"Julius!" came in response; the two cousins'
hands clasped, and there was a sob on either side as they kissed one
another as brothers.
"Archie! How could you!--Come back!" was all that Julius could say,
leaning breathlessly against him and holding him tight.
"No! Do not know that I have been here. I was sent to London on
business. I could not help running home in the dark. No one must
know it. I am dead to them."
"No, Archie, you are not. Gadley has confessed and cleared you.
Come home!"
"Cleared me!" The two arms were stretched up to the sky, and there
was the sound of a mighty sob, as though the whole man, body, soul,
and spirit, were relieved from an unspeakable burthen. "Say it
again, Julius!"
"Gadley, on his death-bed, has confessed that Moy and Proudfoot took
that money, incited by Tom Vivian."
Archie Douglas could not speak, but he turned his face towards
Compton again, strode swiftly into the churchyard, and fell on his
knees by his mother's grave. When at last he rose, he pointed to
the new and as yet unmarked mound, and said, "Your mother's?"
"Oh no! Raymond's! We have had a terrible fever here--almost a
pestilence--and we are scarcely breathing after it.
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