The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-29

| Gwen entered the room where l was.
| was sitting in dark corner, and she
| apparently did not see me. There was
| a case of curios in the room, some of
! which were very rare and some very
beautiful. Gwen went to this case and
| took from it tiny statuette, for which
she had expressed admiration. She
concealed it in her drapery and few
minutes later passed out of the room.
Heaven preserve me! My fiancee was
thief-a thief who would steal from
her bosom friend, who, at the time of
the theft, was entertaining her. Never
before or since have / experienced such
shock. Surely this was too much.
could bear with faults In wife, but
not with ingratitude and dishonesty.
The only redeehing point about my
fancees actions was that she hesitated
to drag me down to her level She
shrank from marrying man who
adored her, he to find out what she was
when it was too late
With all my own faults, am GER
tainly conscientious. / mean by this
If | do wrong | don't attempt to ex-
cuse myself l deemed 1t my duty to
inform my hostess that she was har-
boring a serpent in my fiancee. But
l found 1t very difficult to do this 1t
involved my first informing Gwen that
/ had seen her steal There was re-
her act, but l could not see how she
could do so satisfactorily.
When dinner was announced l dread
ed to go into the dining room. Pulling
myself together, / did so. And that
there was something on my mind was
very apparent. There were others
present besides the two girls, and all
were dampened by my saying nothing
and looking as If had received stab.
When the dinner was over Gwen led
me into the drawing room and, turning
to me, said:
Something troubles you. Tell me
what 1t Is"
l stammered an account of my being
in the drawing room alone in the
cleaning, of her entry and, supposing
that she was unobserved, of my seeing
her appropriate the statuette
ut is we'll" she said, "that you have
discovered serious blemish in me be-
fore tying yourself up to me for life.
My maternal grandmother was q klep-
Had she not been a lady
she would have doubtless spent the
most of her life I'm prison. Since she
was lady she was followed by wo-
man employed to return what she stole
Or pay the bills. l should have had
The strength to tell you that have in
herited this mania, that you might cast
me off. can only say that had not
he moral strength to do So"
Here was n failing which, being in
herited, Gwen was not responsible for.
If she should become "A confirmed in
valid, loving her as ! did would not
hesitate to marry her and devote my
life to her care. Should | cast her off
FOR this other physical defect, for
which she was no more accountable
han the other?
| walked away from her to another
)nrt of the room. This matter was of
90 much importance for me to decide !
N impulse. After pacing back and
orth a few minutes stopped before
iwen, who had sunk upon sofa. and !
aid to her:
Gwen, give me till tomorrow to de-
ide what course shall take In this
natter"
She made no reply, but left the room.
Later Emily Tucker came in and said |
o me:
What has happenedT
Il can't tell you now. l must have
i'll tomorrow morning"
She, too, retired, and again | was
lone Taking my hat and cane, left
he house that l might have the dome
II heaven under which to think. | did
ot return till near midnight. Seeing
tight in Ovens room, / called to her
oftly. The window was open, and she
eard me.
II have decided" l said. "Come
own and will tell you"
She had not gone to bed and In n
ew minutes came down on to the
'orch, where ! was, and, approaching,
topped short distance from me.
Il love you so well that / can't give
'ou up" l said. I'm screening you
rom the consequences OF your misfor-
une l shall be far happier than pass
ng lifetime without YOU"
l supposed that she would stand
lute. l would approach her and take
er IN my arms; her head would drop
n my breast in token that she accept
d the sacrifice. What was my aston
'hment when she broke into laugh.
md i was still more surprised to hear
echoed from an upper window.
acognized the echo as Emily's.
stupid" Gwen said to me, how
ould YOU have been deceived by such
shallow trick? My kleptomaniac
was a minister's wife and
lherited nothing but goodness. When
entered the drawing room this even.