Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-01-11
AT WAR With HERSELF.
The Story Of a WOman's AtOnement,
by Charlotte NJ. Braeme.
CHAPTER vi.

Poets ana artists all went into rap
lures over Grown Leighton. II was
the most picturesque as well as the
most magnificent of mansions. Except
inc, perhaps, its royal palaces, England
has nothing more beautiful or more
superb, and it derived its name from
the fact OF its having been built in the
reign Of Charles H., whose favorite re-
treat 1t was.
The late Earl-Stephen-had been
quite Indifferent to all. No one knew
what had gone wrong in his life, He
was an only child and succeeded when
very young; for few years he had
done as the rest of the world does, gone
to London, ridden, danced, 1irted, and
then sudden gloom had fallen over
him. He came back to Crown Leigh
ton; he avoided society as much as he
had hitherto sought it; he looked
coldly on friends and neighbors; he
did what no Charnleigh had ever done
before-placed his estates in the hands
OF a steward or agent, making only
one request which was that he should
not be annoyed with any consultations
or arrangements. He shut himself up
OF Crown Leighton, and never cared to
leave it.
H. aid not neglect the place; large
establishment OF servants was kept
there, with carriages and horses that
he never used-a whole retinue of peo-
pie whose faces he never saw He
gave orders that everything should be
preserved in the same perfect state as
that in which he had found it-those
orders were carefully obeyed.
He lived until he was 90, never TAX
ing the least active part In the arrange
ments Of his estate or household. Mr..
Dunscombe attended to all, The only
time he ever left the place was when
his confidential legal adviser and trust
cd counsellor, Mr.. Rawlings, died; then
he went to London, and placed his af
fairs in the hands of Messrs. Clements
& Matthew's; and again, when the old
family retainer, Morgan, who had been
butler at Crown Leighton for more
than forty years, died, the Earl left his
home until after the funeral.
Several times Mr.. Clements had tried
his best to break through the wall of
reserve with which his employer had
hedged himself round, and suggested
to him the propriety of making will;
he was invariably repulsed with the
haugEtiest and most freezing words.
= "There will be a terrible mess some
day" he was wont to observe to Mr..
Dunscombe, "and twenty lines might
settle matters. Captain Paul Flemyng
ought to be found.
But if ever, In any unusual moment
of bravery, he named the young Cap
tain, Lord Charnleigh gave him in
stantly to understand that the settle
ment of his affairs was his own bust
ness entirely, and the lawyer dared say
no more.
Mr.. Clements predictions were full
filled at last. just before Christmas
Lord Charnleigh was seized with sud
den and dangerous illness. He died
almost before medical aid could be sum-
moned, and then the lawyer was almost
beside himself
r There were no Instructions; no will
could be found; there was no heir eX-
pectant. Mr.. Clements sent for Cap
tain Flemyng, but he was unable to
leave his regiment; besides, 1t was SO
very uncertain whether he was heir of
Charnleigh that he did not like to as
sumo authority; neither did any one
like to place him in office, lest there
should be the pain of deposing him. A
grand council was held. 1t was ar
ranged that Stephen, Earl of Charm
leigh, should be buried with all honor,
and then immediate search should be
made for his nearest relative,
1t was done, and, after a painful and
most laborious investigation, it was
clearly aseertained that the nearest
living relative of the dead Earl was
Leonie Rayner, henceforward to be
known to the world as "Leonie, Coun-
tess of Charnleigh.