The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-03


taken all this time merely to tell you that he
was dead. Are they going to take me
away" she asked, in a quicker voice and
with look of terror in her eyes. "You
would not let them do that9 No one but
my father can have right to take me away
from your
'No. no, my child; there is no talk of
that, no word has been said about it. The
talk was" and she hesitated, twas about
legal matters connected with your fathers
marriage"
Let me hear all about it," the girl said,
quietly. 81 must know sooner or later, 50
it is better that should hear at once"
Vel, dearie, this is how ii is. OF course,
no one but your father knew about your
existence. but when this gentleman, who
came here, and your fathers nephew were
searching among his papers for will, they
came upon packet Of your letters. SO
Mr.. Ferris came over here to learn all par
tlcuIars necessary for you to get the estates
and, of course, in the first place, they want
to know whether your father and mother
were married. They thought, perhaps, that
you or l might have some documents con-
nected with it. We have only to find that
for you to come into the estates without
any trouble"
Constance sat for some minutes without
speak,
If they do not find out where they were
married, what then?"
"Oh, but we shall find out, ;" Annette said,
confidently, there is no doubt we shall find
out, although it may take some time and
trouble"
But if we cannot find outF" the girl per-
sisted.
well, if we cannot find out" Annette
admitted, reluctantly. / suppose the next
heir will take the property"
II am not thinking of the property"
Constance said. Would they say, if we
would not fin out where this marriage
took place, that my mother was never mar
ried, that she was & bad womanW
81 am afraid that that is what they would
say, my dear"
"They shall never say so, Annette.
never. If l have to go to every cuurc
England will never rest till | fl
proof OF the marriage. l do not
property, they are welcome to it, is.
not have shame thrown on II
mothers name. You have toll sin5 how
good she was. When l asked you, wien
they whispered lies at school, if she had told
you that she was married, you said that she
had told you 80, and that you were sure it
was true"
THAT is quite true, child. have al
ways felt as certain as if had had the
proof in my hand that your mother was
married"
hou VIC VIII pION6 on Will l6ID
meW and she paused. 81 will do 1T if l
have to beg my bread all through Eng
land"
I'VE shall succeed somehow Annette
slid, soothngly. There are other WAYS of
us finding it. This lawyer has been speak
ing Of them; he saws that if we get clew
as to the part of England in which the mar
riage took place, it would not be difficult to
trace it Besides we could advertise, offer
a | know m off
found out in that way. He asked me if
your mother had ever spoken to me of the
place at which she was married, or said
whether it was in town or in the country or
by the seashore; but she never did. Then
he asked me to ask you if your father had
ever said anything to you that would in any
way afford clew."
Constance shook her head decidedly.
He never spoke to me of my mother,
never once; it was as if he was ashamed of
her or perhaps ashamed of himself This
lawyers he friendly, is he to be trusted
does he come as friend or enemy, do you
thinkp
II think he is to be trusted" Madam Du-
port replied; 'he said that his firm are the
family lawyers, and only wanted to find
out who was the legal heir of the property,
and he said that the nephew who was with
him when your letters were found, would
offer no opposition whatever if the legal
proof of your being the rightful heir were
obtained"
There is not much generosity in that,
Annette"
"WeIl, don't know, my dear; have
heard that law is very expensive in England,
and that rich people can go from court to
court and run up expenses till they weary
out poor suitors and force them to come to
their terms. So perhaps there is more gen.
erositv in what he said than you think"
SIS this lawyer coming again"
"He is coming tomorrow morning to hear
whether you know anything that will help
u.s."
81 will see him myself, Annette. You
see we cannot be too careful. If | did
know anything l would not tell till 1 felt
sure of him, for he might carry the news to
those interested in preventing our search
from succeeding Now do you go about
your work, Annette, and leave me to
think"
In the dusk of the evening Monsieur Du-
port came back.
How is she, and how does she bear itr'
he asked, as he ran into the little salon
where his wife was laying the things for
dinner
''She bears it well, Victor
"Bave you told hern
"Yes, she knows that unless the marriage
can be proved she will lose everything. She
mas peen sitting by herself for the last two
hours in the next room. She said she
wanted to think, and I thought it better to
leave her TO herself Let us 60 in now.
You see | have finished"
"Ah, my pGuUre Mignonne," he said, as
the girl ran forward when he entered ana
threw her arms round his neck, "crying
by yourself in the freight. You must not
cry, dear. You have us, you know"
II have not oeen crying long," she re-
pIed. II have been crying because sudden
~ remembered how ungrateful and self
ish was, how different from Annette. Till
then had only thought how this affected
me. L never thought how it would affect
you both. OF course, 1t will make such a
difference to you.n
Pooh, pooh, little one, we shall do very
well have many pupils for my teaching,
and we have money saved up, and if needs
be we can let out rooms again. The
thought never entered our heads, did it
wifeP'
Not once, Victor" Annette replied.
why we have the house and your earnings
and near twenty-five thousand francs laid
by. We are rich people, child You haYe
been daughter TO us, and we no more
want TO be paid for keeping you than we
should II you had been our own. never