The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-09-13
Rosine in terrible state Of agitation.

4
more injured than he would confess
And this indeed was true. He had
broken his arm, and felt deathly
faintness creeping over him. His one
hope was to get far enough from the
house of old Michaud, to prevent any
suspicion of the manner in which he
had met with the accidents and at the
first turning, he left the street and
hurried on, hoping to procure some
assistance before he lost the power of
speech and motion.
At last, amid the darkened win
dows, he saw one in which light
burned. Drawing nearer, he saw
that the door stood open, and heard
some noise within. His strength was
nearly gone. He made use of what
remained to sta2ger under the door
way, and fell prone in the hall, at
the foot of the stairs, just as an old
man in night-gown, with lamp in
one hand, and a poker in the other,
rushed down them, shouting at the
top of his voice:
Thieves! Murder! Help! Police!'
This old man was Hector Grimme,
reputed miser, who had just before
wakened to find two masked men in
the room, one of whom held him
while the other plundered his cash
box. After much struggling he had
succeeded in dealing one of the ras-
calls a heavy blow with a cudgel,
which he always kept within reach,
and had been knocked senseless in
return. When he came to himself he
was in perfect darkness, and it had
taken him some time to strike light;
but, to his great joy, when he had
done so he found, as he supposed,
one of the robbers lying wounded in
his hallway.
The old mans shouts soon brought
assistance, and he told his story as
people usually do in manner which
reflected the most credit upon him
self. -...f.
''But this is Theodore Mansfield
the son Of old DR.. Mansfield cried
one of the assemb led group s'He is
no robber. SIR
Nevertheless. it is all as I said,"
declared Hector Grimme.
And on his word, the poor wounded
Theodore was carried to prison.
1t was some time before he under
stood the charge that had been made
against him, but when he did, he at
once formed noble resolution. Suf-
for what he might, shame, i'm
prisonment, whatever it might
be, he would guard Rosine's
honor. No one should ever know that
it was in endeavoring to meet her
alone at midnight, in the garden of
her fathers house that he had met
with this accident
The day of the trial came at last.
The court was crowded. Hector
Grimme was ready to swear to his
| story The policemen and neigh bors.
were witnesses to the fact that Theo-
dore had been found lying insensib BILE
at the foot of the miser's staircase on
the night of the robbery. IL.
The prisoner himself had only his
| position and good character in his IA
vor. Not word would he utter in
his own behalf, save simple asser-
ton of his innocence. DR.. Mansfield
|
aud, who had always liked the young
fellow, and whose heart even softened
to his old frien nd in his affection, was
very much moved. The prisoner
only was calm.
All was over. Nothing more could
be said. The final proceedings were
about to be taken, and none believed
that the prisoner could possibly es-
cape the sentence of the law, when
suddenly there was a stir near the
door, and the crowd parted to admit
two persons, who forced their way
toward the bench on which the Judge
sat.
At the sight of the pair, Michaud
started to his feet. Before she threw
her veil back, he recognized his
daughter, Rosine.
Disregarding them both, the girl ad,
vanced toward the judge, whom she
knew by sight. Ignorant Of all forms
of law, she only thought of saving
Theodore, whose motive for silence
she quite understood; and, fearful
lest she should be too late, she spoke
at once.
"Sir,' she said, 81 have come as {
witness for Theodore Mansfield.
know how he met with his accident
and know the motive for his silence
It's for my unworthy sake that hi
allows himself to be misjudged. I
was to meet me in my fathers gar
den that he climbed the stone wal
from which he fell I saw him fall
I and my maid Nannette-a we ar,
ready with our testimony
Mr.. Michaud gave a cry and started
forward. Doctor Mansfield also ut
tered an exclamation as he sprang t.
Michaud's side.
I'VE might have known he sal
eve were young once"
The miser, re-examined, owned t
the fact of having been insensible TO
some time, and confessed that he dix
not see the faces of the robbers, an
Theodore Mansfield was soon set free
But now that he was free, and nov