The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-27

II
ID was the number Of one Of the stolen notes.
! He knew this because Mr.. Cariugham had given
! them 10 him TO enter when they had been re-
ceived some weeks before, aud after the theft
4 no had referred TO the entry.
lie closed the purse and placed il where IL
had been left by the girl. Then he sat down
/ TO think.
What could il meauP How came the stolen
notes in the girls possession?
He could do no work with that thought in
has mind. More than that he could not bear
TO be in the room when she returned for the
purse. lie hurriedly put his papers away and
went out into the air.
Gould she have taken the money!
lie triod his best 10 put the thought away
/ from him as he hurried on rs fast as he could
walk along the roads but il kept recurring
with every corroboratiye circumstance that
seemed to grow out OF the strange discovery.
lie was so absorbed that ho noticed nothing;
and rs he turned a sharp twist in the lane, he
would have been knocked down ii he had not
/ sprung quickly 10 the side when some one
called TO him out Of carriage which was being
driven swiftly toward him.
IL was Maine, and she pulled mp sharply.
Why Mr. Power thought you were going
to be at work?"
He looked up quickly and saw, or thought
he saw signs Of anxiety in her face as She con-
tinued
d" have left my purse at home, somewhere,
and have 10 drive all the way back 10 find it,
Why, would they not give you credit in
MarsHlcy2 " he asked trying 10 make his voice
natural, but falling SO much and appearing so
constrained that the girl noticed IL.
Fl" Ii is not that; but there is something in
the purse ! particularly want-some patterns,
and so on"
And again the man thought he could see that
she was very anxious
You left the purse in the library" he said
! looking at her. j saw il after you had gone,
and tried 10 catch you with il, but could not.
! You will find il there now"
This time he was certain that her manner
/ showed confusion, as she gathered up the reins
OF her ponies and drove Of, saying:
Then j must make haste and fetch it.
Good-by."
A fierce struggle ragged in the mans mind as
/ he continued his walk for some hours through
the woods and lanes, and when he reached the
Grange just before the dinner hour he was dis
queted aud agitated.
He saw Maine IN the drawing few
miautes before dinner. They were waiting for
Mr.. Caringham, who had come in later than
usual, and he said TO her:
" Did you find your purse all right2"
Yes thank you" she answered but in
manner 50 completely different from her usual
! tone that he looked at her ia establishment
She returned the look steadily enough; but
4
startled.
q am glad Of that" he said.
But ] am afraid disturbed your papers"
she said, not looking al him, but staring out Of
the window and speaking in a voice that
/ trcmbled. " knocked your blotting pad 10
the loOr and scattered the contents; but tried
10 put them back, as far AS i could, in the same
order"
lit is not Of the least consequence" he an
swered. And then they said no more until
Mr. Caringham came down, aud they all went
! 10 dinner.
During the whole Of that night wilfred
! Power did not sleep. All the facts Of the rob
] beTy-as he knew them and as they were coll
Ored by the light OF the days disc0ycry-were
reviewed by him, time after time.
The sight Of the notes in the girls purse;
4 her evident anxiety 10 get back quickly from
/ her drive TO secure the purse; aud her mani
fest trouble and agitation when he next saw
her and asked her about il "a condition Of
mind that had lasted the whole evening
perpleXod and COMPOUNDED him.
Try be would, he could not ret away from
the conviction which, though il at irst seemed
impossible, had altcrward gathered weight
the conviction that she had, for some reason
taken the money.
Then he tried 10 think what must be the
consequences 10 her Of discovery. What would
the father think Of the child he almost idol
] ~
This thought panied him beyond measure.
lie loved the girl with all the force Of his
nature, and tie father had been 10 him as a
father; had taken him when young and friend
less, educated him, and treated him just as a
son.
Could be do anything 10 avert the blow
which he saw must fall upon Mr. CaringhRm
/ If once the fearful truth were EnoWnY
Out Of his thought grew a resolve that was
/ quiZOtic but Characteristic Of the man. He
would cndeayOr 10 draw upon himself Mr..
/ CaTlngHam's suspicion, and 50 shield the girl.
lie thought long aud anxiously Of the best
means OF doing this, without actually statiag
/ that dc was the thief. And he decided to tell
/ Mr. Caringham that he must 90 away, and to
tell him in such q manner as 10 make him con-
/ meet the departure with the theft
lie rose in the morning looking hagaard and
ill after the night Of struggle, but firm in his
resolve.
al don't understand you, Wnfrcd," was Mr..
Caringhams first comment when the other
told him he wished 10 20 away. What is it2
/ What's the mattert What do you wantG"
4" want nothing except 10 90 away"
We'll, but-my boy, j can't 30 without you.
I You are just like my son-the dear lad whose
1 place you have taken. DO you mean you want
10 90 away for good and all, and leave the old
Granger Tell me- my lad whyi"
" ] can't tell you why, Mr. Caringham."
Can't tell VIC Why Wi!ired, not after all
4 these years."
NO; / can't tell you" answered the other.
/ keeuy touched by the old mans words
But it's 50 sudden. Can't you wait awhile
! give me a little time 10 prepare myself IL
Will be like losing the lad over again" Then
\ he paused aud added: "Are you IN any trouble
my boy2 ] mean, have you got into any kind
Of scrape2 Tell me, and IN do all can for
4 you"
/" No. Mr. Caringham. have a trouble, but
none you can help me through" answered
/ Power.
us it's 81 anything 10 do with Maine ?"
asked the old man.
This was a home thrust, and made Wilfred
/ vince
81 thought you were such friends, and
hopcd-but there, what's the good Of hoping?
Have you quarreled, you two2p he asked
No, Mr.. Carugham. IL is nothing Of that
sort"
Then. what is it2 There must be some
/ thing. 10 isn't. But there ! won't hurt
you by even thinking that you are leaving
because Of this COMPOUNDED business Of the
theft. You're not the lad TO leave a place
because there is bit of slur somewhere
about IT,"
"Unlcss il were better that should be away
from il, answered Power, al loss how 10 make
the other suspicious Of him.
" But IL isn't better. Surely ] know best
about that Why. il you were 10 10 now aud
tins business were ever found out people would
say-by Heayeusl-l don't know what they
wouldn't say about you"
"Silll, u might be best Tor me 10 90"
" How on earth could that be- lad?"