The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-20

| goes fer moth NJ. He would naturally
have passed her mother of as his wife.
! There Is no allusion to a mother throuyh all
the letters, SO it is probable that she is either
dead or that she took up with some one else,
] leaving the child to be to taken care of by
him. | see that in one letter each year she
speaks as having seen him not long before:
| so | suppose he went over once year to see
her. Certainly the letters prove nothing
one way or the other; but l suppose that we
shall have to investigate tho matter"
Certainly" Philip agreed, "of course.
If there was a marriage, there is an end Of
the matter. Ii not, | will get you to ar
range that the allowance, whatever it is,
that my uncle paid, shall be continued, and
you can make any arrangement You think
right for sum of money to be paid to her
when she comes of age or marries. Such
an arrangement as you think it probable
my uncle would have made had he left
| will"
The lawyer nodded.
II understand" he said. 81 daresay l
shall have to go over. When I see in what
way she has been brought up, l shall be
able to form a more definite idea as to what
is 10 be done IN the matter. AS TO the first
alternative, | hope and believe that there is
little chance of It's accuracy"
II imagine that you must have seen the
unexpected occur pretty often in your pro-
fession, Ferris. However, whatever comes
of it / don't think l shall break my heart
over it. OF course it is rather blow at
first-you wouldn't believe me il l said it
wasn't-but l am not sure that l am cut
out for a squire of high degree, and shall
enjoy life quite as much il ] have to make
my own way'a bit. l am really thinking
more of my mother than of myself; it
would be great blow to her for me to
lose the Court just when, as it seemed, had
SO UNEXPECTEDLY come into possession.
/,
James Ferris agreed, for he had dined with
the Clitheroes several times when they had
been up in London, and had not been favor
ably impressed by Mrs. Clitheroe's manner
"a clever woman, father" he had said,
"but as hard as nails and as proud as Luci-
fer, though what she has to be so proud
about don't know. ] wonder her son is
woman like that; but 1t is evident she is ex-
tremely fond of him, her voice quite softens
when she speaks to him. daresay she has
her good points"
81 expect so, Jim; most Of them have
but l agree with you, Mrs. CIitheroe
is hard. You know she put her affairs into
our hands at her husbands death, because
we have always been Mr. Corbyn's lawyers,
and she never forgets that she is a Corbyn.
She is a capital hand at business, but
came to the conclusion that | would rather
be her lawyer than her debtor.n
"Do you mean to tell her, ClitheroeP'
James Ferris asked after he had revolved
these matters in his mind.
II think l had better not,n Philip replied,
after pause. ''Of course If you find out
that there was a marriage she will know all
about it soon enough; IL not. do not see
why she should know anything about it."
II don't see why she should; things of
this sort are just as well kept quiet. No,
agree with you it will be better to say moth
l
there really was a marriage. AT any rate,
we must make thorough search for will.
As matters stood before it seemed of little
consequence whether one existed or not,
bet the matter is completely altered now"
For the next two or three hours the young
men searched in every drawer, cabinet, or
other place where papers we're likely to be
} slowed away, but no documents of any kind
were found.
"It is quite possible, Clitberoe," the
young lawyer said, when the search was
concluded, "that we may hear of will
yet. So long as we made sure that will
would be made in your favor, there was no
reason whatever why your uncle should go
to any one else, but the case is altogether
altered now. He would not like us t. have
know about this business, and would proba-
bly, have gone elsewhere to get his will
made. Mind, | think it very much more
likely that he has never given it moment's
consideration, but if he did so, that Is the
course he would be likely to pursue"
"Well. | shall not bother any more about
it, Ferris. | consider that the matter is
now in your hands as the solicitor to the
family. That takes all the responsibility
Off my shoulders, but please impress upon
your father that my anxiety will be to do
what is right. If the girl is entitled to the
estates, well and good; if not, | wish the
arrangements to be made on liberal scale.
You said that you must go back this after
noon. Can't persuade you to stop until
the morningT
"No, thank you, l really want to get up
to town, for we are very busy at present
and have got very heavy case just coming
on. In the next place | want to hear what
my father thinks about this affair, and
lastly don't think that we should spend a
very enjoyable evening. We have both
got this thing in our minds and could talk
about nothing else, although no amount of
talking can throw any further light upon
it. So will carry out my original inten-
tions."
Philip looked at his watch.
1--WE have ample time to have the horses
put in and drive comfortably down to the
station After what has happened you will
not catch me driving down that hill again
fast"
After seeing James Ferris off by the
train, Philip handed the reins TO the groom,
tOlu ulIu 10 Jake the horses DACk TO the
stables, and then strolled slowly back to
Royal Terrace, thinking the matter over in
every light His mother was in tho draw
ing room when he went up. 1t was getting
dusk, and she was sitting with her back to
the window, and a magazine in her hand
which as she sat. served to screen her face
from the fire.
"You have been a long time, Philip. l
think you might have come straight back
half an hour ago."
II beg your pardon, mother. / made so
sure after my own search through the
papers, that no will would be found, it did
not strike me that you would be anxious
about it. We have looked everywhere so
far as we know. aud no will has come to
hand, and Ferris did not expect to find one
any more than did
II did not think there would be one my
SELF for Algernon was not of nature to
trouble himself about matters that could
conveniently be put Off and he had of
course no reason TO anticipate that any
necessity would arrive for many years for
his making his wilin
"No, that is our idea, mother"
Philip was standing 50 that the light both
from the window and fire fell on his face,
and his mother saw at once that something
unusual had happened.