Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-04-09


though ! hate to suspect my servants,
and / am as kind a master az You
know, / think. what am do You
must all be searched-svery one of
you-I make no exceptions. shall
send for a constable and have the
matter investigated. / hope it will
prove your honesty; I sincerely hope
it, friends"
There was dead silence when the
Major had done speaking. and faces
grew dark and angry, and teeth were
set, and eyes turned suspicioasly upon
each other aud when the Major had
left the kitchen the wrath broke into
a storm of spluttering Welsh.
Indignation reigned supreme.
"Cot does hur think Us thieyes?"
yelled old JOhn-ap-John, the coach.
man. SEARCH us-what does hur
mean T.
And the cook joined in, and the
butler; and the housemaid wept, and
the little knife-boy blubbered. Only
Peter Morgan sat without demonstra.
ton, beside the fire. Peter Morgan.
Q stranger, who had come to help
about the stables within the past three
weeks.
"The master has a right to search
us if he likes" he said, "and we are
all in the same box, none worse hurt
than the other. If we're hon est, why
what harm can come of TT"
And at that old John-ap- John broke
out furiously.
"Hur must be a thief, if hur don't
mind the name of one. he yelled. 1t
never was gif to John-ap-John before"
And then the whole kitchen fell
foul of unhappy Peter Morgan and
abused him. Before the quarrel was
over the constables arrived.
The servants and their chests and
boxes were searched and nothing
found. But, then. no one would have
been fool enough to put the jewels
where they could find them after
stealing them. Suspicion was not les
sened by the fact; it still lay heavy
upon the anxious men and women.
And they were very wretehed under
it, for, besides the terror of false &C.
cusation, good character" was i'm.
portant to them as a stock in trade,
and one upon whose honesty rested q
blemish could hardly find service
again. Therefore they were not dis
pleased, but rather comforted By the
news that the Major was about to
steal" the truth by Bible and key,
and that they were all summoned to
his presence for that purpose.
at will come out" said old John.
ap.John. "Bstter confess before hur
has any more trouble"
And he looked at Peter Morgan.
Every one else looked at him too,
but they made nothing by that and
after such preparations that were
needful the little troop fled into the
parlor and stood before the Major,
Miss Blackthwaits and her friend.
Aud at once all eyes were riveted
upon thick Bible corded about so as
to bind within its leaves q great iron
door key.
The Major was gravsr than before.
He arose and addressed the conclave
with an air that proved how much
importance he attached to the super
stitious ceremony which was about to
be performed.
my friends" he said. 1--WE are
about to ask heaven to Judge US. Let
the guilty confess and make restitu.
ton and l will treat him leniently-
there is yet time. I do not wish to
resort to harsh measures"
But no one spoke and the Major
took up the Bible.
I
"John-ap.John," he said, "clear
yourself first" And the old man
walked slowly toward his master.
Holding the Bible by the key he re-
peated the rames of the three persons
of the Trinity, and called upon them
to witness to his perfect honesty.
And the key remained immovable,
and old John returned to his corner
angry still, but feeling be had proved
himself entirely above suspicion.
In turn his fellow.servants followed,
the women bursting into tears as they
retired, leaving the key still unturned
between the great Bible leaves. And
at last it came to Peter Morgan's turn.
The man came forward boldly
enough and took firm hold of the key.
Then he began to utter the sacred
names with which the observation OF
his innocence commenced.
"God the Father-God the Son"
But then before he could utter an.