St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-15
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ARRIVAL OF COMMODORE WEST.


When the servant woke Lord Pelham, Nor
ton end Ellerton watched the act from the
shadow of the broad piazza. "What if he had
overheard?' That was the unsurpassed
question that troubled the two, but when
they saw the Englishman starting up, rubbing
his eyes, and yawning, then looking hurriedly
at his watch, they became convinced that the
man had been actually asleep and that there
was no cause for their nervous alarm.
While they were at dinner, Judge Davidson
who had come on post haste from San Fran
cisco, put in an appearance. He was not
permitted to see Ralph that night, Doctor
Haynor who remained to attend him, refus-
ing I'd have him disturbed.
Early the following morning, Colonel Morton
had breakfast with Judge Davidson, hours
before the regular time, and the two drove
back to San Francisco, Morton having relays
of horses at different points along the route.
On the way in, he very positively told the
judge that he ought not to have sent for
Commodore West, and the Judge as positively
declared that Morton's dispatch, announcing
the young mans mortal wound, left him no
other course to pursue.
81 quite understand" he added, "why you
should not be anxious to meet the man whose
sweetheart you captured from him years ago,
but Commodore West is manly fellow, and
fl-will on that account
"You think not?" coughed Morton.
"Oh, am sure of it; indeed he is one of
the most generous souls in the world I
doubt if there is living or ever lived, but one
man whom he hates intensely, and let me say
he has good reason for that"
81 declare, Judge, you quite interest me-"
said Morton, as he held in the spirited team.
"who is the man, and how did he come to
arouse the gallant commodore's ire?"
"Oh, it is an old and long story. Briefly it
is this: Ralph Holiness father married the
commodore's sister, a beautiful girl, whom I
knew very well, as did him, when I was
boy. Holmes was well off and was an officer
in the Mason's Bank. Through him man
named Leonard Martin was employed in the
same institution. This fellow Martin plum
dered the bank, but in way that showed
after his flight that Holmes who though inno-
cent must have been concerned in it. Holmes
beggared himself to make good the loss,
Neither he nor his wife long survived the
SoCthihS uioSidCO. WhOu eiloy uleu, tl0y lolC
their only child, a son-that is Ralph Holmes
in his uncles care"
"But this fellow Leonard Martin, what be-
came of him?" asked the colonel, with quick
side-long glance at the man beside him on
the seat.
Commodore West during the past twenty
three years has given much time and money
to finding the fellow"
"But what can he do with him if found?"
THAT I should not like to say. One thing
is certain, however and that is that he has
evidence that will bring the fellow to justice,
and clear the dead mans name. In this work
the commodore thinks he is being aided by a
man he has never seen, named Albert Howard
believe the name is a fiction and the fellow
fraud, nevertheless, it was to meet him that
Ralph Holmes came to this coast
"And, of course he has not succeeded"
swell, no, or you would have known of it."
replied the judge, adding with a smile, 81 am
inclined to think that since the young man
came to Buena VISTA he has been influenced
by love rather than vengeance, and that in
admiration of the daughter of his uncle's old
sweetheart, although he knows nothing about
that. he has forgotten the man who sent his
father to an early grave. However, the COM
modore will soon be here himself, and he will
learn that was right when tried to convince
him that this Albert Howard-who by the way
has had dozen names at as many times-is
q fraud"