The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-07-10

"Shall I tell him? Shall confess all
the next time he comes?"
Again Mrs. Smith is frightened. She
does not like to think what the result OF
that confession will be. They've man
aged at last to find spot where they can
live quietly and unknown. Why must
all the miserable story be brought up
again?
Miss Smith, failing to get any practi-
cal advice from her mother, thiuks the
matter over quietly by herself, and by
the time she sees her admircr again she
has settled on her course of action.
She meets him in the fields that lead
to the church.
1t is bright summer morning, ami
they pause by stile to look ut the vel.
low and red of the far stretching fields.
! The Rev. Charles Grosveuor com.
mences by talking about nature, and
gradually comes down to talking about
himself-his aims and prospects in life.
Little by little the conversation slides into
the groove he wished, and in five minutes
his hand and fortune have been laid at
the feet of the lady listener.
He hadn't meant to be so abrupt: he
had meant to keep his secret little
longer, but it had slipped out accidentally
among the poetry and domestic details
and he was very glad it was over.
Miss Smith was of course very much
surprised. The curate had caught her
hand as his accents grew more inpas.
stoned. She allowed him to retain it till
he had finished, then drew it gently
away.
Mr.. Grosvenor, she said quietly, ~
will answer you fairly and frankly. BE.
fore you made me such an offer you
should have aseertained to whom you
were speaking"
"What do you mean?"
"You do not know who or what am"
Il know that you are an angel"
Miss Smiths lips curled slightly, but
her voice trembled as she answered:
AS you have gone so far it is only
right you should know something about
me. My name is not Smith. That is u
false name"
A false name!" the parson gasped.
Dear me! why do you want false
name?"
Listen and will tell you. Did you
ever hear of terrible crime for which
two men and two women were con.
demned! 1t was called mystery AT
first. But when the facts came to light
it was called murder One man
starved his wife to death, and the other
people helped him. He wanted to marry
a younger woman, and this younger
woman was one of the accused"
Il remember the case, stammered the
curate. ut was very awful: but don't
see what you've got to do with it..
The perspiration stood on his brow and
he began to mop it with his pocket hand.
kerchef. He half expected to hear tina,
Miss Smith was relative of one of the
criminals.
You remember" continued the girl.
speaking rapidly now and without emo.
ton, "that all four were condemned t.
death, but the young girl was at the las,
moment granted a free pardon and al
lowed to return to the world and to her
friends"
Yes, gasped the clergyman, II re.
member; but what has all this business
to do with you?"
This" answered the lady whom he
had just made an offer of marriage: 81
was the girl that allowed the murdered
woman's husband to love me; was the
girl for whose sake the murder was com.
mtted; l was the girl who was con.
demned to be hanged by the neck and
then granted free pardon l am
She stopped. The Rev. Charles Gros-
venor had reeled back against the stile
and closed his eyes.
Excuse me-" he muttered, "a little
faintness, that's ALL"
He pulled himself together, STAN.
mered little, coughed, and for min
ute seemed at loss what to say.
She broke the silence first.
II have told you now the secret of my
life. l am here with my mother, and
here wish to remain-unknown forgot
ten by the world. We are bound to live
under an assumed name. We should be
hooted and stoned if it were known who
we really are. Will you keep my
Jecret?"
Certainly" stammered the curate;
"and l trust"
THAT I shall keep yours. Rest assured
of that, Mr.. Grosvenor. will forget
that anything has happened this morn
ing beyond the ordinary interchanges of
courtesies between clergyman and par
ishioner."
She smiled and bowed and passed on.
He walked back slowly to the church,
muttering to himself. "What an escape
who'd have thought it?"
II
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor is still the
curate of Chumleigh, and Miss Smith
and her mother still live at Laburnam
cottage. The parishioners, however,
notice that the visits of the clergyman
TO the cottage are few and far between,
and that when he calls he is generally
accompanied by one or other of his lady
visitors.
And old Dame Turvey, who knows
everything about everybody and is a
L