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

II have heard 1t said that be Is worth
| 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. "A
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 10 certainly not mad. His calm
ness last night was something extraordi-
nary, and I am convinced that, provided
this story 10 true. he has told it against
his will"
"Yon 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 q
title to which she had no claim?"
Eyes"
.You do not think that he hopes by
| divulging this secret-always assuming It
to be true-to cause your marriage to be
broken of, 90 that he might have q
chance Of obtaining Miss Raughton him.
self? II his story IL true, he can still
make her Lady Penlyn."
His friend hesitated. II do not know"
he said. HE bears the character Of be-
| inR one Of the most honorable men In
London. Supposing his story true, I i'm
agine he was right to tell it."
The young man expressed his opinion
and spoke as he thought, but he also
smoke in q voice broken with sorrow. II
what Cundall had told him was the actual
case. not only was he not Lord Penlyn,
hut he wal q beggar.
And then Ida R~aughton could never be
his wife. Even though she might be
willing to take him, stripped al he would
be 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
up in his heart. It had been full Of pity
for that unknown and unnamed brother,
whom he had imagined 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 l make any statement" he
said, ''look at 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 wal headed. lie vocq, Auberge
Bellevue"
Are they in your fathers handwrit.
ings" he asked. and Gervase answered
EYES"
at was in 1882" Cundall said. .tha,
he met my mother. She was staying in
Paris with a distant relative Of hers, and
they were in the habit of constantly meet
ing. / bear his memory In no respect-hs
was a old-hearted. selfish man.. He wor
her love. but told her that his uncle, whose
heir he was. wished him to make a bril-
liant match. For her sake he wal willing
to forego 1t, II she also wa willing to
make the sacrifice Of q private marriage
Of living entirely put Of the world, oil
never being presented to any Of hil
friends. They were married in that veal
in Tendon"
AT what church 7" Gervase asked.
AT st. Jude's, Marylebone.' Here Il
the certificate"
Gervase took It, glanced at Il, and re
turned It to him.