The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-11-13


land home. and had there forged and
uttered a check The forgery was dis
covered, and, dreading exposure. tho
guilty young man had confded his
fears 70 Douglas, having FIRST bound
him over TO secrecy. Neglecting Doug
las advice TO throw himself upon tho
mercy Of the man whose name had
been forged, he managed to preserve
his secret Suddenly Douglas found
that he was suspected OF the forgery.
At first he laughed at the very idea OF
II, but gradually he learned that his
accusers we're serious. Whence the
first hints had come no one knew. but
piece after piece Of circumstantlal evil
dence turned up which seemed to fas-
ten the guilt on Douglas, and at last.
In utter despair az the aspect Of the
affair, he appealed TO Harry Crowther
to clear him, never suspecting that he
himself had given currency TO the sus-
picion. Maries brother declined to
confess his guilt, and reminded Doug
las Of his promise to keep the matter
secret. True to his word, Douglas re-
manned silent under the awful impu-
tation, and at last his own father or
dered him to leave the house. His sim
pie assurance of innocence satisfied
Marie, and she believed in him, even
while she was compelled to give him
up. At last, after weary waiting, and
after all trace of him had been lost,
his innocence was clearly established.
Harry Crowther had gone to ''the
dogs, and at last had sunk to the
| lowest depths. For some months he
also disappeared, and then his mother
received telegram from a French wa
| tering place summoning her to he sons
death bed. And then he made tardy
reparation and cleared Douglas of his
shame. Worldly and hard as Mrs.
Crowther was, a death bed injunction
was sacred in her eyes. and she COM
municated her tidings to the Gordons
But Douglas could not be found.
That night Maries maid was very
voluble as she dressed her mistress for
dinner.
by the by, miss" she said, as she
was brushing Marie's hair in front Of
the big mirror, I've had such a funny
! letter today from India. You know,
Miss Marie, I've brother out there a
soldier, and, as he can't write himself,
he always gets some one to write for
him; and, though it seems strange, /
can't help a-thinking that this letter
is really from him"
What should make you think that
1t is not from him, Alice?" inquired
her mistress with faint interest.
We'll you see, miss, there's some
money with it, and it's not signed by
him as he usually does. No one else
in India knows me, so fancy that the
letter must be from him, and that the
man as wrote it for him forgot what
he was adding and signed his own
name to it by mistake"
How very curious, Alice, May l see
the letter? l might be able to tell you
what to do" said Marie, interested at
last.
Delighted at her young mistress in
terest in her affairs, the maid gave her
the letter and resumed her work, chat
ting away all the time as she did so.
What could it mean? Marie's brain
was in a whirl, and her maids chatter
fell upon unheeding cars. There, in
her own hand, before her eyes, was
the we'll known handwriting, and at
the end of the letter was the bold sig
nature, Your loving brother, Douglas
Gordon"
In the haste Of the moment, with
his thoughts full of Marie and the past,
Sergeant Hollis" had unwittingly
signed his real name to Browns letter.
Isn't it a beautiful letter, Miss Ma
rie. Such beautiful name, too! Oh,
Miss Marie, whatever is the matter?"
Marie, with her face buried in her
hands, was sobbing Historically And
the dinner bell rang unheeded as mis-
tress and maid laid their heads to-
gether and attempted to solve the enig-
ma.
who says Europe letters?" sang out
Corporal Jones, d troop orderly-cor.
; poral, as he entered the troop bunga.
low with a bundle of letters and news
, papers in his hand.
Down went the jack-boots ant
! swords that the men were polishing
, and rush was made for the bed OF
, which Jones had enthroned himsel
: with his precious burden.
5 Give a fellow a chance to breathe
: you chaps! What do you want
Brown? You don't suppose there's on
for rnr 21I hn n-rnrrtlnd