The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-01-25
3 L IN . o e
wILKIE coLLrNa

.f.e2 AAs1s r.9 ----- 0GEEp 9E9G=ss
CHAPTER Lv1.-THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
A Board Meeting OF the Royal Unicorn
Life Insurance Company had been special
ly convened.
81 submit, Mr.. Chairman said one
and he was a barrister-"that the Com
pany knows nothing ut all about Lady
Harry Norland. We have had to deal
with the firm of Erskine, Mansfield, Den
ham s. Co., of Lincoln's Inn Fields. and a
reservations we paid the money. Ii it can
be ascertainea that we have been defraud-
ed we must look TO them. If we hav to
prosecute anybody, it must be that respeat-
able firm"
Good said the Chairman,
AT this moment n card was brought IN.
1t was that of Mr.. Erskine himself, senior
partner in the very lirm.
He came in. old, e%minently respectable,
but shaken. He was greatly shaken.
Gentlemen" he said, nervously, II
hasten to bring you Il communication, o
most extraordinary communication, which
l have just received. 1t is nothing less
than ii confessional full confession
from a person whom l had every reason to
believe was dead. 1t is from Lord Harry
Norland.n
Pray read 1t" the chairman said.
Gentlemen" the lawyer read, You
will be surprised and panied to learn that
1 am not-as you We're g~ivento understand
dead: but, on the other hand, living and
In the enjoyment of rude health. / see no
ed to three score years and ten.
The clall.!, therefore which you sent in
to the Royal Unicorn Life Insurance Com
pany Was fraudulent. 1t was the result
of a deep aid conspiracy. You have been
made the innocent acnnmplice of u great
crime.
My wife, who now knows the whole
truth, is most anxious for restitution to
be made. Sne is about to restore that por-
ton OF the money Which lies i'll her name.
| The rest will be sem pack by myself. on
certain'conditions.
In communicating the fact of my being
still alive to the heal of my family you
will please also to Inform him that / au-
thorize the discontinuance OF the premium.
This will save the family $500 Il year.
that his brother still lives to disgrace tine
name. If should die before the next
premium is due l order my heirs not to
claim the money. | remain, gentlemen,
your obedtent servant,
HARRY NoRLAND."
'.The premium. which snouid have been
paid under ordinary circumstances" said
policy has therefore expired"
"He will not be caught observed the
Chairman. THE letter is from too cool "A
hand. He has prepared II retreat. | dare
say by this time he is in some safe aud
convenient disguise. We are only con-
the lady. She has received the money
from you. We paid it to you on YOU rep.
reSentations.o
Observe, ;" said the lawyer, that the
moment she learns the truth she hastens
to make restitution"
over Lord Harry's letter so that the lawyer
should not be able to read the contents.
Have you seen her?"
II have not. ] expect to do SO before
long. She will certainly call upon me-"
''She will be ili-advised," said the Chair
man, "!f she calls upon anybody just at
present. Well, sir. | confess that | am
~sorry-cvery membe of this board would
be sorry--,,to see that lady. placed in the
dock beside her husband"
"In the interests of the noble family con.
cerned, l hope that neither OF them will be
placed in the dock"
I'VE are much obliged to you, sir, for
your prompt action. 1t Is. of course, only
what we should have expected of your
firm. Meantime, remember that the claim
was made by you, that you received the
money. and--but we will communicate
with you in Il few days.
The Secretary wrote such a letter as was
suggested. BY return of post a check was
sent, signed by one William Linville, for
the sum of eight thousand pounds. The
oohhPouy hu', GiSicIpie, lcSoNeIci lutl'
teen out OF fifteen Thousand pounds. The
Secretary had another interview with Mr..
Erskine, the result of which was that the
Company recovered the remaining two
thousand pounds.
Every firm of solicitors contains its own
secrets aud keeps them. Therefore, we
need not inquire whether 1t was intended
that this money should be paid by the firm
or by the noble family to which Lord Har.
~ Norland belonged. 1t is, owever, Ger
tain that a few days afterwards Mr..
Hugh Mountjoy called at the Office and
had u long conversation with the senior
partner, aud that he left behind him 9
very big check.