The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-03-16
4 C.SUST.

Marsden's Withdrawal from London
have IcTer been properly explained. BIS
disappearance excited some comaeat,
for, although Iarsdea WAS ty profss-
sion . subordinate, 1t EaG been lis hG-
NOR to occupy positions Of direction, il
his spare time as relaxation from his
moro serious tel. .Te wa q well known
political organizer and speaker as We'll
as an occasional contributor upa4 eG3-
IclHic questions to the monthly reviews.
BY day he was employed at al Office il
Corli.ill. It was there that made lis
acquaintance. Gar dpEies brought Us q
good deal to.ather, and a considerable
intimacy sprans I'd between Us. Mars
Gcn's relations were all dead, and he
was once coed enough to say that Ivas
the only friend he possessed i. tie
whole world.
Things were II this condition when I
called o,ls rish5 Ct n,y employers pri-
vate house on a business matter that bad
been overlooked. [ was shown into tho
drawing room From al adjoining
apartment corla hear at intervals tire
voices of two men IL violent alteration.
After atine Nj. Henderson appeared III
the drawing rooGl and asked me to &C
company him into the other room. Ern-
est Marsden, the only occupant. received
me with q grateful smile.
81 have asked yea tota,se part il this
conversation. said NY employer. '.be-
cause l believeyea to lie a FRIEND Of 1sIr.
MaYsden's and likely to advise lin
helpfully a5 very critical moment il
his career. You We're away this after
noon from tho Office and are therefore
ignorant OF what has occurred. | have
been robbed, and your friend is the only
possible culprie At half past IL today
an mount Of SEQ was paid to me per-
sonally in gold and notes. Before going
out I locked it up III the safe in my pri-
vate room, a safe to which you ard Mr..
Marsdcn have the only other keys. Mr..
Marsden, whom / left AZ work in NY
room, went out about ten minutes Later.
l am assured by the clerks III the oater
Office that 40 one else entered the room
during my absence. l retained in half
an hour. The safe was locked, but when
l opened it found that the gold (Gio)
had disappeared. have told Mr.. Mars
den that if he will make a clean breast
Of everything and restore tie money he
may retire from my employment quiet
ly and without scandal"
This statement upset me a good deal.
I hoped, Of curse, that my friend could.
clear himself of the accusation. Nv OWL
position in the matter was mono too
pleasant. Although I had had leave OF
absence for tho Gay. | lad been obliged
to come back fer lay parse, which, by g
strange oversight, | had left III the
pocket of my office jacket. Unfortunate
" l had returned to the Office about
1880 O'Clock. Finding tie door Of Mr..
Henderson's sanctum unlocled-the
door, | mean, opening directly into the
PASSAGE had slipped III and out with
out apparently those i'll the outer Office
having noticed Ely return. Marsden,
however, had net me upon the stairs.
10 make things more ugly, l had that
very day come into the possession of a
sum OF money under circumstances that
could not have been made public. To
my great relief. Marsden made no refer
ence to u meeting, although aware,
no doubt, of the effect it would have Il.
diverting suspicion from himself.
The scene that followed was a very
painful one. Marsden insisted upon his
innocence, and bitter speeches passed on
both sides. | fancled at one time during
a lull in the storm that l caught the
sound Of some II weeping i'll the next
room. The conference broke up, having
come to no conclusion. Mr.. Henderson,
whom contradiction always dashed into
a fury, followed Marsden into the hall,
threatening him with exposure and
imprisonment. Suddenly the drawing
room door burst open, and a tall, proud
looking girl swept into the hall. | will
not attempt to repeat verbatim what she
said. Some of it has escaped ne, and
the rest, without her dark eyes and iGl-
FASHIONED bearing, seems ordinary
enough. Marsden had proposed to her a
year previously and had been refused.
His constancy in the face of every dis
c~ouragement had touched her deeply,
and lately she had come to realize that
her feelings toward him We're complete
~ changed. Under ordinary circum-
stances she would have waited for him
to address her again. Of his continual
devotion he had given her many eIo-
quent, it silent, demonstrations, and
now that his fortunes We're at their low
est she asked as a favor to be allowed to
stand by his side and to fight his battles
against all the world. AT the end of this
inconceivabie elevation of manner, the
girl wOuld nave huno harSalf nnon hor