Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-25
CnAPTEn XXIV.

fOr tue lrHt time since / sought Capital
Gresham in simulated friendship | fel
my own man once more. Farewell 70 a
trickcry and doubledoaling even Il Il D
that good may result from t.. For o.
future, II ! want any detective work done
! Will employ legitimate aid Yet In thi
particular case felt that no dottctip
could have succeeded, although thl
success was not due 70 my craft ant
shrewdness Accident had betdendel
me all through--eyen % chat lass terrible
accident which caused the death OF thl
woman opposite.
was shocked at what had taken place
but 70 sayI was sorry would BIZ untrue
Mrs. Merton was no more % me than q
stranger, and her death had crowned my
mission with success, and set me from a
duty which, any way looked at 1t, was
not without degradation. And now what
was to be doneY
The confession was addressed 10 Lord
Rothwell Although as ! read 10 through
hnrriedly IN that race against death, | re-
ceiyed the impression that II completely
eNcnlpated Lady Estmere. ] did not look
at n again. placed It in sealed en-
velope, 20 be broken only by Lord Roth
wen. Knowing he was In Derbyshlro
shooting, | at once telegraphed TO him.
All IL cleared up. Where shill ! meet
your Then began 90 make prepare.
tons for leaving Surbury.
FIRST Of all 10 was needful that / should
do something 10 help the young Mertons
10 their distress, although under the cir
uumslances could not stay and attend
their mothers funeral, so | inquired
about Tor respectable solicitor and gave
him Instructions to see 10 all that was
needful. In short time would write
him as TO the final disposal OF the boy
and girl. ! went across the road and
told them what | had done. They were
deeply grateful, but looked troubled when
they heard that business Obliged me 10
quit Surbury the next morning. was
the only being approaching friend they
had In the place, My heart smote rae rs
! thought how far from their friend
really was,and Iresolved that my promise
10 the mother should be more than kept.
Whatever her sins, they should not be
visited upon tins boy and girl.
did not get Rothwell's reply to my
telegram until the next morning. As il
old mo to meet hun In London that night
p was evident that my news had seemed
% sufficient Importance 30 him TO make
him start at once for town. At Z O'Clock
was Mt his hotel waiting for him. AS
soon 90 he arrived he wrung my hands
vigorously. believe had not the hotel
servants been present he would have en-
braeed me.
"Comc up stairs, he said, "come to
my room.n
followed him. The room was always
reserved for him and he kept the key him
sell No one on any pretonse was 60
enter II during bis absence, 80 II was In d
nice state OF dust and general untldiness.
lilo shut the door and placed his hands on
my shoulders and looked at me with that
strange tender expression in hiss eyes.
me earnestnoss OF his manner almost
startled me.
'phllip, is IL true? You--haye done
thls9n
~ have done 1t. have intrigued,
nave lied. | have worn mask for
months, but | have succoeded.r
"Tushl What matter how you found
tne truth Is II the truth2 There must
be no taw--no discrepancyln
There ls noue--every is perfect
and clear as the day"
lie turned from me and paced the room
IN agitation. For the time, no almost
forgot my presence.
Laurence Laurencoln | heard him
say. "The day has come az last--the dav
! told you would come, when every ono
OF those cruel, biting, soornful words will |
ny pack TO you aud pierce your heart like |
itpii -" "0ei
felt Indignant at such misplaced sym.
patty.
ut is Lady Estmere YOU should think
oil, not a man like that, The wronrfully
condemned usually merit pity, not the
judge
llcrcely. "'H''s'
And who are you to Judge, Young sirq
toll you | have sympathlYed with nnd
plued Lady Estmere for years; more than
,nat,i nave believed IN her innocence But
~ THIS moment, when you tell me Won
van prove her purity, say my pity IL not
lVT ner, u u Tor him, one OF the nohlest
natures IN the world--the man who, had
nc uhwitungly wronged slave, would, n
heeu 90, make atonement ON his knees
my ooyhood's friend, the friend OF my
early manhood-~my rival, yet nv dearest
friend, Laurence Estmere.u
! was silenoed by this burst OF emo
boy he continued, s,you have aona
your work well, yet could almost wish
i were nndonel Think OF that man ana
-remble for what your news NAV moan ~
iim Yet you cannot help n, the WORK
was given youi you could not helm doing
Il u was your destiny. Who can teil
what the consequences may be-, But let
ruth preyailm ~
Il seemed almost pure ianaticisin Ia ne.
levc that had been predestined Ia re-
tore Lady Estmere % innocence m her
eyes. She was dear. a ye,v
lear, friend OF mine, loved Valentiog
Is a brother, aud | was 60 marry Nor
llecci but these facts did not seom enongh
o account for my being selected as me
Instrument.
Rothwell's mood changed. ,Forslve
ny excitement he said calmly. Ana
eating himself az the table. uNew tell
ne an, IRON the very beginning y
lou must be tired with your Journey.
Why not have dinner tlrstin
Tired with my journeyln ne ex.
laimed' "Dinner ilrst The boy must
e mad For moro than twenty wears
ave waited TO hear this, ana ne taiks
bout my dinner. Go on with your tsler,
felt rather snu bbed, but took mo no.
ICE OF fSc rebuke. | sat down In the
sher ilhair, and told him An that had
appenSd e me- Told him how Chess
ANS incautious act had revealed Ia me
're Meriop'e existence ana her claim
poA hiu how has traced the note aud
one down 70 Sufbuiy 10 spy out the
nemyi how the housekeeper had identi.
~ hor as Mary Williams; how that fatal II
ccldent and the wonIan's passionate love
n her children had sssisted me: how Il
my yesterday bad obtained from her