Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-12-27
IHE LOST BANK NOTE.
By Mrs. Henry Wood.
CHAP NIII-CoNTINUED
WHAT SPECULATION BROUGHT.

WHAT Speculation BROUGHT,
''She is to bo.pitied; the wives of
these swindlers generally are. You
had an escape, young lady"
She knew t. what he alluded, and
her color became bright. ''lndeed |
had," she murmured; sin more ways
than one"
cay, ay; he never deserved you.
You are sure Mrs. Letsom does not
know where he is?'
81 am quite sure that she knows
no more than ! or than you. fear
she has no suspicion of her position,
or of the blow that must fall upon
her. suppose, sir, the thinps in the
house are hers believe she thinks
they ;re-I mean Independent of her
hus band"
"The thing in the house" he
enhoed. "There'e not the worth of
this tuching a china carp basket on
the table, "belonging to her All
must come TO the hammer. If she
has no fortune apart from him she's
penniless. 1t would be charitable
for you 10 acquant her with her
position; better let her know the
wors, al once In ten minutes
man will be III possession to see that
nothing in the house is removed
Mr.. Williamson turned 10 depart.
IIa h,I not s.t b,, n.,l stood
away, at first, the chair offered him.
Maria stepped after him. Sir she
whispered, "you will have compass
sion on him for his wife's sake? Do
not be more harsh with him than
you can avoid"
"He should have thought of his
wife. If we suffer our clerks to rob
us with impunity, and decline TO
punish them out of compassion TO
their wives, where should We our
selves soon be-"
Too true. Maria sat with folded
hands again, and Mrs. Letsom came
creeping in at the inner door.
"What did he want? What is
the matter. Maria, how strange y
you are looklng?"
"Take this" she sighed, handing
her the letter she mad concealed. 81
kept it from his view; but it would
have mattered little had he seen it,
for he knows more than it can tell.
Frances, | have sad tidings. How
shall | impart them to you?"
A cold, stony hue rose TO and
shaded Mrs. Letsom's face. SIS he
dead?' she grasped.
"No, not dead not i'll. 1t is
\ different evil-disgrace.
"I'm sure don't know what you
would insinuate, returned Mrs, Let
som, almost deevishlyr Cant you
speak out?"
ale has taken money that was not
his"
"Money!" repeated Mrs. Letsom
in terrified whisper. "Of theirs?
How much?"
"a great deal, | fear. Thousands"
The blow seemed for the moment
almost to over power Frances Let
SONS faculties. But her first col.
lected feeling was for herself. She
had not lost her innate selfishne
"They cannot touch my home, as
Alfred said the furniture and all in
it is mine. 1t was settled upon me-"
"Mr. Williamson says nothing
whatever in it is yours, and In few
\ minutes a man will Do sent to remain
in possession. am grieved to tell
you, Frances; but il is better you
should be prepared. Mr., William
son would not say you had no claim
to it without good grounds"
Mrs. Letsom walked up to a ma
hogany desk, unlocked it, and took
ont roll of bvnk notes cat any
rate, ! will secure this" she said, at
is the money he spoke of in his let
ter-forty or fifty pounds" And
Maria closed her eyes and ears. she
could not countenance the dishonesty,
but she could not inform against
Mrs. Letsom.
"Maria what is to become Of me
when this is spent, if he does not
come back?" 1t was question that
could not be answered. "Maria,"
she passiouately continued abandon
ing her SORROW without reserve, 81
was in a hurry to snatch Alfred from
you, and this is my punishment"
Maria was too generous to add to
her remorse; but she could have re