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Show 374 Jt!CIIArtU IIUJWlS. ° Ccrtainly-1 doubt not tb:tt. Never rogue yet that did not." A p:-~.usc ensued. The voice of the youth was half stiftccl, as witll conflicting emotions, when he endeavored to speak ngain. But he succeeded. "I am an only son-a mother-a feeble, infirm mother-looked to me for assistance and support. A moment of dreadful uccessity pressed upon us, and in the despair and apprehension wl1ich the emergency brought with it to my mind, I committed an error-acriJllC, Colonel Grnfton-I appropriatcU the money of another P' "A fit beginning to so active a life-hut go on." "Not to my usc, Colonel Grafton-not to my usc, nor for any pleasure or appetite of my own, did I apply that ill-got spoil. lt was to save from suffering and a worse evil, the mother ·which had borne me." "I believe, Mr. Clifton, in no such necessity," was the stern reply. "In a country like ours, no man need steal, nor lie, nor cheat. The brcml of life is procured with no diffienlty by any man having l1is proportion of limbs anU sinews, and not too lazy and vicious for honest employment. You could surely lmve relieved your parent without a resort to the offence yon speak of." "rl'rue, sir-1 might. llut I did not know it thcn-I was a youth without knowledge of the world or its resources: Brought up in seclusion, and overcome by the sudden terror of debt, and the law -" "'Vhich, it seems, has kept you in no such wholesome fear to the end of the chapter. Pity for both our sakes that it had not. But to make a long story short, Mr. Clifton, an(l to relieve you from the pleasure or the pain of telling it, know, sir, that I am acquainted with all, and, perhaps, much more tl1an you are willing to relate." ''Indeed, sir-bnt how-how came you by this knowlcdgc1" "rrhat is of no importance, or but little. Not an hour before you made your appearance, I received an a~count. o_f yo~r true character and associates-thank Heaven! m suilictent time to be saved from the fatal connection into which my child bad so nearly fallen." C.\PT\\' ll'i'. 375 "She should not have fall • solemnly. "I came 011 nr ):~1 ' Colon('\ (.rafton," saiil Clifton "So I bclieY M r .. ! .c to dC'cl:no the truth, sir." c, r. Cldton; and it . . . 11 f perhaps, l''eli for me, that yon were ts "c or you, nnd, the truth ~v1 1en you made your nppcnt~~nc~rompt to declare paused for fwe minutcs-h:ICl you li ngcrccl in ·ou;~.,acl you but -I had put n. bullet through your lu:~nd will~ as Iitclf-c~posurc rn s I shonltl have shot the wolf wh' 1 . . I tle temorsc, I I I lC I .llmec to prey upon rttt. e ones. 1atl put my pistols in readiness for that my ~l1cy arc this instant bC'nentlt my hands. Kotldn: ~~~rp,:st~,: tuncly development could baYO saved you from dC'ath, uml ~v. 1 that wot~l? 110t h~vc avniled, but that yon haYC ~ltown a de r:~ of con.tntum,.durnq;_your COI·d'cssion, to wlLich ] could not ~hut my c_yes. l\..now, Str, that I not only knew of Ute dccC'ption practised upon me, but of your connection witlt the darin o~tlaw,' wl~o overrun the couu.try; and from whom, by th~ \\,l)') on],,\, c. much more at this moment to fear, than you can e,·cr .ltavc rc~son to fe:u frum me. Their emissaries arc even now 111 pursuit of you, thirsting for your blood." ' Oolon~l Grafton, tell me-l prny you tell me-how know yon all tlus." "Is it not true 1" . . "Ay !-ny ~ true as gospel, though my lips, though I perlshed for dcnymg, shonld neYer have revealed it." :: 'Vha~! you would still have kept bond with tltcsc outlaws 7" No, s1r; but I would not have revealed their secrets." "But you shall, sir-you shall do more. You shnll guide me .and other~ to the plncc where they keep. You shall help to dc1Lvc1' them mto tile I Lands of justice." "Never, sir! never!" was the quick reply. .~~Then you pcri:;h Ly the common hangmau, :Jir. Clifton," srud Colonel G~·afton. "EitlLCl' you deliver them up to punisJ1_ rn~~1t, o~ you U1e for your share in their pnst ofl'cnces." Be Jt s~-I c:m perish, you will find, witlJout fear, though I n~~y ha,·c ln·ed Without honor. Let me leave you now, Colonel Gwfton -let me pass." ."You pass not here, while I have strength to keep you sir" said. Grafton i and as these words reached my ears I he~rd 'a. l'Usbmg sound, and then a ~ttruggle. With thi~ ~ovement, I |
