The advocate., 1894-05-02
CHAPTER XVIII.
A CONVERSATION CONCERNING CRIMI-
NAILS,


wrong. doer. its crimes throw those Of private
w. f. CLAIMING, D. D.
Our dlstrust Is very expensive. The money
out. We make, by our distrust, the thief, and
burglar, and incendiary, and by our court and
jail we keep him 80. EMERSON.
Mason had written John Cotterell
the night after Kate's first visit as re-
porter for the News, and had told Of
the trouble in the church and suggested
its possible outcome. Kate mailed her
brother marked copies of the News
containing Mason's sermon. Upon re-
ceiving these, the blacksmith had called
on Mrs. Delorme and exhibited to her
the letter and the sermon; and there.
upon Mrs. Delorme had written Mason,
requesting information as to his line
age, and as to the present whereabouts
Of his father, If his name was Marshall,
and had signed herself "Hallie Mason
Delorme." Mason replied in detail,
and stated that his father had been
dead for many years; Whereupon Mrs.
DelOrme wrote again, calling Mason
her nephew, and informing him that
his grandfather had in his last days re-
Tented, and in his will had left large
legacy to his son Marshall, who was
Mason's father, or to the child or chill
dren of said Marshall if he should be
dead; that being unable to learn any
thing concerning the legatee, the exc
cutors had invested the money, and
that it must now amount to a very
snug fortune, for the grandfather had
been dead more than ten years. The
letter gave the addresses of the eXecu-
tors, and advised Mason to write to
them; and expressed the hope that
should he find it convenient to come,
Mrs. Delorme might shortly enjoy a
visit from her neWly-found relative.
Mason wrote to the executors, and they
confirmed what Mrs. Delorme had
written him, enclosed q copy Of the
will for his information and guidance,
and expressed a wish to pay over the
legacy as soon as possible and wind up
the estate, the only thing required be-
ing that he should produce to the
proper court in Virginia legal proof of
his fathers death. Harbinson being
out of town, Mason took the letters
and documents he had received to
Judge Bolder and desired that gentle
mans advice. Judge BOlder read Mrs.
Delorme's first letter in business-like
way, but, coming at last to the sigma
"Hallie Mason Delorme" he
started.
"Why, Mr.. Mason" he exclaimed,
81 knew your grandfather; and, in her
girlhood days, your aunt and l We're
warm friends. The old gentleman was
very harsh to your father for having
taken into his head the unaccountable
notion of choosing a wife for himself;
but | think you will agree that your
father made a very wise choice never
theless."
Mason heartily assented; and Judge
Bolder, coming back to legal matters,
suggested that Mrs. Mason's evidence
would doubtless be accepted as suffi-
cient proof of her husbands death.
But Mason informed him that the mat
ter could not be got through with so
easily.
"My mother" said he, absolutely
refuses to swear that my father is
dead, and protests that she does not
believe that he is; although to every
body else the fact seems beyond doubt.
1t is of no use to reason with her; she
will not give up the conviction that he
is alive and will yet return. He was
killed in railroad accident, and his
body was not brought home - was
burned up in the wreck; but his watch
was found in the debris and sent to us.
That was more than quarter of a
century ago, when l was but a
child; but my mother has never given
up her belief, or rather, her confidence
that my father will yet come to us
alive"