Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-07

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scrutiny of the stranger-who was a
young and elegantly dressed lsdy-M
best she could.
So long . time had passed since she
had taken the founce that she no longer
feared discovery; but any attention paid
her dress always reminded her so un.
pleasantly of her sin that she was made
utterly wretched.
How much more was she when the
young lady approaching her said, with
q pleasant smile:
win you excuse my speaking to you
without an introduction? My name is
Eleanor Willoughby, and I am staying
here for a few days with my mother.
The reason I have taken the liberty O!
speaking to you is that 1 want to ask
you if you are willing to let me know
who embroidered the 1ounce on your
dress? It is beautiful"
Rcsel;o started and turned deadly
pale. 1t was a full minute before she
could control herself sufficiently to
reply:
am afraid you will not be able to get
one like it-for 1 suppose that is your
idea-for my aunt embroidered it"
els that old lady with whom you
came in your aunt?"
'.No, that is Mrs. Darling. My aunt,
Mrs. Arde, lives in Brockton."
"Could you tell me, then, who de-
signed the p%atternP"
"No, l do not know" answered
Rosalie.
After a few general remarks on the
warmth of the evening and theSability
of the musicians, Miss Willoughby
moved away, and Rosalie was left to tho
misery of her own thoughts.
She had told her first falsehood! This
knowledge oppressed her like a night
mare. Oh, how bitterly she regretted
ever having been so weak as to touch
anything not her own!
She saw no more of Miss Willoughby
during the rest of her stay at the sea-
shore, but a few days after her return to
Brockton, her aunt came to her with
the following note, which she had re-
ceived in the morning mail:
Mrs. ARDE: Pardon the liberty I take in
addressing you; but I desire very much to
know where you obtained the pattern of Che
hop given at this hotel a week go. If you
will reply to my inquiry I shall be very much
indebted to you .ssRIn Sin yours, ou.v.
.Now, what does this mean?n asked
Mrs. Arde. II can't understand it.
Did you meet this Miss Willoughby"
Eyes, answered Rosalie, her heart
beating almost to suffocation.
"And did she ask you about the
f%ounce:?"
Eyes, she seemed to admire it very
much. / told her it had been given to
me by my mother. She misunderstood
me in some way, it seems"
After some further conversation on
the subject, Mrs. Arde dispatch the fol-
lowing note to Miss Willoughby:
your letter of inquiry reached me to-day,
and in reply I would say that l never embroid-
cred anything in my life, and that you must
have misunderstood my niece. who assures me
gave her the LOUNGE. I am sorry that l can.
not tell you where you can find the pattern"
Rosalie did not exactly like the Ian
guage of this letter, but she refrained
from suggesting any change, for fear Of
exciting suspicion. And she comforted
herself with the thought that of course
the matter would now end.
But she was mistaken.
A week after her return home, when
she and her mother and aunt-who had
accompanied her home--were sitting to-
gether in the parlor, there came a ring
at the door-bell, and to her horror and
surprise, Louise Spear and Eleanor
Willoughby were shown in.
Louise introduced Eleanor as an init
mate friend who was visiting her, and
after a little conversation on general
subjects, said:
''My principle object in calling to-day,
Mrs. Drew, wa to make some inquiries
concerning a piece of embroidery which
was lent to me nearly three years ago by
Eleanor, who is an adept in all sorts Of
fancy work. She desired the pattern
herself, and l thought it SO beautiful that
l asked her to let me copy it. But be-
fore [ had had time to do 50 the tele-
gram came which took us all so suddenly
to Europe, and in the hurry, anxiety
and confusion consequent upon our de-
parture, I forgot to return the embroid-
cry to Eleanor. She wrote to me while
l was in Germany, asking me about it;
but l could not tell her where I had
packed it. And when I returned, and
put things to rights again, it could
not befound. Now, Eleanor met your
daughter at the seashore a few weeks
ago, and saw to her surprise a similar
piece of embroidery on Rosalie's dress.
Mrs. Arde wrote her that you had given
it to your daughter, and 1 come to ask
where you obtained the pattern, for in
this way we may be able to trace Elean-
Or'S property"
''There is some mistake here" said
Mrs Drew, II do not embroider, and {
never saw the embroidery you mention.
Rosalie," turning to her daughter,
''what does Miss Spear mean? Can you
explain it?"
Rosalie started to her feet; her lips
opened, and she essayed to speak; but
before she could utter a word, she fell
insensible to the floor.
When she recovered consciousness the
visitors were gone, and only her mother
and aunt were in the room. 1t needed
but one glance at their sad, panied
faces to tell her that they knew at last
the crime of which she had been guilty.
The embroidery was returned to Miss
Willoughby; but its restoration had no
effect on Rosalie's spirits. From a
bright, laughing girl. she became in one
day q most unhappy woman. Her par