The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-20
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3 THE MISSING DUKE. &
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enough" said Mss Haidie Stanton
approving. She was one of those mir
aculously fair blondes with corn-col
ored hair, china-blue eyes, and re
trousse features, who are one OF tn
special products OF the states.
MY darling!' interposei Mr.. Henr,
corbet ecstatically. The open deck o
an Atlantic liner is not the most Sc
cluded spot i'm the whole world. or h,
tive demopstrations.
Yes, but see here" continued Mis-.
Stanton. with a somewhat arch expres.
sion on her pretty face, "tisnt all as
plain as that. Poppas got his eye on
you. lie thinks you are carrying on toe
strong. Poppa means me TO marry a
lord. He told me To choke you off gent
~; but I've never been popped To by a
britisher before, and l thought I'd like
10 see how Britishers propose"
IL is quite impossible to give any ade-
quate impression OF the look OF blank
dismay, changing slowly 10 indigna-
ton, which spread over Mr. Corbet y
countenance as he listened 10 this sin
gular speech
Then YOU have merely trified with
me. he began, hoarsely.
Now, don't get riled," replied the
young lady, quietly. there's more 10
come. You see | don't set much store
by lords. All that I've seen left me
quite cold. ! don't mean To be just mar
ried for my money and left sitting on
a fence like Lydie We're de We're and
Lady Bloxoyer. 'Twon't suit. Then I'm
a Murr'can girl. Poppa can't marry me
TO any one that | don't want. and if il
came TO fight. perhaps / mightn't
get the worst OF It,"
My darlngl" cried Mr. Corbet. with
great earnestness, IL some lack OF orig
inality.
IL like that" nodded Miss stanton
II like your way Of making love. But
Ia rather marry with Pops consent
and do the square thing-him bossing
the show and patting me on the back.
So what you've got TO do young man.
III you want yours truly. is 10 get on the
weak side of Pop. Why can't you make
MN believe that you are the right SON
in-law for his money, and IA faring
genius at that"
Il will try" replied Mr.. Corbet. with
such prize I'm view / would try any
thing. But / have not yet observed that
Mr.. stanton has any weak side"
Miss Stanton laughed.
He's tough IL Poppa. But you just
try him on pedigree. He's awful stuck
on pedigree is Poppa. You're lawyer
and ought TO know all about IL. too.
Maybe you viii help him.
Mr.Corbet was a rising young barris-
ter, who was making "A good income at
the bar. He had pad a visit to the
states i'm vacation, and was now on his
return TO the Temple and the courts.
He was an able, intelligent young man,
and most anxious TO get into Mr.. Stan
tons good graces. The latter had
fixed idea which was to him the most
Interesting subject i'm the world. 1t is
not surprising. therefore, that after
some judicious angling Henry Corbet
succeeded i'm drawing the American On
TO his pet hobby and, once the subject
was broached, the story came out with
"A rush. Certainly il was amazing
enough.
IL seemed that Mr.. stanton believed
that he was the rightful Duke OF Don
caster and one of his objects in cross
ing the Atlantic was To lay claim to the
title, TO the exclusion OF the actual
holder.
First point" he said sis this\ NY
name is Felix Stanton. same as my
fathers. grandfather and great
Felix lis an uncommon
name in the states. On the other hand.
II Is the hereditary given name OF tNe
Dukes of Doncaster-the eldest sons
being always named so-after Felicia
Novel;. the original ancestress. who
was one OF your King Charles IFS |
beauties. i got that out Of Burke. Then |
stanton is the Doncaster family name. |
rhe present Duke is Felix Stanton, Just |
ike me. What do you think of that?"
Privately. Mr.. Corbet did not think |
very much of IL, but IL would obviously |
lave been the height of impolcy 10 !
say So
II suppose you have other evidence
Is well?'' he suggested automatically. |
Heaps Of evidence" said Mr.. STAN |
on. enthusiastically. He was now |
airly mounted ON his hobby, and IL |
started off at a gallop. You see the |
'ourth Duke was what YOU call &C.
'entric. that is. he had a good deal OF |
eal grit i'm him. Ii made him tired to
'e always doing the gartered duke act |
~ one day he just scooted and entered |
m trading ship as plain Felix Stan
on. You bet he had real grit. He
worked his way up to be first mate.
md then one night Oft the American |
oast he disappeared. Whether he was
PIT I'm the sea or jumped overheard
vas never known. but he never turned
~ I'm the old country again as duke or
- Felix stanton. After q time il was
that he must be lead. ard his
BROTHER took the title. The present
nan comes Om that brother; ! got all
hat out of Burke. D'you catch on?"
Mr.. Corbet began to see little more
ght.
Your theory is that he did not drown
ut was saved, remained incognito all
is life, and that your great-grand-
ather was really the missing duke"
THAT Is so. sir. That duke was lost
m the coast OF South Carolina. NY
reat grandfather came from South
'drolin7. and have always understood
nat he was an English colonlst
riginally."
once started. Mr.. stanton was per-
ectly Wiling % talk on this subject
= long as any one would listen to him,
ut Henry Corbet found that the train
evidence was very fragmentary.
IL seemed to Corbet a perfectly hope
'ss case and he warned the American
ealously against certain kinds OF
harks who will undertake any kind OF