Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-23

several months I left her and came back to War
ringham- One morning, about twelve months
afterwards, as was going TO my work, saw
Nancy there and another young woman stand
ing besides q dead woman in an entry;
and you may imagine my surprise and fear
when reco gnized, lying cold and stiff in the
snow, the poor girl l had deceived and after
wards deserted in New York.
81 sent Nancy and her companion to look for
a policeman, and while they were away l
searched the dead woman s pockets, and found
two certifcates-one of her own marriage with
Harwood; the other of her child's baptism I'M
der the name of Nellie Harwooi.
Fears for myself prompted me to keep the
certificates and 20 let the woman be buried I'M
known. did So But another idea struck me.
I went to Mr.. Harwood there. told him that the
dead woman was his brothers wife, and that
tifcates to back up my statements l threw all
suspicion from myself and deceived Harwood -
But if HARDWOOD believed that Nellie was his
niece-his brothers. daughter, Mark Eliot
broke in here, why did he not treat her as
such?"
"He paid me to keep the supposed secret. -
Dan replied, because he knew that If his
brother had married and left children they
would have been heirs to all he possessed!'
'tBut my brother did not marry, SO that was
guilty of no real wTongl'' HARDWOOD burst FORTH
''Your brother did marry!'' Dan retorted.
s'Three months before he was shot in Pat Cur
rams saloon he had wed girl called Miss Lin
coin. But your brother was not married in his
own name. In America he went in an assumed
name"
sumed namef'' Marx Eliot cried. ''Tell me,
Ashton"
1.-THE name he went BY Dan responded
slowly. as his eyes met the young mans with a
curious look in them, twas exactly your own
Mark Eliot!'
''My Godi, burst from Marks lips. ''Then
/ have found it out at last. -
Pound what out. ladP'' Dan questioned, his
glance still lingering curiously on the other s
face;
a least he name lie WAS married iu-was Har-
riet Lincoln; my father was Mark Eliot. He
was shot in Pat Curran's saloon in the Eleventh
avenue on the 18th of August, 1si9-wss that
man George Bentham HARDWOOD? In the name of
God tell the truth now!''
81 will, Marx Eliot. The man who was shot
was George Bentham Harwood, Richard Har-
woods brother. Was it you Mark who adver-
tised and offered 500 pounds reward?"
'.Itw s. and you answered it came back
to Warringham the other day specially to see
you. This is the letter you sent me-
He handed Dan the letter addressed to 'fMr.
A. B. C. JONES' ana the latter recognized it at
once as the one he had written.
''And you are really George Harwood's son?''
Dan queried in amaze.
''If Mark Eliot and George HARDWOOD were one
ut is soI'' Dan cried. s'Before you all 1
swear it. Richard Harwood, this is your
heaven, as I do, see that justice is done 10
him!''
81 cannot believe this story" the halloween
murmured falteringly.
lyon may Marx exclaimed. 81 was sent
to England by my mothers father to discover
all this. When the right time comes I shall be
able to furnish you with absolute proof of what
/ say. Before tonight only knew that my
father was known as Mark Eliot; I did not
dream that he was your brotherl Will you
swear, Dan, in the presence OF minister and q
magistrate, that the Mark Eliot who was shot
was really George Bentham Harwood9''
"Glsdlyl" Dan replied. Nancy, send for
Mr.. Dury, the vicar, and the magistrate who
was here to-day. Before die let me do what
can to clear up this mystery.'
Richard Harwood waited to hear no more.
Without uttering another word he turned from
the bedside and walked from the room; and as
the door closed behind him he heard Nancy or
der the servant to fetch the clergyman and the
Justice OF the peace.
to many questions from Dan and Nancy, he
narrated the more salient features OF his own
singular experiences in America.
And Dan lay back on his pillows and listened.
The excitement Of the past half hour had given
him an unnatural strength which had ebbed
now and left him weaker than before.
And while Mark spoke of his doings across the
sea. Nellie sat there beside the bed and listened
intently to every word. The girls face was
bowed in her hands, for her heart was heavy
indeed. Dams confession had added fresh
drop OF bitterness to her already OVERLOOKING
cup. Her poor mother had not been Dan Ash
ton q lawful wife.
About an hour later Mark Eliot left the room
in which Dan lay--left il Just as Ashton was SOL
emily swearing in the presence OF the newly ar
rived minister and magistrate, that George
Bentham Harwood. the elder brother of Richard
HARDWOOD, was married in New York to Harriet
Lincoln under the assumed name of Mark Eliot.
fro BE CONCLUDED NEXT vEEK.l