Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-01-24

Each SuppOSttlOn seemed To CliuofN
more Improbable than the last: and
when. after compcnssting lem Seckeis /
for his roll i'm the mud by throwing
him half-crown which had been left 1
In his pocket untouched by the mid /
night thief. be caught sight OF Nell OF, /
the opposite bank OF the river. he was /
again ready to throw his doubts To the i
winds.
There was always a boat mo0red 20 /
each side or the river at this point. so
Clifford ran down TO tho waters edge. !
and punted himself across
Jem Stickles burst into Il knocking.
insulting laugh. but Clifford did not
care. A. his friends. Jordan and Otto
Conybearc would have said. he was BY
this time too FAR gone
Nell had disappeared again by the
time he got back into tho garden. and
ne had 10 look about for some min
utos before he perceived her. crossing
tho fields this time in the direction Of
Fleet. Al great rate. She had
basket on her arm. and she WAS walk
ing SO quicgiy that clifford could go
first scarcely believe that the figure
which had got over SO much ground in
so few minutes could really Toe ihai of
the girl hc had seen Ia her uncic's -ar-
den few minutes before
lie was determined TO show her his
recovered watch. always hoping
ayains; hope that fresh Development
/ OF the mystery would bring about the
I longed-for explanation. But before he
4 could oVor-;ake ncl, she disappeared
from his sight over the crest OF the
rising ground at Fleet. aud WHOM ne
/ got upon tho hill. I'm his turn. she was
nowhere TO bee seen.
n was not FOR some time. after cN-
pioring right and left that hc SAW
Nell. with an old broom la her hand.
emerge from "a poor little cottage
which stood hy itself on the marsh be-
low she set to work very vigorously
10 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 fac'
that she was ia no mood FOR CONVEX
Sation. when she az last raised her eyes
and met his
\ shock OF pain convUlscd the youni
man when ne saw what a change th'
past few hours had made in the girl
Instead Of the placid sweetness OF tn
DAY before there was i'm her eyes sucl
q world OF sadness. of terror. that elf
ford's heart smote him. and he wished
that he had suffered his loss quiet.
without a word to anybody at the inn
She stopped in her work when sh
! saw him and stood erect. waiting. 81
$ an attitude which had something q
l. defiance in IT,
You have something to say to me,
suppose" she said n once. coldly.
J. Clifford did not Immediately answe
hut his hand went lnvoluntarily up I
the chain of his watch. which ne Wa
IT now wearing.
Ia an instant her face became q
y white as that of dead person.
r '.Where-whcre did you find IL:
't stammered she.
< And she tremblcd so violently IN:
the broom slipped out OF her hand m
fen 10 the ground.
Il found it On the grass on the OF
. cr side OF the river" answered eli
: ford. who was quite as much agitat,
ef aS she
ID The blood suddenly rushed back
q her cheeks. and she began To breatl
Is so heavily that Clifford thought s
r. was in danger of a MT OF some sort.
rs 'What-what are you going TO do
o. she stammered out. waving him ba
with a gesture which was almc
ik fierce. rs he moved forward as If
support her.
Vc "DOf Nothing" said he.
CT You are not going 10 prosecute ]
So for theft:" asked she. In a tone viii
he she meant TO be hard and SOOTHING. I
ch which was only a pitiful little maj
$50 believe. after all.
in Nell. oh. Nell. how can you S
Sucs a thing to mef" cried Cliffo
hc hoarsely.
re He did not even know that ne
oh called her by her christian name.
Nn she knew. ana in the midst OF her 4
zen tatOn she cast at him shy CLAN
lat IN which there was 4 CLEAN of sol
-hc thing that was neither diSplcaSure
annoyance lie saw il. and his he
TIL went out 10 the girl; he was ready
his lSneel AT her feet. But she recall
mt him 30 mis- senses with very I'm
ich mantle remark.
her If YOU will excuse me, then, I'll
lis on with my sweeping"
And with great vigor and energy
My resumed her task. leaving Cliff
her afraid 10 come within the range of
Ids operations. yet unwilling TO retire.
men 1t is very good Of you To come
the do the old woman's sweeping for h
he remarked presently
hat 1T isn't for IN old woman, but
this a young woman. And ought 10 h