The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-02

asserts ne received. L Ou CdH lmdSllS
what the old rufian's feelings are, seeing a
good round sum slip through his fingers.
He has hunted high and low for the letter,
and declares some one must have stolen 1t,
but my own idea is that it never existed,
save in his imagination. He even goes so
far as to describe it, saying it was written
on half sheet of paper only, and no crest
or monogram on it. All this must have
happened just about the time your engage
ment was broken off, which will account
for your not having heard anything about
| it.
"Yes, l suppose it was about then, for [
remember he was always talking about
buying some piece of land, and what he
was going to make out of it.
''But l say, Percy, continued Glassdale,
''to change the subject, there is something
l want you to do for me, and [ hardly like
to ask it.
HFire away, old man, I'll do it if l can,
you may be sure"
"Well, it's just this, when you were en-
gagged to Miss Linton I believe you gave
her, among other things, locket of a very
peculiar shape and pattern. admired it
a great deal one evening when she was
wearing it, and she told me you had had it
made for her. Now, [ want to know if
you would have any objection to telling me
where you got it, SO that | might get one
made like it for Millie OF course, if you
have, say so at once, and / shall think no
more of the matter
''Not in the least, my dear fellow. tits
nothing to me now. Miss Linton sent all
my presents back when the affair came to
an end and I should think the locket is
among them, and if so | shall be very glad
to lend it to you to get one made like it.
Here's the parcel; l put it up on that shelf
the day they were returned, and have never
touched it since.
And Percy cuts the strings and undoes
the brown paper wrapping.
"There you are, that's its case, and L
think you'll find it inside" throwing a
ieather-covered box over the table to Glass
dale.
"HulIo what's this ?" taking sheet of
writing paper out of the parcel.
"Here's something I've never seen; ex-
cuse me moment" Percy reads for a
moment or two and then drops into chair
and covers his face with his hands, utter
ing not sound. :.
s'My dear fellow, what's the matter p
eagerly inquiries Glassdale. "No bad news
l hope p
"Bad news? No, the very best news |
ever had in my life, and it has been hidden
from me for six months. What will my
little girl think of me? Just listen to
this "
"Take no notice, darling, of the letter
you will get with this. Papa makes me
write it. [ don't mean word of it. Be
true to me as I am to you. Send me a
line to say you forgive me. No time for
more, he's com"
"Look at it, all crumpled up anyhow,
and showed in under one of the cases, so
that he might not see it. It's as clear as
mud, she must have written that when he
wasn't looking. Read it yourself, old man,
and give me joy"
And Glassdale takes the letter, and hav-
ing read it through, turns it over.
"Why, there's some writing on the other
side; she must have seized on the first piece
of paper she could find. May read it p
s'Of course you may; so on.
Glassdale scans the writing for moment
or two, and then bursts out
"By the holy pokers it never rains but
it pours. You are in lucks way tonight
lust listen to this p"
2D APRIL, 1877.
DEAR SIR In answer to your letter jus
received, making an offer of $4,000 for the
Holm Meadow, l beg to say 1 am willing tC
accept that sum, and if you will call on my
solicitors, Messrs. Grayburn and Reeves
Redford row, on Friday morning next al
1890, / will meet you there, and proper
contract can be drawn up. Yours truly,
JAMES BOYER.
oThere, my dear fellow you've got the
game in your hands now. That's the iden
tical letter that old Linton is worrying
himself into his grave about. Give hin
that and he'll do anything for you | know.
"Oh, never mind that letter. it's the one
from Mabel that I'm thinking about"
eyes, that's all very well; but look what
a pull the letter on the other side gives
you. Taking the two together, the ole
rufian is bound to cave in. She mus
have been in his study when she was pack
ing up your parcel, and have taken the frs
blank sheet of paper she saw off his desk
probably the letter was face downward, Sc
she wouldn't see the writing on the othel
side"
eyes, l fancy you are right, but to-mor
row morning shall explain everything
And to think that all this time has beer
wasted through my not opening the par.
eel"
"Well, must 90 now, says Glassdale
rising, 'it's getting awfully late, and you'll
like to be alone, fancy. know l should
But you'll let me take the locket, won
you; III bring it back to you safe.
'Take the locket by all means, my deal
old boy, but let me have it back soon, fol
[ intend it shall revert to its proper owner
very shortly And thank you awfully fol-
what you have done for me; if it hadn't
been for you l should still have been the
miserable fellow | was half an hour ago
instead of one of the happiest men under
the SUM-
"Moon, you mean, considering the time
of night. Well, goodbye and good lucl
to you; when [ see you again [ shall expec
to hear that everything is arranged salts
factorily on the old footing"
CHAPTER III.
"What remaineth then to tell?
All is well that endeth well,
So they say"
GLOW shall [ manage to catch her alone
The old fellow won't let me enter tn,
house if he knows anything about it, that
certain. Let me see" and Percy re
mains in deep thought until the train rum
under the bridge, and comes to a standstil
opposite the platform at Harrow. Hi
mind is evidently made up nowhere il
no hesitation or doubt visible in his face a
he strides away toward the hill, at the foo
of which lies the Lintons' abode. But be
!, fore he arrives there he leaves the road