The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1893-06-10
dence Of which YOU spoke?o

. dence of which you spoken
! Il have not brought them with me
! They are not now in my possession"
Indeed! May inquire where the,
areP''
"They are probably now in the hand
of Mrs, Dunkirk's attorneys and execu
tors, Messrs Hunter and Ketchum, OF
New York
Hunter and Ketchum?" She repeated
the words involuntarily. She was fol-
the moment startled out of her colo
composure; she looked up at him with
perplexed speculation.
cts perfectly regular proceeding,
Mrs. Maynard, as you will presently
understand" added North, answering
the mute inquiry in her glance. But
we are losing valuable time. Allow me
to proceed without further delay to the
brief narrative of fact"
He drew out his watch as he spoke
and laid it open on the small table at
his elbow. He had the air of man de-
termined to accomplish set task with
in a given time The ladies waited,
each composed in outward mien, for his
recital
SIT was in Baltimore, you recollect,
Mrs. Maynard" he began, addressing
himself directly to that lady, that
Hamilton D upont's death occurred. He
was a perfect stranger in that city,
having gone thither in search of en-
ployment, leaving his wife and child in
Charleston. This latter fact, by the
way, corrects mistaken impression of
mine. l had always supposed that Mrs.
Dupont also died in Baltimore, and that
in order to discover any trace of Annie
the search must commence in that city
This same idea was doubtless what
baff1ed Mrs. Dunkirl1's detectives They
persistently sought in Baltimore for the
child, following up one false ciew after
another on the theory that if she were
living at all that was the place to find
her. As matter of fact, neither Mrs. |
Dupont nor the child was in Baltimore
at the time of Hamilton Duponts death, |
although the published accounts of the
affair gave the impression that they |
were there.
Gas you yourself told me, Mrs. May
nard, the poor young wife died soon
after of a broken heart; and little An
ME, thus cast upon the cold charities of
the world, found refuge and loving care
in an orphan asylum in that city. She
was received and registered there in
her own name, as l discovered few
days since on searching the records OF
the institution. The date of this regis
try do not recall it at the moment.
but I have a memorandum OF it some.
exactly with the.
date furnished me through another
source; and thus it affords a most salts.
factory confederation of my chief docu-
evidence.
s'Now, before the child had been in
the asylum three weeks, a lady who
was then a transient visitor in Charles
ton presented herself at the institution.
for Annie Dupont. Shesoon be-
came convinced that the child who was
by that name upon the books
was the Annie Dupont whom she was
seeking; and, that question settled, she
to declare her reasons for MAX
ng this inquiry. She had known Hamil-
;on Dupont and his wife intimately, and
vas greatly attached to them both; and
or their sakes she felt an unusual in
crest in their infant daughter, who :
vas, / am told, at that time remarka- :
by beautiful child-which l can very a
asily believe, having seen for myself :
What charming woman she has be- r
ONE"
AS he spoke these last words with the
anne air of simple good faith that had e.
characterized all his previous state Z
lents, Mr.. Maynard glanced involun-
arily at Miss Hilary, as if putting his
erdict to the critical test of her own
judgment. Miss Hilary,
nth eyes downcast was unconscious of
ne swift scrutiny, Smiling little as
G observed it, North continued: ]
''Thls lady furthermore stated that [
lie was slightly acquainted with Mrs. 8
Hamilton Dupont's sister.
low'-this is in effect what she said
} the authorities at the asylum
frs. Dunkirk is wealthy widow, i
i'd Annie, as her only living relative,
rs claim upon her which no one
IN dispute. But Mrs. DunlSirk is a
Id, stern woman, utterly unfit to be
lie guardian of tender child like
nnie. Let me adopt this little one and
ar her lovingly for her own and her
Lrents' sakes. Lest Mrs. Dunkirk su
ould discover her and try to take her
ON me, l will conceal her real name
I'd call her by my own; not even the -, "a
lid herself shall ever know that [ am M
t her own true mother until shall I'll
EN- that the proper time has come to 20
'close the secret. / will have all lnC
cessary proofs of her identity at hand, su
that if her aunt should die leaving
r fortune to the next of kin, Annies We
i'm can easily be established. All this De
romise and will fulfill; only let rue wa
We the child to care for and love as IN,
own vel
We'll, to be brief about it, the lady ne
'ried her point. The adoption papers In
re duly nadn ont and Iofono n. am