Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-05-02

CHAPTER XXVL-coNTINUED.
Norris thought of the wedding, once de-
ferred. and set again for the morrow, and
Of his hope that EdsOn's revelation might
show some obstacle to it.
"Oh, Uncle Amos, tomorrow may be
too late"
"Weli, we'll" assented the other, good
naturally. go around, then, and wait,
but don't alarm that poor fellow. He has
had a hard time, and is still in a bad state
of health"
1t pleased Norris to walk the streets while
he waited, but his uncle had not yet re-
turned when he finally arrived at the lodg-
ing-house, SO he secured the key and made
his way to the room he had recently occu-
pied. Five minutes later a light rap fell
upon the door. Lc opened it, and the eager
eyed man who stood there shrank back at
sight of one whom he was not expecting to
see.
al was looking for your uncle" he
muttered.
she is not back yet. Come in, Mr.. Ed
son. I know why he has gone to Mr.. Ever
leigh, and | am here because he has conf
dence in me and means to tell me the whole
story"
GAN the world will soon know it, said Ed
son, advancing after a momentof hesitation.
at makes little difference to me-"
He sighed heavily as he sank into a chair,
leaning his head YEARLY against the back.
Whatever this mans crimes had been, he
had suffered for them. 1t seemed to Norris
that the restless spirit confined in that
warm frame could find its best relief in
giving up the strife. He pitied him, and
tried to speak a few words of encourage
ment.
"Mr.E verleigh never passed a harsh judg-
ment upon you. l myself heard him say
that he believed you were at the worst only
Q tool in the hands of some holder villain
who had benefited more by his loss than
you did"
Shadows of remorse and self-accusation
darkened the haggard countenance.
"No, I was not a tool, though / was meant
to be one. It is no excuse hat the tempter
came to me. No one is responsible for what
Ibid but m~yself-myself alone. I have not
forgotten that / have something to be CRATE
full for to you, young man. Will it be any
return for your kindness to lay bare the
mistakes of my life, that they may serve as
q warning when your hour of ter tation
comesl-as it does come, 1 believe, to every
man."
"There is but one thing l want to know.
Wait, let me tell you. There is a marriage
arranged to take place tomorrow, when one
of the sweetest and loveliest of girls is to
be sacrificed to a maj whose coarse nature
and low breeding make him totally IN
worthy of her, if there is nothing worse.
And / have strongly suspected that there
was worse of Hiram Ingot."
"1ngot!' TIL man in the char started
visibly, and the smoldering fires in his great
hollow eyes sprung to a flame. SIT was he
who tempted me, who showed me how easy
It would be to get away with enough money
to live in luxury all my life-but I was
sharp enough to divine that he
meant 10 make me the cat's-paw
and share the proceeds. I cheated him by
making off before he thought me primed to
the sticking point. He is not the man for
such q girl as you describe, but if it de-
ponds upon showing him guilty of COM
plicity in the dct-he was not. / was alone
In that"
"Alone2 Then what was the hold he had
upon Lyman Childer. By the way, 1 had
better tell you it has come out that you
were hidden in the bank hat night. Did
you do for Lymana You may be suspected
of 1t, unless you can prove conclusively
hat another man fired that shot"
"Another man did fire it, 1 swear" de-
ciared Edison, huskily, his features working
and frame quivering with some vermas.
tering emotion. Before he could conquer
it, or say more, steps came at the door, and
Norris opened it to admit his. uncle, accom-.
panied by Mr.. Everleigh. At sight of the
latter, Edison trembled still more. He rose,
lettering, TO his feet, took a step forward
and fell on his knees before the employer
hs had wronged.
"Oh, sir; forgive-forgive!n
It was the bitter cry Of a repentant sinner,
and the stern face of the banker softened
somewhat as, with a touch and a word, he
commanded the man to rise.
"Before we talk of forgiveness, yvl
must tell me what this is you are charging
10 Lyman, and take care how you impli-
cate one whom | trust. You declare that
you sent back those funds to himfn
al did, sir. / dared not address you di-
rect. 1 was i'll, at deaths door, but / did
not want to die. WANTED to live and earn
pardon for the wrong / had done. did not
tell HIM hat when 1 wrote to him about the
trustImeant to put in his hands. He believed,