The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-01-03

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and was almost priceless knew It and
Mr.. Pallatti soon found 1t out. and our eyes
twtnkled. Sir George saw it and was glad.
He drank to each Of US in the old fashioned
way and said: II am making q little feast
tonight, my young friends, for reasons of
my own. 1t Is the old story. let US eat. drink
and be merry. Tor to-morr0w-well, to-mor-
row we'll do the same, let us hope" he said,
turning it of with q laugh.
Mr.. Pallatti was certainly well worth q
good dinner: Without seeming to monopo-
lice the conversation, he always had some
thing original to say upon every topic that
was started, and his fun and wit were 30
keen and spontaneous that our solemn little
dinner party became quite q rollicking at.
fair. Amongst the subjects we discussed
was the last new trick Of the last new con-
juror, which was puzzling all London and
giving learned judges and doctors and par
sons sleepless nights In the endeavor to lind
it out.
''Why, don'tyou know how that is donel"
said Mr. Pallatti, and he proceeded to solve
the riddle in q dozen words.
"Most extraordinary! exclaimed Sir
George. DO you mean to say you found it
out yourself2"
'Yes," returned Pallatti; "the very first
IAu0 / "Cuts 4ucE0 u6VOT uUS O0cu anu
never will be trick Of any kind that am
unable to unravel. suppose it is kind Of
| gift, but I have never made any use of it
except sometimes to have little fun.'' And
| he gave me peculiar look out Of his black
| eyes
Exposing all rascally fortune-te telling and
rapping and table turning and such knaver.
| les, suppose" observed, composedly.
"Quite 500 replied Pallatti, drylv.
"And now, gentlemen" said Sir George
as the last bottle Of claret was emptied, and
we were ashamed even to look as il we
should like some moro, 1T you please we
will take our coffee In the dining-ro q
| there are no ladies there" and he rose from
the table and walked toward the door, Az
we followed Pallatti whispered in my ear
| Mr.. Houghton, should like to be modern
Clarence and be drowned In q hundred
dozen Of that claret!'
To my surprise Sir George led the way to
the great state drawing-room, and as we
entered perfect blaze of splendor was be-
fore US. The huge saloon. with its frescoed
ceilings and profuse gliding, was lighted up
by hundreds OF wax candles in great chande-
liers. In econces, brackets, and lusters: the
walls were entirely covered by full-length
portraits Of old Gillinghams; over each
portrait powerful lamp and reflector threw
so strong light that every gallant knight
and gentle dame seemed to have come to
life and be gazing at the black-coated
intruders into their gay assembly. Two
enormous fires were burning, one at each
end Of the room, and before one Of these
Sir George stood and motioned us to be
seated. He looked so grand and 80 stately,
and the brilliance Of the scene was so over
towering. that Pallatti and I listened for his
words with kind OF ave.
"Gentlernen, am not going to detain you
for any length of time by telling you over
again tbs history which you have both heard
already from my lips. But on this particu-
lar night wish to recapitulate some Of the
main facts.
''1u the year 1745 my great-grandfather,
Sir Hugo Dillingham;, after being many
years widower, married young and beau
tiful girl and brought her to the Towers.
There are his portrait and hers" pointing
to them; Ego up to them and inspect them
closely-learn them by heart. Who knows
what may come of your doing soa' he said,
almost fercely.
1.-THE girl was faithless to him-faithless
from the very day she was wed, and her
lover was her own husbands vagabond.
worthless cousin, the son Of man who had
squandered his birthright and willingly
parted with all the great estates Of GillinR-
ham to his younger brother and his heirs
forever There is the mans portrait in that
corner; study his face and figure as closely,
both Of you. The year l745 brought ruin
and misery on many . noble house, and Sir
Hugo did his best to involve himself in the
same fate. Gentlemen, it is fact that the
poor scarecrow, the pretender, once sat in
that travesty Of throne, whilst well born,
virtuous ladies crowded around to kiss his
false hand" and Sir George pointed to q
chair, surmounted by kind of CANOPY of
gold and crimson.
Zone night" continued Sir George, "Sir
Hugo returned home earlier than he was
expected, and, walking hastily upstairs, the
first thing he heard was the voice of his
wife in conversation with stranger in one
of the rooms He tried the door; it was
locked, and by the time he had burst it open
man was leaping out of the open window.
Sir Hugo dashed after him, and, after half a
dozen passes, drove his sword through the
body Of Conrad Dillingham;. Returning
through the window he found his wife
senseless on the floor, and, putting . con-
straint upon himself to refrain from spurn-
ing her with his foot he passed on to his
bed-chamber, where the first thing that met
his eye was great iron-chest with the lid
open. whilst very short examination
showed that his very precious title-deeds
had been distracted. He found his way
back to where Conrad lay with staring ewes
in the moonlight, and searched the body for
the deeds without success Returning
through the window, his wife sat up and
looked at him and his blood-stained hands,
but her face was the face of maniac, and
she never recovered her reason, dying many
years afterward within the walls Of q mad
house.
HE saw the whole devil,sh plot now.
Conrad Gillingham, using his wife as his
tool, had intended to abstract the deeds,
and, with these in his possession, to sttaint
him Of high treason and claim the estates.
"There was state trial, which any one
can read to this day, and he was acquitted,
with universal expression of pity for his
misfortune, and Of loathing for the subject
of vengeance.
ITO piece together these facts has cost me
months of labor, in reading through old
diaries and letters in the muniment-room,
for have never felt sure whether some day
or other or some Of my descendants might
not be challenged to produce the title-deeds
OF GIlingham. The blow has fallen upon
me at last. 1t seems that some descendants
OF that old collateral branch, all long since
dead and gone, as hoped and believed, have
turned up. Atany rate there are agents busily
at work, making all manner of inquiries,
searching registers and 80 on, and my law
yers have told me point-blank that may be
called upon to produce these deeds, aud that
II they are not forthcoming my Tenure Of
Gillingham Towers may be in serious 1eop-
ardy. Unless You, my young friends, with
your keen wits and ready invention, can
help me, my resources are at an end"
He turned and rang the bell, and then
leant his head upon his hand, his elbow on
tho mantlepiece. A servant entered, and
aoeking up 10 said quite naturally: "Rut