Smyrna times., 1889-12-04

department. WneQ Jne ufSG leICer WIFI Cll0
stamp in bold red letters was handed
to her. She took it, glanced at it, then
raised her eyes slowly to the proprietor's
face as he stood by her desk. Her glance
was steady but her lips were closed |
tighter than usual.
"DoyoUknow anything about thatT he |
asked, meaning of course the matter in
the letter.
81 do" was the answer, and she stuck
it on the hook in her old methodical
manner, but he noticed that her hands
trembled and that her face was paler
than usual.
The next morning Miss Harley was not
in her place in the corner. Never before
had she been late when the clock pointed
to eight. She must be sick, the manag-
ing editor said. Girls were always get
ting sick just when they were needed
most, and he sent the Office boy down to
her address to get her excuse.
''No such person has ever lived at that
number" was the word he brought
back, and the managing editor looked
across the desk at the city editor in a
questioning way. "It is very strange"
was all he said, but he took the word to
Mr.. Ambrose as soon as that worthy gen.
tleman arrived.
"Bless my soul, " was that gentleman's
ejaculation, "who ever heard of such a
thingP Didn't anybody ever know where
she lived" Nobody from the Office had
ever been at her house.
''Maybe she has sent her excuse to
me-" he said. "Sure enough, here it is, F"
and he opened a square envelope adj
dressed in her bold, round hand.
''Dear friend" (she had never called
him that before), 81 thank you.
thought you would never know. do
not know how you found it out, but you
have acted generously toward me, and
am more than grateful. MRS. II"
''Mrs. HI There's a mystery here.
shouldn't wonder if it would make a good
story, but we won't say anything against
her. suppose shall have to get some
one to fill her place, for it is evident she
is not coming back. 1 would like tC
know what she thinks found out; some
thing connected with that stamp, know
I thought those stamps were going K
save time, but if they all have the same
effect as this one did and have to breal
in somebody new for every one of them
will be always behind"
The new stenographer came, passeC
through the ordeal of being "broken in,
and in time Elsie Harley was forgotten
Forgotten by all save Mr.. Ambrose. TIL
look in her clear eyes as she slOwl
turned toward him the last time he say
her haunted him, and he would say
himself: 81 would miss a whole editio
Of The Echo to find out that girls his
tory"
In the summer time Mr.. Ambros
went to his coun+-y homs little wa
out OF the CITY, running in every day
his business and back to the cool gree
shades at night. One morning thrC
years after Elsie Harley's mysterioI
leavetaking he was coming in on IL
morning train, and as they stopped at
station on the way a coffin was taken Q
and put into waiting hearse. The CO.
ductor Of the train knew Mr.. Ambro
and remarked to him after the ira
moved on, "That was the fellow we re;
about in the dispatches a day or two al
who was pardoned from prison.
died Of consumption and they've broug
him home"
Mr.. Ambrose remembered the ca:
- 'He was supposed to have burglariz
a house and killed an old man, was
not2"
"Yes, that was the charge. He was
young doctor, the nephew of the m
who was killed. He had married a g
whom the old man did not like, and
y latter refused to help him in any we
IL The young fellow got sick and the wi
-. worked in an Office but could not 81
port the two. The doctor and the (
man had a quarrel one day, and Il
q, night the old man was killed and
house robbed. The doctor was arres
and convicted, and it was only the otl
8. day that the real murderer confessed
his death bed. Then it was too Ia
Consumption had marked the doctor
its prey, and now he is dead"
- "And what became of the wife?"
-aP ''She went away after he was 6
fenced and was gone a couple of ye;
Somebody said they saw her in the {
during that time and that she was VIC
CT ing in an Office there. They said
- passed as a girl and that she was saw
up her money, thinking sometime
OlO would be set free, for the faithful
never believed him guilty, though
circumstantial evidence was so str
4 that it seemed almost impossible tina
l' should be otherwise"
nsas 'I must look that matter up. It
make a good story for Sunday"
y fVo ~ Mr.. Ambrose to himself, and that Of
nan noon he left his Office on an earlier t
and stopped off at the little statiol
Hui look up for himself the story Of the
tn man. He was directed to a little
tage, and a woman in black opened
door.
"Elsie HarleyF' and then it all c
TO him. Elsie Harley was the dead m
- wife, that was the secret Of her life.
took him into her little parlor and
him the story. II thought you
~ found out my secret and that you di,
like to speak to me about It. seal
know how got home that day.
red letters seemed burning thems
-Ds into my brain. wrote to you 8
,LE. thing, do not know what, and I (
mess, mess, back here discouraged"
That was only a part Of the long
- story. Elsie's life had been a weary
and the skies had been ever dark for
~ but at last there came a ray Of light
tpaid, first she was offered her old position
. Boz she said she could not go back to
npiets Then as time went on Mr.. Ambroa
called what he had once thought 4
~ proposing TO his typewriter, and he
to himself, ''She isn't typewriter
No matter Of blame can be attach
her in any way, and she is prettier
she was then. II don't believe
ask her now" And he did, and
she is Elsie Ambrose, and is happy
for the thought Of that grave down