The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-03
CHAPTER I

.aEs .... .Ha.. CiAfIEh . HZE
1t is a matchless morning in rural Eng
n On a fair hill we see a majestic pile,
the ivied walls md towers of Cholmonde-
ley Castle, huge relic and witness of the
baronial grandeurs of the middle ages.
This is one of the seats of the earl of Ross
more. X. g., G. G. b., X. c. M. G.. ETC., ETC.,
ETC., who possesses $1,000 acres of English
lands. owns a parish in London with 1000
houses on its lease-roll, and struggles com
fortably along on an income of GoaOO, 600 a
year. The father and founder of this proud
old line was William the Conqueror, his
very self the mother of it was not inyen-
toried in history by name. she being merely
a random episode and i-nconsequential, like
the tanners daughter of Ealaise.
In a breakfast room of the castle on this
breezy fine morning there are two persons
and the cooling remains of a deserted meal.
One of these persons 10 the old lord, tall,
erect, squnre-shouldered. white-haired,
stern-browed, = man who shows character
i'll every feature. attitude and movement,
and carries his seventy years as easily as
most men carry fifty. The other perkon is
his only son and heir, a draamy-eyed young
fellow. who looks about twenty-six, but is
nearer thirty. Candor, kindliness. honesty,
sincerity. simplicity, modesty-it is easy to
see ltaI tAeso are carulnaA TRAVIS OF MS
character; and 30 when you have clothed
him in the formidable compo1ents of his
name. you somehow seem to be contem-
plating Il lamb in armor, his name and style
being the Honorable ~Kirkoudbright Llano-
yer Majoribanks Sellers, N~iscount
Berkeley of Gholmonde!ey Castle,
Thlanover Marshbanks Sellers, w
count Barkly of CHUNKY Castle.
W%arrikshr.l He is standing by a great
window, in an attitude suggestive of re-
spectful attention to what his father is say
ing and equally respectful dissent from the
positions and arguments offered. The
father walks the floor ns he talks, and his
talk shows that his temper is away up
toward summer heat.
'Soft-spirited IA you arc, Berkeley, l am
quite aware that when you have onca made
up your mind to do a thing which your ideas
of honor and Justice require you to do, ar
wasted upon ou--yes, n riaicule, persua-
sion, supplication and command NJ we'll.
10 me mind"
'Father, If you will look at it without
prejudice, without passion, you must con-
cede that | am not doing n rash thing, q
thoughtless, willful thing, with nothing sub
stantial behind it to Justify it. | did not
create the American claimant 10 the earl
dom of Rossmore; I did not hunt for him.
did not lind him; did not obtrude him upon
your notice. He found himself. injected
himself into our lives
And has made mine q purgatory for ten
years with his til esome letters, his wordy
reasonings, his acres Of tedious evidence
(which you would never read, would
never consent to read. Yet i'll common
fairness he was entitled to n hearing. hat
hearing would either prove that he was tho
rightful earl-in which case our oourse
would be plain--or it would provo that he
wasn't-in which case our course would be
equally plain. l have read his evidences,
lord. l have oonned them we'll. studied
them patiently and thoroughly. The chain