The Dickinson press., 1893-07-29

lighted apartment he could see an old
man reclining in an invalid's chair. and
near to him sat his pretended daughter,
Beatrice Mercer.
Without IL word of explanation to the
shrinking Edna, fired with the zeal Of
Il confident discovery. Raymond Mar
shall entered the house.
A wild cry rang from Beatrice Mcr-
GERS lips, and Mi. Ralston stared Won
dcringly mt the intrudrrs as Marshall
and his trembling companion abruptly
entered the rooln.
"Alice-Edna.' exclaimed the inva-
lid; who are these people?'
Alice? Edna!" repeated Marshall.
eagerly. us that the name she gives
herself? Pardon me, sir, but l have in
tudrd here because l deem it Il duty to
unlnask that yondcr."
That woman my daughter" OK
clailnrd lialston, Indignantly.
"Slle is not your daughter. Beatrice
Mercer. your plots arc known. Silence!
| will tell my story"
White as marble Beatrice shlank back
as in forcible, emphatic words Ray
mond Marshall, sentence by sentence.
revealed his suspicious. H. forced her
to assent to his surmiscs; he compelled
Edna to relate her story. With IL look
OF anger ut the woman who had tlc-
ccivcd him, with a loving glance ut the
timid Edna. when all had been OK
planned and made clear, Mr.. Isalston
opened his arms to his real daughter.
Yes Yes, it is true..' he murmured.
"She has her saintcd mothers face.
oh! how could l be SO deceived! AS t o
you-"
Yes, as to me-" cried The bafied
Beatrice, Sc%ornfully. IL ain unmnsked!
So be it; but l still have the owe to
rule. L know your scclpt--you. an
escaped convict. You will he glad to
silence my lips with half your fortune,
or | bctray all"
1talston palcn and s%hudderrd. At
that momen the door opened, how
e%verever. An emaciatcd form crossed
the room.
"ltodney" cried Mr.. Ralston, amazed.
1t was the messenger he had sent for
edna to the Hopedale seminary, the
man who had seemingly persisted at the
broken bridge.
YES, it is l." replied Rodney. mi
raculously escaped death; just recov-
cred from my illness attending expos
urc and injury, and in time to refutc
what that impostor says, for l vrr
heard her words and your OWL Rails
ton, light has come ut last! The man
for whose crimes you suffered impris-
onment is dead; and, dying, he has
confessed all and cleared your. name
from every faint of guilt"
"Oh, thank heaven!!" cried Ralston,
%fervently. "At last! at last! Alice
Edna, my darling child, at last | can
offer you an honOrcd name Il loving
homa!'
tricc, inadvertently. II am baftied,
seems. Raymond Marshall, remember
are my husband. That is more to me
than the honor of being an cX-convict's
daughter or IL wealthy hcirpsS.."
solemnly. "In name | am your hus-
band, but Edna Deane or Alice Italston
has my love till death. Fear not; i
shall not bring rcproach on her fair
name by remaining near her until the
law annuls a fraudulent marriage. Ed
ma, l must hasten to your friends, the
Blakes, and tell them that you are safe.
They are very anxious about you. To
morrow l will come to see that You
are safe and happy. and then leave
YOU to battle this woman for my
rights"
He passed from the house as he
spoke. His heart was happy. despite
the complications that evil plottcrs had
cast about his life.
II say, old fellow. uttered Il maud
lin tone, as he ncarrd the road outside
the mansion grounds.
We'll, What is it!' demanded Mar
shall. r.Sylrding curiously the swaying,
shabby form of Il half-intoxicatcd man
near the Wall.
Can you direct me? Looking for the
way into this place, after IA friend
a lady friend. You scc-'
Mercy! The Minister
With n start, Raymond Marshall sur
veyed the man before him. Could II
be possible? Yes; despite the vivid
contrast between those two times
the ragged. intoxicated tramp befor.
him was certainly the Well dressed
. sedate looking clergyman who had per
formed the marriage ceremony be
tween himesnlf and Beatrice at til,
. Hopedalc hotel.
What did it mean? A wild thrill
pervndcd his frame at the mans mex
. words.
, You %nea1aintcd here? Well. In
looking 90 "a girl I've traced here
o Beatrice %::.nrccr. Oh! I'm sharp,
: am! A hundred dollars! Hump! !
man can't ?fford to play minister TO
n measly l:ndred dollars! She's ricl
j, I've traced her. Bet | get IL Thousand
:. to shut m: lips. or ! tell all l know.
:, All he knew. Within half an hou
3 Raymond Marshall WAS i'll posscssio
=, of his secret. stupidity blurtcl out in hi
u maudlin wandcrinSs.
DIR. Simms. unable 10 secure the vi
q lage clergyman. had hired this adv"n
urcr to Irr&oiltc one.
= She leaves my roof ut Once..' erie
- no marriage ut all. and the last bio
4 WAS given to Beatrice MERGERS STATED
fabric of fraud she had 50 CAREFUL
erected. as the tramp told his story
the drawing room of The mansion
few moments later.
She hcavcs my roof ut once" eric
the excited N. RalstOn. hui Edna. moi
= merciful, insisted that Beatrice be pr
= vided with sufficient to begin life Ov'
= again in some remote place, and tea
fully babe her go and sin no more.
u They never heard of her again. M
s when they thought of her it was vii
l. 4 shudder. as they realized no
D. nearly her cruel plo1tings had RUNE
le all their hopes and happiness.
And the stately mansion and i
beautiful grounds. became an earth
!: paradise TO the two united hear,
l whose loyal devotion had brougl
i, them, at the last, loves brightest. b
l. lest reward.
The End.