Middletown transcript., 1892-10-06

tl0n, on an erranQ OF lie anu ueaIn
she asked.
81 will" he said, gently, but not
tenderly.
I'm Heath street, /" she said aiidd-aaaadd
he shuddered, for only the most
wretched Of Bayswater poor lived
there" "in Heath street you will find
a Mrs. Smith. 1t is No. IS. Ask for
Bill Jones and tell him he must come
here to- night after dark.
"Nettie ?"
"Oh. trust mel Only trust me 7"
she pleaded.
SIS there no other message?"
"None! l dare not send one. But
he must come !''
With heart heavy as lead, and
yet strangely moved to obey her re-
quest, Stephen left Nettie to seek for
Bill Jones. He was not surprised to
see the tall bearded man he had seen
once before at the quarry. But he
was shocked to recognize upon his
face the unmistakable signs Of mortal
illness. Evidently whatever the mans
life had been, it was nearly spent.
A dry hacking cough, extreme eman-
cipation, hollow eyes and hectic flush
all told their piteous story.
And the message brought on such
violent agitation. such an exhausting
fit Of coughing and suffocation that in
mere humanity Stephen granted the
strangers request that he would ac-
company him to Alton Hill, and went
to secure carriage for the drive.
1t was dark when they reached the
house, and Nettie was watching.
She did not seem surprised to see
Stephen, but motioned him to wait
while she led the strange visitor up
the broad staircase.
The little mantel clock chimed
three times, and midnight had nearly
come, but still Stephen fingered.
Some strange hope held him to the
room where Nettie had left him. and
he passed up and down, waiting.
Waiting till nearly at nights noon
the door opened and Nettie came in.
81 hoped you would watt" she said.
"Will you come with mei"
Up the broad staircase, to a large
room above, upon the couch there
dressed in a snowy wrapper, lay the
still form of Marion Raymond, dead,
and beside her upon the floor crouch
cd the man Stephens knew only as
"Bill Jones"
"You must help US" Nettie said,
sand Marion told me to trust you.
You guess who this isf'
The stranger lifted his head.
"Tell whom you WILL" he said in
hollow, faint voice; "I'm almost
gone! I've killed my wife I've
starved, begged, stolen +! What does
it matter now! Bring the police, and
tell them Henry Raymond is found at
last !"
"Your cousins husband!" Stephen
whispered throwing off the burden on
his heart in one deep sigh.
eyes I met him, at her prayer, to
give him money to fee again from
justice. But he has been so i'll, he
could sotgo. The shock of his return,
after SO many years absence, killed
Marion. You will help me to conceal
him2 He cannot live many days"
"Not many hours" Stephen
thought and he was right. Before
the day dawned Henry Raymond had
gone beyond earthly justice or ven
geance, and Nettie carried out
Marion's last wish, that her husband
should rest in death in the cemetery
where wife and child lay beside; him.
Nettie was Marion's heiress, by q
will made when Mrs. Raymond be-
lieved her husband must be dead.
But the little maiden's wealth did not
give her the deep happiness she felt
when Stephen pleaded for forgiveness
for his want of faith, and she once
more felt his kiss upon her lips and
his words Of love greeted her ears.