The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-23
: The MISSING NOTE.

possibleI
Yet appearances were against her--he
acknowledged himself doubtful as to her
innocence-but how he loved her even I'M
der tho shadow Of his Doubt
The note for a10o, 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 II afraid of
discovery, down by the alder hedge in a re-
mote corner Of the grounds.
Marjorie had protested her innocence.
She owned to having handled the note
when Squire Redfern touched 1t with his
gum brush, but declared positively that 1t
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 IL she had not again entered the
squirrels study, she had blushed and stam-
mered, as IL the recollection were painful,
that she had passed through the apart
ments 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 stain on her character, T" his cousin
Adele had remarked. 81 am sorry for you
and her-it is very mysterious and un-
pleasant affair all through"
Something about her tone had annoyed
him, and he had bluntly observed:
"You don't know anything about this
matter, AdoleYh
She had flared up instantly, and with an
air becoming tragedy queen cried:
"Do you suppose l have taken the note,
Charles Redfernp AS IL I should stoop to
run away with paltry a100, when papa
would grant me that fof the mere askingp
That was three days ago, but nothing
further had been brought to light Mar.
jorie had fastened homo by tho earliest
train on tho morning after the disappear
anco of the money, refusing to be escorted
by her nance, and today he had received
back the ring and little note begging of
him to FREQ 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 girlsP Some peculiar
ity in its careful patching together by a
previous owner, and as the note had only
come into his possession a little while be-
fore he hi failed to take its number,
Was this miserable patch Of paper to
part him from the girl he adoredP No;
not 100 similar notes. And yet how he
longed to solve tho mystery, how he hun
gercd to clear 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 ii
was apparently no mystory-Marjorie had
stolen the note and was q thief pure and
simple.
But Charles was unwearied In his at
tempts to trace tho whereabouts of the
missing note, for the more no pondered
over the matter the moro no felt convinced
that his lovely sweetheart was innocent of
the theft.
He had written, but no answer was ao-
corded him; he had wandered about the
lanes near his adored ones home, but had
returned by late train with his wish I'M
gratifed.
What had become of the noteP When
Marjorie's thoughts rushed back to that
miserable day, she seemed to sec Adele
Fosbank with q sinister expression Of face
hooking her. Bravely 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 unburden her mind OF
the trouble which was crushing out the
fair young life. Brokenly the dreadful
story was told to the sympathetic listener.
my 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
instinctiyely that some good would come
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. Fane's motherly heart went out at
once when she beheld the haggard face of
the squire's son, for she knew at once the
extent of his suffering.
"How is Marjorief' he faltered, after a
customary exchange of commonplace.
Have you solved this mystery YETI I
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 sayS" 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 ledgerP''
she asked, quite feverishly,
This notion seemed so feasible that
Charles proposed an examination then and
there, Mrs. Fame begging to DO 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, as II to read its secret in the pa
pered walls. Then her eyes rested for q
moment on the table.
With a sudden cry she turned to Charles,
and, pointing to mark on the polished
mahogany surface, askedi
1.-THE desk has been removed has 1t mott
Here Is its outline-it must have been
pushed asidef'
He lifted the desk In his strong arms,
but the excited lady gasped: "No, no, 1t is
not there. I thought 1t might have been
removed when the desk was pushed from
its usual position"
With the desk still In his arms he ran
his fingers under the surface, and sure
enough their sensitive tips met the flimsy
creases of tho missing note, the gum from
tho squirrels BRUSH as he playfully pointed
it out to the girls, enabling it to stick to
the bottom OF the desk.
LOOK under the deskl" Charles cried,
holding the article in position, and Mrs.
Fame, bending slightly, discovered the lost
note.-London Telegraph.