The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-06-30
Baronet's strange conduct to us all

.'Oh, yes, | have, grandma" STAIN
mered out Tony: for you see, Sir
Logllen has a great horror of gambl-
ing; and believing that Sydney was
confirmed gambler, Ee--Now you
understand, grandma that's air.
land that is all?' demanded Mrs.
Willoughby.
Yes" stammered Tony; II can't
think Of anything else"
Mrs. Willoughby fixed on him
stern and angry look, which Tony
we'll understood.
THAT isl mean-Ir' and Tony was
suffering harder than ever Il can
see, grandma, that you won't stand
any nonsense, now, and that l must
tell you everything"
Eyes, everything!' said Mrs. Will
oughby. "Come, speak quicl4ly-What
have yet to learn!'
And then Tony said, that the story
his grandmother had been told, to ac-
count for Sydney's leaving the bank,
was all an invention; and revealed to
lier how, and under what condemning
circumstances, the poor young man
had been dismissed from his employ
ment, branded as thief.
And when she had heard all the ter
rible story, Mrs. Willoughby stood for
several moments trembling beneath an
agitation which had rendered her in
capable of uttering even q cry.
Her grandSOnS, in great alarm, hur-
ried to, and supported her; and, pres
emily a burst of tears came to relieve
her sorely- stricken heart.
And soon she spoke; and looking
pityingly through her tears from che
to the other of her grandSOnS, eXclllm-
ed Poor, dear boys! how greatly D'Th
of you must have suffered!' and thew
her arms around them, and drew them
to her bosom
And the brothers, they, too wept-
thankful. grateful tears.
Il was certain, grandmother, sob
bed Sydney, ''you would not believe
that | could be thief
IF you had been guilty, Sydney, you
would not have dared ever again to
appear before me"
That's it, grandmother You have
hit it!'' shouted Tony; and with first
one and then the other Of his coat
sleeves trying to wipe away his tears.
When all had grown a little calmer:
Ana so, Sydney" said Mrs. Willough
by, this baronet was at the bank
when
y
severed, when his grandmother had
stopped abruptly. and she, also,
grandmother was therer'
"Sher' exclaimed Mrs. Willoughby,
not clearly understanding who was the
particular she.
Eyes, She grandmother" interposed
Tony; mo need to mention names,
and he pointed significantly, first to
the door of the room and then toward
the street You know very we'll. She,
the steamboat-that Sydney has fallen
in love WITH
Tony had not very clearly explained
himself; but, of course, his grandmoth-
er had easily comprehended that it
was not the steamboat which had been
the object of Sydney's affection; and
she said to him, ''You loved that young
gill?"
q love her stillH' Sydney sadly re-
piled.
And remembering what the baronet
had proposed, THAT marriage had
then, been arranged by you? Mrs.
Willoughby exclaimed.
And her grandsons were amazed at
her words, and asked her to explain
their meaning.
Mrs. Willoughby, seeing that she had
gone too far. desired that she might be
no further questioned.
''Only one word-a single word,
gran'ma," pleaded Tony. DO you
mean to say that Sydney might have
married Miss Frances O'Meara?"
YES" replied Mrs. Willoughby.
And that one little word drove Sgd
ney almost mad; for now, he raved, all
hope that she could ere be his was
gone-forever lost to him!
Eyes" said his grandmother, mourn
fully, "you heard the baronet."
ITO be sure he did, cried Tony,
breaking out all at once; land you may
as we'll hear me; for if you have lost
all hope, you two, l haven't! What
the old baronet wanted with you,
grandmother, and what he said to you,
| don't know and l don't want to
know. / only want what mean to see
done;'' and then, taking his brothers
hand, Tony continued, Sydney, old
fellow, you might have married Fran
ceS O'Meara; her uncle has taken her
from you; and l will give her back to
your
Sydney shook his head.
''Put | will, l tell you!" exclaimed
Tony. ''We've been fast asleep! A
man feels at his heart that he is down
right honest, and he lets the world say
what it likes about him-all wrong.
I'll do more now than hunt engravefS
and jewelers. shops, for I'll rummage
every corner of the world till | rave
found the skulking thief that 0ares
not show his nose to usr'
ITO discover the real thief wonid be
impossible" Sydney said.
And Tony's reply was that it did not
matter to him how impossible it was,
provided he should be able to do it.
And ba IvaS datnrminod that Sydney