Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-12-05

budding into vomanhood. endowed
with al ancient title, an immense for
tune n a wide popularity, Lord Lea
ton was the most contented man In
England.
1t was not even a drawback to his
happiness that there was no male heir
to his titles and estates, for in NAL
colm Montrose, the betrothed of his
daughter, he had found a son after his
own heart.
Malcolm Montrose and Norham, his
younger brother, were the sons Of
Lord Leaton's half sister, who had
married a poor but proud Scotch laird.
Their parents were now both dead.
From their father they had inherited
little more than an ancient name,
ruined tower and a blasted heath. 1t
was therefore only by the assistance
Of Lord Leaton that Malcolm was en-
abled to enter the university at Ok
ford and Norham to obtain a commits
sion In the army.
1t was the high character Of NAL
com Montrose that commended him
SO favorably to the esteem Of Lord
Leaton and induced his lordship to
promote the betrothal between that
va II AAAC yONbhb liNAA-
ess Of Allworth; for be IL known that
the engagement was rather Of Lord
Leton's making than Of the young
pairs seeking.
They loved each other as brother and
sister, nor dreamed OF the possibility
of a stronger affection. They had nat
urally and easily glided into the views
OF Lord and Lady Leaton, and had at
length plighted their hands, In perfect
good faith, IL not with the passionate
love of which neither young heart had
as yet n experience. One Of the con
ditions of the betrothal was, that upon
his marriage with the heiress, NAL
colin Montrose should assume the
name and arms of Leaton. 1t was also
hoped that, in the event of the death
OF Lord Leaton, his son-in-law might
obtain the reyersion OF the title.
1t was soon after this solemn be-
trotbal that Malcolm Montrose took
leave Of his friends and left England
for an extended tour of the continent.
Up to This time the life of Lord Lea
ton and mis- family had been n of
unbroken sunshine. From this time
the clouds began to Garken around
them.
On the day succeeding the de-
parture Of Malcolm Montrose, Lord
Leaton received a letter from India,
informing him of >he death of his
younger brother, who had left Eng
land many years previous to seek his
fortune under the burning sun Of Hin
dostan. The large fortune he had APP
parently found was The love of a beau
tiful native girl whom he had secret
~ married. and who, ia ten m0~ths
after, in the same hour made him a
widower and the father Of a female
infant-the little Eudora, who, under
her fathers care, had managed TO
grow up, even in that deadly Clim@te.
But now that father had fallen a vic
tim to the fatal fever of the country,
and his daughter Eudora was left des-
titute.
Lord Leaton had been too long sep
arated from his brother to feel keenly
his death; his fraternai affection TOOK
a more practical turn than grief; he
lost no time in procuring a proper mes
senger to send out To India for the
purpose of bringing back his niece,
who. as the only child OF his sole
brother, was, after Agatha, the heir
presumptiye of his estates.
As soon as Lord Leaton had dis
patched his messenger, he set out with
his family to visit Paris. They took
the first loor of a handsome house in
a fashionable quarter of the city; but
the circumstance of their being in
mourning for Lord Leaton's brother
caused them to live in great retire
ment.
This was about the time that The
concerted revolution in the Papal
states had been discovered and sus-
pressed. and when some of the noblest