Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-08-20
THE MISSING NOTE.

lSeu WIG merCenary ana ulSnOneSJ-lln-
possible!
Yet appearances were against her-he
acknowledged himself doubtful rs TO her
innocence-but how he loved her even UNI
der the shadow of his Doubt
The note for e100, sum of money she
had declared that very afternoon would be
q godsend to her, was missing. She was
last seen in the room by two of the maids,
and Adele Fosbank had intimated to Sid
don, the butler, that she herself had OBJ
served his Marjorie handling the crisp pa
per, while glancing timidly, as if afraid of
discovery, down by the alder hedge in re-
mote corner of the grounds.
Marjorie had protested her innocence.
She owned to having handled the note
when Squire Redfcrn touched it with his
gum brush, but declared positively that it
was replaced by her on the heap of papers,
by the side of the desk, just before quit
ting the room.
But when he pressed her to try to re-
member if she had not again entered the
squire study, she had blushed and stam-
mered, as if tho recollection were painful,
that she had passed through the apart
mcnts for the purpose of picking up her
handkerchief perhaps half an hour later.
Probably the maids were in the room then,
but she did not know positively.
"You would not care to marry Marjorie
with u stain on her character, " his cousin
Adele had remarked. 81 am sorry for you
and her-it is very mysterious and I'M
pleasant affair all through"
Something about her tone had annoyed
him, and he had bluntly Observed
"You don't know anything about this
matter Adele?"
She had flarcd up instantly, and with an
air becoming tragedy queen cried:
"Do you suppose have taken the note,
Charles Rcdfcrn? AS if 1 should stoop to
run away with paltry g1OO, when papa
would grant me that for the mere askingW
That was three days ago, but nothing
further had been brought to light. Mar
jOrie had FASTENED homo by the earliest
train on the morning after the disappear
anco of the money, refusing to be escorted
by her 1ancc, and today he had received
back the ring and little note begging of
him to free her from the engagement.
Adele had said this was an acknowl-
edgment of her guilt.
What mad freak had induced him to
show the note to the girls? Some peculiar
ity in its careful patching together by a
previous owner, and as the note had only
como into his possession little while be-
fore he had failed to take its number.
Was this miserable patch Of paper to
part him from the girl he udorGdY No;
not 100 similar notes And yet how he
longcd to solve the mystery, how he hun
gercd to clca- fair Marjorie from the shroud
of guilt that embodied her.
The days dragged their weary length,
but solution was still unattained To
the squire, the servants and his cousin it
was apparently no Observation-Disclosures had
stolen the note and was thief pure and
simple.
But Charles was nnwenricd in his at
tempts to trace the whereabouts of the
missing note, for tho more he pondcrcd
over the matter the more he felt convinced
that his lovely sweetheart was innocent Of
the theft.
He had written, but no answer was ac-
corded him; he had wandered about the
lanes hear his adorcd ones home, but lad
returned by late train with his wish IN
gratilicd
What had become of the note? When
Marjoric's thoughts rushed back to that
miserable day, she seemed to see Adele
hooking hcr. Rraycly she underworld to
suppress the thought, but it haunted her
through all the weary hours-Adele had
taken the note.
Mrs. Fame tried to comfort her daughter
and induced her to unburdcn her mind Of
the trouble which was crushing out tho
fair young life. Brokcnly the dreadful
story was told to the sympathetic listener.
"Nly dear girl, will go myself to in.
vestigate this matter today. There shall be
no delay" And though Marjorie would
fain have bid her remain at home she felt
instinctively that some good would como
of this visit.
The squire WAS away from home, and
the only troublesome person with whom
Mrs. Fame had to do battle was Adele Eos.
bank.
Mrs. Fanc's mothcrly heart went out at
once when she bcheld the haggard face Of
the squircs son, for she knew ut once the
extent Of his suffering.
GLOW is MarjorieY' he faltered after
customary exchange Of commonplaces.
"Have you solved this mystery yet?
am naturally most anxious to carry back
good news to my daughter"
Marjorie confessed to having handled
the note after Its contact with the gum
Brush you say?" Mrs. Fame inquired.
Charles nodded.
"Then, do you think it has stuck and
become wrapped up in some other paper,
or Slipped within the leaves of a ledger"
she asked, quite fevcrishly
This notion seemed so feasible that
Charles proposed an examination then and
there, Mrs. Fame begging to be allowed to
aid in the search while Adele darted an
angry glance IN her direction.
A long, long search followed. But their
work was without avail.
"My poor, poor girl, walled the dis
tressed lady.
Mrs Fame once more approached the
desk and threw an anxious glance about
the room, rs if to read its secret in the pa
pered walls. Then her eyes rested for q
moment on the table
With u sudden Cry she turned to Charles,
and, pointing to a mark on the polished
mahogany surface asked:
"The desk has been removed, has it notS
Here is its outline-it must have been
pushed asidc?"
He lifted the desk in his strong arms,
but the excited lady gasped: "No, no, it is
NOT tbprp I tbouUht IL MIGHT bnvn hnpT,