Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-22

Company, to whom he often sold news papers. Eckert was about to pass or without saying anything, when Sam spoke up, and addressing him, said
 "Hello, MT. Ecke1t Ain't it queer time to be coming out of the miner"
 "Yes, it is rather queer,' replied Eek. ert; but 1 went in early in the evening. on some business and the fact is, I lost my way there, and thought I never would come out"
 "You are lucky, sir," rejoined Sam. "that you did not lose your way alto gether. hear the men say as there's q good many workings and windings in the slope now, and that it takes an old hand to find his way there, specially in the dark
 ''I suppose so" was the curt comment of Tom Eckert who, after darting searching glance at Sam Sharp, Noel and Edith, fastened forward with swinging stride, as if he felt that further questions would be distasteful and unde. sirable.
 A few minutes later Noel and Edith were at home, and the poor, heart-sick mother, who had been sitting up all night, with n favered brain, listening to the ticking of the clock, and counting the weary hours as they went by, almost swooned with joy when daughter and husband came forward to greet her.
 What wonder that there were tears in the little home as the dawn of day was breaking in through the eastern win- dows, with its message of light, and hope, and sunshine?
 It was not until Edith reached her room, however, that she gave full scope to the storm of grief that had been swell ing around her heart. The words of Clarence Carson, when he claimed her as his wife, after the scene in Dick Daw- evil spirits, and she wondered if, by any accident whatever, of which she was not aware, he could be justified in SO address, ing her. Her experience at Dick Daw- sons WAS more like 2 dream than g real ity, and the nature of the place, es described by Sam Sharp, who was a bright, intelligent boy and who knew almost everybody in GrimsDy, fill ed her mind with many fears as to the strange possibilities that might have oc- cured there sSS@s7sa
 To a girl of her shy, sensitive nature, the very thought of having been all night in Dick Dawson's gambling rooms implied a disgrace that made her heart ache. How she got there was of course a mystery DO her, ae inaxpiicable as the hateful words of Clarence Carson, i;Re, nteneber, yoss n,y taacftAy icssLlat aa:fe v and all her efforts to think 1t out resulted, in failure.
 ln St ,If v.yiI she said
 I'll not think of i: any longer" and resolved on refreshing her iaded spirits with a few hours sleep. In q little while the city of Grimsby would be astir again with activity, and in the meantime Edith thought she weuld rest.
 She could hear the voices of her father and mother in an adjoining room, and she thanked God that her father was still alive; but the misery of his blind ness filled her heart with a sadness more poignant than any personal grief of her own could be. and sine prayed fervently that he might yet be released from dark. ness and the priceless boon of sight re- stored to him.
 Edith found relief ill her prayers and tears, ,.nd she might have forgotten the gamblers den, for time at least, were it not that her attention was forcibly called to the fact by the strange dress in which she found herself when about to disrobe. It was the dress Dame Dawson had given her to wear in exchange for her own wet clothing, after she had been rescued from the river, and now that she knew the character of the place it had hp iohi oF it, and hastened to put it away from her.
 While she was thus engaged, a crrmp- led piece of paper futtered from her bosom to the floor. She was curious to know what it could possibly contain, and picking it up, she read therein words that burned into her soul and embittered her life for many day. They were as follows
 GRIMssY, Joaudy -, 1S-.
 This is to certify that on the date here in named. Clarence Carson and Edith Ed. wards, both of the city of Grimsby, were by me united in the holy bonds of matri- mony, in the presence of witnesses and in accordance with the laws of this com mOnwealth.
 GILBERT RANSOM, Judge.
 Rich Riehard n,Dson Dawson' Witnesses.
 Edith stared at the strange document in wide-eyed wonder for several minutes Her pulses throbbed quickly, and her brain was in a whirl.
 My God ," she cried. at last, in her de spair;." what can this mean?n
 Then the words of Clarence Carson came back to her with tenfold force: Remember, you are my lawfully we'd ded wife Y and she sank under their crushing weight upon the bed and moaned piteously.
 CHAPTER XI
 gssssSs THE SHADOW OF CRIME.