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��MARY'S REWARD.
��had been in the past. He blamed him- self for being the cause of losing the property entrusted to him by his mother and sister. Aside from this he had lost the lady he had hoped— as the junior member of the house of Rawson & Co. — to make his wife. Miss Clara -Corinth could smile upon the handsome and pros- perous young merchant, but the sad- faced, poverty-stricken clerk was quite another person in her estimation, so she had quietly sent him back his ring and other presents and that had been the end. It was not strange that ill luck and trouble drove him, as it has done many others, to the wine-cup, and while his mother and sister watched and prayed over him, she who had been the principal if not the whole cause of his downward career was just as light-hearted as if sin and misery were alike unknown in the world. Mary thought of all this as she sat alone by the fireside. One o'clock! The clock in a neighboring church struck the hour, and unable longer to remain quiet, Mary arose and walked the floor, her little hands clasped tightly together, her anxiety almost too great to be borne. Suddenly there came a knock at the door, low and cautious and twice repeated. Of late Eugene had frequently knocked, to avoid waking his mother by ringing the bell,. when he had forgotten to take his night key, and Mary's heart gave a joy- ous leap as she hastened to open the door. To her surprise a stranger stood before her.
" This is Miss Ross, is it not?" said he politely.
" Yes. sir," replied Mary.
" I am Mr. Carr, of the firm of Carr & Co. I have come to tell you that yonr brother will not be in to-night."
Mary raised her face to his, and it gleamed white as marble in the pale moonlight. She essayed to speak, but could not. Her white lips moved, but no sound came from them.
"Do not be alarmed; he is safe. I was passing the house and saw a light, and knew you must be waiting for him, him. I will care for him as tenderly as if he were my brother. Good-night." And lifting his hat, the gentleman hast- ened rapidly away.
��Mary turned slowly and sadly away, carefully secured the door and then re- entered the room she had left so hope- fully a moment before, all her fears real- ized now, and throwing herself upon the lounge, she burst into tears of shame and grief. That Mr. Carr, the noble gentle- man who had been so kind to her broth- er, should see him intoxicated, as she knew he must be ! He would lose his employment, of course. No one would blame Mr. Carr for turning him away after this, and then his downward career would be more rapid yet. At length she sobbed herself to sleep, her last thought being of her wayward brother and the grief of her invalid mother when she learned the truth, for she well knew it could no longer be kept from her.
It was late the next morning when Mary awoke, and a severe headache, caused by her over-anxiety and want of proper rest, caused her face to look pale and wan. She bustled about, however, and when Mrs. Ross awoke she found a delicious breakfast awaiting her. Mary greeted her mother with a kiss and many anxious inquiries regarding her health, to which Mrs. Ross replied by saying she was feeling quite nincely for her.
" Eugene eaten and gone?" said Mrs. Ross in a tone of inquiry.
u It is very late, mamma. You have overslept yourself this morning, but you were sleeping so quietly I would not awake you," answered Mary evasively.
Mrs. Ross looked searchingly into her daughter's face for a moment, but said no more until breakfast was over and Mary had cleared away the table and done the usual morning's work, and they entered the cosy sitting-room, then she said quietly :
u Mary, you are keeping something from me that I must know. At what time did Eugene return last night?"
Sadly enough did Mary tell of her lonely vigil and Mr. Carr's call, keeping nothing back. Very pale grew the mother as her worst fears were more than realized, and she instantly decided to send Mary to the store to see if Eugene was there, and if not, to learn where and in what condition he was.
Twenty minutes later Mary entered
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