The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-07-03

black seals. Laying this on the table
Lord Beauvray placed his hand on it.
and looked into the fnancier's eyes:
. !. Mr.. Moyle," said he, sadly, 81 have
painful communication to make, but
I will not beat about the bush. I find
that have no legal right to the title
which bear, or to the fortune which
am using"
"Ehl what2" exclaimed Mr.. Moyle,
with gasp.
"I made the discovery this morning
in rummaging through box of deeds"
continued Lord Beauvray, whose voice
grew steadier. You know. that I in
herited the title from my uncle. He
was the eldest of three brothers. My
father, the youngest, died whenI was a
boy; my second uncle died few years
later, and we fancied he had been a
bachelor, but it appears that he was
clandestinely married, and left soma
lad whom you know, by the by, for
have seen him in your house. His
name is Timburel." 4.
=" Tfmburel p echoed Mr.. Moyle, with
a start; "young Tmburel who used to
be clerk in our firm, and whom dis
missed for presuming to make love to
our Millis ~
~ "I was not. aware of those particu-
lars" said Lord Beauvray, but young
Timburel is the man; he bears his
mothers name she was an actress), and
we used to think he was the natural son
of my second uncle; but it seems that
his parents were lawfully married."
Z. "And do you mean to say that
Timburel-a vulgar, conceited upstart,
who is ivingon his wits at this moment,
with not a shilling in his pocket, Phi
be bound-do you mean to say he has
become Earl of Beauvrayf''
Il "Not only that, but he, becomes abso=
lutte owner of all my estates and prop
erty. My poor father left me mere
pittance. When 1 have put Timburel
in possession of his own, 1 shall have
nothing but my commission in the
Guards and about three hundred year."
"Come, come, don't say such bosh,"
blurted out old Moyle, grasping his
nose again. 1t had just occurred to
him that Lord Beauvray was hoaxing.
He wants to find out whether our
Mile loves him for himself or his title"
reflected the money-man; but in mo-
ment this idea was dispelled by Lord
Beauvray displaying the contents of his
envelope marriage certificate, and a
number of letters which substantiated
his story. Then he entered into expla-
nation. 1t, seems that his uncle, the
Hon. Colonel de Vray, being in garrison
at Malta, had privately married an
italian actress named Timburel. After
years union, this tickle person had de-
serted him, leaving her child to his care !;
and soon afterward she died. Under
the circumstances the Colonel, though
he provided for his boys maintenance,
deemed it convenient to conceal his
marriage, and eventually he died sud-
denly without having acknowledged it.
Apparently, however, his conscience
had tormented him, so that, while lack
ing the moral courage to speak the
truth during his lifetime, he had left
evidence by which it might be known
after his death. Unfortunately, the en-
velope containing his marriage certif-
cate had hahn mixed up with some other
documents in a box, which Lord
Beauvray (who inherited the deceased's
papers) had never thought of examin-
ing till that morning, when he had be-
gun to sort his family papers in the
view of marriage. There were the facts
which the young peer explained, while
old Moyle, with series of wheezes like
means, ruefully examined all the docu-
ments one by one.
Suddenly the bill-discounter crumbied
all the papers in mis- hand with feyerish
grasp, and looked at Lord Beauvray.
There was an expression in his dull eyes
as of light behind an uncleaned pane
of glass. say" he whispered, "have
you told anybody besides me about this
secretT
"No; I came to you first, as in duty
bound"
" Then what prevents US from de-
stroying these papers? I shan't say
anything about it,. That young Tim
burel is skunk and a snob; it will be
ridiculous to see him. lord, and he'll
ruin himself, or become mad with con-
ceit-so foolish is he. I say, Beauvray,
if I throw this envelope into the fire,
who will know anything about it?.'
r" SHALL" answered Lord Beauvray
quietly, and he held out his hand for the
papers. .......
The shifty glance of the money man
quailed before the light of unquencha-
BILE honesty in the eyes of one who hap
pened to be a nobleman in something
more than the name. +-
There was pretty hubbub in society
when it became known that the Earl OF
Beauvray-or George de Vray, as he
now simply called himself-was going
to abandon his title and estates to a
man who had been a city clerk. Lord
Beauvray himself did his utmost to
make the thing public; for as the legal
formalities for reinstating his cousin
into his rights would require some time,
he was anxious that the new peer
should obtain atleast social recognition
of his rank as soon as possible. For
this purpose he placed the amazed and
elaued Mr.. Tmburel in possession of his
mansion in Piecadilly, and large sum
in ready money to go on with" Mr..
Timburel was decidedly snob; LORD
Beauvray could not like him, much as
he forced himself to be friendly, and he
was soon forced to reflect with sigh
that the house of De Vray would be
poorly represented by its new chief.
But this did not check his diligence il
doing his duty, and he quite dismayed
his solicitors, who were advising hin
to defend the action for eject
ment that was going to be instituted
and to dispute the claim for. the It'll,
that would be laid before the House O
Lords. : -,
"I wish to have no disputes, p sale
George de Vray. "Even if legal flav
were discovered / should not avail my
self of it so long as moral certaint!
existed. And that certainly does exist.
The lawyers grumbled;. but they wer,
fain to own that the marriage certifcat
was genuine, and that nothing bu
'chicanery could spoil the suit of MI
Timburel, who now described himself a
"Ralph de Vray, claimant to the earl
dom of Beauvray." -
OF course George de Vray's marriag
was postponed. The turn in his fol
tunes had thrown SO much business OF