The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-08
THE Carmichael LEGACY.
Et.on, Al The Year Round.

fbe chief business going on was in fruits and
iced drinks; 3 o'clock striking on the big bell
Of Bow, aud repeated by the bigger bell of
Paul7s. as Lady Jones' carriage drew up at
Gorharn House, which is situated in the very
vortex of the city whirlpool. Lady Jones
was small, thin. and middle-aged, but quick
and nervous in her movements, and she had
alighted and reached the porch of Gorham
House before the rosy footman was half
way down from his perch. Lady Jones
nursued the way in no uncertain steps, for
Gorham House had long been familiar to
her. It was there that her late husband had
his offices. the celebrated Sir Isaac Jones.
who had built more town halls, theaters,
ehapels and jails than any man of his time.
Lady Jones hurried into suite of offices,
where many young men were at work
among plans and drawings. half buried
among rolls of drawing-paper.
''If Mr.. Robert is busy, will wait, said
Lady Jones. seating herself humbly on a
chair in the outer Office.
Presently an inner door opened, and a tall.
s,ooo-Iooking young fellow, with dark,
Closely shorn hair, made his appearance.
This was Robert Carmichael. the young and
able successor of Sir Isaac Jones. He was
clever. He had plenty of energy and go
about him; but he owed everything in life
20 Lady Jones-who had taken him up,
adopted him. and pushed his fortune to its
present agreeable hight.
"My dear aunt" said the young man.
coming forward and hurrying Lady Jones
In his private room. "They only this mo-
ment told me you were here. What brings
YOU into the city this broiling day9 And
YOU look so weary ard worn"
81 am weary" said Lady Jones with a
sigh. ''weary and sad. l have Just heard
sad news-your poor father"
"Well, !" said Robert, in a voice that ex-
pressed curiosity rather than emotion.
HE is dead
There was no mistaking the sorrowful
accents in which these words were spoken;
they expressed something more than ordi-
nary grief
AS for Robert, his face retained its COM
posture.
"How did he dien he asked.
''Of fever, in some remote part of
Africa
"You are quite surew asked Robert with
instructive caution. ''There is no possibility
of mistaken
''My dear, it is official-through the con-
sui and the foreign office, and sent to me
expressly by his dying wish. it seems. Rob
ert,n cried Lady Jones, "oh, Robert, don't
you see the full significance of thatF
Robert looked puzzled. After all, his
father was little more than a name to him;
he had seen him only at intervals of years;
for Col. Carmichel had had his headquarters
in Paris, and had been, moreover, an erratic
kind of being, often impecunious, and gen
orally full Of wild enterprise and adven.
lures.
"My dear" said Lady Jones, still with
suppressed emotion, II had a letter from
him-from your father only few days ago
"a beauti full letter, Robert. believe that if
your father had lived he would have come
home to us--to you and me. And, Robert"
with faint blush, II might have been your
stepnother."
You would have married him, aunt~
cried Robert
Robert, loved your father-he was my
first, my only love; don't mind confessing
it now that he is dead. But read his letter,
Robert, it contains message for you"
Robert read his fathers letter calmy and
critically. The only paragraph that re-
ferred to him was as follows:
IF you should hear of anything happen
ing to US up the country, tell Robert l can
leave him nothing but good name-and
certains responsibility, which hope he will
fulfill as best he can"
NOW what does that meang' asked
Robert, reading the passage aloud.
Debts, perhaps must pay them, " said
Lady Jones, hastily. well. that story is
told. Now let US talk OF the opening one.
When are you going to speak to ClaraW
NowClara was the daughter of Lady Jones'
friend and neighbor, Nesbet of the Films.
She would have good fortune, and was
handsome after q massive type. Robert
had known her all his life, and liked her too;
but he was not in love with her or she with
him. But they had acquiesced in the views
of their elders, although Clara was suS-
pected of preference for young man of
a merry, pleasant humor, one Harry Levi
son, subaltern in an infantry regiment,
whose position was hardly substantial
enough TO please Mr.. Nesbet.
Lady Jones suggested that Robert should
come up to 1.-THE Willows" that very night
and make his. proposal to Clara, before the
other one had declared himself. And Rob
ert aSsented without any great eagerness.
But, as it happened, there was a press of
work that night, and Robert was detained at
German House till after 8, and he was tired
and sleepy when he reached his chambers,
in handsome new mansion in Bloomsbury,
built after his own designs. He stumbled
upstairs half asleep and grumbling at hav-
ing to dress and turn out again, and he
grumbled still more when, on opening the
outer door he found the whole place in
darkness; the lamp in the corridor unht;
and no light either in his servants room.
80 much for old retainers," muttered
Robert.
In fact, his household was not exactly on
a perfect footing. Basset, the man, was
never about when he was wanted, and his
wife, who had once been Lady Jones' maid,
hardly atoned for her husbands short
comings. Anyhow, they had both gone out
and left the place to take care of itself; and
Robert, all in darkness. had to grope his
way to the sitting room chimney piece for
match
When the match was struck and lamp
lighted, Robert looked about him. wonder
ing whether he was awake or simply dream
ing There, in his own easy-chair, was re-
Ginning young woman. fast asleep; sleep
ing SO soundly indeed, that the sudden access
of light only caused her TO knit her eye
brows slightly, without awakening her.
Across the young woman's knees lay
small creature, boy apparently with alb
surdly small boots and long black stockings,
whose head was pillowed in her bosom,
while on stool at her feet was stretched
little girl with her head leaning against her
mothers knees, and almost enveloped IN her
black, trailing skirt All about were
strewn shawls, wrappers, and handbags,
some of them bearing clean white labels,
marked "Bagages Quest, which seemed to
show that the little group OF sleepers had
but recently crossed the channel.
There is some mistake here, SAID Robert