The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-05-12

Ntr; Stuntol' ne 1nSlnuQteu that the
h pake,s Liking n for 10y COMPANY was IN,
ence us to the sex Of the companions, and
In aletetr to Gen. Conway he even went
SO far as to mention that there were
hints In society with regard to the cause
OF the disappearance which were nothing
short Of libelous to the new duke. /
It, was quite by chance that, in a
much earlier letter, Henry Corbet stun
bled on the following passage:
II have been in town for day or two
and heard no conversation but about
Stanton, fashionable highwayman, who
was taken. and who robbed me among
others. He was taken by selling laced
waistcoat to pawnbroker who happened
to carry 1t to the very man who has just
sold the lace. His history is very par.
tic9lar, for he confesses everything. His
father is no less a person than the Duke
Of Doncaster, old D. His mother was a
celebrated Polly, even the fat Nancy
Fletcher. and she appears to have called
him Felix Stanton, just rs if he We're
a right eldest son, out of spite. | am
almost single i'll not having been to see
him. Lord Mountford, ut the head OF
half Whites, went thu. first day. But
the chief persOnages who have been t.
comfort and weep over the fallen hero
are Lady Caroline Pctersham and Miss
Ashe. concluded he would suffer, but
old ID. has used all his influence, and, i'll
short, my friend goes to the plantations
There was Il significance about this
paragraph which, to use his own express
sion, threw Mr.. Corbet fright Oh his
beam ends" Comparing it with the
story told by Mr.. Stanton, it seemed to
shed lurid light on much that had been
obscure.
Felix Stanton, the ancestor, had not
said, Il am the Duke of Doncaster,' but
my father was the Duke of Doncaster'
If | had my rights. should Ike duke,
too This remark accorded better with
the son of the woman who named him;
out of spite than with the lawful holder
of the title. Again, it was inconcciva'
Bile that the true duke would expatriatc
himself forever and disinherit his chill
dren, while it was quite obvious that
there would be difficulties in the way of
the return of the convict-eyen if he
served out his freedom. Thirdly, Felix
the ancestor, had come from South Caro-
lima, and was supposed to be an English
colonist. Now, the Southern states were
the country of the great cotton and to.
bacco plantations, and Henry Corbet
knew enough about their history to be
aware that, in the days when they were
English colonies, convicts were sent out
there to work as slaves OH the planta-
tions, just as later they were sent to the
Close on the heels of these deductions
came the refection-how would Mr..
Stanton like to hear that, though his
descent from the Dukes of Doncastnr
was undoubted, it came through an IL
legitimate convict highwayman?
After much thought he decided on bold
action. He started for America, and i'll
stituted searching Investigation among
the records of South Carolina. In this
work he received a great deal Of valuable
help from local antiquaries without con,
hitting to anyone the true object of Dis
researches. When he returned to Eng.
land the case was clear as glass.
Very soon he sought an interview with
Mr.. Stanton. and explained to him III
short incisive language, backed by docu,,
mentary evidence, that this ancestral
Felix Stanton was identical with the so
wayman.
Mr.. Stanton took the news with the
phlegm of his race, but it was easy to sec
that he was dreadfully disappointed.
We'll, Mr.. Corbet," he said at last,
you've done your best. There is a duke
in the family after all, but reckon
had better forget him."
You don't quite understand the posi-
tion,' continued Henry Corbet, boldly.
Il
know how down your press is on NIL
lionaires, and especially those who have
Anglicizing tendencies. You may imag-
inc how they would gloat over the story
of the millionaire who started to prove
himself duke, und found himself the
descendant of a convict highwayman.
Even our own press would welcome such
a tit-bit. 1t is not every man who has
the chance of being howled at in tall
headlines in both hemispheres."
Mr. Stanton shut his mouth with a
snap, and became the cool, level-headed
man of business.
had imagined. Now | reckon that this is
a business deal. What's the tigure?'
-. There you are quite mistaken. | am
dealing with you as a friend. I have
shown you the position. There are all
the pupers. You can burn them or do
what you like with them. shall not say
Il word, and have no price"
We'll, that's real handsome hest
tated the American.
But you are thinking that those docu-
ments are mere copies of others which
nothing to prevent me getting copies
"Well, mister, you've about sized it
up"
''There is one way" suggested Mr..
Corbet,, ''by which you can make this Sc
cret absolutely safely keeping it in the
family. l love your daughter"
The American looked at him fxedly.
''Hunkers," he said. at last. Il pass.
You take her. A young man with brains
like yours and my money at your back
will end by being lord at least, and
Haitie will be my lady after albion
don Truth