Middletown transcript., 1898-02-12

"And now you must promise me thai
GrBce shall never know what am go
ing to tell you."
gave bin the PR mise.
Swear that you will never tell heI
and that you will be the same to hel
always as you are to-day. She is 6
dear good girl, the one person in the
world wh0 believes in me aud cares fol
me. You ara both provided for, and
after his day you will never see me
again"
stared at him, and he hell out his
hand tn me.
"SWear what | have asked you; by
all that you hold sacred swear"
took his hand and complied with
his wish.
"Why shall We not see you againt"
asked when he had resumed his seat.
He laughed. Then, selecting pen
from a small collection on. writing
table, he wrote on the back of an en-
velope and tossed the paper over to me.
"What is that ?" he asked, and l
looked upon it with amazement.
"It is my signature" 1 faltered.
IAN imitation of my signature"
SIT is forgery is it notp"
"Yes, but don't quite see the drift
Of the business.
"The business speaks for itself, my
dear fellow" And he tossed his
cigar end into the CRATE. "It is my
business am a forgerW There was
pause. Sharp was smiling, while l
felt as if some Une we're pouring ice
water down the small of my back. l
could only murmur, "You are for
geIl'
Listen! You know of course, that
Gracie's mother was my sister. The
Sharps were poor as church mice, and
my father, a strict old parson, got me
i&to a London Office when l was a
mere boy. l shall not drivel about
temptation and so on. Be it enough to
say that my talent for drawing and
penmanship made me friendless for
life before 1 was II years of age. To
be quite plain with you, I spent the
halcyon days of dawning manhood in
Portland prison. Oracle knows moth.
ing of this, and no member of my FAM
lily had heard of me for years until
came to the rescue of my sister when
old Fairleigh died, for 1 was well of
then. Fairleigh was not insured, and
left my sister bad off, and so I helped
her out and paid for Gracie's educa-
tion.
"The story goes that made my
money in Anne RIGA, but 1 am able to
correct that sta: cement for your benefit.
On my release from prison, l threw in
my lot with two of the most daring
criminals of the high gradey and al.
though we have had some narrow
shaves in our time, we were never cap
tured.
"Since Oracle came to live with me
(her mother, as you know, died year
ago) have often feared that by some
odd chance l might be run to earth,
and set to work to get her settled in
time in position that she had always
enjoyed. would rather die than she
should know me for the william 1 have
been.
"Thanks to you this will never hap
pen now. In few days you will hear
that have gone abroad. 1 shall die
there officially, and you will hear of me
no more. 1t will be your part to assist
me in deceiving Grace in this one mat
ter. You have married lady and one
who will do you credit.'
A tap came at the door, and my
lovely young wife walked into the
room. 1 was looking and feeling con-
fused.
"Ihave been giving Jack some whole
some advice, my dear,' said Sharp,
coming to my rescue. Then in sterner
voice and looking very hard at me:
"He will love and cherish you, dear, as
have DONE. He has sworn to do so. -
Grace threw her arms about his neck.
This man had taught her to love him
very dearly. The carriage was a. the
door, and Sharp give me no charce OF
speaking to him again. Tears were
glistening in his eyes as he watched his
niece getting into the cab, but he did
not offer his hand to me. He only laid
it on my shoulder and whi pered, "Re-
member"
M any years have passed away, and !
am living in London again. My name
is household word in the world Of
medicine. Oracle and my daughters
and sons are received with pleasure
and respect in many a fashionable
drawing room. There are times, how
ever. when, seat ed alone in my study,
my thoughts wander back to a vista OF
years, and my conscience tells me that
my success was founded on the COM
pounding Of felony; that am still, in
spite of title, wealth and respectability
the accomplice Of that strange man
who passed out Of my life forever on
the night bade him farewell at Rose
Villa so long, long ago.
California.
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