The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-07-13
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near to him sat his pretended daughter,
Beatrice Mercer
Without n word OF explanation to the
shrinking Edna, fired with the zeal of
a confident discovery, Raymond Mar
shall entered the house.
A wild cry rang from Beatrice Mer-
GERS lips, and Mr.. Ralston stared won
deringly at the intruders as Marshall
and his trembling companion abruptly
entered the room.
"Alice-Edna!" exclaimed the inya-
lid; who are these peoples"
Alice? Edna?" repeated Marshall.
eagerly. rs that the name she gives
herself? Pardon me, sir, but have in
, tuded here because deem it a duty to
unmask that woman yonder."
That woman my daughter ex-
claimed Ralston, Indignantly.
She is not your daughter. Beatrice
Mercer, your plots are known. Silence!
! will tell my story"
White as marble Beatrice shrank back
as IN forcible, emphatic words Ray
mond Marshall, sentence by sentence,
revealed his suspicious. He forced her
to assent to his sllrmises; he compelled
Edna to relate her story. With look
OF anger at the woman who had de-
ceived him, with loving glance at the
timid Edna, when all had been ex-
planned and made clear, Mr., Rllston
opened his arms to his real daughter.
Yes Yes, 1t is true" he murIaured.
She has her sainted mothers face.
On how could be so deceived2 AS to
you--"
Yes, as to me-" cried the baffied
Beatrice, Scornfully, II am mmasked!
So be it; but still have the power to
rule, ! know your secret-you, an
escaped convict You viii be CAD to
silence my lips with half your fortune,
or | betray ALL" -
! Ralston palen and shuddered At
that moment the door opened, how
evereYeF. An emaciated form crossed
the room.
; Rodney 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
sYes, it Is H. replied Rodney. Mi
raculously escaped deathj just recoF-
cred from my illness attending expos
ure and injury, and in time to refute
what that impOstor says, for l over
heard her words and your own. Rails
ton, light has come at last! The man
for whose crimes you suffered impris-
onment is dead; and, dying, lie has
confessed all and cleared your name
from every faint of guilt!'
"0h, thank heaven!" cried Ralsten,
fervently. eat last! at last! Alice
Edna, my darling child, at last / can
offer you an honoreq name, q loYing
homer
May you be happy!'' sneered Bea-
tpice, inadvertently. II am baffied,
beaten-at every point except one, it
seems. Raymond Marshall, remember
that the law gives me your name! You
are my husband. That is more to me
than the honor of being an eK-convicts
daughter or wealthy heipessr'
I 80 be it!' spoke Raymond Marshall
solemnly, "In name am your hus=
band, but Edna Deane or Alice Ralston
has my love till death. Fear not; |
shall not bring reproach on her fair
name by remaining near her until the
law annuls q fraudulent marriage. Ed
ma, / must hasten to your friends, the
BIakes, and tell them that yOr arc safe.
They are very anxious about you To
morrow | win 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 plotters had
cast about his life,
: II say, old fellow" uttered a maud
lin tone. as he neared the road outside
the mansion grounds,
"Well, what is it," demanded Mar
shall, regarding curiously the sWaying,
shabby form of O half=intoxicated man
near the wall r..
Can you direct me? Looking for the
way into this place, after "a friend
d lady friend. You see--"
Mercy! The minister"
| With start, Raymond Marshall sur
veyed the man before him. Could it
be possible? Yes; despite the vivid
contrast between those two times,
the ragged, intoxicated tramp before
him was certainly the well dressed,
sedate looking clergyman who had per-
formed the marriage ceremony be-
tween himeSelf and Beatrice at the
Hopedale hotel.
What did it mean? A wild thrill
pervaded his frame at the mans next
words.
You acquainted here? Well, I'm
looking for "a girl I've traced here,
Beatrice Mercer. Oh! I'm sharp, L
am! A hundred dollars! Hump! A
man can't afford to play minister for
a measly hundred dollars! She's rich.
I've traced her. Bet l get thousand,
to shut my lips, or l tell all know"
All he knew! Within half an hour
Raymond Marshall was ip possession
Of his secret, stupidity blurted out in his
malHdlin Wanderings.
DR.. Simms, unable to secure the vii
lage clergyman, had hired this advent
urer to personate one.
She leaves my roof at oncer' cried
no marriage at all, and the last blow
was given to Beatrice Mercer's stately
fabric of fraud she had so carefully
erected, as the tramp told his story in
the drawing room Of the mansion a
few moments later.
! 'She heaves my roof at once!" cried
the excited NJ. RAJ stOl, but Edna, more
merciful, insisted fiat Beatrice be pro
yided with sufficient TO begin life oyer
again in some remote place, and tear
fully babe her go and sin no more.
They never heard of her again, and
When they thought Of her It was With
nearly her cruel ptottings had ruined
all theiF hopes and AaRpiness.
! And the stately mansion and it,.
beautiful grounds became an earthly
paradise to the two united hearts
whose loyal devotion had brough
them, at the last, loves brightest. no
lest reWard.
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