Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-11-08
some heavy hIoW-

some heavy blow.
GOOD heavens, Thompson, what has
happened?n exclaimed Lord Alphing-
ton. alarmed by the lawyers aspect.
Ny lc-d I s"ar'"i-
press myself said. Mr. Thompson,
thankfully dropping into the chair to-
ward which the Earl mo .ioned him. 1T
is with feelings of grief l confess, my
lord, and with shame, as far as l my
self am concerned, that We have been
most egregiously taken in, bambooZled,
swindled, by one of the most consum-
mate raScals that ever went unhung.
Such thing never happened before
since Thompson & Cratchit became q
house-and that was in the time of my
grandfather and Mr.. Cratchit'S great
uncle"
Mr.. Thompson stopped to take breath.
Pray explain yourself" said Lord
Alphington. in great surprise. You
have bad tidings for me, can perceive.
Speak out. | am not so weak as to
shrink from hearing i'll news"
This is what it is, my lord" return
ed Thompson. The young man re-
ceived as Mr. Fancou TT has been proved
to have no right to The name. He is
not your grandson, but swindler-a-
would-be murderer. Thank Heaven,
you yourself have not fallen victim to
his machinatiOns!" he ended, with a
burst of genuine feeling.
Lord Alphington stared at the speak
er for a few minutes, as if he feared the
worthy man had taken leave of his
senses.
What is it you tell me? Do 1 hear
you aright?" he said. But how can
this be-" he went on, more and more
bewildered. Did you not examine the
proofs? They appeared all right when
you laid them before me-"
Il did examine them, my lord, and
the proofs are all right, only they were
brought forward by the wrong man.
They were stolen. The whole story has
now come OUT" Mr.. Thompson replied.
Good Heavens!" again exclaimed
Lord Alphington. And when was all
this discOyered?"
The rightful Mr.. FancOurt, who has
been going under the name OF St. Law
st. Lawrence!' Lord Alphington
broke in. Has he been employing
himself as an artist? Have you seen
him?"
1T is the same" Mr.. Thompson re-
piled, surprised by Lord Alphington's
eagerneSS of manner-'butI have never
seen him."
Il have" rejoined the Earl. II saw
u!iu Ouly yesterday. nc ID tuo liudSo
OF my lost son. l would give worlds for
this to be true. But are you sure? For
Heavens sake do not let me be deceived
again"
I'VE are as sure as we can be of any
thing, after what has occurred" Mr..
Thompson answered.
Lord Alphington gave great sigh,
as though he were casting load from
his heart; but he was still full of per-
pleXity, SO much was involved. He
could not all at once realize the change
this discovery would make.
Tell me all the circumstances from
beginning to end" he said at last, after
a silence of several minutes, which Mr..
Thompson had not ventured to break.
Tell me all you know"
''It seems that St. LaWrence-I may
as well, for the present, distinguish him
by the name he has chosen to go by
was coming over from America In order
to lay the proofs of his birthright before
you, when he was robbed of the box
containing the papers by a little French
Canadian of the name of Pierre Lee
mont. inStigated by this man Sedley,"
Mr.. Thompson narrated. ''Immedi-
ately on coming to town st. Lawrence
made the police acquainted with the
theft, and a clever detective was en-
ployed to trace the matter out. When
you also went to the police about the
loss of the opal ring, it was at once
perceived that the lesser theft might
assist in the discovery of the greater,
and the two cases We're intrusted to the
same hand. The surmise has proved
correctly means of the ring the whole
affair has been cleared up
But when Sedley brought the proofs
to you, when he openly assumed the
name of FancOurt, St. Lawrence must
have known who was the thiet?n inter-
posed Lord Arlington.
ITO he continued