The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-04-20

| said, in very natural way: Il want a
| tWenty-pOund nOtep'
StaOnley started and frowned.
| Il must first be assured he cried,
| ''that your sole strength is not derived
! from the letters which you have read;
!! and that you know something more
than that Of which l am myself in
| formed"
II am ready to pass my examina-
Ition," laughed Abraham: and then COM
menced, gravely: s'The worthy James
Frampton has made q discovery which
will deprive you Of your Inheritance"
That is in the letters" sneered Stan
ley.
Abraham looked cunningly, and then
said: HE has succeeded in finding a
certain old lady"
''Still in the letters, with the Christ
ian name of the old womans daugh-
ter" again sneered Claremont
"Ah! if that name had not been in
the letters!' cried Abraham, and,
struggling his shoulders; ''but it was
fortunately for -" He paused, fixed
a knowing look on Claremont. and
then added for both of u.s.
Stanley was chatting impatiently, but
the peddler was not to be hurried in
his speech.
"In the neighborhood of Brompton,
he went on, slowly, sin a certain
street -"
"Stll in the letters" interrupted
Stanley, with a grimace which eX-
pressed great contempt for the ped
dler. Poor idiot, you are not invent
ive-WOuld be to me q useless auXili-
airy. At the first favorable moment
shall myself endeavor-''
"YourSelf!' interrupted Abraham,
and with the coarse laugh which had
before enrages CIaremont "Oh, L
know there is a grandmother in the
letter, and l know that street in
BromptOn-'tiSi inhabited almost entire
~ by grandmothers. You would get
on very well with the first eight or
ten; at the fifteenth, you would be dis
heartened-... the twenty-third dis
gusted-and at about the thirty-fourth,
you would fall down in a swoon.'
And long and loud laughed the ped
dler, while Stanley Claremont furious
ly paced the deck.
Presently, again placing himself be-
fore Claremont and stopping that
gentleman in his agitated walk, Abra-
ham said, cunningly: "How easy the
matter would be for you if you knew
that old 9randmother's name"
Stanley understood him.
''1ou know that name?" he cried,
eagerly.
'Allow me TO say" he replied, that
l have not yet touched that twenty
pound note"
Claremont hastily drew forth his
pOrtmOnnaie, and thrust a bank note
into the peddler's hands.
And Abraham Mailer held the note
up to the light and carefully examined
the water-mark, while Stanley was
stamping with impatient rage, which
was almost beyond bis power Of con-
troll.
But the peddler was not to be put
out of his way. When he had thor
oUghly satisfied himself that the note
was genuine, he proceeded to fold it
into very small compass, and then,
slowly and carefully, he placed it away
in small pocket within the lining of
his waiStcoat.
And when all that was done, he at
last, and winklng at Claremont, said:
Dame Willoughby."
Stanley was satisfied that the ped
dler had spoken truly, for now he re-
membered that which he had vainly
endeavored to recall. Yes, Rosa Will
oughby had been the name which, only
once, and long since, he had heard his
uncle murmur.
And he was thinking that this lone
old woman it would be easy to intimi-
date, and was wishing himself near
her at that moment, fir then would he
force her to speak the other name
which he desired to know.
he WV
thoughts, the peddler said: There is
no need that you should trouble Mrs.
Willoughby. l can give you the young
gentleman's name, which is that OF his
reputed father
Looking straight into the peddler's
eyes. Claremont said: How much
for that young mans name?"
"a most profound and intelligent
question" observed Abraham. How
much ?'-words which are everything
in this world
"Tel me that namew demanded
Claremont.
The peddler tapped against the peck
ct in which he had placed the bank
note.
"The poor fellow is rather lonely"
he said; another to keep him COM
pany, and the name is yours"
Claremont gave him another twenty
pound note, with which the peddler
went slowly through the same pan
tomine as with the preceding one.
Stanley waited as patiently as he
might. aud then exclaimed, Now you
are paid, speak Where may I find
Rosa Wiloughbys SOM"
Abraham Mailer glanced towards
the spot where few of the passengers
had just then gathered into a group,
and said, He is lot far from you at
this moment.