The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-20


returning to the old haunts with the
change of seasons, and that he would
never revisit Worcester. Mr. Mangan
had therefore made up his mind that
Laurence would remain with him.
Mangan was not wealthy, but he was
comfortably situated, and he had no
thought that objections would be made
to his adoption of the boy, especially
as the probability was that your father
would not be long in wasting his sub
stance in his speculations. Mr.. Mangan
never told Laurence of his people, for
the reason, he said to his wife, that it
is time enough when his folks return,
or until he is older and capable of ap-
preciating the case Your mothers
death was followed quickly by that of
your aunt, and Laurence never learned
this story. Your father placed you in
the convent" f"
why has my father been silent and
apparently SO careless of Laurence and
mel"
"He went to Denver and was killed
killed for his money. He had not
time to make any arrangements.
And how have you learned this;
how came you to be acquainted with
history that is mystery to me and to
-to-Laurence?"
"Simply enough. The old lawyer
with whom | studied was your fathers
counsel. In rummaging over old papers
short time ago, | found a letter from
the district attorney of Denver, inclos-
ing memorandum written at your
fathers dying request-he lived few
hours after the shooting. That memo
randum directed your fathers counsel
to look after your interests. l presume
the lawyer found you had good home,
that Laurence had another and that, as
your father had left no property, mat
ters could not be improved. Out of my
love for you ! made inquiries that en-
larged my knowledge. Your family,
on the maternal as well as the paternal
side, is an honored one.
"Why not tell Laurence"
HAS he never spoken to you about
me3"
''No, beyond saying that you were
not friendly toward each other on ac-
count of politics. | never asked more,
just because it was politics."
He's queer lad, - remarked Ray
mond. IF told him, he would almost
xii his uncle, now an old man, for the
deception practiced upon him. Z"
I'm what does all this mean danger
for LaurenceT" asked Isabel.
You have not yet told me that my
interest in you is reciprocated!"
The interest is.
"But there is something more seek. "
"a woman's heart is not like the
wax matrix Of a phonograph, suscep-
tible to the slightest sound and holding
1t until itself is molten" was the evas-
i've response.
There is no one whom you would
have nearer or dearer to you--in this
one sense, | mean-the sense of honest
love?"
IF Laurence is my brother-then-
perhaps - and realizing that she had
almost made an admission she broke of
into the strain most pressing upon her
mind:
How is Laurence thieatened?"
Raymond was satisfied. He knew
that gratitude in woman, like pity, is
akin to love. The first process in its
evolution was visible to his quick eye
and was confirmed by the ear that had
marked the intonation when she re-
ferred to the quality of woman's
heart. He could now finish his story
and trust safely 10 time, he thought, to
make her his own.
Laurence was clerk in your
uncle's store, large one for town
like Worcester. He had other ambi-
tions and ran away one morning and
entered newspaper life. The day after
his departure there WAS a defalcation
OF few thousands of dollars reported.
The boolkeeper placed the blame upon
Laurence, who was trusted. The evil
dence was against him. The deposit
sent with him to the bank, the day pre-
vious to his departure, was larger than
the sum credited in the passbook. So
the bookheeper charged. They have
been a few years hunting Laurence
down. A lawyer friend of mine who
has the case in hand has withheld pro-
ceedings at my earnest request. He
has not notified your uncle, who, some
time ago sent him authority to act,
having heard Laurence was here. Re-
QUESTION papers will be soon issued and
would have been issued ere this, but
for NV influence in advising delav,n
lyon do moi think him guilty. do
youY"
"Certaiuly not, but YOUR uncle is go
stubborn and yindictiye that if he once
cot Laurence back in Worcester he
would NOT relent hut wonld nress tbe
CHARGE TO conviction. The evidence of
the bookkaener wonld bo snfficient 70
send vour brother to stats nrison and
bookkeeper is the real thief, who saw