The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-11

stairs with the baby in her arms, Ieav-
ing Lord Archie standing in the midst
OF the group of aw-stricken and be-
| wildered youngsters Hespoketo one
or two of them, the eldest boy amongst
| them, and found that Marcus Orford's
little anecdote had been literally
doctored in the matter of pronuncia-
| tion and accent, and that he in COM
mon with all others, spoke very well
indeed, and if not quite up to his own
standard, still very much above the
average of better class of children
than those living in that part of War
| necliffe.
And then Mrs. Arnitt appeared
again, and said the sick man was very
anxious to see his lordship if he would
go up. So Lord Archie went up
alone.
It was a poor little room in which
he found himself when he reached the
top of the creaking stairway, but it
was clean and orderly. The quilt up
on the bed was white, if coarse, and
there was a pleasant-faced middle
aged nurse in a white cap sitting be-
side the patient, who rose and made
her obedience when he entered under
the low doorway. Arnitt made asign
to her to leave them, and Lord Archie
advanced to the side of the bed.
SWhy, Arnitt' he said, "Im very
sorry to find you SO ILL., what ever
have you been doing to get like this?"
s'I've about come to the end of
the Journey" said the sick man in
painful undertone, scarcely more than
a whisper.
"Oh! 1 hope not, hope not, put in
the officer kindly. "You must keep
up your heart. You know while there's
life there's hope, and a man just in his
prime, as you are, mustn't think of
giving in yet awhile. Besides, there
are others to think OF, you know, Ar
nitt-there's your wife, and there are
your children-you must make an ef
fort and do your best to live for their
sakes."
"Poor souls, God help them" muir
INJURED Arnitt, feebly. "Tve never
been much good to her, and she's been
the best and dearest of wives to me;
but there'll be a provision for her and
for them, never fear; and, Lord Archie
it was about that | was anxious to see
you when Nellie told me you were
down below" "Ought you to be talk
ing SO much?" Lord Archie asked gen
tly interrupting. He had noticed the
| change in Arnitt's manner of address
ing him-a change from my lord" to
'Lord Archie'-and it made the man
more familiar than ever.
"Oh, yes, yes-what will it matter
in the end?" impatiently. 'Just a
| few minutes more or less. must tell
you some things, and get you to help
my boy into the rights and position
| which I had to forego and give up. I
know you will, when I have told you
my story, beginning from the time
when you were Archie Falconner, OF
Paul's, and l was Studham, of Braze-
nose"
Lord Archie uttered a sharp cry of
recognition and surprise. "Studham,
of Brazenose, and the ranks of the
Twenty-fifth dragoonsl Good heavens!
what could have possessed you? You
must have been mad-mad.'
s'No, I wasn't mad, not in the least;
was only the victim Of circum-
stances" answered the sick man, with
a sad smile; "But, tell me, didn't you
know all along?'
tI never guessed it. Inever suspect
ed it for moment. Ionly knew 1had
known you long ago in tha old 'Varsi-
ty days. Yes; of course you are Stud
ham; but, hcavens!" how you are al
tered
Fourteen years of the ranks do make
a change in man, and the Studham
you knew was very young and very
foolish" the other answered.
"Then what can l do for you? Why
don't you claim your own, and take
your own place in the world? It's alb
surd to think of you, Studham-nay,
but you are not Studham, but Man
nersleigh, now, since your father died
dragging out such a life as yours
must of necessity be. It's absurd, and
we must get you out of this at once. "
"No, no; it's poor little hole, but
I've been happy in it. I'll stay here
to the end of the chapter. We've got
to the last page, 1 fancy. Still, my
children have rights, and have kept
silence long enough"
"For Mannersleigh-that is, for your
brother Taft"
eyes, Taft; do you ever hear any
thing of him? Have you any idea
what kind of life heis leading?"
Lord Archie laughed. "Oh, he has
turned over q new Leaf; he has given
up the old ways with the old name.
But how came he to proveyour death? :?
He must have done it to claim and
gain your fathers title.'
"I don't know; have not heard a
word of him for years-never since the
day when l last saw him, when | told
him 1 had proof, proof of his guilt for
which l have borne the blame all these
fourteen loig weary years past. l
gave him the opportunity of flying the
country, which, he secuted, declaring
1 must be mad, crazy, idiotic to dream
of suspecting him."
"Of what?"
eMurder!" the sick man answered.
"He foully and cruelty murdered my
mothers niece, our cousin, because he
had made. But what am l saying?
1 am wandering in my head, that | go
ba,bblino out the secret have kept all