Fergus County argus., 1901-03-27

HC trGs lWDg pH The dGiug fnDd lounge,
lDui.AJ rCry NLuh uEd cEhdnsi,d.
shock " my unexpected presence re-
stored mr to mysolr auj gave iuc iIum.
ness t0 proceed Advancing with
bow, ! spoke quickly thc one word |
had c.ro thprv tp say. Agatha,
have H' you a great wrong. aud
am hero tu undo IL. For months have
felt driven ip confession, but not till
today have ! possessed the necessary
courage. Now nothing shall hinder
me-" | said this because | saw IN both
Mr.. Gilclrist aud Philemon dispuSl.
ti0n 10 stop me where was. Indeed
Mr.. Gilchrgt had rlson on his elbow.
and Philemon was making that plead.
Ing gesture uf his which we know 50
we'll Agatha alone looked eager.
"What Is M" she cried. II have Il
right 10 know" | went 10 the door,
shut Il AMI stood with my back against
1t, n figure Of Shame aud despair sud
denly The confession burst from me.
Agatha" said I, why did you break
with my brother James! Because you
thought him guilty of theft; because
You believed hc took the 5000 out Of
the sum lntrustcd to him 10y Mr.. Orr
for your father? Agatha. it was not
james who did this; II was I. aud
James knew II and bore of my misdo.
ings the blame because he was always
loyal soul and took account of my
weakness and kncw-alas, tGo well
that open shame would kill mc'
II was n weak plea and mertcd no
reply, but the silence was so dreadful
and lasted so long that | felt first
crushed and then terrified. Raising
my head, for I had not dared 10 look
glance Mt the group before me and
dropped my head again, startled Only
one OF the three was looking Mt me, and
that was Agatha The others had their
heads turned aside, and thought, or,
rather, the passing fancy took me. that
they shrnnk from meeting her gaze
with something Of the same shame
mud dread was myself suffering from.
But she. Can ! ever hope 10 make you
realize her look or comprehend the
paug ~ utter self nhaErmcnt with
which ! sgcrumhpd before II. II was
50 terrible that ! seemed 20 hear hrr
utter words, though am sure SHE did
not speak. aud. with som' Mild idea of
90. a. 4 -
proachcs. mndc m effort nj cXplaua-
ton aud lmpctuously cried: "It wns
not Tor my own good, Agatha, not alto
grihcr for self, | did this. loved you
too mndly, dcpalrluglE and. good
brother ns I seemed, | was jealous "
James md hvprd 10 take his place IN
your regard II I could show n greater
property nud get for you those things
his limited prospects denied him. Nuu
enjoy Wyu"y beauty. ease; could see
that bY ygur letters. nUd n James
cGYli Hpf give them 10 you and !
r0uH gh. d1 not lDol, NJ me like that!
I pa u1'y tlt3t millions could not have
lygglt you"
'D@g.caIle" WAX al TINT came from
lrT lys 40 which sABdl"red md
RrDptd aS.t f.r iI.r lHuH.r II the
G'1r. E.t s.s ~sgd ht lrt m" y9.
S1biIinz o-l gT1D1 ssI' r"strutt NE
emotions ru.'h bad Hitherto EHr,lrd
I'm bj2i lB Arr breast ~ ci'brf speech
or net.Jn, she tbr.st cut one arm 70
stag me nnd said Ia short, command.
Ing tones; How wa8 lhlB thing dohrf
You say you took the money yet u
was James who was sent 10 collect Il,
or so my father says" Here she tore
her looks from me and cast one glance
at her father. What she saw | cannot
say, but her manner changed, aud
hcnceforth she glanced his way n.
much as mine and with nearly as much
emotion. II am waiting to hear what
you have 20 say" she exclaimed, lay
ing her hand on the door, So as to leave
me no opportunity for escape. bow
ed and attempted an explanation. aga
tha," said /, "the commission was giver
to James, and he rode 10 Sutherland
town 10 perform It, but II was on IN,
day when he was accustomed to write
TO you. and he was not easy IN hi.
mind, for he feared lie would mis-.
sending you his usual letter"