Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-11

Ter confidence in her fathers and step
mothers account Of the matter failed
her. She said to herself that probably
Lady Esler was right, possibly after al
she was not the granddaughter of poo
old Gen. Armstrong But in that case
who was she?
IF you forged any such copy Of {
certificate" said Lady Esler, in hel
calm way, you laid yourself open tt
the penalties Of the law" Lady Eslel
knew absolutely nothing about the
law, but she thought that the phrase
sounded we'll You are liable to i'm
prisonment, Jennings, and if I called il
a policeman from the street"
"Oh, please don't, my lady" ejaculat
ed Mrs. Despard. Indeed I will tel
you the truth now, indeed I will
Maria, don't be a fool" said hel
husband, desperately. But Madeline
laid a gently restraining hand on his
arm. Suddenly he sank into silence
though there was dazed look of terror
and dismay upon his face
L a
this is about
Yes, Of course you ought" said Lady
Esler, turning almost fercely upon her
Il have never believed you to be a
relation of mine, even when I was
most kind and generous to you; and
it is this woman, your step-mOther-
your mother, for aught | know-who
alone can tell us exactly who you
are"
/ Madeline stepped back with a sudden
! involuntary motion of dismay. She
neither liked nor respected Mrs. Des-
pard. Could it be possible that this
woman who was covering miserably
! in a corner of the sofa and hiding her
face from her former mistress, was
indeed her mother-the mother whom
she had yearned for and idealized in
her heart ever since she was old enough
to think about her at all? 1t seemed
impossible And what did Lady Esler
mean?
Oscar Despard no longer restrained
by Madeline's hand, came forward
valiantly.
you are mistaken, madam" he said,
with his grandilOquent air. MY wife
is not the only person able to give you
information. Surely I should be best
qualified to tell you the history of my
own dear child, Madeline"
We'll, tell it me-" said Lady Esler,
sharply. What did become of herr"
Your ladyship SEES" said Despard,
waving his hand gracefully toward
Madeline.
Lady Esler turned her back on him
with look of profoundest scorn.
Come, jennings" she said. You
used to be an honest woman, according
to your lights, and | haven't lost all
belief in you even now. Speak out
Did the first Mrs Despard's baby
daughter die or did she not?"
Mrs. Despard seemed to vacillate be-
tween two opinions. She began with
a half-uttered Yes" and ended with
NO" which seemed to be stimulated
by a black look from her husband.
THAT is no answer" said Lady Esler,
inexorably. Don't look at your hus-
band, but speak the truth. Did that
child die or did it not, Jennings?''
mo, no; my lady"
Then you arc liable to imprison-
ment for giving me a false account of
it's death. I shall take proceedings
against you at once
ooh, my lady, l beg pardon. I did
not mean to say that; I meant that it
did diet did indeed. What I said
was quite the truth
Can your ladyship not see that my
poor wifc scarcely knows what she is
saying?' said Oscar Despard. "She is
alarmed by those threats of yours,
which, as your ladyshir knows are ut
t"rly without reason. Calm yourself,
M ia. Lady Esler can do nothing to
you and you had better, for ell reasons,
speak the truth"
Il will speak the tr"-1 then" said
tnn woman, starting Up, will. a white
fac eLd an excited manner, "but not
a. yOu mean it, Oscar. i have had
enol gil to do with your schemes, and
[ GCr't see that they are t Madelines
my lady, and the account I gave you
of it's death and burial was true enough.
Oscar Despard had no thought of con-
cealing the truth. 1t was after our
marriage, when we weren't so well off
as we hoped to be, that he began to
say it was pity that Madeline's baby
was dead and that if we'd been wise
we should have got some child in her
place. And when we adopted a little
girl who was just the age that little
Madeline would have been, and of her
fair complexion, we both knew what
use we were to make of her when we
got the chance
"Oh, father" moaned Madeline, and,
leaning upon his shoulder, she suddenly
burst into tears.
Maria, you are mad, quite mad"
quavered Oscar Despard. Your lady
ship will not be prejudiced-''
Il think you had better hold your
tongue" said Lady Esler, drysy. It's
no use excusing yourself to me: I don't
believe a single word you say. Well,
Jennings, who is this girl, them"
Even Madeline held her breath to
hear the answer, but it was miserably
disappointing one.
Il don't know, my lady"
You don't knOw-yoU must know"
Il don't, indeed, my lady. 1t was my
/ husband brought her to me and told