Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-08


farewell.
"I've done it now," he unused. "Pm
not robbing anybody by taking all the
money. He'll soon get more, and l don't
suppose ! shall see another copper after
this. But | can't stand Heidelberg any
longer"
So the elder Gabriel disappeared on what
may be thought insufficient cause. The
story came to the younger Gabrlel's ears ia
due season, and the young man, after wait
ing until he dared wait no longer, sent the
news home. The maltster and the attorney
came out to Heidelberg together, and in
vestigated, the result being that the elder
Gabriel was heartily lowered with the pa
ternal curse, but otherwise disinherited on
the spur of the moment. Inquiry making
manifest the fact that the student was get
ting nothing but good out of his stay in
Heidelberg. he was newly supplied with
money and LETT there.
He finished his course and went home,
still faithful to his pretty Jane. He told
his father of his matrimonial hopes, and
when he was four. andtwenty and Jane
was one-and-twenty, they were married in
the old parish church. They lived happy
and united life, and had children, and the
years rolled on.
They had been married nigh on FIVE and
twenty years before the missing Gabriel
was heard Of. But let the Muse of History
pause for breathing space, and tune her
Tyre anew.
CHAPTER III.
There were seated together one evening
when the sun was low, lady of soma two
or three-and- forty summers, and a plump,
gentleman with laxative
face. The plump gentleman's garb be-
trayed him as member of a clerical order,
and the lady had indications of widowhood
about her, indications subdued, but suffi-
GENTLY marked to be recognizable.
You ask me, said the lady with trem-
ulous lip and eyelid, "why 1 assume this
garb ?"
Il maintain anew" said the laxative
faced gentleman, speaking as if his spring
himself, " that the question is not merely
natural and justifable but inevitable. OF
all the surprises-" The gentleman
stopped with outspread hands, and the
expression still fixed upon his
face, as if his spring had run itself down
already.
81 admit it," said the lady, drawing
forth cambria cket-handkerchief, and
pecking at it" admit it freely"
"Then, began the gentleman in great
hurry, but stopped dead short at wave of
the lsdy's hand.
Let me explain" said the lady.
II am naturally" said the gentleman,
" peculiarly and especially desirous, my
dear Miss Greenfell, that you should.
Naturally, peculiarly, and especially de-
sirous."
81 will, returned the lady, "though
you will shortly see that nothing but a
sense of the most pressing duty could ever
draw the painful story from me-"
81 venture to assure you beforehand,
my dear Miss Greenfell, of my completest
sympathy"
THAT name, said the lady, arranging
her handkerchief for use, sis no longer
NINE" Her companion fell back in his
chair.
mo longer yours: Madam, you amaze
me"
Practically, said the lady from behind
her pocket handkerchief, 81 am nameless. !"
"God bless my soul p said the gentle.
man feebly "you don't say so."
"In my youth" said the practically
nameless lady, ~ was taken by my lie.
gally appointed guardian to the continent.
was ward in chancery."
She paused, and her listener got in
"a Dear me ~ edgewise.
81 was mere child" sobbed the name
less lady, "a child of seventeen, when the
crossed my path.
upon my word, said the clerical gen.
tleman, s. l am distressed-deeply and bit
terly and profoundly"
HE made proposals of an honorable
nature" pursued the lady with averted
head. Sin my ignorance of the world, /
thought him disinterested and sincere. He
induced low captain from peighboring
town to personate my father, and we were
married by the chaplain of the English
church at Dusseldorf.
"God bless my soul " said the clerical
gentleman again, with increasing feeble
ness.
Before we had left the altar" pursued
the lady, che appeared in his true light,
as fortune. hunter of the basest type. l
cannot tell you'll really cannot tell you
how it came about-but l think it was
from an expression of my innocent regret
that | had not the command of my little
fortune that he learned that was ward
in chsncery. Then l learned that he was
penniless and an outcast. Within an hour
Of the utterance of his solemn promises he
left me, and l have never since heard one
word of him."
At this period OF the memory of her
troubles the lady wept unaffsctedly, and
at the sight CT her distress the clerical
gentleman blew his nose with violence.
II have preserved, f" she said, when she
had recovered her composure, the GER
tifcate of our marriage, and the callous
note in which he babe me farewell. Tney
are here"
She opened big pocket. book which lay
before her on the table, and, having wiped
her eyes, drew from it the documents she
spoke Of The clerical gentleman took
them with helpless air, but having read
the first, he bounded from his seat and
smote the table. The practically nameless
lady jumped.
MADAM, said the clerical gentleman,
LillS Is d IOEiueuCS' anu tnOuSu tuc
discovery thus made may dash to the
ground the dearest of my earthly hopes, l
protest that / am glad to have made it. :"
The lady looked at him wonderingly.
{" Madam, for five years have taken this
serpent to my bosom as a friend"
He is alive ?" cried the lady; "you
know him ?"
"He is alive, said the clerical gentle
man, with deadly air, land l know him. :"
The nameless lady took paralytic atti
tude. Gabriel Guest, madam, returned
many years since to his native town. He
lives there still-respected. He is within
the limits Of my rural deanery, and have
consulted with him upon matters apper-
tanning to the welfare of the church. Mad
am, bitterly as l regret the discovery for
my own sake, l rejoice in that offer of my
hand and heart which led to this disclos-
ure. The manner in which the disclosure
has been made adds not inconsiderably to
the respectful devotion with which, from
the first moment of my knowledge OF you,
you inspired me. Permit me, madam, to
act as the champion of injured innocence,
and to launch the bolt Of detection at the