Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-20

lOT,
Then she gave little sob and turned
away, Oh, unspeakable mercy! should
not she give thanks and praise in her
heart, even before she asked a single
question:
Dick could not have made long story
of it then though he did afterwards.
1--WE tracked him-the fellow-at last
to maison de sante outside Paris, and
there he is--ill, rather; has been very Ill
that's only natural. That scoundrel
placed him there as an insane relative,
and goes to see him, l believe, for the
sake of studying his part. You must
come and swear to his identity and then
we will telegraph for the father"
She could not see him till the next day,
when she and Dick went together and
found the dear Septimus Perkins wait
ing for them, because he would not
| thrust himself upon her sooner.
Got him safe, ma'arl," he whispered
jerkily, "but you mustn't expect to find
his hair curled and his handkerchief
scented" This with great earnestness.
The door opened, French doctor with
a waxed mustache bowed himself into
| Jllc lO)ll anu liiNiNth hhtiottNclA " lOllON
him into the inner one.
If the doctor was SO moved that he
could only shed tears copiously into a
| large cambria handkerchief; if Septimus
Perkins was stamping and coughing in
the other room to keep his sympathy
within bounds; if Dick had a mist before
his eyes, then should not the curtain fan
over that wonderful reunion? All, dear
love and unfailng truth, what mattCrr
pale, sunken face and lean, trembiny
figure2 1t was Osmund himself though
a wreck.
"Oh, sweetheart; oh, my ownw-heart
to heart spake what lips could not utter
The only disappointment was to tie
doctor. "Thcse English-they speak SO
little; they throw away situations the
most ravishing," SO he meditated.
They all thought themselves very clever
excepting Tasia, who thought of nothing
but how to pet and comfort her 'found-
ling" as Mr.. Perkins called him, and 10
bring him back to health; but they had
to deal with wits as sharp as their own.
When they marched forth armed with
the law to arrest the pseudo Osmund
Questin, all trace of him had vanished;
but a brief letter addressed to Mr.. Cues
tin, Sr., which came by post, threw much
light upon the past:
DEAR UNCLE-As importinent per
sons have upset my arrangements, and
will, ere this, have surprised you by an
exchange of sons, think it expedient
to run down into Spain. Now don t
trouble to seek for me, for Spain is not
accommodating in these matters, and as
| am positively your nearest relative,
: after my cousin Osmund (who holds to
life with the most unaccountable tenac-
ity, seeing what q poor idea he has of
enjoying iD, you will, presume, let the
affair drop. l saw your son first in
Rome, when his extraordinary resem-
blance to myself-his double first cousin
put little scheme into my head. We
travelled along from Belfort, and | give
you my word l could as easily have dis
missed him from a world of disappoint-
ments, as reduce him to a state of par
: tial insensibility, in which | conveyed
him with all tenderness to the admirable
institution wherein he has been ever
| since. Should you ever require an estab
recommend it, and l have given DR.
S full authority to use my name
After all was right-nothing but in
sanity could have induced Osmund t.
help nurse cholera patients at Naples
4 with whom he had no more to do thai
5 with the man who picks up sticks in the
o moon, as | now find he did.
"Now, when you are disposed to re
Il fleet upon that part Of my conduct which
c affects myself, pray bear in mind tw,
l. things: firstly, that my grandfather lef
all his wealth to you, for the mean reason
S that my father knew how to spend it
e and, secondly, that you were SO pleased
l, at what you took for your sons submis
l; sion to your will, that you received m
n with what must describe as foolish i'm
petuosity, and without the slightest com
X junction for the young lady who ha
II proved herself better man than any O
us. How come to know about her mat
tiers not, but / confess have not an ide
what put her on the track. l have a
lie ways found these women too clever fo
n me, and l don't doubt that this is ais
your experience.
? Many thanks for all favors. Remen
Der me kindly to Osmund and the youn
la17, your future daughter-in-law.
N Believe me, yours very truly,
"LEoPoLD QUEsTIN."
re "And So" said Mr.. Questin to Ana:
d tasia, you sold your little pearl necl
Il lace for the sake of this fellow, did yol
ie l only hope you may not live to considt
al it the dearest bargain you ever made"
81 Not long after Mr.. Questin had di
g covered to what extent his nephew lie,
H. pold had robbed him by means of forge
81 checks, the marriage Of Osmund ar
D. Anastasia was celebrated at the Englis
- embassy.
y Six months later Osmund said to h
y wife, Leopold, the scoundrel, was Il
IN best friend ever had. What was thrC
months detention, when all the time
Oh was but serving for my Rachel?'
20 THE END.