Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-08


nearly clock, he rang the bell
"Has anyone called to see me
Jones?" he asked, when the servant ap.
peared.
'EThere was some one ringing the dool
bell, sir, when you rung.
elf it's man named Ashton-Danie
4shton-show him in here.
The man made his exit, and the mil
owner again seated himself in his chair
still muttering wonderingly and cycling
his clerk IS explicible communication
with frowning gaze.
Hardly a minute passed, and then
there was low tap at the drawing-room
door, followed by a slight cough. The
next moment Dan Ashton walked in, his
face still wearing the paleness his mas
ter had noticed in the morning. But
there was something in his servant s
look which the mill owner had never be-
fore seen theirs. Dams eyes were in
| quisitive; the brows were bent over them
in manner which meant inquiry and
| determination.
''ls that your letter?' Harwood de-
manded, as he flung the note across the
table to Ashton.
Dan walked up to the table quietly
lifted the sheet of paper and scanned it
coolly for moment, then he said quite
calmly
eyes, it is mine. That is why l am
here. -
land what on earth do you mean by
writing me in such strain? What pos
sible interest can l have in this dead
pauper and her brat?''
''That is what | wish TO tell you, -
said Dan, his keen eyes fixed intentlY on
his master, who only stared at him with
increasing astonishment.
''Slt down, and let g hear what you we
got to say, and be quick about it. Only
! think you nave made a mistake in
thinking care anything about the wo-
man and child. Who is she? Has she
been identif1ed?''
"She has--at least I recognized her
when ! set eyes on her this morning. -
Ashton dropped his voice as he spoke,
and glanced furtively about him, as if
he were afraid of being overheard.
"And who is she? What's all this
mystery about? The devil take me if
know what you are driving at, Dan!''
"Can anyone hear us?' Ashton asked,
as he looked round the room again.
"No! Why?''
because what have TO tell you you
wouldn't like anybody to hear. The
dead woman is your brothers. wife, and
the child is your niece!'
Dan g voice sank to q whisper as he de-
livered the last sentence, and his keen
eyes seemed to burn through the mill
owner, who, springing TO his feet, cried:
''What - nonsense is this? Georges
wife-my niece! It's an Internal lie,
Dan, for, as you know, my brother never
married!'
you're wrong, Mr.. Harwood, "
hY1f
George did marry, and 1 knew it all
alCng.'
"Where did he marry? and whom?'
''He was married in New York, and
his wife was some friendless shop girl
named Margaret Miner. They were
married two or three weeks after 1
reached the States. l may tell you that
l was present at the wedding!'
81 won t believe it!' Harwood cried
as he rose from his chair and stood on the
hearth-rug with his back to the fire.
''Perhaps you don't wish to believe
it," Dan insinuated.
"Why?'
"Well you ought to know. If George
had not been killed-if he were still alive,
this house, thesemilis- everything would
have belonged TO him. Your uncle died
without making a will, 1 suppose, and
LuS property ltII iuLO YOUR uduuS
because your brother did not live to claim
it-and because 1t was not generally
Known alone knew-that he had mar
ried and lett a wife and a posthumous
child behind him.
Richard Harwood did not respond to
this little speech of Dams. With hand
under his coat tails, his chin sunk On his
breast, he was deeply rejecting on The
unpleasant contingencies Ashton g reve-
lation had opened out. At last he
cried:-
"You are not jesting. Dan? Is this
God g truth you We told me?'
Goods truth, sir! Nothing else.
Don Z tell you that L was present at the
wedding?'' Ashton exclaimed solemnly.
"But don It believe that the girl knew
anything about her husband but his
name. George wasn't likely to say
much about himself and his disgrace even
TO her. And then he was killed IN the
street by that accident. And when I saw
his widow afterwards she said that George |
had told her that he had no relatives in
England. l did not enlighten her on
that point. although 1 knew then that |
she was likely to become mother in q
few months. -
''My God! This is terrible! 1 never |
wood muttered.
, "But, :" he added quickly, ''perhaps |
you are mistaken after all, Dan? This |
may not be Georges wife; she may be |
someone who resembles her,
''l have absolute proof that she is |
your brothers. wife, and no one else. -
''Proof of what kind? Something
more-very much more-than your word /
will be needed to satisfy me-
81 have the certificate of the marriage
OF George Bentham Harwood and Mar
garet Miner; also that of their child
birth. Here they are. VIII those satisfy
You?''
Ashton placed upon the table the docu-
ment. he had named and the other ex-
amined them carefully, all the color
q uitting his face as he did SO.
'Where did you get these? How am
1 to know that they are genuine?' Har-
" God demanded with q quivering voice.
81 got them from the woman's
pocket, Dan responded, "and you can
easily satisfy yourself as to their genu-
ineness by writing to this minister of
Trinity church, i'll the Broadway, New
FORK, who will be glad to send you copies
IF these Certificates -