West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-07-16


which his embrace impaired. when
| am married my husband shall obtain
post for you"
Wait till | ask. my girl, that's all, -
SAID Tom, with an aggressive laugh.
SO Miss lIilda Dulcimcr was fain "a
be content with the terms her brother
voluntarily submitted to. nor did he
give her the slightest cause for uneasi-
ness. Her mother, happy, ut having
her son near her and seeing him occa-
sionally, acquicsced i'm the conspiracy
of silence regarding him. and as his
existence was not suspected by any
one, no cOntrctcmps arose. Mean
while five of the six months of the en-
gagged period elapsed. HIlda's trous-
seau was in an advanced state Of prep
aration, when one afternoon she found
her mother almost fainting i'm her chair,
with an evening newspaper in her
hand.
Mother! what is the mattcrP" cried
Hilda, with an uncomfortable PRESENT.
mcDt of evil.
My dear child, a dreadful thing has
Happened murmurcd poor Mrs Dull
elmer. carefully avoiding her gaze.
"What, mothGrP'
"What has he been doingp" in
quired Hilda, sharply, as she turned
pale.
"Nothingl He is innocent, the poor
dear boy is innocent, returned Mrs.
Dulcimer, firmly But but"
Hilda snatched away the paper which
her mother handed To her. and with
outward compOsurc, which dissembled
no Al ia 10
brother, under his adopted name of
Trower, had that day been committed
for trial on a charge of robbing his en-
ployers by means of forgery.
"God help us allr' she calculated.
"What fearfully shocking thing!"
"He is innoccntN' reiterated the poor
mother, i'm tears.
"Innoccnt" repeated Hilda, with an
expression which, could he have seen
il, would have been wholesome revc-
lation to Lord Lexicon. AT least, he
is committed for trial. / suppose that
means something more than mere sus-
picion.'
There was long and painful pause.
during which Mrs Dulcimcr sobbcd,
while Hilda bit her lip till the blood
started, as she reflected with knitted
brows
IL knew it would come to this, "
Hilda said at length gloomily. "What
a blessing | never told Lord Lexicon. "
- suppose you must tell him now?"
said her mother, nervously.
What cried Hilda, with undis-
guised amazement.
al think he should be told" said
Mrs. Dulcimer, uneasily. LIT will
come out. OF course. YOU and | must
support the poor boy through his trou-
bles. We must decline all invitations
for the present"
Mother, arc you mad?" cried
Hilda, almost with violence Tell
Lord LeXiconl Refuse invitations!
Why, mother, we must do nothing,
either of us, to give any one the least
suspicion of this awful business
1t was Mrs. Dulcimer's turn to give
way TO display of temper now, and
the poor, meek spirited lady astonished
her daughter by her rcSolute bearing
Hilda, she said, could decide for herself
the propriety of concealing the matter
from Lord Lexicon, and for her part
she was determined to be loyal to her
son. Hlda found it necessary to aban-
don vehcmencc and insistance, and to
adopt plausible arguments to bring
her mother round to her views She
fcigncd TO believed that her brother was
innocent, and pointed out that to draw
attention to his unfortunate position.
from which he would doubtless be hon
orably acquitted, would be mistaken
policy. 1t cost the astute young lady
an hours serious talk and remon-
STRANGE to overcome her mother 5
scruplcs, but i'm the end she triumphed.
Poor old Mrs. Dulcimer was as plastic
as clay i'm the hands of her beautiful
daughter, and she ended by reluctantly
conscnting TO humor Hilda's wishes.
1t would be useless to attempt TO de-
scribe the agony of mind which the
poor mother endured during the next
few days. In addition to suspense and
anxiety on her sons behalf she was
compelled by her daughter TO 90 into
society and wear smiling mask over
her woe. HlIda was relentless in allow
ing her mother no peace even to brood
over her sorrow. The beauty was
haunted by "A morbid fear that any
thing i'm the least degree unusual in
the conduct or bearing of her mother
and herself would give rise to suspi-
cions which might ruin her hopes. She
N'pl u NtlN HtllNt WAUGH upon ntT
mother, but in spite of her vigilance
the poor lady cOntrivcd to visit her
son IN his cell and convey 20 MIN the
comfort Of her loving sympathy This,
and the finding OF funds, by secretly
pawning her icwelry, to retain emf
ncnt counsel for his defense at tho
trial, were all that the unhappy woman
could do.
When the prisoner was committed
for trial the sessions were close at hand.
and consequently the period of suspense
was not so long as usual. Ithappencd
that on the day OF the opening Of the
sessions there was a grand dinneT-party
IN Hilda' honor, given by the old Duke
Of MiddleseX, Lord Lexicon's cousin.
In vain poor Mrs. Dulcimer pleaded i'll
ness and almost went on her knees 10
! her daughter to spare her the agony of
going into society when her sons trial
was close AZ hand. The beautiful
Hilda was incxorable; 20 begin with.
without her mothers escort she would
! have to absent herself also; but apart
| from this it seemed TO be Of the yer,
/ highest Importance at such n critical
time that they should appear among
I their friends ~ usual She so inn
I pressed this upon her unhappy mother
mind that the poor lady suffered her
/ self 10 be Over-pcrsuadcd, and she &C.
/ cOInpanicd her daughter with the
/ DrdFcSi air she could muster.