Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-12-28

"If Miss Templeton could but see
this" she thought, with quiet amuse-
ment-"a governess-pupil receiving
gentlemen visitors IN the drawing
roomm
"My business with you, Miss Rayner,
isvery important, continued the speak.
en-. Perhaps should introduce my
self-I am Mr.. Clements, of the firm Of
Clements & Mathews, of Lincoln's Inn.
We are lawyers" he added with a
smile at her simplicity.
Not knowing what to say, she bowed.
ALLOW me, Miss Rayner, to introduce
Mr. Dunscombe to you He has been
for some years past the manager of the
Charnleigh estates.
She bowed again, still more bewil-
dered. What should lawyers and man
ayers of estates want with her?
II must ask you, Miss Rayner, to an
swer my questions as fully as you can, ="
said Mr.. Clements, "and not to conceal
anything from me,
Il have nothing to conceal and moth
ing to tell, " she remarked "My life
has been an uneventful one"
"The future may have much in store"
said Mr.. Clements, smiling and bowling.
Now, Miss Rayner, will you tell me,
first, the name of your father?"
Captain Albert Rayner, she replied,
promptly,
And your mother's?"
Her maiden name was Aida Cler-
mont. She was French lady, born at
Rheims.
will you, as briefly as you can, tell
us all you know of your parents, their
lives and deaths?"
The girl was too simple and inexperi-
enced to imagine that there could be
any mystery behind these questions.
my father" she said, was of good
English family. He was u gentleman,
but not rich; indeed, he had no money
except his income as captain. My
mother was lady; she was descended
from an old Royalist family that was
ruined when she was a child-the
Clermonts Of Rheims"
Mr.. Clements bowed again, as though
each word corroborated something he
had heard before.
my mother was very young when
she had to go out into the world as o
governess. She was in situation at
bennington when my father, Captain
Rayner, met her, loved her, and mar
ried her."
"And thereby" interrupted Mr..
Clements, "lost the only chance he had
in life. He was we'll known-a perfect
gentleman - handsome, refined he
might have married an heiress."
He loved my mother" interrupted
Leonie, her beautiful face flushing.
"Yes, certainly; but that was the only
chance life held for him. Will you
continue, Miss Rayner?"
IF | do, she said, "you must spare
me any further criticisms on either my
father or my mother"
81 really beg your pardon, returned
Mr.. Clements. II rather admire Cap
tain Rayner for what he did"
They were married at bennington,
for my mother had no home and no
friends. Despite poverty, my parents
lived happily enough until my fathers
regiment was ordered abroad. My
mother, for pecuniary reasons, was
obliged to remain in England; my
father died hero's death far from his
native land"
He did, said Mr.. Clements. And
them"
"After that my mother came to Lon
don and lived by teaching French. She
taught here at Kings Court, and when
she died Miss Templeton took charge
of me on condition that l should teach
when l was able. have lived here
ever since"
"And that is the story of your life?"
interrogated the lawyer.
yes; l remember no incident in it
save my mothers death; the rest has
been dreary blank.
"Have you any papers corroborative
of what you say, Miss Rayner?" he
asked, and again an expression of sup
pressed excitement appeared on the
lawyers face.
"Yes, small packet. There is a
copy of my fathers marriage register,
and one Of my birth and of my mothers
death-that Is all, think"
will you let me see them?"
She rose and went to her own room,
where they were kept There was lit
tie wonder in her mind-her life had
been too uneventful for that; she
thought there was some business on
hand relating to her fathers death.
She found the papers and returned
with them; she laid them before Mr..
Clements, who looked attentively at
them.
Nothing could be more straightfor-
ward" he remarked to Mr.. Dunscombe;
lit is the same story word for wordw
"Yes, there is no mistake" observed
his friend; and then they both looked
earnestly at the young girl before
them.
81 have strange news for you," said
Mr.. Clements; perhaps l ought to
break it gently. Did you ever hear
anything of your fathers family"
NO." she replied. 81 do not even
know the names of his relatives"
"You have much to learn; but let me
tell you have no hesitation in saying
that your claim is perfectly legal and
clear; and that, instead of being Miss
Leonie Rayner, governess-pupil, you
are Leonie, Countess Of Charnleigh,
and mistress Of one Of the finest estates
in England.
CHAPTER III.
The words sounded plainly and clear
ly in the silence-so clearly that the