The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-01

| inS 100 late TO see her again, my lori,
see her again l must"
See her-now?" said Lord Airedale.
The more he looked at the man, the
more reluctant he felt to harbor the
idea that this vulgar. red-faced Ameri-
| can pore any rela tionship to his wife
AND to let him gaze upon her-dead.
would be an insult to the woman that
ne had loved. Butt fear-may 1 ask
Whether you were-hm-connected
with Lady Airedale in any way?"
l was connected with her pretty con-
sidable." said Mr.. Brambleby. plung-
ing his hands deep into his pockets,
and staring very hard at Lord Aire-
dale. Yes. know Aminty right down
well. No offence. I hope? She's prob
ably mentioned my name to you
Brambleby? Brambleby, of Chicago:
pork"
Lord Airedale started and changed
color. Il understand" he said you
are relation of her-her first hus-
band. and you were. in fact, on friend
ly terms with her. But of course that
does not justify-I don't know what
you do in America, sir but in England
We do not make show of our dead.
think you must excuse me"
said Brambleby, firmly. II don't say
but it's natural in you to be so per-
nlckity about it; but under present
circumstances, l can't allow it. I've
come t see Aminty. and alive or dead,
Aminty l must see.'
II tell you, sir"
TITS no good telling me anything"
said the pork butcher, his voice grow
ing louder. and his deeply dyed face
more darkly red. I've the right t see
her, and 1 will"
"What right can you"
Lord Airedale did not finish his sent
ence, because of sound that he heard
behind him. A young man. of very
frank and pleasing exterior, had opened
the door and entered the room. Lord
Alredale put out his hand as If to stop
him. He did not want his daughter
Lillian's lover. the Marquis OF Silver
town, that eminently eligible young
man, to join in this discussion. But
he was too late.
Lillian sent me-" said Silvertown,
quietly. She thought you might want
me. Would you like to go to breakfast
now. while I-entertain-this gentle
man."
"Silvertown," said the Earl, turning
almost piteously to his future sor-in-
law, explain to him-you can explain
better than he is a rcla ion of my
dear wife's first husband and he wan :
to see her now-I ask what right h
has to intrude"'
Every right" replied Mr.. Bramblebv
standing erect, with his face the colC
of poppy. He had ev IDENTIFY worke
himself Into a towering rage. Ever
right in the world! What right have
Why. I'm her husband sir; she wa
my wife before she was yours"
If ever a mans bodily security wa
imperilled Mr.. Brambleby had inner
illed his own. Si;y2r,oWn being a mar
of haSty temper, made a sudden dasf
at him. with the intention of kicking
/, him out of the room; but Lord Aire
dale, though trembling very much, lalt
a restraining hand upon the young
mans arm.
, wait moment. Godfrey, stop 8
moment; we must hear the man ou
now. This is not the time for unseen
ly alteration"
"But It's a lier cried Silvertown
hotly. IT'S a lier'
Mr. Brambleby stood his ground witt
undiminished self-importance
TITS no lie" he said, doggedly. "It'.
gospel truth. Aminty Jones married
me in Louisville four and twenty years
ago. Then I was knocked on the head
IN scufIle. and folks told her I was
dead. Well. she went away from the
town. and | could never find her again.
Heard she went to England, and the
ship was lost. 7 surmise that she was
not lost sir. and that she met this Eng
lish lord somewhere or other and mar
ried him, believing that I was dead. ]
don't blame her. Who could? ]
thought she was dead too; though ]
always kept my eyes and ears open on
the chance Of finding her again. A
month ago a chap showed me one o.
your society papers. with some remarks
on American gals and a list O. those
who had married British lords. And
there 1 saw that Aminty Jones, relict
of Zachary n. Brambleby, had mar
ried the Earl OF Airedale. Well, I'm
Zachary N. Brambleby anyway Plenty
of people'll swear to that. Here's my
business card. And here"-producing a
bloated pocketbook. and beginning to
turn out the contents-"here's a photty.
graph of her. and letters. and the mar
riage certificate. and"
There is no need to continue this
conversation. sir" said Lord Airedale.
with tremulous dignity. "If your story
is true. and IL you have come prepared
to prove 1t, the details had better be
left to another time"
why" roared Mr.. Brambleby, for
once genuinely astonished, "you don't
think this yer's all lie, do you?"
For minute both men were startled
Lord Airedale had sunk into chair.
and Silvertown was leaning over him
and pressing his shoulder affectionate-
ly. But neither of them spoke.
What should come all this way for
IL It weren't true?" said the American
II don't want anything from you, Lord
Airedale, and / didn't want anything
form Aminty. 1t was rather the other
way. I've made my pile, have, and
heerd tell that some of the British lords
was uncommon poor. My idea was to
see Aminty and make sure 1t was her
and ask her IL I could do anything for
her or her children, and then-scoot. l
didn't mean to tell his lordship any,
thing about 1t. Get introduced to him
as friend OF the family, maybe.
| and"
But you never surely thought that
Lady Airedale would keep me in ignor-
ance of the truth, II she recognized
your" said the Earl sharply.
"Why not. sir? She's free of me ana
Of her; seven years separation makes
any man or woman free to marry
! again. don't it?"
NO" said Silvertown. "That's a mis-
take made sometimes by the-the peo-
pie. You don't mean to say you believe