The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-03-16

mission-to 90 aud see about o vault at ST.
Crispin's, where some of our ancestors lie"
ii know" said Ralph they are going to
pull the old place down. All right; III do
t."
Then Maggie went on to tell him about the
ring. and how Miss Hammond would not have
It searched for. But it is Il very valuable
ring-a family one too. 1t would be q great
pity to miss It, if it's really there"
Ralph agreed.
well, then, mind you look for it, sir
only don't say a word to ~auntie, or she'll put
q stop to it."
I'm fly" said Ralph, with n knowing
wink, and attempted q renewal of the oscula-
tory process; but Maggie escaped him this
time, and came fleeing in at the dining-room
window painting into the presence of her
nunts.
Since she first left the room, a visitor had
appenred-n mir. Boobies, q distant relative,
who had inherited some of the family prop
erty, as before explained n tall grim-looking
man., with thin iron-gray hair, carefully
brushed of his temples.
The aunts were looking rather serious, not
to say frightened, and both started guilty
when they saw Maggie.
Leave us, my dear, please, SAID MISS
Hammond gently.
Maggie had Just caught the words, mo
marriage at all" from Mr.. Boobies, who
seemed TO be speaking loudly and excitedly
and she went out wondering what 1t oil
meant. Some piece of scandal, no doubt,
for Boobies was the quintessence of spiteful-
ness.
1T is very drsadful-very," said Miss
Hammond. II never had much opinion of
Uncle Richard, you know; but for the sake
of the young people, l hope you'll let it be
kept q profound secret"
"Sake of the young people !" screamed
Boobies at the top of his harsh voice. And
.ul.A f.-al1 l. - III D-AII,,I Ina tha
next heir, you'll remember, please, through
my maternal grand father, Henry Ham
mond.
Mr.. Boobies had come to Westbury to ar-
nounce an important discovery that he had
recently made. In turning over some OF his
grandfather's papers he had come across some
letters from General Hammond, in which it
was firmly asserted that his son Major Ham
mond had never been legally married TO the
woman known rs his wife.
What end do you propose to serve, Mr..
Boobies, by bringing this ancient scandal to
light p asked Miss Hammond, with agitated
voice.
End ~ cried Boobies. ''This is only the
beginning of it. 1 am going to q court of
law TO have myself declared heir to the West
bury estates under the settlement"
"In that case" said Miss Hammond, rising
with dignity, you cannot be received on
friendly terms in my house."
ION, very well, very well" cried Boobies,
snntching up his hat and whip, and sweeping
out Of the room without further ceremony.
AS soon as the door had shut upon hin the
sisters looked nj each other in blank conster-
nation.
h Il always feared there would be n diff
Guilty, " said Ellen TREMENDOUSLY but oh, to
think of Boobies having discovered t."
"wo ISust send for Smith at once the
carriage sNl! go in and fetch him." said
Miss Hammond, ringing the bell.
D Mr.. Smith of Gigglesham was the family
solicitor, and tho carriage was sent of to
bring him up at once fora consultation. But
Smith brought littlo encouragement. He had
heard from his father that there were curious
circumstances attending Major Hammond's
marriage, and il Boobies had put his finger
on the iiaw-S Smith shrugged his should
ers for want of words to express the awkward
uCss OF tho Cnsc.
"iiut search must be mc 10 everywhere
,ta id' nee Of the marriage muat be found
the children must not suffer, nocr thing
ArlI always brought up to look Upon u
property as their own
why, they could never marry, cried Mis-
Ellen; they could mover live on Ralph
Vny."
It's altogether dreadful; and not scttinI
.ruarrird is the very lightest part Of iGo eel
aIn.ty, - said Miss Hammond.
smith undertook that every possible senrcl
sl.Uuld be made, and went away, promising
10 SGT to work ut once. But his inquiries lat
no result. lie had traced out the family o
the rCputed wife, who had been the daugLte
Of It small farmer living at Milton in Kent
bat they had now fallen to the rank of labor
,rs, aud had no papers belonging to them.
hari!y any family traditions. He had
searched all the rcgistries of the neighboriDl
parishes no record of such n marriage coult
,c discovered. He / ad issued advertisement
Offering a reward for the production of evi
l-ncc: all of no avail. What more could Ii,
la: To be sure there was q presumption il
tryor of the marriage but then if Boodlel
tad documents rebutting such q presump
ton Again Mr.. Smith shrugged hi
huu!dsrs, in hopelessuess of finding fitting
words TO represent the gravity of the crisis
And then lie went on to say, 'the yer,
Tot that Boobies is spending money over tn
also shows that he thinks lie has a stronI
one
Eoodlcs did not let the grass grow unde
lis feet he instituted proceedings at once
tud cited all interested TO appear. The thin
could no longer be kept n secret; and Maggi
and Ralph were told of the cloud that IA:
come over their fortunes.
u don't care if the property does q
way, . said Maggie Lravely. at will max,
no difference. l shall go to India with Ralph
that's all. Twill be a soldiers wife, and rid,
on lne bdEbuSS-NuSous.
Ralph shook his head. lie had never beer
ablo to manage on his pay when there wal
only himself, and there We're ever so many
iieuteuRnts on the list before him, so that hs
could not hope to be n captain for many year,,
There was no use in sitting brooding ovel
coming misfortunes and Ralph took tn,
dogcart and drove over to Gigglesham, to Sc,
about the family vault at st Crispin's. II
was au occupation that agreed well with his
temper; the weather too seemed all in keep
ing-G dull drilling day.
Don't forget the ring" Maggie had said t
him ut parting that is ours, you know
Ralph, if we find it and perhaps it may b.
worth n lot of money"
Ralph shook his head incredulously. AM
yet it was possible. The ring might be there
aud it might prove of great value. In mis-
fortunes the mind grasps at the smallest ale
y~iations, and Ralph consoled himself in hi
depression by picturing the finding of a splen
Id ruby worth say ten thousand pounds. NJ
more artillery work then-no more India.
Gigglesham boasts of several churches, ant
st. Crispin's lies in n hollow by tho river
close by the bridge. A low squat tower ant
plain ugly nave. But in its nook ther--th,
lark river flowing by, the sail of a barge shew,
ing now and then, the tall piles of deals in the
timber yard beyond, the castle keep frownine
from the heights, and the big water-mill witt
It's wiers and rapids, the noise of which anG
IF the great churning wheel sounded slum
Irously all day long-allied with these thing,
he old church mad something homely ant
pleasant about it, hardly to be replaced by tn,
finest modern Gothic,