts. They had counted the the
mssive fell upon their hearts like stone, carrying
them to the depths, they did not know what to
heavens, what might have happened in the
meantime. Mrs. Pians put on her big bonnet
instantly, and her heavy veil OF Spanish lace with
husband stopped her she was rushing out
Margaret. my woman, you must stay at home he
receive her poor bairn--if she is let come home,
if find her. Our Jeanne may be coming
i'll his voice and where should she go. but to her
motnerf Margaret my woman, night or day. I'll
get her again, you must not De away.
A groan of that terrible suspense, which is the
wOman's share of mortal misery, came from the
mothers breast. But she agreed, after moment.
that her husband was right. Ii anything had hap
pened to Jeanne, ana she came home and did not
find her mother doubt she would fly away again,
and be So Mrs. Pillans went back
again to her bedroom, aud put away the big old
fashioned leghorn, with its great yellow feather and
costly lace veil. She put them away very care
fully, but hurried back to the paror one of the
windows of which commanded the road. She did
not move out of sight OF that window all day. She
bade the nurse give little Willie his diuner. and
leave her undsturbed for she had u head.
This, though it was not a graceful expression was
the Scotch for headache III those days. Mrs.
Pillans had no headache. but she had a heartache,
and every vein i'll her was thTobbng with excite
ment and unspeakable pain. The Door woman, wiring
ing her hands with burst OF sudden anguish,
asked herself II the night came on without any
news, how could she bear it But while this was
going through her mind. at the very Interest
moment, the door flew open behind her, and Jeanne
herself-Jeanie fresh and fair, out of breath and
with her heart humping wildly, but as tin as
neat, smiling ever, like fresh flower out of
the ield-fung herself into her mothers arms.
The exclamation recorded above was the first
coherent word Mrs. Pillins said-the joy had taken
all her senses, she said afterward, away from
her. She did not ask question; she did nothing
but hold her child i'll her arms. and repeat her
name, and satisfy herself that nothing had hap
pened that involved trouble or shame. Had Jeane
come back like a shadow, stealing silent and heart
broken, into the shelter of her home, which
what she had feared, sine would have gathered up
her daughter INTO her arms with the silence OF IN
finite pity and tenderness. But the light dane
ing IN Jeanies eye, heI cheek was as fresh and
as pretty and neat Whatever had happened, harm
had not happened. But when the first burst of
ecstasy over, Jeanne had detached herself from
her mothers arms. She had gone "a step backward.
and placed herself by the side of another person,
who was standing nervously within the door. y
slim young man, not very much taller, or very
much older than herself with dOwny young
mo9stache upon his upper lip, and look of appeal
and alarm i'll his eyes. And then It that Mrs
Pillians dropped down the nearest chair, and
looking at them. with shade of horror creeping
over her Joy, cried, Married! III tone that no
words could describe.
Jeanne stood against the wainscot of the paror
which brought out her little figure to perfection,
her rosy tints her bright ribbons the pattern of
dress, which was made of fine printed linen, gay
with scattered rosebuds, with the gloss of the fax
girls of her period wore. Triumph in
the little heroines eyes. She more
afraid of Mrs. Pilans sitting there with
the tears OF JOY upon her checks, but fright
and wonder in her countenance, than-our children
are afraid of us-and what could / say more
'Wellv she said, with her little air of audacious
self-defence. YOu never sent him away. You said
We were too young but I'm not so young now as
when you said that mother, aud Edward is older
too And then there was SO much to think of. The
regiment might be sent away-yOu might say We
were e1 never TO see one another again (which you
On, Jeanne. You little Guilty! When you know
1t was because HAD not the heart
But you never did it, said tho little special
pleader. 'You let hm come, and you let me see
him; and you never SAID he wasna to meet me on
the road Mother, here is poor Edv ard, too fright
ened TO say word. What will You do to him I 1t
was not his fault. it, was all mine. Could let him
be sent away. not knowing if he would ever see me
again Could | let him break his heart mother p
said jeanne, half laughing half crying. I'VE have
been Ill BARNS. i deceived you, but never told a
h lie; Only SAID SAID nothing We've been very ill
to beg your pardon; and Wen never, never do it
aganw
The two culprits should have thrown themselves
on ther knees when this was said, but the Scotch
have still greater dread of scenes than the Eng
hsh, and they did no such thing. WHAT really took
place was that Jeanne. stealing closer and closer
ana dragging Edward after her by the hand finally
got once more into her mothers arms, while the
young husband standing behind Mrs. Pillanss
char. made his humble appeal to her, in "a very
boylsh way, by softly patting her shoulder while
the little wife coaxed and pleaded. Give him a
what made me like him frst-he has no mother of
his own; and now he belongs to me. and l be-
long To HIM
oh! my Jeanie-my wful BARN! do You think
thaUs reasons How we like the lad that
takes you from u.s. Mrs. Pans cried but she felt
the soft appeal of Edwards hand on her shoulder
all the same, and her heart melted. 1t was not a
very difficult process to make her heart melt.
Was that what granny said, mother said the
bold little bride, between two KISSES when my
father came r
Oh, you little Guilty. you little Guilty was all the
They were so much excited that they did not hear
the steady step coming down the little avenue and
every day at the same hour Mr. Plllans had come
home heartbroken. He had been unable to hear
anything of his child; but he would not be later
IMAM his usual hour, that he might at least comfort
his wife, and be comforted py her Two can bear
thing better than one he said to himself plan
ming. in his disturbed mind where he shouId 90
after he had taken counsel with his Marv'ret'
But what was tins sound of weeping, and talking
child. He could scarcely open the door; but thew
were too much occupied TO hear and thus ne en-.
tered softly. and stood looking for full a minute
before he was perceived. AT sight of his daughter
the load was lifted from his heart, and it did NOT
want second look to tell him exac,y the 81 ate Of
the case. de nodded his head to himself after the
inst shock of joyful surprise. To be sure-to be
sure not desirable, far from desirabe-bui yet