The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-02-20
A CASUIST.

The circumstances that led to Ernest
Marsden's withdrawal from London
have never been properly explained. His
disappearance excited some comment,
for, although Marsden was by profess
sion a subordinate, it had been his hui
NOR to occupy positions of direction in
his spare time as relaxation from his
more serious toll He was we'll known
political organizer and speaker as we'll
as an occasional contributor upon eco
nomio questions to the monthly reviews.
By day he was employed at an office in
Cornhill. 1t was there that 1 made his
acquaintance. Our duties brought us q
good deal together, and considerable
intimacy sprang up between us. Mars
denis relations were all dead, and he
was once good enough to say that was
the only friend he possessed in the
whole world.
Things were in this condition when /
called one night at my employers pri-
vate house on business matter that had
been overlooked. I was shown into the
drawing room. From an adjoining
apartment could hear at intervals the
voices of two men In violent alteration.
After time Mr.. Henderson appeared in
the drawing room and asked me to ao-
company him into the other room. Ern-
est Marsden, the only occupant, received
me with grateful smile.
81 have asked you to take part in this
conversation, said my employer. "be-
cause / believe you to be friend of Mr..
Marsden's and likely to advise him
helpfully at very critical moment in
his career. You were away this after
noon from the office and are therefore
ignorant of what has occurred. / have
been robbed, and your friend is the only
possible oulprit At half past 10 today
an amount of eco was paid to me per-
sonally In gold and notes Before going
out I locked it up In the safe in my pri-
vate room. safe to which you and Mr.
Marsden have the only other keys. Mr..
Marsden, whom l left at work in my
room, went out about ten minutes later.
I am assured by the clerks in the outer
office that no one else entered the room
during my absence. returned in half
an hour. The safe was locked, but when
I opened it I found that the gold R40)
had disappeared / have told Mr.. Mars
den that If he will make clean breast
Of everything and restore the money he
may retire from my employment quiet
ly and without scandal.
This statement upset me good deal
hoped, Of course, that my friend could
clear himself of the accusation. My own
position in the matter was none too
pleasant, Although had had leave of
absence for the day, had been obliged
to como back for my purse, which, by q
strange oversight, l had left in the
pocket of my office jacket. Unfortunate
ly had returned to the Office about
1890 O'Clock. Finding the door Of Mr..
Hendersons sanctum unlocked-the
door, mean, opening directly into the
passage had slipped In and out with
out apparently those In the outer office
having noticed my return. Marsden,
however, had met me upon the stairs
To make things more ugly, I had that
very day come into the possession Of
sum of money under circumstances that
could not have been made public. To
my great relief, Marsden made no refer
ence to our meeting, although aware,
no doubt, of the effect 1t would have In
diverting suspicion from himself.
The scene that followed was very
painful one. Marsden insisted upon his
innocence, and bitter speeches passed on
both sides. fancied ut one time during
o lull in the storm that I caught the
sound of some one weeping in the next
room. Tho conference broke up, having
come to no conclusion. Mr.. Henderson,
whom contradiction always dashed into
O fury, followed Marsden into the hall,
threatening him with exposure and
Imprisonment. Suddenly the drawing
room door burst open, and tall, proud
looking girl swept into the hall will
not attempt to repeat verbatim what she
said. Some of 1t has escaped me. and
the rest, without her dark eyes and Inn
FASHIONED bearing, seems ordinary
enough. Marsden had proposed to her
year previously and had been refused.
His constancy in the face Of every dis
couragement had touched her deeply,
and lately she had come to realize that
her feelings toward him were complete
ly changed. Under ordinary circum-
stances she would have waited for him
to address her again. OF his continual
devotion ho had given her many elo-
quent, II silent, demonstrations, and
now that his fortunes were at their low
est she asked as favor to BIO allowed to
stand by his side and to fight his battles
against all the world. At the end Of this
speech, which was delivered with an
inoonceivable elevation Of manner, the
girl would have flung herself upon her
lovers breast, but he repulsed her with
O strange gesture. Don't touch me,
LucyP' he cried passionately. II stole
it."
Two hours later / went round to
Marsden's lodgings, for, in spite Of his
confession, l felt sure that my friend
was not guilty of this base thing. !
found him busily engaged putting his
belongings together.
II am glad you have come" he said
after an embarrassing silence. "Other
people may think what they like. but I
could not bear that you should consider
me thief.
"But the confession?' stammered
"Sit down." Marsden replied. land
l will explain everything. I"
His explanation was briefly thisi
Twelve months before he had made Miss
Henderson an offer of marriage under
the impression that the girl was madly
devoted to him. Whether he loved her
he was not at that time sure. Within
week of his rejection-he had been re-
fused--he knew for certain that he did
not. After that he had met Lucy Hem
derson frequently and had found the
mixture of friendliness and pity with
which she treated him exactly to his
fancy. He knew that the girl thought
she had darkened his existence forever,
and he had encouraged her In this no.
ton. He felt that he was acting the
part Of a glorified Major Dobbin and