Year: 1879

could only kiss her, and press her TO my
heart After while said
1T was only those words, 'Will you for
give me9 that | wanted. If you would
have spoken them sooner, we need never
have parted


oh, Harold how can you It was not
that was asking you to forgive me, but my
folly in leaving you. / am as innocent of
taking that wretched money as my own
child. Won't you believe me9'


4 do, my darling, do replied, with
genuine delight. I would have believed
you then if you had said this to me but
you know you never deigned me word and
what was to think p


Il was so Mortified at your even suspecting
me that fancied it was beneath me to de-
ny it. | cannot now understand what. could
have prompted you to think such dredful
thing of me. 1t is very hard to bear
was beginning to wonder, too, how l
could have suspected my own Marian. Cir
cumstances:and my mother were more to
blame than /, however.


In answer, l murmured something about
Frank.


'Ah, that letter to Frank, l remember it.
You were always so hard on him that l
didn't like to tell you about it. He really
had been trying to keep on steadily at the
post your kindness had obtained him, but
old debts were constantly coming in, and his
limited salary would not meet them and
keep him as we'll. There was one man who
pressed him hard for Gl0. He had spent
has last quarters salary within pound or
| two, and more would not be coming for some
| time. He wrote and told me this, asking me
to help him, but / could not. He wrote
again, and said he must draw on his salary,
but begged him not to do so, so soon.
was sure his employers would think it bad
sign. The man threatened to expose his
former habits to the firm, which YOU know
might have ruined him with them. l re-
solved to help him this once, and in order
to do so sold my diamond brooch which
scarcely ever had occasion to wear. / got
| fl0 for it, and | sent him notes to that
amount-he little guessed at what cost
|
tie woman why did you not tell me all
this ? Why could you not trust me p
why could you not trust me 2? Marian
demanded, half playfully, half pathetically.
Then she added, earnestlg Il have been
very much to blame. was proud and self
willed and all sorts of bad things, and then
leaving you was worse than all. Harold,
dear, am so ashamed of myself for that
No women is justified in leaving her hus-
band on so slight pretext as l had
| thought so TOO. She was becoming the
most sensible little women in the world ;
but had been to blame too but / was not
going to let the magnanimity be all on her
side. we were both to blame, 1 replied. am
not going to exonerate you quite. little wife,
but am going to own to my fault. l was a
brute to doubt you. Marian, you must for
give me, dear


'Oh, Harold we shall be so happy again
now, shan't we p the little woman replied
and then she wound up our reconciliation in
a truly womanly style, with tears and smiles
and kisses.


But the mystery of the money was still
more dark after Marian's explanation, and
it was months before we penetrated it. We
did so at last, however.


Our piano being sadly in want of repair,
sent to professional man to come and dc
it up | was in the room when he proceed
ed to take iG to pieces As soon as the from
was removed perceived little black box
sDugly lodged inside, which l Immediately
recognized. Ny grand idea now flashed in
to my mind. Here, then, was the clue tc
the mystery. was the thief. In my anx
iety had placed the money inside the pia
no, while still under the influence of sleep.


Marian was delighted. She actually sheC
tears of joy when told her of my discove.
ry.


'Ob, you abandoned man. she said, shak
ing her head at me, to suspect me when al
the time you had stolen your own money 7