Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-12-19

with perfect Judgment and discretion.
The man deserved nothing from you,
Stephen. look upon him as your
daughters murderer
let that pass, Selma"
Il will tell you first what did on
the day when you ordered the door
to be closed in his face. | had a con-
fdential maid. then. woman named
Jennings, and / sent her at once to
follow the man to his lodgings. 1t
was easy enough to follow him and
when once there she soon crept into
friendly relations with the landlady
1t was in a back slum near West
Minister
The general groaned, Don't go into
these details"
III | do it is for your good" said
Lady Esler, decidedly. Jennings
kept herself in touch with the land
lady and we heard before very long
that the child was dead, am quite
sure that it died and that this
wretched girl is an impostor'
"Why did YOU prosecute these re-
searches?"
Lady Esler was silent for moment.
You seem TO forget" she said at
last, that | have d particular inter-
est in knowing what became Of your
daughter and her child, | have Il
large fortune to dispose Of apart from
my husbands estates. It would nat
urally have gone TO Madeline after
YOU
you can leave your money 10 any
one you please. There is the girl
Constance Esler."
She is my husbands niece. |
should naturally have preferred a re-
lation of my own, said Lady Esler.
dryiy. 4 quite approved OF your re-
fusal to see the man Despard never
theless, | wanted to know what be-
came Of the child Still, | was not
sorry, confess, when Jennings
brought we word of it's death.
THE child did not die, said her
brother, almost violently.
"You are easily imposed upon
Stephen. II is quite evident that 0s-
car Despard was connecting this
scheme when Lancelot overheard the
conversation. The child was fright
ened or reluctant and the man grew
angry No doubt the little girl is not
responsible but if were you | should
have no more to do with her"
The general made no reply but
drew his bushy eyebrows down until
his eyes could scarcely be seen. Lady
Esler grew angry.
You have been taken IN, ! perceive.
You have believed the story
THAT is my business" said the gen
eral.
It was not often that he detled her.
But he defied her now.
II am sorry for your blindness, said
Lady Esler, rising from her seat, with
all the dignity at her command, but
refuse to share it. / will never be
the dupe Of that man Despara DO as
you please, OF course; but never expect
me to acknowledge that child as my
grand-nieee. Poor little impostor. 1t
is not her fault
But the general would not speak.
In fact he was coward III this BUSH
ness. He could not malte up his mind
to tell Lady Esler the whole story and
to confront her with proofs Of Made-
lines birth and parentage. He told
himself that it was not necessary to
do so.
sftxy1,, should hnfhe,. mvealf = ha
muttered, when she had at length
abandoned the task Of trying 10 con-
vince him and had gone downstairs to
luncheon. she win only worry my
life out with her comments and her
criticisms. OF course the girl is Made
lines daughter--they would never
have brought up another child IN her
place all these years, without troub-
ling me, II the baby had died. Prob
ably the maid Jennings was tired Of
having to look 1t up and reported Il
dead by way Of saving herself trou-
BILE. What's become of that maid,
Jennings, wonder? / must inquire"
1T isn't as though was going to
give the girl fortune" he said TO
himself, moving rather uneasily in his
chair. = only wish to put her on the
track Of earning her own living,
Why shouldn't | educate my grand
daughter? I'll send her to the best
school / know of, by George | VIII, the
place my lady chose for her own
niece and goddaughter. Little Frances
Aylmer is there, too. Let them look
down on her IL they choose. She shall
have an outfit as good as theirs, Of
any rate"
TO Be Continued.