Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-01-18

evening ansl nssne = pas
away in = 6I1lllen press setlz
away met = Aesfsl. "
| "I'Il Be Cad ID have a. I'm
snre, said Bessie. adiina It's !
lpity Mrs EaMson didn't = SEED.
Who did ron send them Z
BY Sfephen Greer, o. eninc
when haf stopped just os's.le the
f4enre here. ~ whilg I was - my
flower beds. He nzkeliwhs va
planting. and when ] said s<ek alys-
sum, ~ aid be d-never hefts of Il
hut onoe. when Mrs. LaasoE wish
ing for some. because il use s er1w
III her mothers garden. Sisen
gave him = pinch. and he 4 sd en-
II his xzaak Il Kaelzet G =. IA s
stead of tying EN- up u paper: and
that's the way, / take'it, they came %
be lost : -. -
Bessie's heart was beating 50 fast
as nearly TO choke her TO conceal
her agitation she stoopsd down 20
examine the plant, as she said
That wasn't like Stephen Greer.
He's always careful and cautious.
How long ago since you saw him that
timer
"Well, nigh upon two months ago.
Stay-now / rekillect-'twast the even
ing Robert Steel stopped here to get
supper. / know it. because he hadn' {
hardly got out of sight when Stephen
came along. and nv old man got to
joaking him about him and you, Bes-
sic. Poor ladl'' she added, with a
sigh; "twould been better IL. he'd
never come back, to be throwed into
the way of sich awful temptation; for
you can't convince me that a good
natured, kind-hearted lad such as
Robert was could ever ha' planned
such thing in cold blood, If his
aunt hadn't been so hard on him from
a child he'd ha turned out as good as
anybody"
Robert never stole that money
never murdered Miss Phoebe r. said
Bessie, standing erect, and speaking
with such firm and almost exuitant
emphasis that the landlady was
startled. a nr A
Then she took hasty leave aud
hurried homeward, flushing, excited
and with an occasional sobbing ex-
clamatiOn of Thank God I. on her
trembling lips
Oh. blessed little plant, appearing
in that fatal window like an accusing
angel, to clear the innocent and point
out the guiltyl
And with this thought in her heart
she hurried straight to the a6awyer
who had been chosen y. RobefsSteeI )
counsel.
We have but little more to add to
this true story. Following up the
clew so fortunately. so almost wonder
fally offered. "a clearer case Of circua-
stantial evidence was made out
against Stephen Greer than had serv-
ed against Robert Steel.
On hearing the whole Stephen, in
order to defend himself against the
charge Of murder, voluntarily plead
ed guilty to that of burglary.
He had, he said, on that fatal even
ing. remained in the village with some
friends until about 0 o'clock, when.
starting homeward, be had been led
by jealousy to turn a little out of his
way to satisfy himself whether his
rival. Robert Steel, was really at the
farmhouse.
He had seen light in the kitchen
window and another in that of Miss
Phoebe room. CHANGING through the
latter as he passed, his attention was
arrested by seeing the old lady at an
open secretary drawer, unrolling
bill from a large bundle of bank
notes, which she then proceeded to
replace in little inner drawer, and
locking it, hung the key on a nail
behind the secretary and left the room.
Proceeding next to the kitchen win
dow, he saw her talking earnestly to
a young man, as the latter sat at the
table, eating; and it instantly oeeurr-
ed to him that here would be good
opportunity Of helping himself to the
money, the sight OF which had excited
his cupidity.
Cautiously raising the sash, inch
by inch, he stepped through the VIM
dow, unlocked the drawer and pos
sessed himself of the roll of bank notes.
All this had taken some considerable
time, and meanwhile Robert Steel
must have left; for, as he was in the
act of shutting the drawer, Miss.
Phoebe appeared to the open door
way and instantly dartsd forward
and seized him as be endeayored to
escape.
A struggle took place, and to COM
pel her to relax her hold, he had
seized her BY the throat; but he firm
ly protested that he had no thought
or intention of inluring her. he
wished 70 escape unrecognIzed, and
when she staggered toward the bed
ne had hastily effected his retreat
through the window, catching his
clothing on nail as he sprang to the
ground. 1t was in this way that the
seeds were scattered which had now
arisen from the ground in silent evi-
dence again him.
Stephen Greer was sentenced to q
long term in the States prison. When
at the end OF those weary years he
came forth free man Hillside was
one OF the most prosperous little farms
IN the country. and Farmer Shetland
has wife, Bessie. as happy-looking a
middle-aged couple as could be met