The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-14
A HIDDEN FOE.
A STORY OF LOVE AND MYSTERY.
By G. A. HENTY.
LALL RIGHTS RESER VED.1

Mr. Clitheroe or Miss Cor bvn is the owner
of the estates, and neither of them can
break the entail until they have a son Of
81 years old, or, failing sons, daughter of
that age, or failing children altogether,
the consent Of the next heir whoever he
may ben
"But you yourself said that there might
be some sort of compromise, Robert" Miss
Peyton said, sharply.
Eyes, there might be a compromise. but
one not of legal nature. Thus Mr.. Clithe-
roe might agree to treat Miss Corbyn as his
cousin, and to acknowledge the relation
ship. and even to put on paper the acknowl-
edgment of his absolute conviction that a
marriage took place between her parents
grant that this would place him in a sin
gular position, aud that if Miss Corbyn in
tended to settle down here in Bath, it would
be an almost impossible position, for natur-
ally every one would ask how, if she were
Mr.. Corbyn's daughter, she did not succeed
to the estate. But take it that she has no
intention of residing here, and might even be
not diSlnclined to give an undertaking that
she would abstain altogether from visiting
this part of England.
''Such an understanding as this would
give her the moral satisfaction that she de-
sireS. In other respects matter would re-
main as they are. She might acquiesce in
could not bind her heir, who either he or
herself, or by their trustees, or, If a female,
by her husband, could take up the case at
the point at which you lay it down. In the
same way Philip Clitheroeis heirs might re-
pudiate this acknowledgement made by
him, which would, In fact, have no legal
value, and would be merely an expression
of his opinion. Still, that is the line upon
which. if at all, it seems to me that COM
pnitr bp off fa6 in ba Of
course, of our failing to find the legal evil
dence of which we are in search"
Miss Peyton was silent. These difficulties
had not suggested themselves to her.
"Well, we need not discuss it now,n she
said, abruptly at last. 1.-THE great point is
to find the evidence; if we cannot do that
we will talk over this rigmarole entail bust.
ness.n
Robert harbut left the next morning by
an early train. Late in the afternoon Miss
Peyton received a telegram from him.
Successful to certain extent; don't ex-
pect me till tomorrow; l am making in
quiries."
1t was not until 3 o'clock on the following
afternoon that Robert Harbut returned
The ladies had not stirred out. but had sat
pretending to work or to read, but their
talk turned upon nothing else than Rob-
ert's expedition.
Ilo ullSAO JUST do W6Ll nave WTlbD6U,
Miss Peyton said over and over again, ''and
told us what he had done. Men are the
most provoking creatures about letters"
Most likely he was great deal too busy,
Miss Peyton," Constance suggested, while
Hilda pointed out THAT in all probability if
he has written, the letter will have gone up
to London first and we should not got it I'M
til between 10 and 1 o'clock"
ut might, or it might not, my dear.
Ohah vUOnI6 ha in hea
county bags and we should have got it this
morning"
81 should think, Miss Peyton, that he did
not write because he has not concluded his
business He may have had to go some
distance to find this man or his family, and
he would naturally rather tell us the whole
story at once. At any rate, am quite sure
that he has been hard at work."
Upon arriving at Oxford Robert Harbut
had driven straight to st. Boniface. He
found that the bursar was in the college,
and was conducted by the junior partner TO
his rooms. On entering he handed his card
to Mr.. Freeman the bursar.
81 am member of the Inner Temple,
Mr.. Freeman, and have called to inquire if
you will be kind enough to tell me the
name of the scout who attended upon Mr..
CorDyn and Mr.. Rothsay, who had, be-
ieve, rooms on the same staircase about
give some very important evidence on q
case in which l am engaged. do not know
whether the information would be in the
college books, but if SO. | shall be extremely
obliged if you would give it to me. OF
course if YOU cannot do so, l must en-
deavor to obtain it from some of the SER
wants who were at the college at the time.
If not here now, doubtless some of them are
alive and may not improbably be residing
in Oxford"
II should think 1 could give you the in
formation You require" the bursar said
sit will be very easy to find the staircase, as
there is, of course, a yearly record OF the
occupation of rooms. The calendar will
give us the precise year when each gentle
man took his degree. l suppose it was in
their last year OF residence"
81 should fancy So" Robert said. "The
fact of both of them being on one staircase
will probably decide that. Each of them
may have moved once, perhaps twice, butt
is not likely that they were both twice on
the same staircase"
After consulting the calendar the bursar
took down a volume from his shelves.
After examining it Tor a minute or two he
said:
Eyes. for the last three terms of their
residence they were both on staircase
three, third court. Mr.. Corbyn's rooms
were Immediately over those OF Mr.. Roth
say"
Eyes, that is SO; that settles the question
then about the year. Now then as to the
scout"
Mr. Freeman took down another volume
labeled "details of scouts work"
Eyes, here it is. In that year Thomas
Morson was the scout who attended upon
the six sets of rooms on that staircase"
''He left the college two or three years
later, i think"
Ibid he? we shall soon see that. He was
here at the beginning of the next year and
of the year after that for, lac was in charge
of the same set of rooms. Yes, you are
right" he went on, turning over another
page, "his name is not in the next years
list | can find out exactly when he left if
it is of any importance to you by turning
to the wages books"
"Thank you, do not see at present that
it is of any consequence, but there is never
any saying what may by useful and what
may not"
HE left at the beginning of the long va
cation" Mr.. Freeman said, after some
further search.
81 am very much Obliged to you, Mr..
Freeman, for the trouble you have taken.
The further particulars wish to find out |
shall, no doubt, De able to learn from ser
wants VINO were here with the man,
''You will find several here who were in
the college employment at that time The
college porter has been here over thirty
years and ne viii be able TO give youa List