The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-04-12

night you staid at our house, and car
ried them away with you"
"This Is news to me, assure you"
"You had even taken off your coat
and boots, sir, and doubtless supposed
that you were not observed, but 1 saw
you plainly in the moonlight"
Miss Penohyn, do you know what
you are sayingp You are accusing me
of stealing"
"I did not believe that you meant to
steal them," she said, half sobbing. "I
supposed that you had only taken them
for joke, or perhaps for keep sake,
and that you would bring them back or
make an explanation. But l never
thought that you would deny taking
them"
"Miss Penohyn, this is unbearable.
To be accused of theft, and by lady,
as that is something new in my expert
ence, l declare upon my honor, that
did not take your watch and chain,
and that was not out of my room that
night"
"Do you really think that you can
face me down in this way she indig-
nantly demanded. i" suppose you will
also deny that you came down stairs
just before you took the watch and
chain, and came to where was sitting
on the porch, and said"
"Some other crime, he said perceiv-
ing that she hesitated. 81 am not in
the humor to listen to any more accusa-
tions. Either there has been some
monstrous mistake, or you are deliber-
ately insulting me-"
COR the honor, of which you just
spoke does not exist"
If you can speak to me in that
strain, Miss Penohyn, the sooner leave
you the better"
"Yes, indeed-before any more porta-
BILE property is missing"
They parted in anger, and that part
ing was final. Miss Penohyn told her
mother and sister of her loss, and was
at first disposed to complain to the
Colonel of Coulter's regiment, but was
persuaded that such course might lead
the family into trouble, and allowed the
matter to drop. The regiment was soon
ordered away, and she saw no more of
Frank Coulter.
1t was not until two years after the
close of the war that Frank Coulter
returned to Virginia, and then he came
in peaceful capacity of an agent or a
drummer for a New York dry goods
house. The Penohyns had become
comparatively poor, and the family
mansion was turned into o tavern,
which was kept by the son, Henry, who
had come out of the war with the loss of
an arm.
At the tavern Frank Coulter stopped
to pass the night. There was no other
place to go to, and perhaps he would
not have made another choice if he had
the chance, as he was neither physical
nor moral coward.
Augusta Penohyn had told her broth
er the story of the loss of her watch and
chain. Henry informed her of Coulter's
arrival, and she satisfied herself, with
out being seen by him, that he was the
same man who had been so strangely
proven unworthy of her love.
Then they consulted together to decide
upon what should be done. Henry was
for his immediate arrest, saying that he
could be punished for his crime, as he
ought to be, under the laws of Virginia,
but Augusta, who had not quite lost
her love for the recreant, was unwilling
to go to that extreme. Harry finally
resolved that he would have an inter-
view with Coulter in the morning, and
press him closely OF the matter.
The brother and sister were still seated
on the porch discussing this question,
when the man of whom they had been
speaking came down stairs. He had
retired to his room at An early hour and
now he came down bare. headed, in his
shirtsleeves and his stocking feet, just
as he had done on the night which
witnessed the episode of the watch and
chain. The moon shown just as 1t did
then, its light filtered through the vines
that nearly enclosed the porch.
"This is strange" said Henry, as
Coulter stepped off the porch. "Stay
where you are, Augusta, and L will
follow him."
Looking straight ahead, as If staring
at vacancy, Frank Coulter walked out
into the road, and turned down lane
that led to the stable, cautiously follow