The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-12-30

w ohCs SihCo away 81 iei - " sum 4Oi
nothing. I don't believe it" she added
iercely, for she hated a lie, and had be-
lieved this man the truest on earth.
"Well, there was consideration of
course, Aunt Alice, said Mark softly,
himself very pale now,
"a valuable one, persisted the old lady.
II demand to know what it was.
'But-but, Aunt Alice, said the young
man, just beginning to realize the actual
horror of his position, suppose l do not
wish you to know?"
''Then l will believe you have lied ;"
said Mrs. Croxton, with a snap "and this
girl goes to prison, and | will see her pun
ished for the theft if have to appear in
the witness-box myself! Now tell me,
nephew, what you gave her that large sum
of money for?
She waited, looking on him with white
and fiery stare-resolute and implacable
| think she believed he had lied, and for
that moment hated him, recalling his long
years of hypocrisy.
He was sorely distressed, and had not
yet disengaged himself from the embrace
of the bewildered and terrified creature
who had caused all this mischief; but now
he seated her gently in chair, and stood
erect and proudly, facing his aunt.
81 have told the truth, Aunt Alice, he
said ever so gently, and yet with such a
manly resentment of her humiliating impu
tation. "That money was price of COM
promising letter she held
"Ohr cried the old lady, seeing, all of
sudden, all that had passed in quite
another light, and one certainly not more
favorable to Mark "a letter ?"
suppose they both forgot where they
were and by whom they were surrounded.
Cora also was oblivious, and stood, fright
ened and confused, with one hand on Mrs.
Croxtons thin shoulder
The crowd about them was, of course,
profoundly interested; but in still and
well-bred manner, and, except the princi
cipals in this scene, scarcely anyone
breathed
"You will let me see and read the letter,
perhaps" said Aunt Alice, dryly.
Don't ask that, aunt beseech you :"
pleaded the unhappy young man. "For
your own peace and happiness implore
your'
Her respiration became hurried and diff
fcult, and she seemed almost on the point
of fainting
'Don't trife with me Mark Croxton
l am an old woman, not able to bear much,
and what l have always thought of you,
you know, and you will show me the letter,
nephew. I command you to let me see it, "
To comply, or to refuse, severe, per-
haps fatal blow either way Maik would
have given many years of his life to have
spared the aunt he loved, and who had so
long and tenderly loved and believed in
him. But now there was no longer room
for delay or escape, and with deep sigh,
he handed Mrs. Croxton the letter.
| doubt if she cared now what the peo-
pie around her thought of the strange
scene in progress before them. Through
her glasses she deliberately read the letter
from beginning to end, and then, with
her thin lips curled into an expression
of intense disdain, quietly handed the paper
back.
"And you get that kind of letter while
engaged to Cora, here? don't wonder
that it cost something handsome to buy it
back. You are villain
Great heaven he saw the truth; she did
not suspect the real author-her own son !
Poor Mark was sorely tried. He glanced
toward. Cora, and she met his look with a
piteous gaze-a despairing eptreaty for
explanation, light, truth.
He saw that her trust was still unbroken
"a single word would confirm it forever.
What could he do? Should he speak?
He had never dreamed how much he loved
her until now,
But his aunt-poor Aunt Alice-always
so kind to him, and who had endured so
much He alone besides herself could
measure what she had suffered at the hands
of her cruel and ungrateful son, and how
much of her love and very life were bound
up there.
A bad fellow he had been, but she had
no idea how bad, and this letter, if Mark
spoke but word, would reveal the depths
of his cousins infamy, and pierce her
withcred heart through and through.
"Well, sir?" she said, with white lips.
He spared her, and was silent, 1t was
martyrdon,,
She struggled for moment before she
could speak, and then, in whisper with a
kind of pant, she said
Il am done with you, sir.
With fixed stare, lasting for a second
or two, of bitter anger and contempt, she
turned her back upon him, and, taking
Cora's arm, went over to the musicians
and engaged in conversation with them,
though do not think she knew one word
of what she or they were saying.
Mark bowed gently and withdrew
stunned, though he smiled round him as
he went out, seeing the circle of curious
faces through mist
After while he took his simple luggage
and left the house. making a very ouiet