The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-21
BY HUGH WILSON AND W. G. BENET.
I have often wondered who lived there.
And what did Mrs. Morpeth do about

will?"
"Well. that's just it, sir. I'm in a
great difficulty. Mrs. Morpeth left me
her executor, sir, and I don't know what
to do about it. You see, sir, there's a
good bit Of property-a very good bit.
She was clever, for woman, very
clever. And she bought up real estate
all over the city. And there's the
Rallied House and what it holds; fifty
thousand dollars, I should say it was
worth, at least; some folks think it will
foot up to sixty"
"That's nice sum indeed, But what
is your difficulty? Who are the heirs?"
"That's Just it, Mr.. Freke-nobody
can tell, sir. 1t is left to But haye
a copy of the will here; I'll show you" :"
The document, briefly drawn, but in
strict legal form, devised all property of
every description of which the testator
might die possessed "to the child or
children of my niece Esther LIE Baron,
eldest daughter of my sister Esther
Platt. I do not know their present
name or residence" That was all.
Nothing could be more indefinite.
Have you done anything about find
ing these Platts-I mean LIE Barons?"
said Ernest, folding up the paper:
"No, / haven't. l don't know how to
begin about it. That was why wanted
to see you, Mr.. Freke. Ought l to ad-
vertise?"
Il should think so, certainly. But
are there no letters or papers in the
house to give clew?,'
Il haven't lit on any, sir. But then l
haven't searched regular, Could you
spare the time to step round there with
me, Nj; Mr.; Freke' I should be very
II couldn't to-day, but I might to-
morrow"
So the appointment was made.
The Rallied House had been stately
mansion in it's day, with other stately
mansions about it. Now, with ajunk
shop on either side, and row of sailors
boarding-houses opposite, it looked like
the wreck of fine old frigate aground
in the mud of some ignoble harbor. In
side, it held mine Of riches for the Gu
riosity-lover. Nothing had been added
and nothing taken away for a centurv
past. No papers were to be found, how
ever; as one receptacle after another was
vainly searched, the little taxidermist
grew disconsolate.
"You would think the old lady burned
up every thing on purpose to make trou-
be-" he said; "wouldn't you now?
What can a man do with all this con-
fusion of LIE Barons and Platts and Nor
peths? They have all married and got
different names long ago, most likely.
Why, Mr.. Freke, what is it? what have
YOU found, sir?" for his companion had
uttered sudden exclamation.
There, on the shelves of a buffet which
he had just opened, were ranged in
splendid row platters and dishes and
cups of magnificent India china, blue,
crimson, and gold, with on each tfie
same little shield and monogram, in
sharp, cleaning lines of color, which he
had last seen in faded tints on the old
plate in Mrs. Sabina Marsh's cupboard
months before. 1t was certainly the
same; he recognized it instantly. But
how came it here? And what was the
link between this rich and lonely woman
and Mrs. Marsh and pretty Raby in
their quaint solitude and bare poverty?
He made no distinct explanation to the
puzzled executor, but advised him to
defer advertising for little while; and
the next day but one found him at the
gate of the old house again. No bright
girl-face smiled welcome this time ::
Raby had gone back to her school-teach-
ing, and Aunt Sabina, grim as ever. re-
ceived him.
Her distant and suspicious manner
gradually thawed as she discerned the
meaning of his questions. Mrs. Nor
| peth was her aunt, her mothers sister.
| Her grandmother's name was Platt, and
her mother was the Barbara Holds
worthy Hagen of the china monogram.
Yes, her mother did marry LIE Baron.
He was a Frenchman. He did not live
very long after the marriage. Did he
turn out badly? 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 afterward. No, she never
saw her aunt, and she never wanted to.
In her opinion they treated her mother
shamefulLy. Raby's mother was older
than She, two years older. She was
I'D now, and so was Mr.. Glenn. Raby
was the only child. Prove it? Why,
of course she could, but why should she?
Everybody knew about the Marshes and
the Glenns-everybody that had any
business to, that was. And pray why
did the gentleman ask all these ques-
tions?-what concern was it of his, any
| way?
So Raby was the heiress. .
There was a 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 her
great-aunt's bequest, and for this end it
was needful they should meet; but these
interviews were of strictly business
character. Ernest kept them so. II
won't make up to girl, now she is rich,
whom I deliberately turned away from
when she was poor" he said to himself.
Raby was not little aggrieved by this
turn of affairs. "He won't even let me
thank him comfortably" she told her
aunt. "He Just bows and goes away"
After a while she and Mrs. Marsh
came to the city, and then they met
oftener. There were plenty of people to
show attention to a young and beautiful
heiress. Mrs. Hunter, among the rest,
was specially empressee in her civilities.
MIR. Freke was always encountering Miss
Glenn ut dinners or at parties, and after a
while he ceased to fight against the new
and sweet influence that had come into
his life He asked Raby to marry him,
telling her the manful truth about him
self, and leaving her to judge the matter.
II don't think you were to blame
much!" pronounced Raby, lifting her
soft eyes with q look which sent thrill
to all his tense nerves. "a man can't al
ways marry a girl even if he likes her.
And you hadn't seen me but three times
you know. 1t was much more honorable
in you to stop then than to 60 on a little
longer and make me like you-more."
This more" was irresistible. 1t caused
an interruption.
"There's one thing I would like so much
to do" resumed Raby, little later.
You'll help me manage it, won't you,
Ernest?" want to send Mrs. Hunter
one of those big plates, like that old
cracked one which she wanted to buy.
Do you think might, and will you take
it to her?" tits sort of debt, for if she
hadn't come curiosity-hunting that day,
l might never have seen you, or heard Of
Aunt Morpeth or her will, Or"
"Bless the old plate, thenm interrupted
Ernest Freke. "Send Mrs. Hunter new
one, by all means; but that old one we
will have framed, and hang up on our
walls, and keep always, won't we,
Raby?"
And they did.-Harper's Bazaar.
The Champion Fat Boy.