The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-02

viii l. marry,
And so we we're engaged, And Robert
drove me over to the cottage, there and
then, TO tell bis mo ther.
'She will be so pleased" he said. II
believe that she suspected my feelings.
But l would not confide them to her, lest
the fear of disappointment and pain to
me should distress her.
How hc loved her! A little jealous
pang shot through my foolish heart,
II fear you love her BEST" 1 said i'm
pulsiveIy.
MY darling" he said half chidingly,
Zone does not measure or compare such
sacred loves; each aud both is dearest.
But my mother suffers from an affection
Of the heart, Any anxiety or pain
must injure her, and sudden shock
would kill"
And then ii was l first understood
rightly his devoted care of her, n care in
which. from that hour. 1 shared.
Next day Mr.. Redfern proposed to
me. My heart, in spite of its own hap
piness, ached for the bitter pain he
showed when [ told him / was engaged
already.
II had set my every hope on you--I
cannot give you up!' he cried, with an
intensity of passion that startled me-
"Oh, child, haYe mercy on mel Think
again-give me time. am richer than
you think; if you are ambitious"
l interrupted him.
81 am not; have wealth enough, and
covet only happiness. shall marry
Robert Dene the man love-"
His face was white as death.
'You shall not marry himp' he said
with deep and bitter oath. Never
while l live! l swear III"
And he rushed out of my presence
like madman, leaving mo shocked,
frightened, perplexed, and with a strange
sad cloud upon my happiness.
] said nothing about it to Robert, how
ever, His relations with his employer
continued pleasant, as usual; and did
not feel justified in disturbing them.
felt surprised when he told that Mr..
Redtern had himself congratulated HIM,
and made some slight but graceful al
lusion to the disappointment to himself;
but 1 concluded 10 keep silence still.
What was the use of creating ill will be-
tween them?
"Probably," thought, "Mr. Redfern
regrets his Incorporate warmth and
foolish words, aud takes this method to
let me know fit
And | thought it very good method
infinitely pleasanter than person
al apology.
So the time flew swiftly by, and / had
begun the preparations for our marriage
aud our engagement was understood
everywhere, when the storm which TO-
stinct had warned me of from the mo-
ment in which 1 had heard that bitter
threatening oath, burst suddenly.
1t was evening, and Robert and were
sitting together, talking such sweet non.
sense as lovers will. We were alone,
saye for an aunt who resided With me,
and had fallen asleep in her easy chair,
when suddenly and uuceremoniusly the
door was flung open wide, aud three
men entered.
Two of them were officers. The in
dignation which their rude entrance
caused gave place to sickening fear
when 1 saw the third George Redfern!
He fixed his hollow. burning eyes up
on me. Even in thNt moment of excite.
ment l was sensible of shocked sur.
prise at the strange change in him since
last we met.
Men, do your duty" he said briefly.
The next moment Robert was under
arrest.
don't know what said or did in the
frat horror of it. / remember clingiuG
around Roberts neck, and being pulled
away-by auntie, think-and some one
asking, "What's the charge against
himp' Then came the stern answer from
George Redfern's lips: "Robbery!"
With that word my senses came back
to me. tore myself from auntie's arms
and few to my lovers side.
'It's lie!' / cried, looking straight
into Redfern's face. He is innncent!"
Robert turned grateful troubled eyes
upon me.
"God bless you, my true love!" he
murmured sadly.
And then Redfern's stern low voice
broke in again:
"Men, search himG'
saw it done. l saw them draw forth
a roll of notss--ten-of twenty-five
pounds each, and forming larger sum
than Robert could have come by right
ly. / heard Rsdfern identify them as
his own, and declare that none but Rob-
ert had access TO the safe or vault. And
then heard Robert say, with a moan of
agony:
"Oh, God! My motherl"
| understood it all, stepped mp TO
George Redfern, and looked in his face.
Come with me into another room, =
| said. Il will make a bargain with
yon. Let your men remain with their
prisoner here And he oheyed me.
When we were alone, said passion
ately:
"Mr. Redfern. you are a villain You
have plotted to separate me from the
man | love, and blast his reputation
You shall fail in both. You know that
he is innocent"
He answered quietly:
II am not his judge, Miss Craven.
He hin self will toll you that placed
those notes in the safe in his presence,
and that no one has since had access to
1t but himself. An hour ago / missed
them. You saw where they were found
Let the law decide the rest"
wrung my hands in agony.
"Ihe law!' / cried. "Man, do you
not know he has a mother whom such a
charge will kill? viii you be a muir
derer?'
lie caught my hand.
"No," he said hosrsely. 'It is you
not /. You murder two of us, his moth
er-when she learns the story of his
guilt, from which you could save her
and me-you murder me!-for the hour
that sees you marry bim sees me 3
corpse"
snatehed my hand away.
Il will marry him." ! cried, 'if the
whole world calls him guilty!'
He answered quietly:
'And kill his mother?"
What could do? Turn rs 1 would,
he brought me back to that last
The sons Imprisonment on a shameful
charge, and probable condemnation
for the plot was carefully laid-would
kill his mother.
SO l accepted the alternative ne Of
fered promised not TO marry the
man loved during the lifetime Of the
man / hated.
"Never while live." he said.
That was my oath, and have kept it.
We went back together. George Red
fern formally Withdrew fha aharuo ba