The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-06

! Just now, but the eyes were frank and
/ kindly. IL struck her like fash that
/ there was a resemblance in them 10
/ little Jackie's. This thought may have
/ struck Lord Cranstowne TOO, ne looked
| so earnestly and searchingly al the child.
! This IS a curious anair my lorG,
said the vicar; perhaps you can throw
some light upon it2'
! Il am very much in the dark myself, but
we must get 10 the rights OF il somehow, '.
Lord Cranstowne replied. His tone was
as firm and as resOlute as II was frank
/ and It occurred 10 both Lucy and her IA
! Their. as they looked at the young mans
/ face. that IL would be a very dark place
through which he would not find or force
way
The vicar suggested that they should
step into his study" TO talk the matter
over; and. accordingly, Lydia and Lucy
were left alone to discuss this new and in
teresting advance in the position Lydia
insisting, with a prOverDial quotation
anent little pitchers" that Master Jackie
should be banished 10 the kitchen. Mr..
Hilton and the visitor remained shut up
in the seclusiOn Of the study for an hour,
which seemed a very long hour to the
girls; and when they returned to the par
Tor. Lord CranstOwne Immediately looked
around and asked for the boy. Lucy
very undignifed way" thought Lydia,
and Jackie soon made his temperance,
clasping Lucy's hand tight in his small
chubby fingers.
My daughter has taken a great fancy
to the child" the vicar observed. Lord
CranstoWne smiled. and they all noticed
what a Pheasant Smile ne ndu as ne looked
at the little boy nesting up to mis- pro-
tectress's side and burrowing into her
skirts. He had the bad taste TO seem
more interested in that tiresome child
than in Lydia's charms. Evidently the
boy was the magnet that attracted his
Come here, Jackie, dear" said Lydia,
overwhelmingly come and have this nice
piece of cakeH'
The bride Of cake brought Jack to her
side.
DO you remember your father. Jackie?"
Lord Cranstowne inquired.
Yes. Dada bought me working
What was he like?"
Jackie opened his large blue eyes wide
as if puzzled in a vacant stare.
do you remember, dear, what your
father looked like2" Lucy urged him en-
couragingly. Jackie frightened.
Like the gentleman" he replied with
MY cousin and 1 were not generally
supposed to be much alike" observed Lord
Cranstowne but l suppose there was
certain family resemblance"
The young man soon rose up to take his
leave.
Il will write and tell you how =. this
matter progresses" he said as he shook
hands with the vicar. Meanwhile, as you
are so kind as to offer 10 look after the
child for the present, l will leave him
in your charge. l hope Miss Hilton"
turning to Lucy, will not find him too
much trouble"
NO, trouble at ALL" Lucy answered
I'VE love children" protested Lydia,
promptly taking her cue.
But Lord Cranstowne'S eyes were dwell
ing on her sisters face. Thank you for
your goodness to the boy" he said more
softly; Perhaps some day Jackie will
THAT is a fine fellow" Mr. Hilton said
when the visitor had departed.
He has no hesitation about doing the
right thing. and IL is not every man in
his place who would be so ready to see
1t and TO do 1t. Of course this is a very
serious matter for him. He recognizes
his cousins handwriting In the letter-a
very important point If those certii-
Gates are genuine-and / must say there
seems no reason to doubt their genuine
ness-of course he is no more Lord Grams
towne than l am; 1t is this boy" laying
his hand on little Jackie's curly yellow
head, who succeeds to the title and sucn
property as goes with it,"
How dreadful" exclaimed Lydia in
fervent sympathy with the young man
whom she had already set upon a pedestal
as her latest hero of romance.
1T would indeed be very hard on Lord
Cranstowne," said Lucy, thoughtfully
But he does not look like a man who
would even wish to defraud an orphan
child of his birth-right."
The vicar did not encourage the girls TO
dwell on the subject, but although they
talked little of II in family conclave they
all thought of It great deal-the father
perhaps as much as the daughters. He
had gathered from his conversation with
the present Lord Cranstowne-if such in
deed he were-that his predecessor in the
title had, during his minority, caused
much trouble and anxiety to his guardians,
and that later on, there had been rumors
of some ENHANCEMENT" but John Dori-
mer had not been of temper to brook in
reference or questioning, and had gone
his own way-a way on which but little
light was shed, none knowing by what
possibly crooked paths il might wind His
cousin and successor now felt IL his duty
TO institute searching investigation into
this matter, and ascertain whether he
had indeed been married and left an heir
The family at the vicarage waited Gag
erly to hear the upshot of his Inquiries
but day after day passed and no letter from
Lord Cranstowne arrived. When a little
more than a week elapsed, however, he
came again, but came this time not alone;
he brought with him a tall, spare, elderly
man, with iron-grey hair, and keen eyes,
glancing shrewdly through his gold
trimmed spectacles, whom he introduced
as Mr.. Sharpe, who had been the trusted
legal adviser of the family for many
years. and who had-though as 1t APP
| peared, not too willingly-assisted Lord
| Cranstowne in prosecuting his researches
| into this question of the late peers mar
rage Helping him to cut his own
throat" as the old lawyer grlmly OBJ
| served.
They had discovered the surviving rela-
tives OF Emma Bolton, who had disap-
peared from her home about seven years
| ago, and had afterward written to her
| family, telling them she was married to a
gentleman, whose name. however, she was
| not at liberty then to disclose.
Ihey had further found the church
| where the marriage was performed. the
| clergyman who officiated, and the house
| to. which John Dorimer had taken his
bride. There were, of course, still many
gaps and lost links in the story of this
secret union; what seemed clear was
| that the late Lord Cranstowne had mar
ried beneath him in haste and repented
| at leisure 1t was at least possible that
Emma Dorimer had not been aware of
her husbands true position in life, nor
! of his succession to the title; or it might
be that, knowing it, she had acted on
some impulse of outraged feeling and
| wounded pride in accepting the separa-
| ton, and refraining, even on her child's
behalf. from pressing her claim to ac-
! acknowledgement as his wife. Or again, it
was possible that her mind had been
| worked upon to doubt the validity of her
| marriage, or that Dorimer, whose char
acter came out but badly from the in
vestigation, had desired to take the boy
! from her. that she had fled and hidden
herself from him in mother-longing to
keep her child all her own.
Whatever the details of this said story
| of mesalliance might be, the truth OF
| the marriage at least was clear.
&c. said Lord Cranstowne-or, as we
must now call him. Herbert Dorimer-