The Saint Paul globe., 1898-04-24

1TDSEeDcBeDtSe1E1 1E1eDDV0S
der at once for me from the shops you know
me to be in the habit of patronizing a we'd
ding gown of dainty white taffeta q did
the wedding dress 1 helped her buy and
which was, as you may remember of cream
white satin), with chiffon trimmings and a
wedding veil of tulle. Add to this dress
suitable for ocean travel and half dozen
costumes adapted to a Southern climate.
Let everything be suitable for delicate
but spirited girl who has seen trouble, but
who is going to be happy now If little
attention and money can make her so. Do
not spare expense yet show no extrava-
ganee, for she is shy bird, easily fright
ened. The measurements you will find in
closed; also those of another young lady,
her sister, who must also be supplied with
white dress, the material of which, how
ever, had better be of Grape.
All these things must be here by Wednes-
Gay evening, my own best dress included.
On Saturday evening you may look for my
return. shall bring the latter young lady
with me, so your present loneliness will be
made up to you by an agreeable guest.
Faithfully yours, Amelia Butterworth
The second letter was g. longer and
more important one. 1t was directed to
the president OF the company which
had proposed to send Mr.. Ostrander to
South America. In ii I related enough
of the circumstances which had kept
Mr.. OstraMd der In x. to interest him in
the young couple personally, and then
/ told him that, if he would forgive
Mr.. Ostrander this delay and allow
him to sail with his young bride by
the next steamer I myself would un-
dertake to advance whatever sums
might have been endangered by this
delay.
i did not know then that Mr.. Gryce
had already made this matter good
with this same gentleman.
The next morning we all took a walk
in the lane. Il say nothing about the
night. If I did not choose to sleep
or if I had any cause not to feel quite
as elevated as the young people about
ne, there is surely no reason why
should dwell upon it with you or even
apologize for a weakness that is,
hope, but the exception setting off my
customary strength.
Now a walk n this lane was an
event. To feel at liberty to stroll among
it's shadows without fear, to know that
the danger had been SO located that
we all felt free to inhale the autumn
air and to enjoy the beauties of the
place without a thought of lurking
trouble in it's sweetest hooks and most
attractive coverts, gave to this short
half-hour distinctive delight aptly
expressed by Loreen when she said:
II never knew the place was sc
beautiful. Why 1 think I can be hap
py here now" At which Lucetta grew
pensive, till I reused her by saying:
$50 much for a constitutional, girls
Now we must to work. This house, as
you see it now, has to be prepared fol
a wedding. William, your business
will be to see that these grounds are
put in as good order as can be done in
lox r
and Loreen'-
But William had a word to say fol
himself.
Miss Butterworth," said he, you're
a right good sort of a woman, as Sara
cen has found out, and we, too, in
trouble here. But I'm not such a bad
lot either, and if 1 do like my own
way, which may not be other peoples
way, and If am sometimes short with
sense, I have a little decency about
me, too, and l say I will fix these
grounds, and out of my own money
too. Now that nine-tenths of our In
come does not have to go abroad we'll
have chink enough to let us go respect
able once more in a place where one
horse, If he's good enough, will give a
fellow standing and make him the
envy Of even those who for some other
pesky reasons may think themselves
called on to hoot him. don't be-
grudge the old place a few dollars, es-
pecially as I mean to live and die In
it, so look out, you three women folks,
and work lively as you can on the in
side of the old rookery or the slick
ness of the outside will put you to
open shame, and that would never
please Loreen, nor, as I take it, Miss
Butterworth, either"
i
accept, especially as from the number
Of persons we now saw come fiocking
into the lane it was very apparent that
we should experience no further diff
Guilty in obtaining any help we might
need to carry out our undertakings.
Meantime my thoughts were not al
together concentrated even upon these
pleasing plans for Lucetta's benefit.
There were certain points yet to be
made clear in the matter, whose ter
mination still lay heavy on my heart,
and there was a confession for me to
make, without which I could not face
Mr.. Gryce with all that unwaverlng
ccmposure which our peculiar relations
seemed to demand.
The explanations came first. They
were volunteered by Mr.. Gryce, whom
I met in the course of the morning at
Mother James cottage. She had been
perfectly happy all night, sleeping
with the coin in her hand and waking
to again devour 1t with her greedy but
loving eyes. AS we were looking at
her and Mr.. Gryce directing with his
hand the movements of the men who
had come to smooth down her garden
and make it presentable again, the de-
tective spoke:
81 suppose you have been wondering
how this old woman came to have
those mementoes of the crimes which
took place up there. Well, we have
figured it out thus: The trinket from
the peddler's pack she probably stole
from that pack before it was found by
the villagers and given up to the prop
er authorities. The other, the ring,
has a different history, and the finding
Of 1t in Mother James possession can
only be explained by a series of causes
so bizarre that they must ever rank as
among the most remarkable that have
ever adorned the annals of our police
register. Should I give it out as a
puzzle you could never answer it. How
could ring which was on the finger
of Mr. - five minutes before he van
ished from the light of the sun for
ever pass from the mouth of that old
well into Mother James hand a half
mile away without compromising Mr..
Trohm In the eyes Gf mortal man, or
even Mother Jane, who was as innocent
~ fv hiC ,