The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-04-04
FRANKLIN, La, SATURDAY. APRIL H. 1903

T-ay By the charm Of your manner!
into my full esteem and confidence
you did it with dn object. You playe,
my friend until you had the chance fol
which you had been waiting. YoJ
knew when there would be two thou
sand pounds in the bank safe, ant
that l always carried the keys about
me. You drew me. trading OH my
love for billiards, to accept the chal
lange Of Mr.. Mal-eshall to play hin
Oh the night when you were certain
that the money would be in the safe
and While we played you took the keys
from my coat pocket. and went to thf
bank and stole they money.
"And you abandoned me. You al
| lowed me to be arrested. tried and con-
demncd. without stirring finger to
save me, and 1t was not until l had
| been Imprisoned that 1 guessed how
and by whom l had been tricked, be.
| fooled and ruined.
"You courted Marie. taught her how
! to love you, and then poisoned her
| life by shaming me; that was part CT
| your vile scheme. You used her to
win your way to my esteem, and you
knew that In my love for her l should
love whom she loved. and who loved
her. And where is she? God knows!
Where can a homeless, friendless
fclon's daughter drift to in four long
years If she has not died, then she
is worse than dead, and you-you have
slain her body and soul.
''You have ruined the man who trust
ed and befriended you, and have killed
the girl who loved and believed in you!
What mercy do you hope from me?
What less than your vile life could
1 Gemand?'
Il did betray you," Eiverlcy gasped.
II Old betray you. 1 had to have the
money to save myself from ruin. l
never thought-never-that it would
fall on you, and to the very last 1 be-
licvad You would get off. And when
| found you were condemned l had
not courage to confess, becalsc-be-
cause Of Marie. Listen-listen to
that"'
lie held up an arm, and looked I'M
ploringly at Henscott, WHO, struck by
his words, and thinking some one
might be approaching the house, bated
his breath and listened.
A low, strange cooling sound struck
on his cars, and glancing round the
room he saw 1t proceeded from low
cot which stood in the shade of a
corner of the roomo
Il married her-your Marie" said
Riverley, speaking eXcitedly and very
rapidly. "She never doubted your
innocence or suspected my guilt, and
she was almost happy. I did not trick
married her, and there's our child"
Henscott said nothing for a minute.
He stood and stared stupidity at River
ley. Then:
"And Marie?" lie said in a whisper
"She is dead"
Not muscle of Henscott's face tight
ened or relaxed. After pausing a mo-
ment, as if weighing the meaning Of
the word, he stole over to the corner,
ard kneit down on one knee. He drew !
back the cot curtains with trembling ,,
hand, and looked down at the little |
pink face, into the blue eyes which
looked up ut him.
1--WE call her Marie" said Riverley,
family.
"Mariev' repeated Henscott, almost !
Henscott's head sank lower and |
lower over the cot, until his hair
touched the infants face.
Marie, Marie, Mariew he whimp-
cred.
He stopped over lower, and kissed !
the warm, velvet check Of the child.
who flung herself over on her side, be-
cause his beard was harsh.
He watched her for q few seconds !
more, then rose.
"Her child-his childr' he muttered.
Better that I than he
He STOPPED down and rearranged the
tendcrly. He moved slowly
oward the window.
"Wait here" he said, gently, and he
vent cut.
Riyerley waited. He waited till day
)reak, till dusk again, and through the
light. And then he understood.
Riverley and little Marie were still
Waiting when, more than three years
ater, Henscott came back to them
,fter his release from the prison to