Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-07-16

n Dun stseet-ths Rallied House, ~ TIL
tnsighboEB cali II"
sOh, that queer, Handsome old housl
next b ~ Junk shcpf / do remember
have often wond6fed who lived there
And what did NrA Morpeth do about I
willfs
"Wel, that's Just II, DIR. I'm in
great dimculty. Mn Mofpeth left mi
her executor, III, and don't know what
to do about Il Yoass1e, there's 4 goot
bit Of propeFty-A ve9y good bit. Shs
And ahs bought up real estate al ovel
and what II holds; 6fty thousand dol
lars, I should say 1t was worth, ct least;
some folks think It will foot up sixty."
"That'sa mics sum indeed. But what
b your dificultyf Who are the heirsf'
"IhAt's just It, MI. Freke-nobody
can tell, gir. It Il left to-but l have
= copy Of the will hero; I'll show you.'
The document, briefly drawn, but In
strict legal form, devised al property Of
every description Of which the testato,
might die possessed "to the child OF
children of my niece Esther LIE Baron
eldest daughter Of my sister Esther
Platt. / do not know their present
name or residence" That was all.
Nothing could be moro indi6nite.
Have you done anything about find.
ing these Platts-I mean Le Barons?"
said Ernest, folding up the paper.
"No, l haven't. l don't know how to
begin about it. That was why l wanted
g Sc you, Mr.. Freke. Ought l to I'd.
81 should think 20, certainly. But
are there NO letters or papers in the
house to give q clewi"
II haven't lit ON any, sir. But then
I haven't searched regular. Could you
spare the time to step round there with
me, Mr.. Frekes l should be very
grateful"
II couldn't to-day, but I might to.
morrow"
So the appointment was made.
The Rallied House had been q stately
mansion in its day, with other stately
mansions about 1t. Now, with q iunh
ahop on either side, ond q row of sailors
boarding houses opposite, it looked like
the wreck of . fine old frigate aground
In the mud of some ignoble harbor
Inside, 1t held q mine Of riches for the
curiosity lover. Nothing had been addeC
and nothing taken away for q century
past. No papers were to be found, how
ever; a. n receptacle after another wa
vainly searched, the little taxidermist
grew disconsolate.
"You would think the old lady burned
up every thing on purpose to make trou'
ble," he said; "wouldn't you know
What can . man do with all this con.
fusion of LIE Barons and Platts and Nor
pethsf They have all married and got
different names long ago, most likely
Why, Mr.. Freke, what Is it? what have
you found, sirf" for his companion had
uttered q sudden exclamation. :.
There, on the shelves of q buffet which
he had Just opened, we're ranged ir
splendid row plstters and dishes and
cups of magnificent India china, blue
crimson and gold, with on each the same
little ahield and monogram, In sharp
cleaning lines of color, which he had
last . In faded tints ON the old plate
in Mn. 6abina Marshars cupboard
months before. It was certainly the
same; he recognized it instantly. But
how came it heref And what was the
link between this rich and lonely woman
and Mrs. Marsh and pntty Raby in thei,
quaint solitude and crave poverty2
He made no distint explanation to the
puzzled executor, but advised him ia
defer advertising for . little while; and
the next day but one found him ct the
gate of the old house again. No bright
girl-face smiled . welcome this time;
Raby had gone back to her schoolteach-
ing, and Aunt Sabina, grim as ever, re-
ceived him.
Her distant and suspicious manner
gradually thawed - she discerned the
meaning of his questions. Mrs. Nor
peth was her aunt, her mothers sister.
Her grandm0ther's name wa Plat, and
her mother was the Barbara Noteworthy
Hagen of the china monogram. Yes,
her mother did marry q LIE Baron. He
was q Frenchman. He did not live very
long after the marriage. Did he turn
out badlyf She could not say-it
wasn't for her to speak i'll of her own
father, but the family took offence and
never would have anything to do with
her mother mother a~fterward. No, she
never saw her aunt, and she never want.
ed to. In her opinion they treated her
mother shamefully. Raby's mother was
older than abe, two years older. She
wa dead no, and no was Mr.. Glenn.
Raby was the only child. Prove iii
Why, of course she could, but why
should shef Everybody knew about the
Marshes and the Glenn-everybody that
had any business to, that wa. And
pray why did the gentleman ask all
these q~uestionsf What concern was II
OF hia, anyway
So Raby VA the heiress.
There wa q great deal of confusion in
Ernest Freke's mind after this. He gave
his best services to proving Raby's title
and putting her In possession of bel
great aunt's bcquest, and for this end II
was needful they should meet; but these
interviews were of strictly business
character. Ernest kept them 30. ~
won't make up to . girl, now she is rich,
whom I deliberately turned away from
when she VA poor,n he said to himself.
Raby wM not . little aggrieved by this
turn of affairs. "He won't even let me
thank him comfortably" abe told her
aunt. He just bows and goes away"
After . while abe and Mrs. Marsh
came to the city, and then they met
oftener. There were plenty of people to
show attention to . young and beautiful
heiress. Mrs. Hunter, among the rest,
was specially eDspressee in her civilities.
NJ. Freke Vas always encountering Miss
Glenn at dinners or at parties. and after
. while he ceased to fight against the new
and sweet influence that had come into
bis life. He asked Raby to marry him,
telling her tho mAnful truth about him.
self, and leaving her tojudge the matter.
II don't think you were to blame
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