Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-04-27

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and being weak-minded lad he help
lessly did what he was told. without re-
fecting. He was sworn and again con-
fronted with tho rignature 20 the check
For the life Of sim Re eould nc. sun
mon up courage 90 retrSSt u qIailiy
his original statement, and - mono
! syllable was all that was required py
way Of answer, he found II easier 70 Say
No TO the question put TO him Than
to enter into an explanation. 1t was
not until he found himself alone again,
/ disconsOlately vending his way back to
his chambers, that it began TO dawn
upon him how fatally he had commit
| ted himself. and how grave a wrong he
had done Captain Wrake.
While his mind was wavcring between
right and wrong an incident happened
which afforded him an excuse for adopt
ing the less compromising alternative.
In the afternoon he received a--yisit
from n lady Who announced she was
Captain Wrake's wife. She was young
and pretty, hut shabbily dressed, with 4
carewOrn look upon her pale face.
Godfrey Denycr was the more startled
mt bchOlding her, because, like more Of
the Captains friends, he was unaware
that-he was married. lie knew Captain
Wrake as n man of pleasure, q gambler
and prOfiigate, and i'm the poor wife ;
pinched features and thrcadbeare attire
Il was easy 60 read n tale Of suffering
and neglect. But she had come, never
theless. To plead for her husband, who,
IL appeared, had already been arrested;
and the sight of her distress and her pitt
ful allusion To her Young family touched
ttodirey Denyers heart and aroused his
better nature.
what can do for you?" nc said.
simmoning up all his fortitude. "Shall
60 ut once To the police and aeknowl-
edge the signature
My lawyer say, that would be use
less, as you have already denied il upon
OATH sObbed the poor lady. But if
YOU would be- merciful and not give
evidence against my poor husband
Il will not will leave London at
once, he interrupted eagerly, With a
strange feeling Of relief.
Heaven bless yuu-' cried his friend :
wife. impulsivcly Selling his hand and
kissing il.
But Godfrey Denyer hastily drew his
hand away. for the spot she had kissed
seemed like fire. A tingling sensation
Of shame and unworthineSs took possess
sion OF him 50 that he fairly He'd from
the room. When Mrs. Wrake had left
he lost no time in making preparations
for his departure. Having packed up a
portmanteau leaving the bulk Of his
effects to the mercy of the landlady--he
went trembling 10 the bank and drew
out the balance which stood. To his
credit. The same night he reached
Liverpool and the next morning sailed
for New York.
Godfrey Denyer remained in America
more than five years. and owing to one
of those singular chances which read
like romance ami which usually happen
To unworthy persons. he was able tolay
tho foupdation of large fortune. An
American fcllOw-passenger on the vow
age out took n great fancy to him and
offered him employment in his business.
Godfrey Denver ~ once entered upon a
prosperous career and developed an un-
expected capacity for his new duties.
lie not only gained the confidence Of
his employer but also his affectionate
regard. 80 that he was afforded oppor-
tunities for advancement which rarely
fall to the los of a young man. =.
But he was no longer the vain. fool
i>h lad he used to- be before he left En-
gland. a great change had come over
him. which dated from the day when,
shortly after his arrival in America, he
learned that Captain Wrake had been
found guilty of forgery and sentenced
To n hong term Of penal servitude.
Godfrey Denyer's absence had atailed
no more than the prisoner eager pro
tcstatiOnS Of innocence to avert an adj
verse verdict. for independent persons
had sworn Co their belief that the sio-
nature to the check was not in the hand
writing of the supposed drawer. The
neNvs gave Godfrey a severe and painful
attack and had SOLDERING effect upon
his character. He conceived il to be
his duty NJ least 10 provide for tho. ne
ccsSities uf the poor woman and inno-
cent children whom he had rendered
miserable. He had not the courage, TO
return to England and clear Captain
Wrakc's reputation, but short of that
he resolved to make every atonement in
his power. With this object he devised
himself assiduously to business, and
regularly RENTED tho larger portion of
his earnings To a Trustworthy agent who
applied the money for Mrs. Wrake' 5
benefit. The poor lady frequently
blessed her unknown benefactor. but
Godfrey Denycr never dared To disclose
his identity, lest the wife Of the man he
so cruelty wrongcd should spwn his
gifts and thus deprive him Of the small
consolation he derived from helping
her..
AT length he was informed that Cap
tain Wrakc would shortly be set at lib
erty. and lac then resolved tO carry into
execution plan which had been slowly
forming in his mind for years past. In
spite of the pecuniary sacrifices he had
made he felt that lac had by No means
atOned for his sin. IL was not a cues
ton OF money, for he was prepared to
continue his bcnciactions and tO provide
Captain WralSu with funds tn make a
fresh start i'm life II he would accept any
favor Of him. But his chief purpose
was To- return to England and To place
himself unrc,crvedly in Captain
Wrake's hands. II the Captain would
accept no apology or compensation, and
insisted ON his publicly acknowledging
his bascncss. Godfrey Denyer was de-
tcrmined TO 80. regardless of the con-
sequences. ---------.ye.
This resolution had cost him a severe
struggle with his moral cOwardice. but
ut length he succeeded in summoninr
mp the necessary fortitude for his self
imposed penance. If he secretly hoped
that Captain Wrake would be satisfied
with some smaller sacrifice. he was
nevertheless perfectly sincere in his
purpose. He returned to England.
looking prematurely aged, with streaks
Of gray in his hair. though he was bare
~ thirty. But his bearing was calm
and rcsolute, andDa shrewd observer
would have guessed at once that he had
suffered some great trouble which had
darkencd his young life.
On the day when Captain Wrake was
released from pr'-n7 Godfrey Denver
aanf N him "A f.t. M. shue H.. 4