The Morning herald., 1878-11-27

-"detectives are expected here to take Dir
agnosis. It is criminal offence to use ficti-
tious names to cover evil purposes. may
INQUIRE further Of the law"
He saw that he must dissemble.
s"The house broken open by burglArsP he
exclaimed.
Cecil smiled sarcastically. a
~ did not say 80; I said visited, Mr.
Clark-visited, not broken OPEN But per.
haps you know something about it." ''
'.More inuendo, Miss Clayton|
II am convinced that you are not only
thief, but also a-murderer-the murderer
of Ned Jasperr' AglI.4 H.
The expression Of this suspicion bore
richer fruit than she had anticipated.
Clark sprang TO his feet. 81
"Who-who is the accuser?" he gasped.
"That need not concern You. Your
guilty conscience is sufficient to betray you.
Understand, Mr.. Clark, that am not the
country girl you evidently have taken me to
he-my education was received in the city
Now, let us to business. "gp
Her manner was cool as at the beginning,
hu had now a far different effect on him. 4
has tue jailer gone back on ms3" he
thought. "If he has, she can show full
hand, for she possesses Other information to
strengthen it." f.5F.F "EI-
With the usual bland SMILE however, he
declared her suspicious unjust and an
nounced himself perfectly willing to answer
all questions.
II wish to know, first, how the trouble
between my parents originated" said Cecil
nervously.
II am panied to tell you that you have no
legally married mother" answered the vii
lain. "In other words, that you are an ille-
gitimate child!' fgr,-.
Cecil paled.
Her heart almost ceased pulsating.
Could it be that that was the sin which
had kept her father from revealing to her
the truth? Was it because he had sinned
against her mother, and not her mother
against him? She would not believe it.
The villainous Clark should not find her as
credulous as himself.
Apparently unmoved, she bade him pro-
ceed. XIV =
''Your mother was never legally married
to Mr.. Clayton. She is bigamist"
"a biganiist!" ls'T'5 TfgH III.
s.That is the word. The ceremony which
was supposed to have made her John Clay
toms wife was useless; she was already emil
tied to the name of Mrs. Jared Clark
"Oh, Heaven" thought the poor girl II
this be sor'
Il knew nothing of Mrs. Clark's trickery
till three months after your birth, being ao-
sent from New Haven, where John Clayton
at that time lived and transacted business.
So soon as I became aware OF it, ! made
your unhappy father aware Of the deiusiQn
under which he was laboring. The next
day she was driven from his roof. Natural
ly he cast her of, or, rather, returned her to
me. But would have nothing to do with
her thereafter. By mutual agreement, the
trouble was hushed up. John Clayton re-
moved to W, taking with him nurse
for his motherless child, and & lousekeeper,
to whom he represented himself widower.
Yet the affair came near being ventilated by
the hot-headed conduct of the false womans
brother who Immediately she told him Of
Mr.. Claytons course, laid plan to thrash
him. Two evenings after the denouement,
John Clayton, while returning from his law
yers, was set upon by William Armstrong,
the brother. Ned Clayton, home from a
cruise, coming up, and being half drunk
took hand in the fight. Armstrong was
struck over the head such forcible blow as
scattered some of his brains. On the trial 1T
was proven that the dead mans assallant
was the tipsy Ned, who, when arrested, gave
another name than his own. John got
away before the police came up. From
what the quarrel arose Ned would not state,
and, having confounded worthless lawyer,
was sentenced for life. -,
A terrible faar that this revelation might
be true stunned Cecil. She had asked MN
to tell her what she could have known put
from one person on earth save aim, and she
must know where to find that person-her
mother-before she could prove It's truth or
its falsity. It seemed too incredible Tor De-
lief. =,
Recovering she asked, composedly, de-
termined that the gloating rufflan should
not see the effect his words produced:
'sHow is it, Mr.. Clark, that you are &C.
ouainted with the i, nermost facts OF the
case-the street brawl, for instance-whlch
one would suppose known only to the par
ticipants2" @@ M,.y :.
II witnessed the skirmish-Ned and my
self were together when We came up with
John Clayton kept that to myself, and
consequently did not go on the witness
stand. II has been worth money to me-.
"Why did you neglect to use it to extort
money from me?
Il have been waiting your fathers return.
He ia not such fool as to commit suicide,
and I'm unprepared to swallow the foot-pad
theory ,-.....,,...u.oeos 80
a former marriage?"q r@ e.. :,
"Enough to satisfy even your skspticism. "
ain what form?' * a. : -r -,,-, .
"The contract" .0.
"Where is it2"
usbr tboueht Cecil. IF he has not falsi-
fed. and can get that, I am safe"
The thought nerved her to desperation
,,;thorto foreion--she would now hesitate at