Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-12-31

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poor old gentleman. many is the story
that he has to listen to. They is at it
morning noon and night, filing his ears
with some story about you all"
IAN in good time" said Tom, invol-
unfairly clencbng his fingers. 1T will
all go down to his account
Il believe it was he that put that no.
ton about your poor father into their
headsI know it was"
Il can believe it." said Tom.
81 never liked him from the first min
ute," she went on; lie wac always shut
up there In that room cf A broodinS
some mischief"
What a terrible day it was ne said.
! WAS 1t not q cruel fate that / 'gas not
! there, or that no one was present? In
! that great house, and with so many peo-
/ pie about, to think that no one was at
hand. or looking on or looking out"
There might have been" said the
nurse. God alone knows, Depend On
it, sir He will call them forward at the
proper time"
There were people in the yard at that
time, were there not? There must have
been some one about. You are going back
there, Mrs. Donovan?''
Yes, for a week or two, sir.
Then | conjure you and mplorc yon.
make this out for me. Something might
turn on this. though | expect nothing
Still you will do this for us, will you
not?"
"You may depend on me. sir. III do
anything for the poor captain"
Mrs. Donovan went away, and left
Tom still medtating.
II should have thought of That BEFORE
he said
They were now in all the excitement
of moving. and in a day Or two were es-
tablished in their new abode. Friends
had been kind ore. a grave legal one.
had taken up the arrangement of their
affairs. and had promised to see that no
oppression was done. Things began to
look cheerful. though nothing could raise
the dropping spirits of Ned Burton.
II am under a ban, Tom" he said
"No ore will ever believe that | am in
nOcent, aud | feel | shall go down to my
grave disgraced, and my disgrace will
come on my children"
Keep your he TT up. Ned" said his
son. Il feel so.nething. tOo--that we
shall soon make all clear as day Leave
it to me. l shall move heaven and earth
for that"
In few days came letter from the
nurse to this effect
They are sending me away tomorrow.
having no further use FOR me. ! did not
forget to do what you asked me. and you
will remember, sir. what l said about God
bringing all to light at the proper time.
II was speaking to Jack Connolly. the
groom, who comes from the same part Of
old Ireland that ! do myself. when we
fell to talking of that dreadful business.
and | said | wondered that. with SO many
people always about the yard. no one
had seen the poor child's fall He said
that he was in the harness room at tho
time but Mr.. Ralph must have seen It.
as he was sitting at his open window
writing all the morning. andimust hqyc
heard the Tapping of the shutters. lie
says, too, that he rose up and went ava,
at once. This is all he knows"
II knew IT," said Tom; "but why did
l not think of it before? How am | to
reach him. or to use this? 1t is hone
less. Still, why did not he come for
ward and So something? Yes" added
Tom. aloud, and enthusiastically. sit
proves to me that he could say something
favorable, and that he prefers to say
nothing" -
He took long walks in the outskirts
Of the town. planning. and always plan
ming; and at last one night he made mn
his mind TO scheme that promised sue
cess.
Charming Lucy Forager. abandoned to
her scheming mothers reproaches. had
but a melancholy time of il now. The
a.niable lady laid the whole blame of the
failure on her ''insipidty" and helpless
ness. Debating seriously within herself
what was to be done. Mrs Foragcr had
arrived at the conclusion that nothing
conld be made of the Ned Burtons. aud
that they were "unlucky, root trunk and
branch:" that Mrs. John Burton was a
young woman, and that nm heir to Abbey
lands might appear one of these days"
Under these circumstances her eyes turn
ed with interest on Mr.. Ralph. o. whom
his sister was VIGOROUSLY fond and for
whom it was known she would 10 won.
ders She was not long in opening these
designs to her daughter. and she did SO
with a good deal Of rude cleverness in
sisting on her Notifying and unfeeling
dcsertion by Tom. sac repeated his
words at parting. and With reason point
ed to his abrupt departure Our Lucy
was charming girl aifectionatc. trust
ing in the highest degree; but a little
emotional and sensitive. resenting any
thing in the shape Of neglect Or slight of
her affections. Though she had given her
" hole heart to Tom Burton. she had n
purpose and resolution that even her
mother did not suspect. though Tom had
found out and depended on these ouaii-
ties. The first impulse, too of a young
girl who thinks that she has been given
up is to show the offender what he has
lost. aud that others value what hc did
not Therefore il was that MIR Ralph
was seen paying many visits to the lit
tic tenement. where il was said that he
was received graciously, Nothing. too.
could exceed the attentions OF the family
nj Abheylands and il did seem ms though
Mrs. Burton was trying hard To launch
! another poisoned shaft OF the unfortu-
nate family, hoping to wound her cnelay.
already bleeding by hurting one Of his
| children. Mr.. Ralph was really L. love
with Lucy-so far as he wss capable Of
| that gentle passion-and mad besides TAX
en- genuine dislike 10 Tom from the first
moment that he had seen him. and with
! the maHguily of petty nature. bad
never forgiven thc ooutemptuouS fashion
/ 10 which Tom had put him down lie
! felt the superiority IF the other, and long
ed TO show his own.
/ Who knows what scheme was I'm that
! little head% Certainly not TO marry this
II On IL n.e.