Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-10


egain during the night she thought anxious
II of Miriam.
And her anxiety did not decrease on the
Following day. Miriam was low and fever
ksh and kept her bed and Mrs. Clyde wa.
Htill afraid TO question her She herself
bnsde no sllusion to the storm of the might
before and she avoided meeting her mothers
eyes and visibly shrank every time Mrs
CLYDE entered the room. And something
IN underlined suspicion, perhaps-preyented
Mrk Clyde speaking to her daughter of the
bravery of the soldier Dare. But Ford was
hot so retlcent. She had heard from
her admirer, Banks, that the soldier who
had been shot on the sands had saved Q
poor sailors life at great risk to his own,
1nd Eord could not resist telling this to
Airiam. She was curious, indeed, to see
the effect of her communication on her
young mistress, and when she saw the
startled look of fear first in Miriam's ewes
Ss she listened, and then the gleam of pride
khst lighted them, Ford came to the conclu-
hion that 'tMiss Miriam" certainly had q
very strong regard for this young soldier.
But the day did not end without a greater
Surprise still happening to Ford. While
she Colonel and his wife were at dinner
H'ord hurried up to Miriam's room in astate
Of much excitement, and, having closed the
door, went up to the side of Mlriam's bed.
''Oh, Miss Miriam" she half whispered,
s1uch o thing has happened"'
WHAT" asked Miriam, in sudden fear.
'T'm SO put out L can scarcely tell you,"
eontinued Ford. "But Just about half an
hour ago I was standing at the back door
doing nothing particular; indeed 1 thought
johnson, or one of the orderlies might be
soming to the house, as it was about john
IONS time to bring the Colonel's letters,
Ind wanted to know if he had heard any
Abinn ohouf he ho bad haon
wrecked, or fany more bodies were cast up
We'll, was standing looking out when
eoldier passed me, and he looked at me, but
of course didn't think anything of that I
psw 1t wasn't johnson nor any of the men l
anew, and wondered how this soldier could
he hanging about there. But in half
minute he was back again, and this time he
hpoke to me-"
care you Miss Clyde's maid, Forde' be
Rsked, in a low tone. I said yes and then
fhe whispered to me to come out for q mo-
En1ent or two into the garden, and 1 thought
q would go, though was In an awful
fright that Banks or any Of them should see
ime However, I knew Banks was busy
with his silver in the buffers pantry, and I
wanted to know what this young man had
TO say, so went ont few steps. into the
clark and again he whispered to me.
You are sure, he said, that yon are
hlss SlNuC dU Qulle
sure,' answered. AND you sometimes get
letters for her?' he asked next. have got
Ethem,' said. Then 1 wish you to give her
fthis packet, he went on; to give it to her
when no one else is present. Will you do
this?'
81 said yes and he put it into my hand.
Hhis is the packet Miss Miriam" continued
Eord, drawing out the large envelope which
adiriam had placed the night before in
Hugh Ferrars' hand, and which had con-
tained 5000 in notes, and when Miriam
hecognized it she gave little cry of despair
''0h! why did you take it?" she said.
stAnd yet-and vet"
She tore open the sealed envelope as she
spoke, and Ford's blue eyes instantly as
uumed an avaricious expression when she
saw the roll of crisp new notes But
Miriam never thought of her, nor of the
notes She was eagerly reading letter
which the envelope had also contained, and |
her eyes grew dim with tears as she did So |
Dear Miriam; always to me most dear |
Miriam, " she read, 81 am about to try to
Snd an opportunity to return the money
you brought me last night, which it is
Impossible for me to take. Do not ask me
20 do SO again; it pains me; it humiIiate6 |
me for you to do so. But 1 will keep the |
aocket you brought me, and when / DIE it |
will be fastened round my neck as it is |
How, and if 1 am conscious will ask those |
near me to lay it in nv grave. 1 will try, |
ind think DR.. Reed will help, me, il this, |
10 effect an exchange into somef regiment in |
lGght and out of yeurl life Forgive me all |
j1ne sorrow I have brought you. Ours,
Indeed, has been a miserable fate-oh! most
tnost miserable, Miriamt-but 1t has not cut |
1nto your heart as it has cut into mine; and
no doubt happier days are before you. /
have nothing left to live for, and will well
come death; while yeu-but cannot write
Of It Shall I-may I-see you once more?
For the last time?-H f."
By the time Miriam had finished reading
Jhese responding words her tears were fall
tng fast The bank notes lay unheeded on
the bed except by Ford, who could not take
her eyes of them. And as Miriam raised
her arm with responding attitude. and
severed her face with her hand, they fell
Hpon the floor.
"Oh, Miss Miriam, look at all this money
rolling aboutr' cried Ford, STOPPING eagerly
down and picking up the roll of notes
''It is of no use now,' murmured Miriam,
with sort of moan.
"Oh, YES, Miss Miriam, MONEYS always
Of use, answered Ford, lovingly lingering
tne notes.
Then Miriam looked at the girl with her
eyes.
"You can keep one of them" she said,
stor-for bringing them to me. And, Ford,
did he say anything else-how did he loox?"
MAY L really have one? A whole fve-
pound note? Thank you, Miss Miriam,
am very much obliged. Did he say any,
thing more?" continued Ford, pocketing
her note and laying the others once more On
the bed. "Yes, he did; he asked how you
were, and 1 told him you were ill, and that
we had both got into great trouble with
going to meet him last night, as Mrs Clyde
had caught u.s.
ooh, Fordi You should not have said
that" ."
''well, Miss Miriam, all can say is am
Iure Mrs Clyde means to give me notice by
the way she looks at rne. But 1 hope you
won't forget me when you marry Sir James,
for am sure you will remember did not
wish you to CO."
Eyes, know" said Miriam, sorrowfully.
sit was an awful risk, you know, Miss
Miriam, and your marriage so near"
"And-did he say anything morep" asked
Miss Miriam, wistfully.
81 said as your marriage was so near; and
he never spoke. Then in little bit he
Iaid, Give her the packet. That was all,
ind the next minute be had disappeared.
md when / ran back to the house, if there
wasn't Banks that / thought 1 had safe
enough, on the look out and was as impu-
lent as ever he could be, But 1 told him
wouldn't stand that kind of thing. and so
an past him and came straight to you"
Thank you," said Miriam, wearily.
Reach me nv little desk, Ford; and now !,
vou can go" ..
Ford handed Miriam her desk, in which
he placed the notes, but not the letter she
lsd received from Hugh FerrarA This she