Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-04-02
CHAPTER XXI



lot Var e. it seemed but brie
space since h had said farewell to his
father when Col Vanbrugh weni
abroad after his failure to effect a re-
Cancellation with his wife; but as a mat.
ter of fact, four years had elapsed and
1t was with very mixed feelings that
the young man of % or "A was reading
a letter which announced his fathers
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
the fact that there might be good rea-
son for his fathers inability TO live
with Nenetia Zavertal in peace and
quietness. 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 boy of 10.
He was sitting at his desk, serihbling
something something uncommonly
like verse il the truth must be told
when he heard q knock at his door
In answer to a careless Come in the
door opened and 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.
Il beg pardon, sir; hope | DO not
intrude, said a smooth, deprecating
voice, i am the bearer of a letter Of
introduction. | am in search OF work
light, literary work or even copying
or typewriting."
I'm afraid / shall not be able TO
help you, thea" said Lancelot, good
humoredly. He had risen from his
chair and now stood with one knee
bent on the seat and one hand thrust
irto his pocket, in an attitude OF care
less observation. The stranger, a fair
man, with light hair just turning gray
and struggling mustache was en-
gagged in opening a shabby pocketbook,
from which he extracted 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 10 your
notice The writer's name is known
to you, | am sure"'
Lancelot unfolded the paper and
glanced at letter from a well-knoWn
author, who set forth in glowing terms
the virtues and accomplishments of q
certain Mr.. Charles Smith as secretary
and amanuensis.
and you are-Mr. Charles Smith,
| SUPPOSE said Lance. fol6ing up the
letter.
"That is my name. sir, said the
shabby stranger, With 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 liyid
in complexion and tried to make a Jolt
for the door, but Lancelot's hand vas
on his arm and he could not escape.
You need not 90 fer minute or
two, said the young man, cooliy.
Il have been wanting word with
you for good long time, Mr.. Despard
or Mr.. Smith, which IS II TO be-
Sir. sir-I beg you TO be merciful.
It is want, sir that has driven me 70
this. Not only my wants, but the
wants OF my wife and children -"
Your children" said Lancelot, in
great contempt. And what of your
eldest child, your daughter, Madeline?
Is 1t on her account that YOU are try
ing to get money on false pretensesg
yes, sir, yes" Then seeing from a
look on Lance's face that the lie was
detected the Wretcned man began ~
whimper and to explain. Not for
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 word OF explana-
tom"
Oscar Despard was struck dumb for
a moment. Then he wrung bis ands
together with a gesture Of despair,
which was not without Its value from
a purely dramatic point Of view,
MY child, my childm he groaned.
"Did they grudge thee a morsel OF
bread? left her, sir, because ! was
compelled to 90 III haste; ] had neither
time nor means to enable me to pro-
vide in any way
and there was no such thing as the