The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-04-16
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
by HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER XIV CONTINUED.


The situation was growing ridiculous,
and IL ths Talberts disliked one thing
more than another 1t was ridiculous situa-
ton. The best way out Ct tn ona SEEM
ed to be that Mr.. Rawlings should see the
child and be satisfied 1t was not his miss
Ing offspring, SO Horace rang the bell
and desr that the little boy should be
brought down.
Mrs. Miller, The nurse, upon receiving
instruction to this elect, imagined that
her charge was to BE- shoSn to visitors Of
importance. So she Quckli put on his
best garments, and made him look very
cherubic. lie trotted into the drawing
room a cabinet picture OF child h health
and beauty.
Rawlings looked at him with excitement
in every line of his &c. His light blue
eyes seemed to be starting out of his head.
Maria, he whispered hOarsely t. his
wife, look at him. just what ours would
have grown to. The same hair-the same
eyes. Maria, is this not your boy? An
swer me-and thank Heaven we have at
last found him."
The wife looked at the child, but did
not answer at on O.
lit is 1 know ii Isl said the man.
''re them so, Maria"
~ hope 1t S, said his wife.
The Talberts on hearing this 10 )ked
stupe ed. The case was assuming I'M
dreamed of proper ions. Dimly ey saw
that this recognition meant strange things
''My goo man, - said Horace, 'you are
making a complete mistake"
''Oh, 10, sir-no mistake. How can q
father he mistaken? Oh, my pretty boy
my long-lcst lamb! Come to me and give
me one kiss. Come to Your father
ave may take our Little boy lack with
us at once, sir-m y we not?" asked Raw
lings.
Certainly not" said Horace "You
have not given us the slightest proof it is
your child.'
But it is, SIR l know, and Mara
knows ii H."
'Tell us how IL came here. Until
you can do that we can not admit your
claim for an instant. 1t is absurd-you
must be mistaken. -
''Ab urd b" ech ed Herbert.
"rell me whose child it Is, If it ism
mlne?" re.orted the man. ado that and
will go away. | don't ca how it came
here | know it. | reco snlze It, 1t is
my poor 10 little boy, and will have It. -
llor CO was intensely annoyed. He turned
to the woman. "lol Sc, m to have some
sense, " he sad; do you claim this child?"
She glanced at her hu band and tears
sprang into Ter eyes ",es SIR" she
said, q. believe 1t is my chill l." Thes tua-
ton grew worse and wore. IL was well
for the boy that he had made such friends
Of Horace and lie bert or he must have
been sacrihc d ( rthwith If only to rid the
house of his self-s yled father and mother.
AS 1t was the Talberts temporized; they
promised to C )nsder the matter for a few
lays, and let Mr.. Rawlings know the de-
cislon they might come to. Mr.. Rawlings
wrote on his business card the name of an
hotel at which he was staying, and having
again and ag In asserte that he won d
not be robbed of his re-folnd son, at last,
to the unspea ,able relief of our friends,
drove away in his gig.
Never had Horace and Herbert been
placed in such di fculty. Beside,
what ab ut Beatri g. What would she
say Beat ice, to whom the oh Id seemed
as tho apple of her eye. Bitterly they
blamed themselves for ever having Yield.
ed to her request that she might keep the
foundl ng. But what was done was done
and could not now b. helped.
Horace wrote to Beatrice by the next
post He told her that some persons had
called and claimed her boy. The whole
thing, he said, was a great puzzle to him
and to Herbert, They had deferred their
decision a few days. If posi- le, they
would do no hi & until her return.
Beatrice was alone when she read that
letter. She turned deadly pale and seemed
Ia hpaath frh.,,, Oh III
a ordered her things to lie pac ed. At
breakfast she quietly told Lady Clauson
that she found she must return 20 BLACK
town b. the next train. She gave no
reason for this abrupt parture and her
sudden determln ton ann yed ady Clau-
son Immensely. Sir Maingay said nothing.
His daughter had long ago shown him she
was entire mistress Of her own acti ms.
MARK my W rds, " said Lady Clauson.
rs soon As BEATRICE had departed; 'that
girl will some day do some hing t. dis
grace the family
'0h, nonsense, my love, " said Sir Main
gay, who had now been married long
enough to find out that his beautiful wife
was MT all that his fancy had once painted
her.
Beatr'c e reached Lakewood House
quite unexpee .ly. The Talberts were
out. so she ran straight to the nursery.
Where is my boy2' she or ed. so vehe.
nently that she startled Mrs. Miller. who
knew nothing of the purport of the vi It
paid yesterday. The boy was there all
'afe and Miss Claus0n, W thomt removing
her outdoor garments, Rugged and caress-
ID her pet until she was toll that her
incIes had come In. She went I, them at
llCf. IhRV rfpntaI har N 81 Lob.