The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29

decide to leave it,
Then, l suppose, l may consider myself
dlsmissed?" said Harold sharply, reaching
for his nat, with hand that shook little
NO. don't go yet" I said Il have some
thing else to say to you. have another
proof here that Mr.. Arraitage is innocent"
proof echoed Harold, with an air of
evaporation, throwing down his hat and
facing me again.
We'll Mollie. ] knew you to be romantic
and unbusiness- like; but this is little in
consistent, even for you, Why in the world
II You really do hold proofs of the fellows
innocence, should you so out of your way to
ask me, as a favor, to stop the proceedings
against him?"
| did not answer, for the explanation would
have seemed e very poor one to Harold, the
pugnance to mentioning the matter of the
flowers to him at all, 1 had resolved to try
all other methods first, and reserve this, my
trump card in case of failure.
Now I produced, very reluctantly the paper
with my address written on it by Mr. Arm-
tase, and held it up before my cousin.
This L said, is Mr.. Armtage's writing
Alison has identified it-and, you will
see, it was posted in London on December
24th'
Harold took the paper from me, and his lip
curled with a sneer.
'Oh, indeedl' he said. so you have al
ready corresponded With the gentleman! I
begin to understand the extraordinary in
terest you have taken all along in this af-
fair; at first, I confess, it puzzled me a
little.'
1 tried to make an indignant denial, but
the words would not come, and Harold went
on ccolly-
But, sorry as 1 am to disappoint you, I
must tell you that your boosted proof is
worth nc more than that"
He tore the paper twice across, and threw
the pieces, with vicious spitefulness, down on
the floor fixing his eyes on rue meanwhile
to note the effect.
But J. only turned away contemptuously
without speaking and he continued
There are at least. dozen ways of dis
posing of such proof as this-even If the
writing is his. The packet may have been
addressed beforehand and left to be posted
by an accomplice, as a clever blind be-
SIDES it remains to be if it was not
possible, after ALL for your friend to reach
London after the robbery in time to post it
himself
Then, without another word he quilted the
room.
Two more days passed without anything
fresh occurring in connection with the affair
that filed my thoughts
And then something happened that turned
all my anxiety into joy, and set my heart
beating madly with triumphant happiness.
Aunt Lucy was lying in bed one morning,
nursing her old enemy-a nervous headache
and I was breakfasting in moody solitude,
when the letters were brought in.
one OF CQerQ, IN a SQdDDy anu TdllcI ullIy
envelope, addressed, in very bad writ
ing and worse spelling to myself.
The poStmark very lndistlnct, and /
puzzled it for few moments, anus
ing myself by trying to guess at my mys-
ferrous and illiterate correspondent, then
tore it OPEN and read the following
"Melverton
Miss Mollie-i hope you'll forgive the lib
erty take riting to you, which never shud
if them i knows on ad beyaved as they ad
ort to. Now, miss, you'll wonder what this
letter is about. 1t is about your aunt's jewils,
that was stole Xmas twel month. Miss, if
you want to know were they are they are in
Jim Davis old pormanter, in his mothers
cottlge, at Melverton. Jim alwas was
soft and he didn't know what to do with
them when he got them you rimember Jim
as KEEP kompany with wen was with you.
sest he ad Them but sed wouldn't tell,
and never shud if he ad acted square and
straightforward; but that Emily Carter
never coud abide--a bod-faced hussy Well
she wont do him good that's one con1fot,
nor the jewils nyther, and i hope you'll get
them back safe. Now, miss, it won't be no
use to try and find me out to asst more
questions, becoS i've sed all i meme to say
and by the time you get this shall be gone.
So no more at present from your faithful
and obedient servent
SARAH HAWKINS
"P. ST sed id pay him out, and ave; but
miss, if you can let jim off should be glad,
i don't wish him TO arm
81 have wor-I have won't I exclaimed.
aloud in infinite glee as 1 finished reading
this extraordinary epistle; and, in my glad
ness of heart quite loved Sarah Hawkins
and even forgave her on the spot for having
kept her lovers guilty secret for more than
a year, since she had at last put it into my
power to undo the mischief that it had
caused.
Forgetful of my scarce-tasted breakfast, I
put Sarah's letter in my pocket, and went