The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-03-12
CHAPTER XVII.
CLEAR SKIES.

AllnONBn EHRlhHl WIN now 10 mo anu 10
my wife land very different from the one
we quilted some oight months ago, we were
anxious 10 get back % Seville II only 10 st
at rost my mothers fears. She, poor woman,
ns a letter showed, was much exercised az
20 what manner Of business could have
made us leave her In 81 unceremonious a
way. The moment tho glad truth had bo-
come known 10 me, hal teegraphol, say
In that all was we'll with us, and that wa
should join her Two things only detained
U.S.
The first was that we wanted the con-
vlcts confession. Although PnilIppa said
little on the subject, knew that until ~ ar
rived she would not be quite happy There
was with hor haunting dread that tno
man, In the nope Of mitigating his sentence,
had pleaded guilty 10 n crime Of which ho
was innocent Even the accurate account
which gave hor Of the interview with the
solicitor did not quite SATISFY her, So we
waited impaticnly fpr the full explanation,
which might or might not come,
The second thing which kept US In London
was this, determined that before | loft
would have the fact that when | married
Philppa | married Lady Frrgnd fully 40
knowedged. | found my way b tho & n.
tlcmen who were winding up the dead
mans affairs aud stated my case 20 their
Incredulous ears Al first they treated me
az an imnos'or
But not 'or long, Indeed, my task was half
u6ne. They had ALREADY, wiluOuU my az.
surancs from Mrs, Wilson, frrretod put the
date and particulars OF the death Of the first
Lady Frrand. Thcy had hut 10 assure
themselves that tho marriage certificate
which laid before them was no ,orgery,
aud surrender At discretion.
IL WIS poor estate, the administrators
told me. Sir Mcryyn had died mtestato.
Ho had during his lifetime made AWAY with
nearly all he could ALLEVIATE. sun, thero
was sonlo personal property, OF which my
wife could calm "a shara, anl certain
amount of real property, on which she va 4
entitled 10 dover, But IL was very poor
estate,
cut thom very short | told them that,
lot tho deceaseds wealth DO great or little,
not ono penny.pioce OF itshould soil my wifO'a
fingers II Sir Mervyn Ferand's heir was
In want OF the money, II should, provided he
was different stamp OF man from his i'm.
mediate predecessor. bo given 90 him n frOe
gift II not some hospital should bo Ieno-
fitted by II. All wanted was that II should
he clearly understood that Sir Mervyn Fer.
rand left widow,
Tie administrators, one Of whom was, by
the by, the heir, evidently looked upon mo
M IA most eccentric parsonage. Perhaps u
was for this roason, or--os ] do not wish TO
cast unm0rited hlame-perhaps II was no.
cause thu estate wound up 10 nothing-woll,
any way, oyen TO this day we hayo received
no communication, much less romittpnce,
from the administrators; nor, 10 tell the
truth, have ! troubled them a2nin, Phil.
ippl's marriage admitted, washed nay ,anda
OF all the Forrand brood
The con cssion did not arrive; but | per.
suadod phillppi 20 leave England. Mr.
Crisp could send whatever he had TO send 10
seville Just ~ well ~ 20 London, So once
moro, aud this timo In all but perfect hap
pinoss, 80 took the long journey which was
by now quito familiar 10 us.
The Joy, tho wild JOY, with which Phil
ippa threw herself into my mothers arms
checked all the upbraidngs aud rcproach
which We apparently meritcd, Our return
was like tho return OF n prodigal son and
daughter Laughter, tears anl hoppincssl
Although told my mother n thing As 20
the object cf our mysterious Journey; al.
though she asked me nothing; although no
word evldohcing her knowledge Of what had
passed has ever crossed her lips ! know
that all has boon revealed TO her; that Phil.
ippa has sohhed out the whole strange tale
On her breast know II by this, that since
tho day Of our return my mothers doOp
love for my wife has shown itself even ten.
deror. swootor and deeper Yes, was
spared the tOlng OF the tale My mothers
eyes tho next day showed mo that Phillppa
had gvon her the history, us have given II
hero from beginning 10 1nd.
No, not quito tho onl, SIt 10y mo once
moro, ms asked you NJ tho beginning Of my
story 10 sit by me; but this timo, not 10y the
side of smodorIng fire, but out In tine fair
gay patio Of our AndausiNn home. PhIlppa
and are side by side, Tho post has Just
come In and brought me bulky ncket, on
which, In clerldy hand, Is written my
name and address ] tear tho wrapper opon
with eagornoSS ! know what II contains,
Philippn kp,ws, wish TO read II FIRST Llono,
but tho appealing look In her cves turns Ins
from my purpose. After all thOro is nothing
10 fopr, there can hc nothing which she
should not know. SO, with our checks all
but touching, wo read together. SIT by u.s.
lean over my shoulder, and road with ua