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

see her again | 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 Amerl-
can bore any elationship to his wife.
And to let him gaze upon her-dead
would be an insult to the woman that
he had loved. Butt fear-may l ask
whether you were-h'm-connected
with Lady Airedale in any way?"
i was connected with her pretty con
sid'able," said MIR, Brambeby. plung-
ing his hands deep into his pockets,
and staring very hard at Lord Aire-
dale. Yes | know Aminty right down
well. No offence. l hope? Shes prob
ably mentioned my name to YOU
Brambleby? Brambleby, of Chicago:
! pork"
Lord Airedale started and changed
color. II 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 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"
But l amt going to excuse YOU"
said Brambleby. firmly II don't say
but it's natural in you to be so per-
nickity about it; but under present
circumstances, | 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 Sec
her and 1 Wilt"
'What right can you"
Lord Airedale did not finish his sent
ence. because Of a sound that he heard
behind him. A young man. of very
frank and pleasing exterior, had opened
the door and entered the room. Lord
Airedale put out his hand as if to stop
him. He did not want his daughter
Lillian's lover, the Marquis of Silver
town, that emincntly 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 piteousy to mis- future sor-in-
law. explain to him-you can explain
better than he is a rsll 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" replie1 Mr.. Bramblebv
standing erect, with his face the col,
of a poppy. He had ev IDENTIFY workt
inn SCI 2 n
right in the world What right have ]
Why. I'm her husband, sir; she wa
my wife before she was yoursn'
If ever a mans bodily security wa,
imperilled Mr.. Brambleby had imper
illed his own Si,NartoWn. being a mar
OF hasty temper. made sudden dasf
at him, with the intention of kickinl
him out of the room; but Lord Aire.
dale, though trembling very much, LAID
a restraining hand upon the young
mans arm.
wait a moment. Godfrey. stop q
moment; we must hear the man out
now. This is not the time for unseen.
ly alteration"
but It's lie!" cried Slvertown
hotly. IT'S a ier'
Mr.. Brambleby stood his ground with
unUlfllnlSDeO sell importance.
ITS no lie" he said. doggedly. TITS
gospel truth. Aminty Jones married
me in Louisville four and twenty year.
ago. Then I was knocked on the head
IN scuflle and folks told her I was
dead. Well, she went away from the
town, and l could never find her again.
Heard she went to England, and the
ship was lost. I surmise that she was
not lost, sir, and hat she met this Eng
fish 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 I saw that Aminty Jones. relief
of Zachary N. Brambleby. had mar.
ried the Earl OF Airedale. Well, Pm
Zachary N. Brambleby anyway. Plenty
of people'll swear to that Here's my
business card And here reproducing "a
bloated pocketbook, and beginning to
turn out the contents-"heres a photty.
graph of her, and letters, and the mar
riage certificate. and"
There is no need to continue this
converse ton, sir" said Lord Airedale
with tremulous dignity. "If your story
is true. and IL you have come prepared
to prove It, the details had better be
left to another time"
WHY rosred Mr.. Brambleby. for
once genuinely astonished, you don't
think this yer's all lie. do you?"
For a 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 I come all this way for
II II weren't true?" said the American.
II don't want anything from you, Lord
Airedale and l didn't want anything
form Aminty. 1t was rather the other
way. I've made my pile, I have, and
heerd tell that some of the British lords
was uncommon poor. My idea was 70
see Aminty and make sure II was her.
and ask her If I could do anything for
her or her children, and then--scoot.
didn't mean to tell his lordship any
thing about 1t. Get introduced to him
as a friend OF the family, maybe.
and"
But you never surely thought that
Lady Airedale would keep me in ignor-
ance of the truth. If she recognized
your" said the Earl sharply.
"Why not, sir? She's free OF me and
I 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
it?