The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-01-08
A COMPROMISE
How a Case of Presumption Final
ly Ended.

''British consulate? Yes. sir. Take
the first to the left, and the third to the
right, and go on till you come to a
drunken sailor-that's the British con-
sulate."
am told that the above direction
was once actually given, and really the
threshold of III. NJ. Il. 5 consul is often
marked with human wreclage. One
bright May morning at St Gumbo Sir
Martin Behan, accompanied by his
pretty daughter Sybil. found this Off
cial in conversation with a case of dis
tress. which had not been asked into
his private room. They drew back and
overheard this conversation:
''IIave you been to the st. Georges
society2"
'Yes-and they do not believe my
story
We'll, it is rather-suppose, now,
YOU believe it?"
~ year ago l would not" said the
man, frankly. No well set-up scare
crow would have changed clothes with
him, and there was just hope that
his elnaciated condition was due to
starvation and not to fever.
$50 you can do nothing for me?"
he asked.
1T is the hardest part of my days
work to answer such questions, -" the
consul replied. Officially i must not
privately I-ah, Sir Martini back again
so soon? Come in The case of dis
tress stepped aside and the door closed
against him.
Tired of Florida already?'
NO, 4 should have ailIed TO spend
another fortnight there and Sybil was
delighted with the glimpse she got of
the Everglades; but i received Il tele-
gram which calls me home without de-
lay. Have you any letters for us?7
The bell was sounded, and a ready
clerk appeared with their mail
some of ii for the baronet, more for his
daughter, and lot of newspapers for
both.
Can we catch wednesday's steam
er?~
Hardly. Have you wired for
berths?''
Not yet
III do so for you at once All the
boats are very full at this season
Which do you preter-Cunard, White,
Star Inman?"
Anything that's first and fastest"
said Sir Martin --Sybil is good sail
or. and can rough it
The answer came that there was no
chance for Wednesday, as the passen-
gers could not reach New York in
time; but they might go by the City
of Paris which was to said on Satur-
day at 1I-I5 a IN
SIR Martin and his daughter were IN
mourning for distant relative from
whom they had great expectations un-
til she died, and her viii was read
Then hitch came The question was
one of surVivorship. and you would not
care for the legal points on which il
arose. Shortly it came to this The
widow of Singleton Behap died of old
age on the Sd OF February, 1883, Ieav-
ing the bulk of her property to the
oldest or only son of my once dear
friend, Clara, wife of Capt Maurice
Nining, who may be living AT the time
of my death. and his heirs, etc. as part
reparation for wrong l did his
mother The remainder man." or
next in order, was my cousin, Sir Mar
tin Bchan, his heirs, administrator,
executors and assigns" Capt Ninine
died many years ago His widow mar
ricd again, and had one son who sailed
from Madeira on the 29th of January
1883, and his ship the SS- Magnolia" :"
was lost at sea on the Sd of February.
Did he die before the testatriX, or did
she die first? All depended on that
The old lady passed away SO quietly
that opinions differed as TO exactly ut
what moment life became extinct. II
might have been at any time between
half-past nine and eleven o'clock a
IN. As nothing could be done for her.
no doctor was present
Ciara's sons ship was seen on her
beam ends, about to founder, at seven
ifteen a. IN, in such a storm that moth
ing could be done To save those on
board. Might he, strong swimmer as
he was known to be, hold out for three
hours and forty-Gvc minutes in tina
raging sea? If he did-if he outlive
his benefactress for any fraction ot
timc-the estates we're his. and woui,i
20 to his heirs. If he died first, then
Sir Martin came in.
The City of Paris" made a pleasant
aud speedy trip, and Sybn an agreea-
bic acquaintance in the person of Il
strikingly handsome man, who sat next
to her at table, and was very attentive
all day. His name on the passenger
list was Hugh De Mauriac.
Il don't like the fellow growleG
Sir Martin. I've seen his face before
somewhere" One reason for this dis
like was that Sybil seemed to like him
very much, and all the father was mp
in arms against a possible advcnturer.
We've met before he said, gruffiy
one day. where was it?"
AT the British consulate, st Gumbo.
/ was in n bad fix then
Sir Martin turned away with an in
dignant snort, and found his daughter
II knew it, he said. THE fellow is
an impoSter, He is that dirty tramp
we saw at Consul Fountaine's door,
begging. How could he get the money
to pay for a first-class passage, and
good clothes, and cigars and wine?
Stole it, of course. De Mauriac, in
deed, Just the sort of name such a
rascal would take"
''Oh, papa. lie might have found
some friends
Fellows who go begging to con
sulates and St Georges societies have
no friends. How dare he speak to
you. You must cut him dead from this
moment"
That would be unl1ind, perhaps un-
just, Sybil replied, sally. I've shall
be at Queenstown tomorrow. Please,
dear papa, do not make me hurt his
feelings. | will avoid him as much as
possible. Remember that whatever he
may be now, nc was evidently once n
gentleman
Il II save you any qualms about it, :"
said her father, decisively; and he kepi
his word
There was a storm that day in Sil
Martins cabin, after which Mr.. DE-
Mauriac changed his place ut the table
and Sybil lost her appetite. Her father
had an uneasy feeling that he did not
get quite the best of it: and was heard
To say that OF all the cool insoIcn-