The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-08-04

Never mind. man." he said. kindly.
"Widdrington is as sharp as a weasel;
he will unearth the mystery In no
time. l never knew that fellow to fail
in all my experience OF him. We shall
soon hear that he Is on the scent"
Heaven Forbid" l calculated, men
tally.
1T is to be hoped that rascal OF a
nephew won't turn up to complicate
matters. l wonder where the fellow
Is? His last scrape was more serious
than all the rest, and his uncle sent
him abroad. But he would be likely
to hear OF the Colone's illness, /
should be afraid; and the death was
announced in the papers. unfortunate
ly. That was a false step-I thought
so at the time"
"Miss Elmslie is responsible for that
mistake, SIR"
Yes? / thought as much. Trust a
woman for mischief" responded my
partner, irritably. "Well, well, there's
no use in thinking about it. Well look
over those leases, Fort; and Spence
and Brown must be seen today"
So, to my great relief, the subject
OF Forest Lea was for the time dis
missed.
For the next fortnight l lived as a
man might live over a slumbering vol
cano, in hourly dread o. an explosion.
For that space all was silent as the
grave. Widdrlngton made no sign.
Then two events OF almost equal i'm
portance to me broke up the monot-
ony of legal work in which I had
buried myself. A distant relative died
and left me fortune, and Mr.. Heath
cote telegraphed to Messrs. Rowton
and Fort: Come as soon as possible.
c. B. taken possession"
Old Rowton was laid up again with
return OF bronchitis. and for the
second time 1t fell to my lot to obey
the summons intended for him. What
wild hopes and daring aspirations
thrilled my heart and filled all my
thoughts during that journey over the
well-remembered road! My love and
l were standing on equal ground now.
AS the owner OF a landed estate l
might without presumption ask even
the heiress OF Forest Lea to be my
wife. And as events were tending, with
the secret knowledge possessed. felt
sure that Mona would be no heiress.
Doubtless 1t was she who summoned
Charlie prancnnnaha In, ~
her scheme of restitution; and-how
joyfully my heart beat at the thought!
it was in my power now to restore to
her all she had given up.
The Rector was waiting for me in
his dog-cart, the smartest OF grooms
at the horses head. in place OF the
somewhat loutish fellow whom re-
membered in the summer.
London Bred" said to myself, as.
touching his hat to me, he sprang TO
his place behind us.
You have a new groom" re-
marked to Mr.. Heathcote. "a smart
fellow, he looks"
Yes" answered the Rector, absent
~ lhth pAuh6tu a. OhNt lllIO TIC SUI
ject OF my journey. Here's a pretty
mess! Mr.. Charlie Branscombe has
installed himself at Forest Lea, and
l want your help to turn him out. No
news of that unlucky will. suppose?"
glanced around at the groom before
replying; the rector spoke in a loud
tone-louder than was prudent,lt SEEM
ed to me, with listener so near.
"Oh, it doesn't matter" he said;
"you may speak out"
There was a twinkle In the clergy
mans eyes which made me turn once
more to the man. He was sitting with
folded arms, his immaculate top boots
stretched out in orthodox fashion, his
heels resting on the footboard. his fea-
lures composed into the respectful va
Guilty OF expression peculiar to thor.
oughbred servant. Was the fellow
deaf? Was that the meaning of the
rector's lack OF caution? / decided
that it was, and hesltated no longer.
Ito be continued.)