Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-18

boy. as the title descended only to the
male heirs.
Hugh Clifford had been summoned BY
Mr.. Stafford, the family lawyer, from
Paris, to attend his mothers funeral
and this gentleman had also detailed &c
him the events which had happened al
the little riverside villa near Maiden
head; the finding of his murdered BROTH
er's body buried in the garden; and the
expected birth of the child, who might
be destined to succeed to the wealth and
honors of the house of Gilmore.
Mr.. Stafford also mentioned that 9
warrant for the apprehension of Madame
de Costa and her two Spanish servants
had been issued, and that some police
officers had started for the south OF
France in quest of this lady. He told
him, too, that his mothers sudden death
had been caused by the terrible news of
her eldest son IS murder, and he plainly
limited to him that he thought he ought
TO be now in England to look after the
family interests.
To this letter, after little delay
Hugh Clifford had replied that he would
come to England to attend his mother g
funeral, but that until Gerard . child
was born, he did not care to interfere
with any of the present family arrange
| ments.
And he carried this out. He arrived
! at Wrothsley only on the morning of
Lady Gilmore's funeral, and he met Mr..
Stafford there and repeated what he had
| written.
~ prefer living in Paris or somewhere
on the continent, at present, he said;
"for as told you when 1 wrote to you
about paying my wife the allowance and
the rent of the house in town, she and
have quarrelled, and l don't care to
come in her way
! ''But surely with so charming a young
lady as Mrs. Clifford, any temporary lit
| tie quarrel might be made up, - smiled
| the LAWYER.
Hugh Clifford shrugged his shoulders
at the suggestion.
| "No,'' he said, 1--WE are better
friends apart; but of course you will let
| me know when this child is born?''
| ''Of course; in the event of it being
| girl you will be Lord Gilmore
Again Hugh Clifford shrugged his
| shoulders.
"And in the event of it proving boy
| 1 won 't?' he said, with affected care
| lessuess. ''Well, such is life. -
| This brie conversation took place be-
| fore the funeral, which was conducted
| with state and solemnity. and according
| to the rites of the Roman Catholic
| church, in which faith the deceased lady
had lived and died. Miss Clifford, of
Gateford Manor House, however. refused
to attend it, and Mrs. Hugh Clifford
Nancy-was too Ill to do SO. Lady Gil
more's sudden death proved a second
shock to Nancy, and her nervous pros
tration was very great.
r.:
during his brief visit to England, or to
hold any communication with her what
ever. He left Wrothsley half an hour
after his mothers funeral was over, and
shuddered if struck with sudden chill,
as he quilted the family vault, and drank
a great deal more brandy than was good
for him, the family lawyer observed dis
approvIngly.
1t was gloomy day at the great house
after the old mistress had been carried
away and the funeral guests were gone.
Many of the servants received q month g
notice from Mr.. Stafford, and only some
of the old retainers were kept on until 1t
was known who should actually be the
next owner of the great possessions left
by the first Lord Gilmore.
Mrs. Brewster remained as house
keeper, and Miss Pennythorn the chill
dren IS governess, and Graham, the but
Ter, and a few others; but the magnifi-
cent state apartments were closed, and
their spleudors hidden away from the
sight of man.
cts bad business from first to
last, "Graham said to Mrs. Brewster,
who wore deepest mourning for the
adopted son she had lost. eff only my
poor lady had let well alone, the place
would have gone on as it was, and Mr..
Hugh son would have been the little
heir, and everything as 1t should be. -
.'They took my boy from me, and
nothing but evil has come of it, wept
Mrs. Brewster, who could not get over
poor Gerard s sad fate. eyes, she who
has gone has deal to answer for, and
l only wish 1 had had nothing to do with
it,
Mr.. Stafford also arranged with poor
May at Maidenhead-the widowed and
lowly-born Lady Gilmore-that for the
present she was to remain on at the
Rookery; but of course in the event of
her child being born boy it would be
her duty, he told her, to live in the prin-
oipal family mansion and rear her son
according to his future state. In the
meanwhile her father agreed to stay
with her, and his presence was great
comfort and help to the almost broken
hearted May, who, whatever Gerard's
faults had been, had loved him dearly.
Nancy heard of all these family ar
rangements from her mother, while still
lying on her sick bed; heard with fast
beating heart that her husband had been
present at his mothers funeral, and she
was thankful she did not hear this until |
at the same time she was told that he |
had again left England.
Mr.. Stafford called on Mrs. Loftus-or !
rather on Nancy. who was too i'll 60 see
him-and gave Mrs. LOTUS this informa-
ton and told her, also. that until the |
birth Of Girard's child that Hugh Gift |
ford had declined to make any changes |
whatever.
And not until nearly month after the |
discovery of Gerard g body, and Lady |
Gilmore g sudden death, did Nancy leave |
her bedroom and appear downstairs.
She looked greatly changed and shat |
tered; SO changed that when one after |
noon two days later, to her great surprise
Miss Clifford walked into her drawing |
room, where she was languidly lying on |
a couch, the old lady lifted her hands IN |
amazement.
'sChildl what have you been doing
with yourself2'' she said.