The Portland daily press., 1894-02-20


81 understand you,' he gasped, "but
even though the purloiner be my second
self / must have the truth from you. 1t
was my own wife then?n
mo, it was not your wife,
'Ah, thank heaven for that at 1east!"
he cried, with sigh of relief. "My sis
ter?'
mo, it was not your sister"
"Who then? Speak without fear"
'You will have it?"
Eyes, must know"
"Can I not prevail upon you to let the
secret remain with myself? For no other
being possesses it,.
''No, Mr.. Carbon, must and will have
it,"
ssWhat say you to your friend them"
sWhat friend?" he exclaimed in amaze
ment.
Godfrey Percy!"
He fairly staggered as if he had received
blow.
"Impossiblel'' he gasped.
cit is true"
He sank down upon seat and for some
time held his head in his hands.
care you sure you have not made a
mistaken" he asked at length in hollow
voice.
81 am certain of what assert"
"You can prove its"
"I can"
'sThen you shall prove it. All, me, poor,
dear Virginia. It will break her heart!
Willingly would L give half my fortune to
have these miserable circumstances other
wise.''
SIT is not too late, Mr.. Howell" said 1
alphabetically. 'sShe need never know. :"
He bounded from his seat, his eyes
blazed like madman's, and he turned
upon me with a naughty rage that had
never seen equaled, not even on the stage.
ssFor what do you take me, sir?" he
cried, his ashy lips now fairly quivering.
eff this man is guilty, were he even a
prince of the realm my own hands should
blow his brains out sooner than make my
beloved sister the wife of a dastardly
thief Step into my private room, Mr..
Carbon I Twill send for him. You must
face him before me and make your accusa-
ton good or take the consequences.
clark you, Mr.. Howell, said. "He
may deny it and convince you that his
word is better than mine, but mark this,
If he does deny it, and you accept his de-
NAL, 1 shall have him arrested for felony
and all the facts publicly exposed from
first to last"
az accept the conditions" he said. And
he at once conducted me to his private
apartment in which stood the safe that his
friend had opened to rob him.
Al servant was dispatched for Godfrey
Percy, and in a few moments he made his
appearance, looking quite unconcerned. I
had arranged to have everything my own
way, and as I now appeared without my
disguise the young gentleman did not
know me. He glanced at the two of us
inquiringly, but did not keep him in sus-
pense Stepping up to him, placed my
hand rather roughly upon his shoulder and
said, with sharp severity:
GODFREY Percy, arrest you for steal
ing your friend 8 diamond ring and pawn
ing it at Isaac Jacobs. You will at once
accompany me to the Office of a magistrate
and confront the witnesses.
He turned as white as death, threw up
his hands and then fell down on his knees
and begged for mercy.
stSpare me!'' he cried. "Spare mel It
W first and only time had ever done
81 wicked thing. | wanted a certain
sum money and was too proud to ask
you, my dear friend for it. Intercede with
this officer and save me from public dis
grace and utter RUM
'sYou did take my ring them" said
George Howell in quite even tone of
voice that surprised me by its natural
calmness.
tsOh, yes, confess it,"
'tHow did you open my safe?"
81 watched you one day when you were
working the com bination and was able to
make it out. That then became my temp
tation."
ssBut the ring was also locked in the
iron box"
"You had duplicate key to that, which
was in another drawer that was not locked.
Oh, my dear friend George"--
"Call me Mr.. Howell and leave off the
friend" calmly interrupted the other.
"Godfrsy Percy, you were to have been
married to my sister tomorrow. Only
think of the disgrace which she, a Howell,
has escaped from you, Percyl In only
another "a hours she would have been the
wife of thief Go without saying word
to any soul in this dwelling. [ give you
"a hours start. If after that time any
police officer can find you, will never rest
till you are in jail"
He pointed his fingerimperiously toward
the door, and the condemned culprit in 81
lence arose from his knees and skunk out
of sight. That was the last ever saw or
heard of him. Both the brother and sister
are now dead. / never knew what the IN
terview was between them. She died in
madhouae in less than six months, and he
was drowned on river excursion in less
than a year.-London Tit-Bits.