The Worthington advance., 1883-01-04
aaunterfng behind. sullen.eyAd hamp
asOuched up to the former, touching hia

hBe you the grist-mill man,p a,ked he.
II am the miller, friend," said Mr. Glov
"well, then" said the du.ty-footed stran
ger, ''it Is my bouuden duty to ;ell you tia
you are harboring . prison bird In you
home.v 4 -
".Wha.s,' cried o!d Mr,, Glover. !,
n.1 ~ knsxs :;ssn It t blamed !ell" asserted p.
was. Theft, for she, and drunk and disor
derly for me. And / wouldn't have blowei
on her, but she refused me drink of eide
and would not let me In to warm my feet
! amt No tale-bearer, but there's some
things a. desh and blood won't bear,
dc stalked on, mutteSinG to himself
while Mr.. and Mrs. Glover and Daniel
stared at each other In hoIrided amazement
.Mothef, is It true?' asked Daniel.
ut can't be, said the old lady.
"Ask her yourself" said the miller grim
Mary met than At the door with raaian,
Tho dinner va. already; the humble array
Of silver and china spafkled on the bo6rd
the fire blazed on the elean.swept hearth.
Il am 70 glad You have come back, y
said che. mot that I was afraid to be
alone, but there was an ill.lookine man
here Just now.- Oh, why do you loo %
strangely at me? Is anything the matter?'
There . Is much e!a the matter" '.id the : old
..d sa bs9s n9t x!4S n,''h ns
me. Nay, do not teemble 20. what Il
there to be afraid OF We all know that
the brute spoke lies"
"1s 1t lie," faltered Mrs. Glover, "that
you were In prison?"
1T Il no ne," said Mary, turning deadly
white. II served a sentence in Exmouth
stances were against me. I----"
Then, "sternly uttered the old man, you
must leave this house."
III she eoes, father" said Daniel firmly,
60 with her. For trust her. ! believe
Daniel, are you c1a1yY" said his mother.
At that moment Dr.. Fitch rode up, look.
Ing flushed and excited, yet pleased wittal.
He sprung eff his horse and walked into
the house, looking keenly about him.
"Good people" said he, "what Is all this
about2'
I'VE have just heard" walled Mn. GLOW.
er, that Mary Il a convict"
"Pshawl" said Dr.. Fitch. $50 It has got
around to your ears, has it9 Well, have
Just heard that she IS not. I have Just
brought In fatally wounded in fight. I
examined h4s wounds. my man" said !,
1T you have any affairs to settle, they had
better be settled at once. for you have not ak
hours to livo." Said he: 1T I'm dying,
there's one or two things would like 10
say" And then in solemnIconfession no
said, among other black and wicked revela-
lions, that he was one of the burglars in the
famous Chartens case-that he hid the sil.
yer In Mary Tre(oil's trunk when at last be
found himself unable to carry it all away,
and entirely ignorant Of the whole thing;
that he was too closely tracked to contzive to
se:urn, and so she was convicted through
eircumstantial evidence, being, to use the
watches own words as innocent a. baby
al the time. He is q dying man now, un-
der the care OF tho chaplain, bat he has
aone n his ths best osa tS tight Mary ef0n in the
'" Mary" said the miller, II was wrong
Just Just now ao. when spoke ur so>sudden- VIII
"rary, don't look so pale, I; soothed Mrs.
Glover. "Here-drink some of this cold
water"
MARY, Dearest" whispered Daniel as he
stole his arm around her waist Il knew all
eljng that you were innocent. knew
you we're too pure and good to be aught
else"
and the last words revived her most Of
all.
DR.. Fitch stayed to help them eat the
dinner which Mary had prepared go da;n-
tly-the brown and oleaginous turkey, the
cinnau'on-aavored apple pies, the baked
potatoes and mince tarta, with the nuts and
aeplea and sparkling cider afterward. And
when he rose to go be said, laughing:
well. and when is the wedding to be?'
"At Christmas, please heaven" Daniel
uttered bravely, while Mary Trefol cried
out:
"Oh, Daniel, I never said So"
But say sO,. and mother says 80"
chimed Mr.. Glover senior. "And 80 the
matter Is settled by vote Of the majority"
And shall claim the privilege OF giving
away the BRIDE" said Dr.. Fitch merrily.
And so he went out into the snow and
darkness, whistiing gayly as he vanished.
And Mary. looking earnestly up into her
lovers eyes, said softly:
"Oh, Daniel, I think never knew before
what happiness meantI'
1T does seem providential," said old Mrs.
Glover, tenderly stroking down the bright
hair Of her danghter.in-law.elect, that all
this ahould have happened to-day"