The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-01-08

.sHe means me-" said Jennie to Miss
Guthrie, with prompt resentment. But
he saws next month he'll come on here
business viii require it as well rs pleas
ure-pay us ten days visit and take us
home Then you'll come, too, won't
YOU. Nitay'' But Miss Guthrie shook
her head.
you promised u.s." said Mrs. Holden
reproachfully: "and Rolfe won't be there
TO worry you this time," she faltered.
Hes going to take a long leave and go
abroad"
But even that" wrote Jennie to her
hege, did not seem 10 comfort her. She
saws she will never. probably, visit Paw
nee again; and know well as can be it
is all on account of that terrible fright.
What can there have been behind it all?
Now that the Twelfth is coming home
and YOU have everything running
smoothly, don't you think it possible TO
find ont something about that strange
affair? You have never written a word.
and | can see Nita's eyes questioning
me every time she knows | have let
ter. The other day was in her room,
and looking over some old albums that
/ drew from the bottom of desk l came
across a picture of hers just like the one
that is in the little silver frame on the
toilet table in her room at Pawnee, ex-
cept that this was blurred and worn.
why, Nitar / cried unthinkingly, as
she entered, L thought you told me mine
was the only one left of this kind and
here's one that looks as if it might have
been worn next some fellows heart and
been kissed a million and then |
stopped short and dropped it, for she had
turned white as death and was stretching
out her hands. Where did you find thaty
she whispered at last. Between the
leaves Of this old album said. 1t was
lying there loosely 1 had not seen it
for six years. Thought | had burned it
with
"And then she broke off suddenly and
shuddered, but seized it and took it
away If she would only talk to me of
Jack; but she will not, even though !
know that ever since the suicide of Mr..
Percival last August Mr.. Guthrie has
been working day and night reopening
the old matter. All the friends of the
Guthries are now more than ever conf
dent that Jack was absolutely innocent
that Mr.. Percival as president of the
bank had made away with those missing
funds and securities and charged it to
Jack and to his friend Harold Worden.
An effort has been made to get at Mr..
Percivars papers, all of them, but his
widow is still so broken that she cannot
be seen by any one, say her physicians.
1t is believed she knows something of
the inner history of the whole case, and
that she is striving TO hide what she
knows for her children's sake. OF
course people say she has behaved very
ll-that she ought to sell and restore to
the bank real estate and property that
from time to time Mr.. Percival had set
tied upon her. But she only goes into
Mysteries when lawyers are mentioned.
Mr.. Guthrie is now in a highly nerv-
ons and excitable state, which natural
ly reacts upon Nita. ] wish we could
get her away from here. He went west,
you remember, when he left her with
finding some trace of Mr.. Worden, so
learn now, and TO urge the immediate
return to st. Louis of Jacks old and in
innate friend to demand justice at the
hands of the Percivals, for he was
ruined irretrievably by Perciyals accu-
sation when dismissed from the bank.
But he has vanished utterly, and know
hot Ttax h.a. a.,1, f-f.- T. :.
dead A detective agency has been at
work for months, and twice of late men
have come to the house asking if it were
not possible to find somewhere a picture
of Mr.. Worden; but Nita says none ex-
ist that she knows of. believe that
she burned all that she had.
why will she not trust me and tell
me about it-she who used to have no
secret frum ms? We know that he was
deeply in love with her and that she was
believed to care for him, but there was
a fearful scene between him and Mr..
Guthrie over poor Jacks body. The
old gentleman was wild with grief, and
in his misery he upbraided Worden us
the cause of it all-accused him of be-
cealing the crime at the expense of
Jacks life and honor. Possibly he did
believe it then, but since Percivals
death everything is changed. believe
he would give all he owns TO make
amends to Worden now, and sometimes
! think that that is what is killing Nita."
THAT that is what is killing Nita,'"
Io1l 1,.1f IL
as he pondered over the word. Then a
sound at the door attracted him. He
glanced mp quickly.
''Oh. come in, sergeant. did not
hear you knock"
Il beg youT pardon, sir" was the an
swer, in Ellis deep voice. faint flush
rising TO his pale, black bearded face
Il knocked twice at the outer door, and
then, knowing the doctor to be here,
ventured into the hall. Am too early.
sir:'
You are just in time. Come in. Shut
that door and sit down. How's the arm
TO day, Ellis"
Obediently the tall trooper had stepped
within and closed the door, but he still
remained erect, shade of hesitation in
his manner. 1.-The arm seems doing
well, sir
And yet you yourself do not pick up
as could wish. Take that chair, Ellis;
We shall not be interrupted, and want
to talk with You about your case. You
have won honor and troops of friends in
this campaign. and when the regimen;
gets back and they find you pale and
languid, SO utterly unlike yourself and
unfit to take your duties as first sergeant,
they will say was at fault Can't stand
that, you know, SO | have spoken to
Major Kenyon about the matter, and he
has directed that Won move out of the
hospital forthwith and under my roof
No; keep your seat. You are to report
to me for special duty in making up the
field papers and repCIts, and shall need
you right here where can supervise il
all aud look after You"
For a moment the two men sat gazing
straight into each others eyes. Then
again. trembling slightly. Ellis strove to
rise.
DIR. Holden, II ought not to take
advantage of this. Indeed | cannot"
That viii do, sir, was the quietly
smiling reply. Orders are orders, SER
geant, and being patient You are
doubly under mine. What's more, YOU
can ask no question until that chevron
is replaced by the shoulder strap. Ellis,
under what name shall the officers of the |
Twelfth ask that you be made one of
their NUMBER"