The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-07

stranger. Then he added. in a voice which
thrilled with strong feeling.
Il thank your lordship most warmly for
50 1onorably d.scharging the debt, after
all these years"
Tut. man" answered the earl 7 al
ways pay nay bets You did not think tnai
j should plead the gaming act. or the sta L
ute or limitations. did yOu2'
II knew that your l0rdshiD would dc
"1at was right and honorable. And u was
a fair bet. Your lordship bears me witness
tnat il was a fair bet"
Perfectly fair. No question about H.
GU are 70 De congratulated on very
pretty haul
The stranger slowly folded up the check
and placed it in a leather case. which he
nad taken from his pocket. Then bowling
very Respectfully TO his lordship he moved
toward the door.
stay" cried the earl. prompted by an
uncon trQllapie curiosity 70 get 10 the bot
tom OF This mysterious affair. stay! When
You were here before you declined to give
ne your name, or 10 explain your motives,
1or very imperative reasons. May 1 be al
lowed % ask whether those reasons are
sim in fOrce2"
The old man stopped; hesitated; tn an
turned back, advanced toward where the
earl sat and stood confronting him. His
lace was working with great emotion.
II was some time before he could con-
trol his voice sufficiently TO speak
My lord he said at last, in a broken
hushy voice. Il had not intended 10 dis
close my secret. But you have treated
me 50 nobly-sO hOnOrably IN this mat
ter that-that I cannot deny you re-
quest IL win tell you the Whole story
for the beginning
4 am, or. rather. I was (for since I
last saw You I have been struck off the
rollsl, a solicitor. I got into difficulties
1ii order TO right myself l speculated
Win clients money, and lost Circt1rn-
81 ahces arose unexpectedly, which dis
closed my frauds. Almost before I knew
WHeie l was the police We're on my
rack; had some A,00O in cash which l
was HolulnS up for emergencies. With
TINS IN my possession 1 determined 10
escape from the country. But at the last
minute l changed my mind. I calculated
tAat sooner Of later, ! was bound to be
caught, and that if las was far from inn
proDaole) l was arrested before I could
get out OF England. with this $4,000 uDon
me- IL would all be appropriated by the
ponce toward the discharge of my liza
pllues. But what was 1 to do with il?
J mad no friend with whom / could safely
IeaVe II against the time that l came out
OF prison, ana no trustworthy agent with
whom TO deposit IT, I was racking my
Drains when 1 CHANGED TO read in a
sporting paper 81 account of your lord
snip wishing to lay a certain bet q bout
the City and Suburban. which Won couTd
mi no one to take. Then a wild idea
suddenly occurred to me. If I lost the
money over the wager / was no worse
of than if the police took il: ana if
WON'T ] wOn-why, then when l came
out or PRISON l should be able to cav an
t ti.iI ana start life again with some
thlng substantial n hand. I knew your
!ordsnlp's nigh sense of honor and that
II you once laid the odds you " ould GER
talnly pay up, after however lOnE a time
My only doubt was whether YOU would
consent to bet with me. But Z came to
you on the chance. My hopes were real
lzed ana then 1 went away and gave my
self up 10 the authorities. You can see.
my lotd raising his skull cap ana point
ing TO his closely-crOpped hedd-''from
whore ! have lately come. Il was only
Yesterday, indeed. that I left Portland
Tomorrow / shall pay up all my liabili-
ties, and the money left over after that
will amply suffice to keep me for my
few remaining years"
Lord BlankwOrth heard this extraor-
binary story in wonder-struck silence Be
fore he could find words to speak, the
mysterious stranger had gone