Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-06-18
CHAPTER ".

81 have heard it said that he is wo- III
from two to three Millions" Philip Smer-
don said to his friend the next morning,
when Penlyn had, for the sixth or sew
enth time, repeated the whole Of the con-
versation between him and Cundall. ga
man Of that wealth would scarcely try to
steal another mans title. Yet he must
either be mistaken or mad"
'He may be mistaken-I must hope he
is-but he is certainly not mad. His calm
ness last night was something extraordi-
nary, and / am convinced that, provided
this story is true, he has told it against
his will"
"You mean that he only told it to pre-
vent Miss Raughton from being Illegally
married, or rather, for the marriage would
be perfectly legal since no deception was
meant, to prevent her from assuming a
title to which she had no CLAMP"
''Yes''
"You do not think that he hopes by
divulging this secret-always assuming it
to be true-to cause your marriage to be
broken off, so that he might have a
chance of obtaining Miss Raughton him
self? If his story is true, he can still
make her Lady Penlyn."
His friend hesitated. II do not know"
he said. "He bears the character Of be-
ing one Of the most honorable men in
London. Surprising his story true, | inn
agine he was right to tell it,
The young man expressed his opinion
and spoke as he thought, but he also
smoke in a voice broken with sorrow. If
what Cundall had told him was the actual
case. not only was he not Lord Penlyn,
but he was beggar. i
And then Ida Raughton could never be
his wife. Even though she might be
willing to take him, stripped as he would
he of his title. and possessions, it was
certain that Sir Paul would not allow her
to do so.
He began to feel a bitter hatred rising
m in his heart. 1t had been full Of pity
for that unknown and unnamed brother,
whom he had magined to be in existence
somewhere in the world; for this man,
who was now to come forward armed
with all lawful rights to deprive him Of
what he had so long been allowed blindly
to enjoy. he experienced nothing but the
blacklist hate.
At twelve o'clock he and Smerdon were
ready to receive the new claimant to all
he had imagined his, and at twelve O'Clock
he arrived.
Before ! make any statement" he
said, ''look ut these" and he produced two
letters worn with time and with the ink
faded. The other took them, and noted
they they were addressed, to, 'My own
dear wife," and signed, ''Your loving hus-
band, Gervase Occleve." And one Of
them was headed. 'Le .yocq. Auberge
Bellevue"
care they in your fathers handwrit-
ing?" he asked. and Geryase answered
"Yes." 2ssu
at was in 1852" Cundall, said, .'that
he met my mother. She was staying in
Paris with a distant relative of hers, and
they We're in the habit of constantly meet
ing. / bear his memory in no respect-he
was cold-hearted, selfish man. He won
her love, but told her that his uncle, whose
heir he was, wished him to mako bril-
liant match. For her sake he was willing
to forego it, if she also was willing to
make the sacrifice of a private marriage,
Of living entirely out of the world, of
never being presented to any of his
friends. They were married in that year
in London"
cat what church," Gervase asked.
"At st. Jude's, Marylebone.' Here is
the certificate"
Gervase took it, glanced at it, and re-
turned it to him.