Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03

one word I had come there to say
Agatha, l have done you great wrong
and L am here to undo it. For months
have felt driven to confession. but not till
| today have l possessed the necessary cour.
age. Now nothing shall hinder me-"
said this because / saw in both Mr.. Gill
christ and Philemon a disposition to STOP
me where l was. Indeed, Mr.. Gilchrist had
risen on his elbow, and Philemon was max
Ing that pleading gesture of his which we
know 50 well Agatha alone looked eager
What is it?' she cried. Il have a right to
know" l went to the door, shut it and
stood with my back against 1t. figure OF
shame and despair. Suddenly the confess
sion burst from me. Agatha" said l.
why, did you, you break with my brother
James! Because you thought him guilty
OF theft; because you believed he took the
5000 out of the sum intrusted to him by
Mr. Orr for your father? Agatha, it was
not James who did this, it was l. and
James knew it and bore the blame of my
msdoings because he was always a loyal
soul and took account of my weakness and
knew, alas, too we'll that open shame
would kill me-"
1t was a weak plea and merited no reply
but the silence was SO dreadful and lasted
so long that L felt first crushed and then
terrified. Raising my head for | had not
dared to look any OF them in the face, l
cast one glance at the group before me and
dropped my head again. startled. Only
one of the three was looking a. me- and
that was Agatha. The others had their
heads turned aside, and 1 thought, or rather
the passing fancy took me that they
shrank from meeting her gaze with some
thing of the same shame and dread ] was
myself suffering from. But she Can |
ever nope to make you realize her look or
comprehend the pang of utter SeIf-abase Sc
ment with which | succumbed before il
1t was so terrible that | seemed to hear
her utter words. though | am sure she did
not speak: and with some wild idea of
SteInminS the torrent Of her reproaches [
made an effort at explanation and impetu-
odsLy cried: 1t was not for my own good
Agatha. not altogether for self | did this
ioVed you also mad1y, despairingly, and
good brother as I seem ed | was Jealous pe
James and hoped to take his place II your
regard If | could show a greater prosperiiy-
and obtain for you those things his limited
prospects denied him. You enjoy MONEY!
beauty, ease: | could see that by ya1Ir lei
ters, and if James could not give ;h,.n, ro
you and | could Oh do not look at me
IKE that! / see now that millions could
not have bought you"
DespIcab.e.' was all that came from her
lips; at which l shuddered and groped about
LOT the handle of the door. But she would
not let me go. Subduing with grand self
restraint the emotions which had hitherto
SWeIled too high in her breast for either
speech or action. she thrust out one arm fo
stay ME and said in short, Commanding
tones; How was this thing done? You
say you took the money, yet 1t was James
VINO was sent to collect it; or so nv farther
says" Here she tore her looks from me
ana cast one glance at her father What
she saw cannot say, but her manner
changed and henceforth she glanced his
way as much as mine and with nearly a
much emotion II am waiting to hear what
you nave to say she exclaimed, laying her
hdhu on the door so as to leave me no on
p9rIuhlty Tor escape l bowed and attempt
ed an explanation. Agatha" said T "fhe
commission was given TO James and he
rode to Sutheriandtown to perform It but
II was on the day when ne was accustomed
70 write to you and he was not easy In mis-
mind, for he feared he would miss sendine
you his usual letter"
And then L told the story you know 40
wen, now | took the money and how a>ter
-nr. GIichTist mad accused you of the theft
you FOUND out my guilty secret and told
me that you had taken my crime on your-
ser, and how afterward my virtue was not
crime. i my
John" she said-she was under violent
restraint-'why do you come now?''
cast my eyes at Philemon. He was
ID just as before. with his eyes turn
In his attitude. mingled with a certain grand
patience. Seeing that he was better able
10 pear her loss than either James or nv
sen i SAID to her very low: Il thought you
ought 10 know the truth before you gave
your fnal word. L am late, but I would
have beer too late week from now"
her hand fell from the door, but her
eyes remained fixed on my face
II Is too late now" she murmured ..tba
Clergyman has just gone who united me ' to
Philemon" -'e u
The next minute she had faced her faith
er ana her new-made husband
Father you knew this thing,' Keen
sharp. lEr>tive the words rang out. Il saw
II IN your race when he began 10 speak"
MT Gilchrlst dropped slightly: he was Il
very SICK man. and the scene had been a
trying one. t q
If | did" was his low response. at was
put, 'a' wy You We're engaged then to Phile-
She eyed him as if she found If difficu,t
10 credit her ears. Such Indifference to the
Grains or innocence was incredible to her
saw her grand profile CULVER. then the
or blood Indignation had summoned there
And you, Philemon" she suggested with
a somewhat softened aspect you commit
,tu ms wrong ignorantly, never having
from James"
l had started to escape, but stopped lust
oeyona me threshold Of the door as she
Ignorant as she supposed. This was evil
dent from his attitude and expression.
Asatha. he began. but at his first word.
and before he could clasp the hands held
heIplessly out before her, she gave a great
cry and, staggering back eyed both her
father and himself in a frenzy Of indigna-
from the superhuman effort which she hith
crto made to suppress 1t. You tool she
shrieked. You, tool and / have inst
sworn to love. honor and obey you! Love
you! Honor. you! the unconscionable
But here Mr.. Gilchrist rose. weak. totter-
ing. quivering with something more than
anger. he approached his daughter and laid
his finger on her lips.
BE quiet he said. philemon is not tn
blame a month ago he came to see mo
ana prayed that, a relief to his mind 7
would tell him why you had separated
yourself from James. He had always
thought the match had fallen through on
account of some foolish quarrel or incom-
pauhility, but lately he had feared there
was something more than he suspected in
thls break, something that he should know.
30 told him why you had dismissed James,
and whether he knew James better than
we did. or whether he had seen something
In his long acquaintance with these broth
ers which influenced his judgment he said
at once, This cannot be true of James Ii
Is not in his nature to defraud any man.
but John-I might believe it of John Isn't
there some complication here?' l had never
thought of John, and did not see how John
could be mixed up with an affair l had sup
posed to be a secret between James and
myself. but when Philemon laid the matter
before James he did not deny that John was
guilty, but asked that you be not told be-
fore your marriage. He knew that YOU
were engaged 10 good man, a man that
70 n -,