The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-04-14


A decent-looking, elderly woman in
widows weeds came to the door.
sis Mr.. Matteson in? Mr.. Perley?"
''No." she answered quickly, with, as
imagined, rather a confused look. [
did not believe her and asked, quietly:
"When do you expect him homea"
Not at present"
Apparently she expected I would go
away, but, instead, l stepped in.
Mother" asked soft voice at the
head of the stairs, "who is it?"
And then for the first time I became
aware that some one had been watching
our colloquy from the head of the stairs
"a young girl dressed like the mother in
deep black, with very brilliant eyes, and
o profuse of jet.black ringlets.
"Some one to see your brother
She came half way down the stairs,
pushing back her curls with one hand,
and looking at me with wondering eyes.
Even then her beauty struck me as stood
gazing at her.
''Perley is not at home" she said hur-
riedly. "He has gone away. We do
not know when he will return"
Evidently this mother and daughter
were in the secret of Matteson's villainy,
and doing their best to screen him from
its consequences. My heart bled for both
of them; but it was no time to indulge in
sentimental pity. Speaking as briefly as
L could, 1 told them it was my duty to
compel them to remain where they were,
while I searched the house.
Mrs. Matteson sat down pale and
trembling; her daughter colored high.
Mother" she said, "why do you stand
by and listen to such slanders2 1t is false!
Let this man search the house if be will;
my brother Perley is as innocent as
ami'
No opposition was offered to my search.
It was entirely fruitless, however-there
was no where any trace of the flown bird
Nevertheless / concluded to remain there
quietly for day or two, to see what
little waiting might bring forth.
The same afternoon Clara Matteson
came in, as 1 sat by the piazza window.
keeping a quiet watch on all the sur
roundings.
''Mr. Meredith" she said, softly,
''mother thinks have been very rude to
you. She says it is not your fault, per-
sonally, that you are sent here-on such
a mistake, and perhaps she is right. I am
very sorry if l have hurt your feelings. :"
The pretty, penitent way in which she
spoke quite won my heart, and a few
questions on my part seemed to unlock
the hidden recesses of her confidence.
She talked at first shyly, but afterwards
with more assurance, of herself, the ab-
sent brother, and her mother, giving me
thousand artless little family details
which | almost dreaded to hear. That
twilight talk was one of the pleasantest
episodes of my by no means universally
pleasant life, and 1 was considerably an
noyed when it was broken in upon by the
arrival of the DrownvilI constables who
were to watch thro lgh the night. At the
sound of their footsteps on the piazza
floor Clara rose up and sat down again,
confused and frightened.
80, Mr.. Meredith-those men"
''Be easy, Miss Matteson," I said;
''you shall in no way be annoyed by
them. Your privacy shall not be broken
in upon, believe me-"
81 know I am silly" faltered Clara,
"but oh! it seems SO dreadful"
My orders to the men were brief and
succinct. I stationed them as seemed
best to me, and then returned to spend
the evening with Miss Matteson. And
when | was at length left alone I could
not help thinking-God forgive mellow
much more winning and graceful she was
than poor Kitty Elton.
At length an answer came to my report
to Mr.. Clenner-it was short and to the
purpose:
''Come back. You are only losing
time. If the bird has flown we must look
| elsewhere for him.
read the missive with a pang. Clara
Matteson's cheek deepened in color as l
announced my departure to her.
''You have been far kinder than we
dared to hope, Mr.. Meredith" she said,
as held her hand in mine.
"You will think of me sometimes.
Clara?"
The reader will easily perceive how
our intimacy had progressed. She smil-
ed, hung her head, and taking a pair of
scissors from the table, severed one bright
black curl from the abundant tresses that
hung over her forehead.
"Keep this Mr.. Meredith, in memory
of me-"
Was l foolish to press the jetty ringlet
TO my lips ere laid it closely against my
heart. Clara evidently thought it was
1Cr she laughed, but cid not seem dis
pleased.
Mr.. Clenner seemed annoyed when I
got back to the Rureau-rather an un-
reasonable proceeding on his part, for [
certainly done all that man could do un-
der the circumstances.
"We have been mistaken all the way
through, it seems" he said, biting his
lip. 'Strange-very strange-I never
was mistaken before iu my calculations:
Well, we must try again.
went TO Kitty Elton's that night. She
received me with a sweet, shy gladness
| of welcome that should have made me
the happiest man in in all the world; but
1t did not. Clara Matteson's s dark beauty
seemed to stand between me and her like
l q v1SIhla harryar