Iron County register., 1883-05-03
; CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Captain Dick Waite, whose chief busi-
ness and interest in life just now CEN
tered in telegraphic operations. came
home the evening ter the favorable
change in Viola condition, and tossed
letter to Raj ph on the table, lit
tie contemptuously. He WASH t inter-
ested in the slow going mails-in fact,
lightning had failed as vet to satisfy
him.
Ralph took up the letter and opened
it; it was from his mother, of course.
But no. He glanced at the bottom and
iEaw "Victor Montford, in .ust the
clear. delicately bold hand he should
have expected from him. He ran it
over quickly. his face Frightening to a
pleasant glow as he read. Il always
knew he was splendid fellow" he
said, a sort OF admiring lultation in his
tone. But he folded the letter and put it
in his pocket: she must not hear it that
night; it would keep, it was good
enough.
The next morning Viola looked so
much brighter, and the doctor spoke so
favorably - and besides he was so
an ious to have her know-that he took
the letter and came and sat down by
her, and said, smilngly, and with an
attempt at lightness:
Il am very proud of our relations,
the Montfords, dear Vio. I've a letter
here from our cousin Victor-cousin in
a double sense. or will be soon, / fancy
but you shall hear it. He wanted l
should read it to you; shall l do so
now?''
Yes" she said. family, the least
tinge of pink coming into her cheeks
And so he unfolded and read:
.'CApTAIN RALPH ANDERSON:
My Very Dear Fr end:-"Your father has
just called on me and told me the story which.
more than nnsthing else regret about it-and
there is enough to regret, surely-is, that l
had not known it all two months ago. How
much suffering and ind digntty 1 cou ii have
saved my poor wronged cousin if had only
known it: But this is no time for regrets:
records faithfully. and have found some let
ters--correspondence between my father and
Alfred eEries-and all confirm me, especially
the latter, in the belief that Viola is right and
,pur family are only usurpers. l ask but one
thing;-the frail comfort of hoping and bel ev-
ing that his weak kness, rather tBan his wicked
ness lay at the foundation of this wrong / ask
this because he is dead-and because, what
ever he may have been, cannot forget that
was q tool in the hands of DeVries, i have
long seen. but never dreamed there was
crime under it all.
"DeVries is absent just now. He went to
Galesburg the night after my fathers funeral.
l shall tei1 him all the moment he returns, and
think h. win need no bidding to leave the
country. The NJ milford proper shall be set
tied satisfactorily TO my cousin. for find in
letter writ n by DeV les eleven years ago
to Harrys wife ami child. and the trouble he
had been to, to impress it upon h that the
marriage was all a sham l have. therefore,
no doubt that she is the legitimate heir of Harry
MontlOrd and even if she wer1 not, but was
still his child should say the same-and :
such am ready to do all in my power t, rein
state her IN her rights. Do not think your
self. or allow her to think. that do this 2rudg-
fngy or unwillingly: my great sorrow and re-
Rrpt is that cannot blot out and atone for the
unhappy past need not tell uDlt. certainly,
t. be very tender and careful of her, and to
US every means to bring her back to health,
AMI am sure to happiness. should come to
her at once if it was possible for me to leave
home ut this time.
.77TEc' very sincerely your friend,
'NICTOR MONTFORD.
Up. S.-I saw your cousin Blanche last night.
dear Ralph. She is roble girl. Sue says the
loss If propety makes no di!ferancs TO h'r:
AID she IS going to be my wife in the spring.
Heaven will ng. Need say thlt am hap
pier now, as poor man. than I was before
thought?-an, well, you know.
''Yours, V. NJ
If. in their secret hearts. either Ralph
or Viola differed with y ictor Montford
in his estimate OF Blanche. they did not
say so; they We're both too pleased with
the denouement.
Il don't care anything about the
Montford property, now," Viola said,
bluShing family, .'not-not unless you
do. dear Ralph.''
Il? You don't think l. take it from
him, if Idid want it. hope. I've got
all the Montford property | ask for,
here" STOPPING over and kissing the
faintlv-fiushed cheek and the pretty,
tremulous lips, and the dropping lids
that yelled the happy eyes. .-f.r
You see. this hero of mine was young
and in love, which accounts for con-
tempt of property" If he lives as
long as YOU. dear sensible reader-al-
ways supposing one OF that class reads
this story at all-he will doubtless
learn better. and have due admira-
ton for ..solid'' charms.
voice of Captain Dick Waite dropped
like a clumsy bumb!e-bee into plate
ofrose leaves. Fortunately he was out
of eye.shot-
. Anderson! Anderson! Come here,
nianr' the voice was quick and impa-
tient. much as if he was ordering man
tothem steheal. TO I'M.
Ralph obeyed very promptly. and
found the Captain in close. excited con-
versations with q tall. dark haired and
dark-besfded man a very handsome
man. who seemed, in his way, to be as
much excited as he, The stranger
turned his face full toward him as he
came into the room, and he knew in
stantly who he was the pure olive
skin. the loose curling. jettv hair. the
great, bewilderin~, luminous eyes, each
and all We're but the counterpart of
hers, and so Captain Waite's intorma-
ton was no Information at all when he
said:
"This is MIR. Harry Montford, An
derSon; Harry Albertson Montford. by
George. 1 knew I'd get him if he was
on the foot stool. 1t was the merest
chance though after all--confound the
telegraph, it's all a stupendous hum
bug. If hadn't been TO the depot and
in the cars, i shouldn't ha' had him
now" -H.f .#E