, 1889-04-18

j.-- ! should, Il my daughter AaU be-.
Wiling, have considered yourself, YOU.
!a'..!y and YOUR income Il perfectly d"ssr
able and suitable match for her; bat SIN.
t...-s time = great deal has happen"
luG. ter instance, have been arrestc.
since then cu suspicion of murder"
5.m fairly staggered back as the wor,.-
PASSED the Old mans lips
Mr.. Earle, he said, hoarsciy, ''yol
saI.,-y0U surely cant believe that
committed that foul crimeI"
II l believed It" Mr.. Earle answered
Il suoHid have asked ycu 20 so out of T..
house some minutes ago. Yet there Is /,
;:.r.-yau were arrested on suspicion, a.
= verdict Of wilIfUl murder against so.-.
person or persons unknown is retUrncl
J., you not see that until the case is Sc.
- rest C&c way or the other, You are IoI
az! never can be, free from suspicion? :
ANY time 1t i liable 70 rise up against YOU
not q mere suspicion. but hideous dan
scr which may OvcTg-helm youl Do yO.
think, Mr. BcrcsfOrd, that | could O.
would let my young daughter go he&,.
long Into such a danger as that No, siI
81 thousand times, no; and let me tell yO'
ffat although | may have nutiquatc,
IDEAS Of love and honor, think you shov
YOUR wish to love and honor her vory
poorly indeed by even drcaming-drcafa
.a~ Of sIhjc.ting her TO even remote
-l-aurr of such misfortune"
Beautiful Jim looked as he felt, more
staggered than ever, and, worst of all, Lc
felt that from his point Of view the ole
ma, VAS right.
"Icu are right. sir" he said i
knowing my CwI inUOcCnCc-fOrgCt that
al tie wor!i did not know il also Do
yoU mird telling ne one thing-suppos0
that this mystery i5 ever cleared mp. and
Mss Earle is still willing to be my vile.
viii you glNu your consent them
''Ccriainly | will, the old man replied
and you viu not forbid mo 10 see
he"." jim pleaded
4 will Tot forbid you, Mr. Beresford
No OF the contrary, will show yOU
willingly that trust you Is an honorable
gentleman, by simply asking you not to
attempt to marry her without my permis
sion. and not TO compromise her by being
! seen about with her If she likes to Ger
respond with yen. well and good. If you
care 70 come here now and again, when
yor are Ia town. Will not prevent it OF
forbid Ii dare say, under the circum
stances. this Is = somewhat uuusUa! way
Of proceeding; but | have always given
nv daughter the most absolute trust and
| she Is worthy of it III every way be
sc YOU to be innocent and believe you
- honorable. for l SEQ you had not
.a. .ht Of the danger to which such 4
-...,1agc would expose hcr-so l will
| rust yoU also"
Mr. Earle" said jim, Holding out his
.3ud, this has been an awful blow to
| ue-onc ! never expected But you have
| sooIlcn to me fairly and well, and | thank
| you You may depend that l will never
Jgtr;ty your trust. Miss Earle shall be as
! safe from any pcrsuasious of mine as If |
were 4 Malay Indian and could not speak
4 word of English"
! 1t may ali work out smooth enough, "
the old man said, kindly.
| GUt Jim shook his head. Il have very
| little hope of it, sir" he answered, sadly.
Il have very little hope of it: but thank
! You all the same for the consolation.
! After moment of silence Mr.. Earle
| spoke again.
My daughter must be told" he said,
| Uucasily. She is so sensible, so clear
! headed. that | feel sure she will see per
| fcct!y the advisGbility of the objection, or
rather stumbling block, which have been
compelled to raise But it will be sad
| bi0v: 10 her. fear, poor child, aud-well,
really, Bcrcsford, on the whole l think the
ncws had better come from you
1t viii be hard task for me-" said
Jim
Il don't doubt it," returned the old
man, but the question is-frOm which
of rs will she take it tho best? She
VIII SEQ then, even if she does not SEQ it
| already, that you are convinced of the
| truth of what urge; and-yes, think it
Ind better come from you, Beresford,
do, indeed. | will go out and lunch al
! ,.lnl, aud iaaya X-,,I clCar field hat
yOu may tell her and get it over. Yes,
that will be the best, | am sure. You sec.
my dear fellow, | trust to your honor alb
solutcly"
Before jim could say a word against this
plan the old gentleman had shaken his
hand again, and had slipped out of the
| room 80 he had no choice but to await
the meeting with Nancy and the neces
| sary disclosures which it would entail
| with the best grace that he could
Not that he waited very long; he heard
the house, and then as Nancy did not
COM hc rang tho bell and asked the
servant who came in answer TO his sum
rons if he would ask Miss Earle to be
good enough to see him And in less than
! two minutes she camc-with her doves
eyes all alight with love and the sweetest
and brightest smilo upon her lips-the
| lips that were his and yet not his.
"Wcll:" she said, gayly, as she crossed
tho room TO his size.
Beautiful Jim took her outstretched
hand in his
My dearest, am afraid | have the
most sorry news for you,' he said.
humbly.
Sorry news?" sharply. Then, where
is my father?"
He has left me to tell you-gone to
his club"
| ''TO tell me-what?"
For moment Jim could hardly speak.
''To tell you that our engagement is
! impossible; for the present. at least" lie
answered, with an effort.
Father saiu that? But why2 What
do you mean, Jim--that he retuses!"
''At present"
"At prssrut-oh! do tell me the worst
at once. What do you mean by at pres
entg'
My dearest. your father is quito right,
though it is hard upon US, said Jim,
gently. "Ho does not forget that have
been arrested on q suspicion of murder,
and that whilo the affair remains mys
| tory, / am not FREQ from further suSpi
| c!oa."
'But he does not believe it, surely,
$ .i+NSl WIN bIdHINS eyes ana APPS
tightly compressed.
No, he does not believe it, thank God
Jim replied quickly.
''But if he does not believe it, why let
1t affect u.s." she exclaimed. Il lave
| never known my father influenced by the
| opinion of others in all my life, never
And TO think that lao should begin to be
! so when the consequences aro SO serious
for me, IS too hard-its too hardT"
But you don't understand" said jim
| gently 1T is not the opinion Of other
he IS thinking OF at Gll-Only, that as ]
! am not cleared yet, the suspicion might
! at any time rise up against me and over
whelm - lii Gf u.s."
''8Ut You arc innoCcc""t.
! InnCcenG Ircn have been hanged -
lore today. my darling, and your father
feels it" said he more full OF Ditv for
her than Of SORROW for his own broken
hopes.
But, jim" she cried, eagerly, did Won
not tell father that you could prove your
selt innocent at any timer"
EeautIiGl jim shook his head. .'Eo. I
did not tell him that"