, 1886-01-19

remember" he said TO Mary, "that as yet
your possible fortune Is a long way of.
There may be more Giles Armers than one,
and moreover there may DO some difficulty
in proving legally that the lead man was
the game person as your father. Then you
will also have 10 prove, In n formal way,
your mothers marriage and your own birth.
This will probably involve heavy expenses
for lawyers fight hard when they are well
paid. However, | do not wish to discourage
you, but only TO prevent false hopes; at any
rate, you have done well In making your
declaration at once. SO far you are on tho
high road TO success" 80 he sent us away
filled with hopes as well as fears.
When we got home we set to work TO look
for hidden treasures in the unfinished room
l knew too well that there was nothing hid
den in the rooms which were finished, for l
had done the work myself, and had even
stripped the walls and uncovered the floors.
II took us a couple OF hours to make an
accurate search, but there was absolutely no
result. The late master mariner bad a
his treasury in the other house.
Next morning | went TO find out from the
parish register the date OF the death Of Giles
Armer, and, to my intense relief and joy,
learned TINT 1t had occurred on Sept. 30, SO
That, by our prompt action in going at once
10 the magistrates, we had, IL not secured a
fortune, at least not forfeited our rights nor
allowed them 10 lapse.
The incident was a sort OF good omen, md
cheered us up; and we needed n little cheer
ing, for, despite tho possible good fortune,
we feared we might have TO contest a aw-
suit, a luxury which we could not afford
We determined to keep our own counsel
for a little, and did not mention the matter
TO n soul.
That evening Mr.. Grader called again,
and removed his offer Of taking the house Off
my hands. l still refused, for did not wish
him to see any difference in my demeanor.
He evidently came determined to effect n
surrender of the lease, and kept bidding
higher and higher, till at last | thought it
best to let him have his way; and so we
agreed for no less a sum than R10O that l
should give him immediate possession and
cancel the agreement. l told him wo would
clear out within one hour after the money
was handed TO me.
Next morning at $50 o'clock he canae with
the money. l had all our efrects-they were
not ~many-packed up and taken to a new
lodging, and before 10 o'clock Mr.. Grndder
was in possession Of the premises.
While he was tearing down my new wall
papers, and pulling out the CRATES, and stick
ing his head up the chimneys and down the
water tanks in the search of more treasures.
Mary and l were consulting the eminent
solicitor, Mr.. George, as TO our method OF
procedure. He said he would not loso an
hour, but go by the first trainto Littlehamp-
ton himself to examine Mrs. Compton as to
date and places,
Mary and / went with him In the course
OF the next "a hours he had, by various doc
uments and the recollections of my motasr-
in-law, made out a clear case, the details x
which only wanted formal verihcation-
We all came back TO London jubilant, aisi
were engaged on a high tea when there came
a loud knocking Mt the door. There was d
noise and scufile in the passage, and into the
room rushed Mr.. Grader, covered with SCOT
and lime dust, with hair disheveled and eyes
wild with anger, and haggard with want OF
sleep. He burst out at me in a torrent OF
invective.
"Give me back my money, you theft You
ransacked the house yourself, and have
taken it all awayi My money, do you heart
my money! He grew positively speeches
with rage, and almost foamed at the mouth.
took Mary by the and and led her up to
MIN.
"Mr. GRADER, 1 said, "let us both thank
you. Only for your hurry and persistency
we might have let the time lapse, and have
omitted the declaration which, on the evening
before last, we, or rather she, made"
He started as though struck.
what declaration What do you meanf'
1.-THE declaration made by my vito, emily
daughter OF Giles Armer, master mariner,
late of Whitby. BRAN Stokes in The
Theatre.