The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-05-07
By JAMES PAYN.
OR A TALE OF MONEY MADNESS.
CHAPTER VIII.
Continued.

He was rowing upon some branch
of the river where boats are for.
hidden, and was caught by the chain
across the stream. I must go and see
the poor lad, 1 suppose" said the tu'
tor, with melancholy apprehension,
for his organization was delicate, OF
rather his mode of life had made ii
SO, "and then telegraph to his faith.
er"
ga terrible task observed the
canon. Good heavens! if it had been
my boy!"
"You would have less to regret,
my friend, in many ways" said the
tutor, rising.
The instant that Sophy found her.
self alone she flew to the bell which
summoned her waiting-maid.
''Jeannette, come here, I want
you!" she cried, in hoarse whisper.
'tYou know what has happened, of
course"
Eyes, indeed, miss; it's an awful
thing to have chanced to anybody. l
can't say I'm so sorry as I would wish
to be; but [ dare say, notwithstand-
ing all that's come and gone, you feel
it; ones husband is ones husband"
Hush, hush! l am not safe yet,
Jenny"
Good heavens!" the waiting-maid
turned pale as ashes; one woud have
thought she anticipated what her
mistress was going to say.
'No, not safe yet. When poor Her
bert left me at the mill, this after
noon, he Informed me it was his fixed
intention to write to his father and
tell him all"
ooh, indeed" Jeanette strove to
throw some interest into her tone,
but the words fell fat. 1t would have
been plain to any one not wrapt in
other matters that the girl had ex.
pected a much more serious COM
munication.
do you see," continued Sophy,
impatiently, that such a letter would
be as ruinous to me as though he
had told the canon?'i
t'It would have been if it had been
written; but the poor young gentle.
man never got home to write it.
He did, he did," answered Sophy.
with intense excitement. He went
out on the water second time, and
in the meanwhile that letter may
have been written"
'rLet us hope for the best, miss;
perhaps it was not written"
81 have had enough of hope and
fear" replied Sophy, wildly. "Ohl
Jeanette, help me now, and 1 shall
never forget it."
81 will do anything in the world
for you, dear mistress. But what can
do? If the letters gone"
But it has not gone," put in
Sophy, eagerly. s'It may have beer
written, but it could not have been
in time for the post. If it had been
written at all, it will still be lying in
poor Herbert's room. Jeanette, you
must get that letter"
ooh, Miss Sophy, but 1 cannot,
dare not"
A picture had presented itself to
her coarse but ready imagination.
from which she shrank with horror.
tYet, Jeanette, you have done
more than this for me- pleaded her
mistress, 'Eand with willing mind
You have done wrong for my sake,
even though you disapproved of it,
and you cannot disapprove of this.
If the letter gets to its destination
my secret is out. 1t will be almost
hoI a1 To how
been yesterday"
NAY, it will not be so bad as that:
miss"
'EIt will not be where you think il
is," said Sopny, ghastIy pale, ano
speaking in a hushad tone; 'tit will
be in his sitting room, on his writing
table, near the window. You know
his landlady, Mrs. Aylett."
t'Yes, | know her; to be sure, we
can get at it through her. Perhaps
for a ten-pound note she may be in.
duced to let us have the letter, and
to hold her tongue"
t'No, no. What, another one tG
share my secret, and to keep me un.
der her thumb for ltfet You must be
her money, of course, but not as
briba. Now listen to me: 1t is a
shock ng thing, but it must be done
You must take these f1owers-you
may say they came from my aunt
Maria, or even from myself; there
will be no harm in that"
''WEat, to put them on him! No,
la i
life. I always feared him, but
fear lin now ten thousand times as
much. Not if you gave me hundred
pounds l couldn't do it,"
mo one wants you to do it, said
Sophy, earnestly. Give them to
Mrs. Aylett, she will do it; and while
she is about it you will be left alone
in the sitting room. While you have
the chance, lose not a moment: the
letter will BE in the desk or in the
blotting-pad, if it has been written
at all"
Very good, miss; for your sake /
will Go my best. I will go to Green
street the very first thing tomorrow
morning"
''To-night! tonight exclaimed
her mistress, wringing her little
hands. Tomorrow it will be too
late To-day nothing will be touched;
1t always is so when there is to be an
inquest"
Sophys reading of sensational nov
els had not been labor lost IN this
case.
It'd rather lose my himble-fnger,
Miss Sophy, than venture Oh such
thing" replied the girl. "Yet for
your sake I'll try it. Give me the
flowers"
"Good Jeanette, dear Jeanette,
you are the best of friends; think
how shall count the moments till
you come back again
Then Sophy took the flowers, and,
Notwithstanding the need for haste,
with neat-handed skill and taste ar
ranged them and gave them to her