Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-23

~Ihey lived q wandering kl00 OF lie,
but, in those days, a not altogether un-
happy one. But at last he wearied of it
-wearied of living in continental towns
to which no one of their own country ever
came, where they passed under m as
sumed name, that which had beer her
maiden name-Cundall. At my birth he
became more genial for q year or so, and
again he relapsed into his moody and mo-
rose state. He began to see that the sc.
cret could not be kept forever. now that
he had u son; that some day, II ! lived,
I must be Lord Penlyn. And he did not
disguise his forebodings from her, nor
attempt to throw of his gloom. She bore
with him patiently for a long while
bore his repinings and taunts; but At last
she told him that, after all, there was no
such great necessity for secrecy, that she
was u lady by birth, q wife Of whom be
need not be ashamed. Then-then he
cursed her; and on the next occasion OF
their dispute he told her that they had
better live apart. She took him at his
word, and when he woke the next morning
she was gone, taking me with her. He
never saw her nor me again, and when
he heard that she was dead he believed
that I was dead Also"
"Then he was the deceived, and NOT
the deceiverT Gervase exclaimed. He
thought that I was really his son and
heir"
"Yes, he thought SO. My mothers only
other relative in the world was her broth
er, a merchant in Honduras, who was
fast amassing q ~stupendous fortune
the one l now possess. She wrote to him
telling him that she had married, that her
husband had treated her badly, and that
she had left him and resumed her maiden
name. His name she never would reveal.
My uncle wrote to say that in such cir
cumstances, and being an unmarried man,
he would adopt me as his own child, and
that I should eventually BE- his heir. Then
he sent money over for my schooling and
bringing up"
He paused again, and again he went
on; and it seemed as il he was mastering
himself for a final effort.
when I was little over four years old
| she died. On her deathbed her heart re-
| tented, and she thought that she would
| do for him what appeared to be the great
| est service in her power. She wrote to
| tell him she was dying, and that he would,
in a few days, receive confirmation OF her
| death from a sure hand. And she told
him that ( had died two months before.
| Poor thing! she meant well, but she was a
| simple, unworldly woman, and she had
no idea Of wat she was doing"
"Is that all?"
with the exception Of this: When l
was twenty-one this letter Of my mothers,
which no other eyes but mine have ever
seen before, was put into MI hand. l was
then in Honduras, and it had been left in
my uncle's care. I came to England
shortly afterwards, and there was in my
mind some idea OF putting in a claim to
my birthright. But. On my arrival, l
found that another-you-had taken pos
session Of it; and, as l saw you young n
happy, and heard you well spoken Of, l
put away from me, forever, all thoughts
OF ever taking away from you what you
through no fault Of your own-had wrong
fully become possessed Of"
"Yet now you will do so, because / have
gained Ida's love-"
mo. no, nor he answered. Then he
said, with a sadness that should have gone
to their hearts: X have been Esau to
your Jacob all my life. 1t Is natural you
should %supplant me nov in a woman's
love-"
what then do you mean to do, Lord
PeulynY" Gervase asked bitterly. The
other started, and said:
"Never call me by that name again. I
have given it to YOU"
Perhaps" Smerdon said, with a bitter
sneer, because o are not quite sure
yet Of your own right to it. You would
have to prove that there was a male child
of this marriage, and then that you were
he. That would not be 80 easy, I imag-
ine."
'"There is nothing would be more easy.
I have every proof of my birth and my
identity"
"And you intend to use them to break
of my marriage with Ida R%aughton,"
Gervase Occleve said.
CTo be continued.l