Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-04-02
CHAPTER XXI.
An Anxious Parent.

!
| lot Vanbrugh it seemed but d brief
space since he had said farewell to his
| father when Col. Vanbrugh went
| abroad after his failure to effect a re-
| Cancellation with his wife; but as mat
| ter of fact, four years had elapsed and
| it was with very mixed feelings that
! the young man of 20 or "a was reading
a letter which announced his father s
approaching return to England.
Lance had chambers in the Temple,
| he spent a good deal of time at his
mothers house, but did not live there
| altogether As a matter of fact, Nine.
Zavertal was not an easy person to live
with She had strange fancies, almost
! amounting to Authorizations sometimes
and she did odd things. Little by lit
| tie Lancelot had learned TO recognize
! the fact that there might be good rea-
! son for his fathers inability to live
with Venetia Zavertal in peace and
| guietness, and although he still be-
! lieved that there must Cnce have been
| harshness and injustice on Col. Van
! brugh's part he was not so much in
clined to condemn him as he had been
as a boy of 10.
He was sitting at his desk, scribbling
| something something uncommonly
like verse if the truth must be told
when he heard 4 knock at his door.
In answer to a careless Come in" the
! door opened and a noiseless foot
! crossed the threshold and then paused.
! Lancelot looked round and greeted his
visitor, who had a kind of foreign
! grace, which seemed familiar to the
| young man, although he could not re-
member how or where he had seen his
visitor before.
I, beg pardon, sir; l hope l do not
intrude," said a smooth, deprecating
voice, Il am the bearer of a letter Of
/ introduction. l am in search Of work
light, literary work or even copying
or typewriting."
Tn afraid I shall not be able to
help YOU then" said Lancelot, good
! humoredly. He had risen from his
chair and now stood with one knee
bent on the seat and one hand thrust
into his pocket, in an attitude of care
| less observation. The stranger, fair
man, with light hair just turning gray
and a struggling mustache, was en-
gagged in opening shabby pocketbook,
from which he extracted a letter
which he offered to Lancelot with an
other flourish and bow.
You will allow me, sir; if you will
kindly peruse this letter you will find
that | am spoken of in manner which
may perhaps recommend me to your
notice. The writer's name is known
TO you, | am sure"
Lancelot unfolded the paper and
! glanced at a letter from a well-knoWn
author, who set forth in glowing terms
the virtues and accomplishments of {:
certain Mr.. Charles Smith as secretary
and amanuensis.
And you are-Mr. Charles Smith
| suppose?" said Lance, folding up the
letter.
That is my name, sir said the
shabby stranger, With a bow.
Then how did it happen" said
Lance, deliberately, that on Dover
pier about six years ago you called
yourself Oscar Despard and described
your little daughter as the grandchil
of Gen. Armstrong;"
The man stared, gasped, turned livid
in complexion and tried to make a bolt
for the door, but Lancelots hand was
on his arm and he could not escape.
You need not go fer minute Oh
two" said the young man, coolly.
Il have been wanting a word with
You for a good long time, Mr.. Despard
or Mr. Smith, which is il to be?'
Sir, sir-I beg you to be mercifui
1t is want, sir, that has driven me tC
this. Not only my wants, but the
wants of my wife and children"
your childrenr' said Lancelot, in
great contempt. And what of youl
eldest child, your daughter, Madeline:
Is it on her account that you are try
ing to get money on false pretenses?'
yes, sir, yes" Then seeing from d
look on Lance's face that the lie was
detected, the wretched man began &c
whimper and to explain. Not fo1
Madeline, exactly. Madeline has been
adopted by kind friends"
Indeed? By friends of Miss Joyce
on whose hands you left her few
years ago without a word of explana-
tion?"
Oscar Despard was struck dumb for
a moment Then he wrung his hands
together with a gesture OF despair
which was not without its value from
a purely dramatic point of view.
My child, my childr he groaned
Did they grudge thee a morsel OF
bread? I left her, sir because l was
compelled to go III haste; had neither
time nor means to enable me to pro-
vide in any way
And there was no such thing as the
penny post, l suppose? You did not
seem to think of writing to your daugh-
ter or to the lady in whose care you
had placed herr"
you know where she is, then? YoJ
are acquainted with my Madeline's
present place of abode?" said Despard
starting forward with an eager look.
Il never said so. And if l did know
it | should think twice before [ gave
, you her address. 1t would be nc
credit to her to have you claim her as
your child"
| Oscar Despard sank into the nearest
! chair and covered his eyes with one
f hand.
[ Il have deserved this" he said. 50
, ! am hrOken-dOwn man. have erred