The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-19
CHAPTER XIV.
COL. WALTER ROCHE


cigarette, and reading the Sunday paper
while be waited for his dinner hour, which
was then fast approaching.
He was g fine-looking man. portly Of
form. and his thick mustGche was just be
ginning to be tinged with gray. Though a
great admirer of pretty women, he had
never married, and his ideas. it was said,
concerning them were not remarkable for
their strlctness. But he was brave, and
in his way 6 very honorable man for all
that He had promised to adopt Francis
Roche, when be was helpless babe, and he
had kept his word often at very great incon-
venience TO himself.
And now wnen Francis Roche approached
his comfortable easy chair, he looked Up
over his newspaper. and cordially held out
his hand.
"Ah. Frank, my boy, whoever expected to
see you"' he said.
~ have run up TO town on purpose TO
see You, -" answered Francis Roche, gravely.
The colonel shrugged his broad shoulders
"Humrh! Anything the matter" he
asked.
- want to see you about something"
"Debt p inquired the colonel, briefly.
Francis smiled and shook his head.
Some woman, then, l supposed Con-
found them, they are always leading people
into mischief
Again Francis shook his head, and his
stalwart uncle looked at him a little in
credulously.
ut is z long story" began Francis
Then for heavens sake defer the telling
of it, my dear fellow, until after we
have dinedm cried Col Roche Dine
with me here, of course and after being for
titled with good meal, l shall be in q
more favorable condition to hear she
news
VERY WE'LL answered Francis, with q
short laugh, and then he sat down beside his
unce and talked Of regimental and other
matters of passing interest to themselves.
The dinner that followed was a good one
and though Col Roche noticed that some
times his nephew's mind wandered away
from the tempting menu; his certainly did
not until portion Of each dainty dish was
consumed. Then, having finished bottle
of excellent claret, he looked across the
table at Francis.
Now, Frank you may as well begin your
story" he said.
Frank Roche hesitated for moment and
his good-looking face slightly flushed.
'Its a very queer story" he said
"Uncle Walter, you never spoke to me much
Of my father"
No" answered the colonel, briefly.
But l have gathered from your manner,
somehow went on Francis, ''that he was
not very great credit to his family"
Least said is soonest meuded about him,
Frank. But why are you asking these
questionsn
because l had strange visitor this
morning at Lynwood; a fellow-an odd
looking fellow enough, too-came and told
me long story; in tact, claimed to be my
father and your brother, George Roche, who
was supposed to be lost at sea-"
The colonel started up in mis- comfortable
chair, and his face flushed angrily and there
was wrath in his fiery eyes.
WAS lost, you mean,n he said; 'for the
great benefit of his family-and others con-
nected with him. George Roche went to
the bottom of the sea some three-and-
twenty years ago now, think"
And be was my father"
"Nes, Frank, he was your father
"And my mother"
"Died when you were born; don't trouble
your head, my dear lad, about your parents
any more, for | can safely tell you that you
are not likely to benefit a penny by either of
them"
''Yet this man who came to me this
morning claims to be George Roche. and
the first husband of Lady Ennlsmore, whom
he declared 10 be my mother"
"Whatn cried Col. Roche, and he grew
absolutely pale, and his clenched hand fell
heavily on the table before him.
He declares continued Francis, that
he was not lost when that ship Endymion,
in which he sailed for Australia, went down.
but that he and another man after enduring
great herdships were saved, and were the
only two among the passengers and crew
who escaped. And he says that this man
also was under a cloud, aud being picked up
By a strange vessel, agreed with him to drop
their rea! Iames, and start in a new country
with new ones
And did he tell YOU asked Col. Roche,
while strange expression fitted across his
lips, "the nature of the cloud under which
he himself layM
YES" answered Francis, with dusky
blush, "he had forged the name of one of
your brother officers at Lynwood. He said
"a man called DaubenY."
by Jovem and again Col. Walter
Roc1es hand fell heavily on the table. "If
/ could believe that this scoundrel still
lived TO disgrace US, l should cut the SER
Weep
He has seen Lady Ennismore," went on
Francis, land he says that she agreed to
give him & thousand year for life to drop
tie past, but that she then told him her
child was dead. Uncle Walter, is there any
truth in this! Ia Lady Ennismore-n
Col Roche sprang up from his seat with
an oath.
Boy" he cried, what folly! What
should l know about Lady Enusmore's
girlhood? know her as lady in society
nothing more"
Yet this man, George Roche, affirms
that you carried the news Of his supposed
death to Brackenford, and that she, then a
young girl, broken down with grief and
shame, confided to- you that she was about
to become a mother, and that you persuaded
Mrs. Maiden, her mother, to let her go TO
Paris for change, and that she went with
her maid Lorimer, and Miss Drummond,
and that there l was born, and that Lady
Ennismore entreated you to adopt me
which you did"
Francis Roche spoke all this very earn
estiy, for he sew that Col. Roche was I'M
misrakably agitated.
81 adopted you certainly" he said,
stify, but not at the request Of Lady En-
nismore."
''She was not Lady Ennismore then, nor,
this man atfirms, is she now. If, in fact,
his story be true, her marriage with Lord
EnniSrnOre is mil and void-that il if