The Somerset reporter., 1885-06-03

M, until II seemed a. though you belonged
Only TO m, and 1t anger~d me, when ne
said things 10 you which no True man VIII
say to any woman he does not Love; and
hoped you might care more for fne tIaa Tor
him. But would not par your napptnes.
by the strength % my little finger even.
He il not so strong a man as your husband
should be; 80 rare T. jewel deserves the
best and strongest guardin2. Thrre are
weak points in Ills Character, but tiiDe may
strengthen them. See, have had | &C.
pin made Of ibis ola key Of mine, that
you used 10 love - well when you were a
bsby (h.re his voice faliered llttit), aud
] want Ia give IL t. ynn, Tor ! am going
away. hope You viii be happy 10 your
love; but if you ale ever In great trouble,
break open this key aud You will find ID it
good advice. ID mt plr, with II. Good
bye, dear" and he kissed my hand aud
went out.
He had often said I'VE miners have
queer rays" and | certainly thought 50
thet day. | cried a little when he was
gone, more from excitement than sorrow,
then pinped the god key INTO the lace at
my throat and went 10 tell my mother.
She said: "Oh, my deaf child, now
could you throw away the happiness of
lifetime in that way? PJu is never man
TO ask you twice"
"If he asked me a thousand times 1t
would make 10 ference" | said tartly,
and she turned away g.ieved, for in all 10y
life | had never spoken rudrly TO her: in
deed, had always been noted for my ami
ability from child. | was ashamed and
ran after her and hid my iser ON her Boz
som, and cried out my nervous tears, and
then she told me how she had long seen
that Paul had loved me, aud that it would
have pleased her and ny father if only
had been bis wfe--they loved aud trusted
him So.
waited only few days for my next Of
fer. bur somehow the hour was not SO en-
tirely II hapI one as l fancied it would be,
which found me engaged, with a small,
pretty cameo Oh my finger, with the head
of Minerva cleaning Whitley from out it.
l felt all the dignity of an engaged young
lady, but | missed Paul. Heretofore be
had shared my JOYS aud sorrows To a Won
derfu! extent. How much had not guess
ed. But he was gone and we heard Doth-
ing OF him.
The winter froze itself out, AMI SPRING
time came with its buds and forest flow
ers: then summer blazed on the bills and
believed the valleys with her tra gram
tears. We were to have been married in
August, that month of richest foliage,
uCfptSl Oiut shlc-, tub tblllbtSl suns. lbi
1t was my iavorite month of the whole
year, and my bridal garm, hts were all I'm
ished, w1en trouble came TO my lover. He
Was moody ind prtuaut, and wanted 10
postpone our wedding d.y, aud talking
vaguely OF crossing the oceau, and OF
many other things which frightened me,
and at last one night, he came to me late
1t was after 10 ucOck-und with hlS boy
ish face livid with fear and sorrow, and
with tears IN his handsome eyes, he told
me he was ruiued-lh,t he had gambled
aud used money lie had no right to, aud
must run away, urged HIM to explain it
ali IA ny father. He was JUS man aud
aohored gampling; but he had grown 10
like john, with mis- frank, manly face aud
winning ways and besides, he was soon TO
have been my husband, and | knew he
would do any reasonable Thug to help
him. But be would not listen to me a mo-
ment, until l feared (Which was true that
there was something even worse than he
had told me.
Yes, one thing had led To another En-
burrasslneut had followed losses, until at
las be told me, with the blood of shame
creeping up on his smooth cheek-he told
me he, had betrayed the trust Of my fathers
old friend, Mr.. Maynard, and hal forged a
check tor II large sum To pay his gambling
debts, hoping TO retrieve. Only the same
old story which | had read "a Thousand
times in criminal reports and in romance,
but ah 20 new whtu il came into my own
lite, bringing With it 90 much / at was
care and so much that was shame and
cloud! A hundred vague plans fitted
through NV brain a> | stood There. ! wore
miguonr'te hat evening, too, remember,
aud the slchly odor OF it--f-ded-cane III
me from The lace at my throat rs ncnt
over john, where he my, his white face
buiied IN the cushions. How weak he
SCENE TO me then, almost like helpless
girl, aud strong pity ior him, not un
mixed with contempt, rose To my heart
Then thought OF what Paul mad said Of
his lack OF mora strength. Win the
thought of him, Game re, embrlnce OF
what he had to d me OF the gold key at
you are ever in great trouble, bita6 open
this key ard YOU viii fine In it geot adj
wee What ercn'er trouble than this
could come? My faith in this man was SO
great that it seemed To me as if ali the
clouds Cleared away in b moment
had $50 in my desk upstairs, ard
went aud got il atd gave 1t To my lover to
cover his present needs. He had told me
he was without dollar in the world, so
u'terly imprnVident was he-'heu | told
him to 90 to New York, to his people, and
that | wound try aud undo part OF The
wrong done, and lnercede on his behalf
with Mr.. Maynard; aud 1htt perhaps ali
would be well with him.
He thank d me, and shed few tears,
and essAled To kiss me; but somehow
WAS mei cilcss-my idol had fal en- and
was in NJ mood to est over the ruins; and
it would have Sc. mej a jrsi to hestuw any
mink al ERECTION ON 50 craven Il wretch as
my fallen angel now appeared 10 me.
pushed him gently away and said, with
dignity which surprised even myself. "oi
course, ali is over between us. | can hard
~ be expect d 10 trust my honor to man
WHO cannot take care OF his own.
This mood completely snbdued my com
panion, who went away iuto the soft dark
ness OF the summer night, leaving me 10
dimly realize the change this would make
in my life. Finally | thought of MY key,
and taking up the candle, went out rto
NY brothers tool room, and taking the
greet, shining thing from my throat.
broke it In twain, when ont rolled spark
ling gems, several of them, some small e,
some large, ii hog thu hollow of the KEY.
Modest diamonds cleaned from my moth
er's hugers. sometimes from her ears and
from penda 1t SHE prr, bat not nearly -
large Us tn st. had never own Il QUE my
self L"okin. back, can rec I'll the thra
of rapture that pissed through me -
saw THIN and knew them mine. This,
then, was his advice. miners ways
were queer, sure IN nigh.
But down below MAS slip of tissu pa
per On which WIS tineiy traced TAX
them to Hugh Nelso1, If possible; ii not
>cud them 10 Jordan x Crane. 'rk
Hugh n l>on was AN old Scotch lapidirt
Who lived in Il queer $40 L. house al the
other eud OF the town. Ii was certainly
possible to g TO him.
| was too impatient TO wait until morn
ing t. lind out how much they were all
worth, 81 although it WAS after IL o clock,
| stole from the house and hurried hertly
rs possible, huggng my treasure to my
breast. | found the old man about going
TO bed, and he greeted me with his broad
rst broeue.
I trusted him entirely for he possessed