The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-10-03

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by years of penance, he would have sac
riiced them freely but the passt car
never be recalled. He had stolen, EN-
bezzled his employers money-he didn'
deceive himself any longer with the spe
cious word "borrowed' and the brand Of
thief would be stamped on his brow for
ever
He was so new to crime that he could
not hide the fearful agitation which never
left him, and gradually his fellow clerks
shrank away from him, whispering among
themselves, and he knew they had guessed
his secret. Some one knew the money
had been paid in but was not entered In
the ledger-every one would be witness
against him and see his degradation T!
Could he live to face it? Sometimes
he thought not Then again, he set his
teeth and asked himself if he were coward
enough to leave poor Violet alone and dis
sraced in the world. Woman's love
He had often heard of it, and his wife
love for him was so great that she would
meet him at the prison gates when the
time was up, and never utter one word OF
reproach for the havoc he had made OF
her life. God bless her God bless her
Oh if he could ever atone, ever retrieve
But it was too late How clearly he saw
then, with felon's cell awaiting him, the
truth and beauty of the words she had so
often said to him
eft is not wealth and luxury that bring
happiness, Geoff, dear. 1t is true love,
sufficient for the daily wants, IA contented
mind, and a clear conscience. All the
rest is superfuous.
4 clear conscience Would to Heaven
he had it 1t was worth every other thing
in the whole world. Aye, he realized 1t
all too well, when he had lost 1t forever.
X K X x
The time hurried on. Everything
seemed dim and blurred MIR. Mason
came back, and Godfrey very face and
manner condemned him. 1t was impos-
sible not to see something was wrong f.; and
the face, hitherto always so pleasant and
genial, became white and stern as he found
out what had happened. The receipts
and the entries in the ledger did not cor
respond. Some one had been tampering
with the figures. Did MIR. Grey suspect
any one ??
No but every one else down to the
office boy suspected MIR. Grey
He had been so strange-ill, they
tboueht at first-now merely a thief p
Yes they all had something to say,
some proof to give of his iniquity, and
to save his life he could not utter one
word in his own defense-in fact, there
was nothing to be said-he was guilty ;
he would not add tissue of lies to his
other enormities, nor would he stoOp so
low as to try and throw his sins on to in
nocent shoulders.
It was terrible being taken through the
streets to prison, terrible standing in the
dock. terrible to hear his counsel plead for
him, tell of the sudden temptation, and TO
hear himself condemned to five years penal
servitude!
But most dreadful Of all was it to see
Violet, his wife-with the pallor OF death
ON her beautiful face, and to hear her
sweet lips murmur:
ut was only you | wanted, Geof, dear
hot luxury, not wealth, not grand
house and jewelry. If had wanted them,
| should have married Mr.. Watson. the
millionaire, who asked me a week before
YOU did; it is the knowledge that you did
ii for my sake that is killing me-
"Come in.
The words were uttered drowslly as
Geoffrey Grey opened his eyes and saw his
wife standing by his side.
seThere is knock at the front door,
Geoff, darling she whispered, hurriedly;
at is Mr.. Sharp. Geof-my sweet
heartily husband, there is still time to
draw back; but fear the crisis really is
here-your sleep has been troubled-you
have muttered some strange things, Geott,
went up to my bedroom, and | knelt
down and prayed to God that you might
be kept from sin, and that the craze for
speculation might burn itself out.
He was wide awake then-wide, wide
awake. and he looked from the sweet,
anxious face of his wife to the crafty croeo-
ollie smile of his evil genius, as MIR. Sharp
began his apology for being so late.
"Was kept in the city-very sorry,
really couldn't help myself. You will ex-
cuse me me, I'm sure, Mrs. Grey, for tax
ing your husband out tonight, but we have
most important business to transact to-
gether-'
Violet's breath came quick and hard;
she did not speak, although her lips moved,
but she kept her eyes on her husband s
face and sent up one last prayer for help
help that no human being could give her.
Geoffrey's hand wandered mechanically
to his breast pocket, where there was
thick, soft packet or roll Of paper-bank
notes paid to him that afternoon after office
hours; notes belonging to Mr.. Mason, his
employer; notes that Sharp knew he ex-
pected to receive that day, and had wrung
a promise from him should be entrusted to
him to put on "a dead certainty
"Tm very sorry, Sharp" said Godfrey,
slowly; ''but our little business is off now
and forever. I've done with specializing.
1t costs too much. | cant afford it on a
clerk salary. And [ feel sure MIR. Ma
son would prefer choosing his own invest
ments; don't mean to choose them for
him."
With snarl like an angry terrier the
tempter went away. He was beaten-by
woman who didn't know enough about
business to indorse a check properly. No !!
but she knew right from wrong-she knew
what real love was; she knew victory from
defeat; and as she shed tears joy on Geof-
frey breast when the front door slammed
behind his black angel, banished forever
from that house and its owners presence,
she heard Geoffrey's dream and realized
that it had been sent in answer to her
prayers to pull back the slipping feet just
on the edge of the precipice; and that