The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-05-08
"No," said Marie, vaguely. "Dld

NO" said Marie, vaguely. ''Dld
you tell mepn .,s> ,ss Fa IA
Come to think Of it, / didnpt,''
said Sydney. Smiling. 'That's So, /
was afraid 1t might annoy you. Well,s
it's ll,fight now. They've got him--s
at least, not him, for lie gave them the
slip at the last moment; but the moneys
sale. He took away 81, 900 and We
recovered all but $500; that he spent.
| tell you we've been lucky, and so
has he. lisa curious thing" parsued
Sydney, thoughtfully; "but--I 'm aw-
fully glad the scamp escaped. -
"Gladp" repeated Marie, solemnly.
"Oh, why? He will be sure to yictimize
other poor people,"
"Other rich people, said Sydney,
correctingly. "Of course he will, for
1t turns out that he is a regular conf.
dence man; but you have no idea how
much liked him. We all did,. He
came to us about six months ago. and
said he had just arrived IN the country,
and was quite friendless. Well, the
firm took him on trust actually. He
had gotten himself up like q German
student-lOng hair and broken English,
and, ehad the loveliest tenor voicel
Old Bond was fairly infatuated with
this paragon. 1t was Wetzel here and
Wetzel there"
"Whatl" Marie grasped Sydney's
arm with both her hands.
"My dear girll' He reigned In the
horse, and looking down at her white
face Ill amazement.a ''What is the
matter?"
"Wetzel was his namep-and he
went aWay?-when?-w she de-
manded, hurrledly,
"WetZel was the name he gave. His
real name IS Wallace. believe. He
went away last w ednesday morning
the day after met you in the rain.''
"That-was--the- she said,
in q low, breathess voice. She un-
claspcd her hands from Sydney's arm,
and pressed them over her face.
+. t'The manp What manp" Sydney
stared quite wildly as he asked the
question.
"Oh, the hero of my romancel',, said
Marie-slowly and bitterly--'sthe sim
ger fell iii love with. You did not
want to know Of my secret; you must
know it nowl That was the mani"
"Who?--youhg Wetzelp Why, where
on earth, how Oh earth, did you come
TO be acquainted with himP"
"IIe sang with me for nearly three
luOnGnS Ill In6 CnOlrf"
''Oh, seeI And you fell In love
with his vOice-no wonderl'' ro p
81 didn'tl' she said, miserably;
there might have been some. excuse
for that. I had 'uever heard his voice
when-I fell in love-ah, not with himl
with dream, a fancyl Could I have
borne to look on his face, even, much
less love him, if had known what 1
know now1"
"Well, then, the comfort is that you
ney, cheeringly. 'sHe only thought
you did,"
mo, no, nol'' she returned, vehe.
mently. "He never thought--he never
dreamed-Oh, could lie down here
and die this minute"
'Oh, not herel" said Sydney, depre-
catingly. mo one could die comfort
ably in a buggy. You'd wait until 1
took you home. know"
But Marie did not smile.
"How contemplate 1 aml' she said
slowly, with bitter emphasis. "How I
have fallen forever in my own esteeml
To turn away from a noble, generous
nature like yours-a love that any
woman might be houored in accepting.
Sydney, J deserve your hate and
scornp
"I'm being praised, it seems" said
Sydney, calmly. Quite right; all the
same, can't hear my wife abused.
And look here, Marie, Pm glad you did
make such an awfully foolish mistake,
because If you hadn't you never would
have come to me.''
"Oh, do you really think so, sgd.
ney," she said,. b'ushlng beautifully.
"Then am glad, Joo."
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