The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-01-24

II ~
HIS ENTRANCE WAS UNEXPECTED.
4 as summer cloud obscures the sun
4 light. when he entered Mrs. Maynard s
4 drawing and found himself in
i Myra Hilary's presence. a.. h.
@I5 His entrance was unexpected and I'M
announced, and he had advanced half
way across the room before the two Ia
dies, who were conversing together in
4! Flow, earnest tones over their needle
1 work became aware that he was there.
j Then. with noticeable lack of cor
diality, they both greeted him, and Mrs.
Maynard coldly invited him to be seated.
~ North was sufficiently annoyed by
this reception to be quite thrown out of
4 his usual suavity for the moment.
Il fear that am interrupting an
! agreeable tete-a-tete, Mrs. Maynard,'
i he said stiff1y, "but shall ask your in
diligence long enough to communicate
to you the results of my recent trip to
Charleston. The fact thatyour own in.
terests are so closely involved therein is
my sole justification for intruding the
Il uidtCcI u pun YOU uO"'
! "You have secured my eager attention
in advance, Mr.. North, said Mrs. May
nary. with quiet sarcasm. as she leaned
!, back idly in her chair and folded her
hands with an air of expectancy. II
4 cannot be indifferent to a communion
ton that affects my own selfish inter-
ests. Pray allow me to ask is it the
mystery of Annie Dupont that you are
Y about to clear away??' .. .~
''That is. indeed. the purpose that I
! have in nind,'' returned North. with an
4 involuntary glance toward Miss Hilary
! 1t was the merest idle glance, yet she
j fancied that it had a purpose, and she
l5rose at once to withdraw from the
4 room. Mrs. Maynard hastily interposed:
\ please remain, Miss Hilary; she
4 said. @ ~ on are sufficiently familiar
y with the matter that I have mentioned
n to feel an interest III this promised so1u-
ton of the mystery. Indeed, she added,
in a significant tone, turning toward
North with cold inquiry, 1T is possible
that your Forthcoming revelations will
prove to have a deeper personal interest
for Miss Hilary than for myself How
is this. Mr.. North?'' ~ a1 g.:
North looked at her sharply for mo-
ment, while family perceptible shade
of amusement blended with the grave
annoyed expression on his face: then he
said, with furtiye satire:
,s'Iour discernment astonishes me,
Mrs. Maynard! But indeed, l had no
intention of excluding Miss Hilary from
| !, :,1% r
believe that she will find the story Of
Annie Dupont interesting, and that she
will rejoice as earnestly at the good
fortune of that young lady as I do my
self, or as you will, Mrs. Maynard, af-
ter time fseS
'sYou are quite convinced then, Mr..
North,' said Mrs. Maynard, as she
tritied nervously with her dainty lace
handkerchief without looking at North,
that there is such person as Annie
Dupont and that she, is truly Mrs Dun
kinks niece?'' j. .ssr ...'"s - ~ -
II am quite convinced of it, Mrs.
Maynard. just as sure 'as | am that
you are in this room; just as sure as L
am Of my own presence here; just as
sure as I am of any other established
verify. Annie Dupont is no mere crca-
! ton Of fancy or runor: She is a fact,
an unqualified fact, and an established
fact. And facts, you know, are stub
born things!'' " 4f
s'Of course Mrs. Maynard resumed,
in the same cold, constrained tone.
''you have taken the precaution of sat
isfying yourself with indisputable
! proofs of her identity, before accepting
her as the heiress?'' 49,, 4
ssOh, most assuredly, | have taken
every precaution of that nature. Witl-
in the last tllirty-six hours the papers
that establish her identity have all
been in my possession"
q 500 YOU know where she is at the
present timer .y..@,s r al,
81 think may confidently assert
that I do" He smiled as he spoke,
looking keenly at Mrs. Maynard, who,
however, was unconscious of the
glance. re: d.
Have you brought those papers with
you, Mr.. North-the documentary evil
dence Of which you spoke?"
81 have not brought them with me.
They are not now in my possession. .
Indeed! May | inquire where they
al,ea'' ~ a.
s'They are probably now in the hands
of Mrs. .Dunlxir,l's attorneys and eNecu-
tors, Messrs. Hunter and ketchum, of
New York. Z
s:Hnnter and Ketchum?" She repeated
the words involuntarily. She was for
the moment startled out OF her cold
Nf ~ A L
perpleSed speculation. {,
lisa perfectly regular proceeding,
Mrs. Maynard. as you will presently
understand. added North. answering
the mute inquiry in her glance. But
we are losing valuable time Allow me
to proceed without further delay to the
brief narrative of fact. =
He drew out his watch as he spoke
and laid it open on the small table at