Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-28

lowed his example more quietly; and
| then HARDWOOD demanded, with defiant
ring in his voice,
"What's this You snv~ about Nellie
| Pemberton? What can possibly concern
me in conjunction with her?'
Now that the danger was actually fac
| ing him, Richard Harwood' s courage
rose. 1t would be foolish, he felt, to
slow any signs of weakness, and, after
| all, the blow might be less heavy than he
anticipated.
'iYou know, Mr.. Harwood-know
quite as we'll as [ dol" Mayhew said with
| a forced laugh. ''There is only one
matter which concerns you both.
''Speak plainly. Let us have no beat
ing about the bushI' Harwood cried.
''wbat is it you have to say! Why are
you here?''
LET me say first of all, Mr.. Har-
wood - MAYHEM replied in voice which
indicated that he was settling down to
the work before him; ''that my wife I'M
willingly made a false statement this
morning when in signing the church reg
is1er she called herself Nellie Pembe
ton. As you know, her name-that is
her real lawful name is HARDWOOD. F."
He paused to permit the other to re-
tort but Richard Harwood was silent.
The elder man was satisfied now that his
companion knew all about the secret,
and he was wondering to what use he in
tended to put such knowledge.
"If necessary will speak even more
plainly, - Walter added. "My wife is
your niece-your brothers. child.
George Bentham HARDWOOD and Margaret
Mines were legally married; their child
was born in holy wedlock; and to prove
all these things would be matter of
little difficulty. Such proof ill perhaps
not be requirsd--bv you. l would only
ask you at this point what claim you con-
slider my wife and 1 have upon you? You
who for twenty years have held pos
session of all that was hers by right?''
"Dan Ashton told you this!" Harwcod
Kissed between his teeth.
''Nos at all; l discoyered it myself, -
was Mayhew's reply, and he proceeded
to enlighten his companion as to the way
IN which the event had been revealed to
him.
81 understand now, Mayhem, the
halloween said sneeringlY, "why you
married the factory lass.
"Perhaps you do-perhaps you don t.
But am not come here to talk of that.
What 1 want to know is this: what do
you mean to do?''
"What do you mean to do? Tell me
that, was the quick retort
Whatever action l take will be the
result of your own, sir. l am q COM
paratively poor man, and l should be a
fool, or worse, were l to neglect my
wife IS interest and my own
"Your prlce-what is it?' HARDWOOD
cried.
Gin my place would you ask for less
than total restitution?'
'Total nonsensel For twenty years
have held undisputed possession, and
believe the law would uphold and ratify
my claim now. How was 1 to know that
my brother had married and left wife
and child behind him?''
'But you did know within year or
Whereabouts after your brothers. death;
and for nearly score of years you have
held possession of everything knowing
that the rightful owner was living at
your very door. And il your possession
was not disputed you only maintained it
by suppression of the truth, which |
every judge in the land would say
amounted to felony. Nay, further, for |
all these years you have bribed man to |
keep the identity of the legal claimant a |
secret. You know that all l say is true, |
Mr.. Harwood. What would the world |
think of you if these ugly facts were |
made public?'
''Do you intend to make them public?''
''Not unless you force me. If you will |
only agree to make some fair arrange |
ment with me the matter can be kept a |
secret still. -
'Does your wife know of your coming
to see me?' the mill owner asked.
''No. She does not even know what
her real position is-knows nothing, in
fact. -
"And the arrangement-whati is 1t that
you have to suggest
ga free and an equal partnership in
all your mills. That is not too much to
ask, think, under the circumstances.
'No, it's not much, Mayhew!' Har-
wood cried with a little hard laugh.
''Your proposal is very moderate indeed,
as it only means handing over to you a
half share in q concern worth about
el00, 000.''
"Do you accept my offer? That's the
question - the younger man exclaimed
with some spirit. al only ask you half
" hen the whole might be, obtained But
want no quarrel with you, Harwood.
In your place l might have done as you
lid. What do you say? Is it TO be
peace or war between us?''
There was an instant's silence, and
hen Richard HARDWOOD said lowly:-
hPeacel But you must prom
SO to keep this compact from the world
Not even your wife must know anything
If it. -
81 promise.
eft . settled, then. You've managed
he game cleverly, Mayhem, and won a
handsome stakei'' s.zus.ts
TTo BE CoNTNUER .,14.ss;ss;s sl
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