The Penn's Grove record., 1884-10-18


a boy my second uncle died a few
years later, and we fancied that he had
been a bachelor, but it appears that he
was clandestinely married, and left a
soma lad whom you know, by-the-by,
for have seen him in your house. HIS
name is Timburel."
"Timburel ?" echoed Mr.. Moyle,
with a start ''young Timburel who
used to be a clerk in our firm, and whom
| dismissed for presuming to make love
TO u Mile 2"
Il was not aware of those ~particu-
lars" said Lord Beauyray, "but young
Timburel is the man; he bears his
mothers name (she was an a~ctress) land
we used to think he was the natural
son Of my second uncle but 1t seems
that his parents were lawfully mar
ried."
And do you mean to say that Tim
burel-a vulgar cOnceited upstart, who
is living ON his wits at this moment,
with not a shilling in his pocket. I'll be
bound-do you mean to say he has be-
come Earl of Beauvray ?"
"Not only that. but he becomes abso-
Lutte owner of all my estates and prop
erty. My poor father left me a mere
pittance. When | have put Timburel
in possession of his own, | shall have
nothing but my commission in the
Guards and about three hundred a
year.
Come, come, don't say such bosh,"
blurted out old Moyle, grasping his nose
again. 1t had just occurred to him that
Lord Beauyray was hoaXing. HE
wants TO find Out whether u Mile
loves him for himself or his title,' re-
flected the money-man but in a mo-
ment this idea was dispelled by Lord
Beauyray displaying the contents OF his
envelope marriage certificate, and a
number of letters which subStantiated
his story. Then he entered into expla-
nations. 1t seems that his uncle, the
Hon. Colonel de Vray, being in garri-
son at Malta, had privately married an
Italian actress named Tiburelli. After
a years union this tickle person had de-
serted him, leaving her child to his
care and soon afterwards she died.
Under the circumstances the colonel,
though he provided for his boys main
tenance, deemed it convenient to con-
ceal his marriage, and eventually he
died suddenly without having acknowl-
edged it. Apparently, however, his
conscience had tormented him, so that
while lacking 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 envelope containing his marriage
certificate had lain mixed up with some
other documents in a box, which Lord
Beauvray (who had inherited the de.
ceased's papers, had never thought of
examining till that morning, when he
had begun to sort his family papers In
view of his marriage. These were the
facts which the young peer explained,
whilst old Moyle, with a series of
wheezes like means, ruefully examined
all the documents one by mt
Suddenly the bill discounter crum-
pied all the papers in his hand with a
feverIsh grasp, and looked at Lord Beau
vray. There was an expression in his
dull eyes as of a light behind an I'M
cleaned pane of glass. 81 say" he
whispered, ''have you told anybody be-
sides me about this secret ?"
"No; l came to you first, as in duty
bound"
''Then what prevents us from de-
stroying these papers2 L shan't say
anything about it. That young Tim.
burel is a skunk and a snob it will be
ridiculous to see him a lord, and he'll
ruin himself, OF become mad with con-
ceit-so foolish is he. l say Beauyray,
if | throw this envelope into the fire,
who will know anything about it ?n
81 shall, 2" 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 Il nobleman In something
more than the anne.
There was a pretty hubbub in society
when it became known that the Earl Of
Beauvray-or George do 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 at least social recognition of his
rank as soon as possible. For this pur-
pose he placed the amazed and elated
Mr.. TImburel in possession of his man
sion in Plccadilly, and of a large sum
in ready money ITO go on with" Mr..
Timburel was decidedly a snob !; Lord
Beauvray could not like him., much as
he forced himself to be friendly, and
he was soon forced to reflect with a
sigh that the house of De Vray would
be poorly represented by its new chief.
But this did not check his diligence in
doing his duty, and he quite dismayed
his solicitors, who were advising him to
defend the action for ejectment that
was going to be instituted, and to dis
pute the claim for the title that would
be laid before the house Of Lords.
81 wish to have no disputes" said
George de Vray. Even if a legal
flaw were discovered, | should not
avail myself of it SO long as a moral
certainly existed. And that certainly
does exist" The lawyers grumbled,
but they were fam to own that the
marriage certificate was genuine, and
that nothing but chicanery could spoil
the suit of Mr.. Timburel, who now de-
scribed himself as ''Ralph de Vray,
claimant to The earldom of B~eauvray ="
OF course, George de Vray's mar
riage was postponed. The turn in his
fortunes had thrown so much business
on his hands that it was impossible he
could devote a month to honeymooning
until it was all disposed of besides
which, he felt bound to make Mr..
Movie the offer of releasing his daugh-
ter fIom her engagement, AT first this
proposal was pooh poDhed equally by the
bill-discounter and by Mss Moyle her
self. Mile, who was not quite SO sew
sible as she was pretty. wept a good
deal at not becoming "A countess; then
She wept at the nobility Of Georges ac-
ton which everybody was %praising. In
fact, during a week OF TWO she believed
a good many pocket-haudkerchiefs with
her weepiugs owe one thing and an
other. But. in the main, she was DIS
posed to remain faithful to George, and
took snTna credit IN harSplf for her for