Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-05-22
THE.NYSTEK1. ..oF:THE

CledT tneHu away, cNcl 1t ehS SdSiihSS
of her honesty?
Each supposition seemed to Clifford
more improbable than the last: and
when, after compensating Jem Seckels
for his roll in the mud by throwing
him n half-crown which had been left
in his pocket untouched by the mid
night thief, he caught sight Of Nell on
the opposite bank of the river. he was
again ready to throw his doubts to the
winds.
There was always a boat moored to
each side of the river at this point. so
Clifford ran down to the waters edge.
and punted himself across.
Jem Stickles burst into mocking,
insulting laugh, but Clifford did not
care. AS his friends, Jordan and Otto
Conybeare would have said, he was by
this time "too far gone"
Nell had disappeared again by the
time he got back into the garden, and
he had to look about for some min
utes before he perceived her. crossing
the fields, this time In the direction OF
Fleet, at a great rate. She had n
basket on her arm, and she was walk
ing so quickly that Clifford could Mt
first scarcely believe that the figure
which had got over so much ground in
so few minutes could really be that OF
the girl he had seen in her uncle's gar
den a few minutes before.
He was determined to show her his
recovered watch, always hoping
against hope that fresh development
of the mystery would bring about the
longed-for explanation. But before ne
could over-take her, she disappeared
from his sight over the crest of the
rising ground at Fleet, and when he
got upon the hill, in his turn, she was
nowhere to be seen.
1t was not for some time, after ex.
ploring right and left, that he saw
Nell, with an old broom in her hand,
emerge from poor little cottage
which stood by itself on the marsh be.
low. She set to work very vigorously
to sweep out the dust of the cottage,
the doorstep and the bit Of paved
ground outside; and Clifford had stood
for some seconds at little distance
warned by the expression of her face
that she was in no mood for conver
sation, when she at last raised her eyes
and met his.
A shock of pain convulsed the young
man when he saw what a change the
past few hours had made in the girl.
Instead of the placid sweetness Of the
day before, there was in her eyes such
world of sadness, of terror. that Clif.
ford's heart smote him, and he wished
that he had suffered his loss quietly
without a word to anybody at the inn.
She stopped in her work when she
saw him and stood erect, waiting, in
an attitude which had something of
defiance in it.
"You have something to say to me,
supposeY" she said at once, coldly.
Clifford did not Immediately answer,
but his hand went involuntarily up to
the chain of his watch, which he was
now wearing.
In an instant her face became as
white as that Of dead person.
"Where-where did you find it?"
stammered she.
And she trembled so violently that
the broom slipped out of her hand and
fell to the ground.
II found it on the grass, on the 9th
er side of the river" answered Cliff
ford, who was quite as much agitated
as she.
The blood suddenly rushed back to
her cheeks, and she began to breathe
so heavily that Clifford thought she
was in danger of fit of some sort.
"What-what are you going to do"
she stammered out, waving him back
with a gesture which was almost
fierce, as he moved forward as If to
support her. .,
DO? Nothing" said he.
"You are not going to prosecute me
for theft?" asked she, in tone which
she meant to be hard and scoffing, but
which was only pitiful little make
believe, after all.
'Nell, oh, Nell, how can you sdy
suG1 thing to me" cried Clifford,
hoarsely.
He did not even know that he had
called her by her christian name. But
she knew, ana in the midst Of her agi-,
tation she cast at him shy glance,
in which there was a gleam Of some
thing that was neither displeasure nor
annoyance. He saw it, and his heart
went out to the girl; he was ready to
kneel at her feet. But she recalled
him to his senses with a very unro-
mantle remark:
"If you will excuse me, theu, I'll go
on with my sweeping"
And with great vigor and energy she
resumed her task, leaving Clifford
afraid to come within the range of her
operations, yet unwilling to retire.
1T is very good of you to come and
do the old woman's sweeping for her."
he remarked presently.
ut isn't for an old woman, but for
a young woman. And l ought to have
warned you not to come SO near, for
she's got scarlet fever, and you know
that's catching" answered Nell, with
a warning gesture to him to keep
away.
You're not afraid of catching 1t, SO
why should beT"
"Well, I have to risk it, or there
would be nobody to look after her.
And wouldn't run the risk just for