The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-20


placed before him to sign and accidentally
put in the envelope and posted without the
signature.
She showed me the letter. 1t certainly
was important bat valueless unsigned I
was very sorry for her.
" And to think, she cried, with tears in
her eyes. THAT through the accident may
lose ESQ, 000."
said it was very terrible. She showed
me then all the documents in her care.
There was no doubt she was entitled to the
money. 1t was only the selfish people who
wanted everything for themselves who
were endeavoring to deprive her of her
rights.
One thing led TO another, aud then she
told me how deeply grateful she was for my
friendship That when she left the boarding
house she should feel she had lost a dear
friend.
The daylight faded, the glow of the fire
alone lit up the room. It was very quiet,
very romantic, that still Sunday afternoon
in the cosy drawiug-room, and somehow or
other, | yielded to the influence of the
scene, and laid my hand and heart at the
feet of that pretty and prosecuted young
lady, the prospective possessor of $4,000.
She said it was very sudden-she hadn't
thought of it in that light-would | give
OF conrse, could only consent.
But the next day she came to me and put
the affair on quite bus ness footing.
"Yes-if 1 would help her to get her ESQ.,
600, she would be my wife"
OF course, replied that l would sacrifice
my whole life to advance her welfare and
her happiness.
She didn't want me to sacrifice anything
she only wanted me, and oh, she put il
on inUCnaUtlv ord rraftilu cha nplv
wanted me to sign her dead relatives name
to that unfortunate letter.
l did it.
l was fool-a madman-a rascal. but l
did it. did it that night up in my own
room with copy Of the old gentleman's
signature in front of me. did it skillfully
and cleverly and 1 showed it to her with q
certain amount of pride
She said it was wonderful. L had mixed
my ink splendidly, aud had made the sigma
ture look as old as the body of the letter.
She took it from me, and ali that night
| never closed my eyes. The moment was
quiet and by myself / saw the folly, the
wickedness, the criminality Of my act.
In the morning managed to get a few
words with her alone. begged her to give
me the letter back.
She laughed at me-not mockingly-but
in a nice, innocent girlish way. How silly
| was. She didn't intend to use the letter.
She wouldn't think Of such a thing. Only
l had told her how clever l was at initiating
handwriting, and she thought she would
try me.
1 accepted the explanation but l should
have been q great deal happier il she had
given me the letter back.
Still l comforted myself with this
thought. If the trial did not come on
would tell her that il she attempted to put
that letter in evidence | would go to the
other side, declare that had done it as an
experiment, and clear myself Of any COM
plicity in a criminal offense
That idea eased my mind and | let mat
tiers go on and we continued our courtship.
About fortnight afterward Miss Ellis
appeared at dinner quite radiant. She in-
formed the company that her case was set
tied without coming into court. The oppo'
sition to the will had been withdrawn and a
compromise had been effected. She was to
take ESQ, 600, and the other relatives were
to take 600. She had been magnani-
NOUS
Everybody congratulated her, and was
one Of the first.
That evening we had a little whispered
conversation, and Miss Ellis Marion /
called her now-led me to understand that
as her case was settled she wanted to leave
London, and SO we might as well be mar
ried
The proposition for q hasty marriage
coming from Marion rather startled me-.
She had not up to.the present betrayed any
romantic symptoms, ard after all our
courtship had not been long one.
had vague idea that it would be better
for lis to know little more of each other
before we took this irrevocable step, but
Marion had an answer for every argument
put forward.
She answered me that though she had
borne up through the long worry and
anxiety, now that the matter was settled,
she was beginning to feel the reaction, and
it was absolutely necessary for her to have
change. She told me that she didn't care
to go away and leave me at the boarding
house, and she confessed that she was eDx-
ious not to lose my society.
The man who can resist a woman's argu-
ments is not an everyday man, and l, alas,
was only q very commonplace specimen OF
male humanity So / consented AID it was
arranged that l should take the necessary
preliminary steps.
went to the registrars Office armed with
the information Marion was good enough
to give me with regatd to herself and gave
the usual notices and filed up the usual
paper.
didn't like the look of that registry office
| at all, 1t was dreadfully cold and cherries:
and prosaic, and there wasn't an atom Of
| romance about the deputy registrar.
The registrars clerk was good enough tc
inquire il l should bring my own witnesses
and when | said l didn't think so he ex
planned that the article was always kept or
the premises.
thanked him, aud asked him to arrange
| with the witnesses retained on the estab
lishmsnt to be present, and then l returned
| and informed Marion that all was In order
and that OF the expiration of the time re-
| quired by the law all we had to do was tc
attend at the Office and get the business
| through.
! Three weeks atterward we left the board
| ing-house one after the other.
left first, and waited at the corner OF
the street till Marion joined me.
No one had the faintest suspicion thai
two of the hoarders had just gone out to gel
! married.
The registry office was some little distance
and as we walked along cur conversation
YVES anything but romantic.
Do what / would | couldn't help feellne
that was taking false step, and yet had
not the courage 10 retreat
When we came 10 the door OF the Office
| felt inclined 20 take to my heels and run
| away, but mastering this feeling OF COW
ardice, followed the lady ia,
Marion was remarkably cool and col
Iected for a young and blushing bride. She
answered the few questions put TO her In