Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-06-09
She rnised her lovely tear-stained

the doctors bell rang, and, excusing
himself, he went below. As he opened
the door n tall fine-looking man stepped
into the hall. He stood there mo.
ment, and then said in a low voice:
"James !"
"Harry exclaimed the other, spring.
ing forward and dragging him into the
light. at is you, my dear boy Where
have you been these three years? Come
in and get warmed up"
When they were seated before the
cheerful CRATE fire, James said:
"Hal, tell me; why did you desert
You fiancee in her hour of need?"
Good heavens man, who told you
that? / did not desert her. My story
is strange one, and but for the most
substantial proofs could never con-
vince you of its veracity. But how did
you hear of this?'
From your fiancee. The Misses
Carnold are living upstairs in the ut.
most poverty"
The other sprang to his feet. sob,
let me go to herl" he cried. "Do not
detain mel!
"No; you must wait, " said his broth
cr quietly. at would kill her to see
you suddenly in her weak state. Twill
prepare her for the meeting. But first
tell me about your disappearance. You
wrote to Miss Carnold, saying that you
had decided to start anew, and that she
would never see You again. That
sounds like desertion, doesn't it?"
Hal uttered an exclamation of sur
prise at was forgery!' he cried
Indignantly; 81 never wrote such
letter. As l intimated to you, mine is
strange story, and this l suppose is
but another chapter.
"Mr. Carnold, Mary's father, the
day before he died, intrusted to my
care mortgage which he held on a
gold claim in Southern California,
and which he had intended to foreclose
in three weeks. He wished me take
possession of the claim and run it for
his daughters benefit, MS this would be
their sole support. l consented, and
as soon as left him placed the precious
document in safe deposit vault.
"Mr Carnold died the next day, and
in the confusion and sorrow l forgot
to mention the mortgage to the girls.
That evening, sitting in my room, l
fell asleep. woke to find myself Sc
curely bound and gagged. To make
long story short, | WAS carried to a
cab, conveyed long way from the city
to a lonely spot, and there kept pris-
oner, being guarded day and night by
two of my four armed attendants.
"After two years of this sort of life,
l succeeded in making my escape while
my guards were i'll drunken stuper
after day of debauch. reached San
Francisco in safety, foreclosed the
mortgage, and caused the arrest of all
concerned in my detention. Their
cases come up in the November term.
The mine was now the property of the
girls, but no trace of them could find /;
they had disappeared then came on
and sought you. Like fairy story,
isn't itP"
at certainly is, my dear HAL" an
swered James, when his brother had
finished the recital Of his adventures.
II will run up now and break the good
news to Mary and Alice.
"a tiresome patient" he said as he
entered the room. "But have learned
through him that my brother Henry is
we'll, and, what will be good news to
you, that he has been totally blameless
in the matter of his supposed deser-
ton"
He then related his brothers story,
being careful to conceal the fact that
the mortgage interested them III any
way.
"And so your brother is rich miner
now" said Mary. 81 hope, DR.. Banks,
you will do all in your power to keep
us apart"
81 will do nothing of the sort, Miss
Carnold, He is anxious to see you, l
understand"
''But do you not see that we are mis-
erably poor and he is wealthy man?'
she said sadly.
Suppose l tell you," he an
swered, that you are both rich.
Suppose l tell You that the
mortgage was left by your father
in my brothers care for your main
tenance, and that the gold-mine is
yours"
The two women sprang up with ex-
CARNATIONS of surprise; but the imper-
turbable doctor said to Mary, as he
gently forced her back into her seat ::
"Come now, Miss Carnold, 1 see l
must exercise my authority. You must
not excite yourself; you are still very
weak. Besides-well, there's another
patient" he added, interrIpting him
self, as the bell rang vigorously. AS
he left the room, he said mysteriously ::
eff the patient provesto be friend
of yours, will bring him up"
In short time there were footsteps
on the stairs-a knock-a cry-and
the long separated lovers were clasped
in each others arms.
"What q joyous reunion ~ said DR..
Banks, as he and Alice Carnold sat
apart watching the happy pair. "But
do You realize that it means a separa-
ton to us, unless-unless you wish to
avoid it?"
The beautiful head dropped to hide
her bushes, but she did not answer.
"Alice, darling" he continued, pas.
sionately, "when first I saw those
lovely, imploring eyes of yours, Iloved
You. Now You are rich woman, and
| only poor doctor"
"Hush dear, she said, interrupting
him; 81 am rich, indeed. with such a
love as yours. Take me, unworthy as
| am; for you are my life. New
York Storiettes.