Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-10-10

Mamie Immediately after she returned
home to St Eve'ss Well, she happened
to tell me not long after as a proof of
Maimie's kindness Of heart. that she had
been so Interested in the old ladies and in
her visit, and how she had asked just how
they lived and what their house was like.
ana all the rest OF it, Oh. Stevie! Steyler'
she ended, wretchedly. 81 never thought
it would CONS to this"
"Nv dearest child" he said. .oot4ingly.
"ss vet it has come to nothing at all. j
assure you, you are worrying Yourself
very unnecessarily about u mere fancy.
OF course if you like TO let your irlagns-
ton run wild it is the simplest thing in
the world TO build up chain of supposi-
tous evidence out of fancy alone-I, for
instance. might believe you 20 be L muir
deress. but that, you know, would not
make on one"
Can you deny it," she burst out, at
last.
Certainly camp he answered.
"Do you deny it?'
yes do deny it, l can and viii
swear that have ali my life kept my
hands from picking aud steal lg-su my
life
Then why" she demanded, why did
you make plan Of Oxford Pls,e while we
were STAYING there'"
"Of Orf,ri PIace-JueyF' he sred.
"What in Heavens name are YOU talking
sbout;"
She beat her hand impstiently upon hel
knee once or twice-then turaed fully to
him .'You remember our staying ut Or
ford Pluc ,"
"Of course I do?"
Than You may remember, too, that
went to bazaar with Lady Ceespring
and the others"
Yes"
And that ysg Stayed behind-ts write
lstters"'
"WeIIY"
"Well, whas l came home, l sat down
OF the arm OF YOUR chair 10 talk TO yoC
and noticed that You had been making
plan, ~ if yos had been idly drawing in
ths blotting-bOOk. / asked you why you
had been making plan aud you pnt me
off carsls.sly. Do you remember all this'
mo. don't-but 60 on"
"Well. thought no more of it just
then. In; down stairs during tea, Madge
Oxford asked nc for an address, and when
| went up TO dress for dinner went to the
" nun tADAs ~ W ITO IL WV II ~eNA S''S'
l saw that tue leaf Of tn, blottiugbook
had been torn Quit was gomez
And vet there has basn 40 robbery at
Oxford Place" said ne, IF Laughing.
Shall | tell you why? Because the
Csesprings happened not 10 have been at
Oxford Place since-that Is why"
Upon my word, you would make an
excellent detective" he exclaimed, satiri-
cally.
"Oh, Stsvisp she cried, the tear. rush
ing into her eyes, don't spsak like that
it is too ssrious-too awful Aud IL am
so unhappy"
He caught her eagerly in his arms.
"Julia-my love, nv dearest" he cried,
do lot me bag and pray of you to put all
this nonsense out of your nind-it will
ruin our sappinsss, my dear, we who love
one another So"
"Stevie," she said, brokenly, will you
tell me everything about chat gold-nline
that you said you had an interest imp
Dear child, if l had been free to tell !
should have told You vixen you asked me
about it." he answered
81 will never breathe word to a soul
/ will take the most solemn oath never to
divulge a word to any living being" she
sNlh eager ~ Anu IL you W III tVti Lie
will promise faithfully that l will never
mention this subject to you again az long
as | live"
He still shook his head "You put a
dreadful temptation in my way, dearest"
he said, wistfully, but all the same l can
not tell you. | have given my word and
cannot break it even for you"
you will nOt?"
10 Of will or he
answered, cit is impossible for me to tell
you. have given yos my word that l
never stole anything in my life, and that
must be enough for you. At least if it is
not | cannot help it. am very, very sorry
but cannoJ help it."
She remained silent for n few moments,
and then she suddenly turned and looked
at him. "Stevie." she said, "if you will
answer me one question gu your sacred
word of honor | will believe that | have
wronged you utterly and Wiley to-day"
II will answer yOu If | san" he replied.
You say that You never stole anything
in your life. Well, on Your word of honor
| will You assure me that you are not mixed
up with gang of men who do steal and
who make stealing their profession, and
that you have never given these people in
on your answer will stake my bslicf one
way or the other"
She was so desperately in earnest, She
looked SO true aud good, so eager for his
denial that for some minutes he sat star
ing at her like one fascinated. She had
taken hold of him by the arm with both
hands in her anxiety to get at the truth,
and as she sat there she SAW what the an.
swer would be in the depths of his hand
some eyes.
No" he said at last, slowly and very
unwilIngly, but as if the truth was beng
wrunG from him in spite OF himself Il
cannot tell You that
Fer Il moment she still looked back into
his eyes, then her hands fell nervously
from his arm. 81 knew it, She moaned,
81 know itl''
fTO ba continued \