The Atlantic Monthly Volume 50 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 Excerpt: ...When her footsteps began crunching on the gravel he came forward from the church-yard door. They embraced each other in haste, and then, in a few short, panting words she explained to him that her brother had heard and witnessed the interview on that spot between himself and the Bishop, and had told her the substance of the Bishop's accusation, not knowing she was the woman in the cabin. "And what I cannot understand is this," she added: "how did the Bishop discover that the person behmd the bed-curtains was a woman, and not a man?" "Why," explained Swithin, "in addition to seeing the curtains move he unluckily found on the bed one of the bracelets I gave you, which you accidentally left there. He brought it to me in the church-yard." "Oh, Swithin, what do you say? Found the coral bracelet? What did you do with it?" Swithin clapped his hand to his pocket. "Dear me I recollect--I left it where it lay on Reuben Heath's tombstone." "Oh, my dear, dear Swithin " she cried miserably. "You have compromised me by your forgetfulness I have claimed the bracelet as mine. My brother did not tell me that the Bishop brought it from the cabin. What can I, can I do, that neither the Bishop nor my brother may conclude / was the woman there " "But if we announce our marriage "--A Even as your wife, the position was too undignified--too I don't know what--for me ever to admit that I was there. Eight or wrong, I must declare the bracelet was not mine. Such an escapade--why, it would make me ridiculous in the county; and anything rather than that." "I was in hope that you would agree to let our marriage be known," said Swithin, with some disappointment. "T thought tha...