The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-20

| purpose ofhdding up fees. The unex-
pected result of his efforts was that
one day Mr.. Stanton observed:
See here. l like you. You've got
plenty Of grit. you don't bear malice.
ana reoAon you are straight all
| through. l mean 10 go through with
this deal, and see how II pans out but
i want a local man to help me-one who
knows the country and w.om / can
trust. VIII you be the man? l VIII
make you a good offer"
This question placed Corbet in rather
a deiimma. IL he accepted It it would
bring him into friendly and intimate re-
lations with Mr. Stanton, which might
have the most delightful results as far
as Haidie was concerned. On the other
hand. supposbng he failed to establish
the claim 10 the dukedOm. NJ was quite
possIbie that Mr.. Stanton might resent
the failure on his head. There was
however. the third reflection, that the
American might be angePed by a re-
fusal-and that would be me worst OF
all. II was ON the whole easiest 10
accept and trust that something would
turn up.
He was satisfied when he found that
Haidie highly approved of his acquiesi-
cence.
"Poppas head" she said, lis Level all
the time. He would not have asked
cute. He'd not start on this investiga-
tion II he had nothing to go on. You
keep your eye on Poppa, and 90 your
level best 90 pull him Through. Then
you will find that he's downright good
al bottom. though hes tough outside"
And so it was that Mr.. Corbet found
himself pledged to a'campaign OF kind
that was quite novel TO hun. The first
thing, it seemed 20 him, was to find
out all that he could about the miss
Ing Duke and the circumstances Of his
time and his disappearance.
For a most graphic picture OF the
social life, che ways and peculiarities OF
the prominent persons, the scandals
and causes celebres of the last three
quarters OF the last century, read Hor-
ace Walpoles letters" advised "A
friend 10 whom he merely confided his
desire TO study that portion OF social
history.
Horace. however, proved disappont-
ing. He repeated the story about the
disappearance OF tibe fourth Duke OF
Doncaster. much as Corbet had heard
IL from Mr.. Stanton He fns.nuated
that the Dukes liking for low company
was Inherited from his father with
difference as to the sex of the com
panionts, and in a letter TO Gen. Conway
ne even went so far as TO mention that
there were hints in society with regard
10 the cause OF the disappearance which
were nothing short OF libelous 10 the
new Duke.
IL was quite by chance that an n
much earlier letter. Henry Corbet
stumble on the following passage:
Il have been i'm town for a day or two
and heard no talk but about Stan
ton, "A fashionable highwayman. who
was taken, and who robbed me and
others. He was taken by selling a lac
ed waistcoat TO a pawnbroker who hap
pened % carry il to the very man who
had just sold the lace. His history is
particular for he confesses everything.
His father is no less a person than the
Duke OF Doncaster, old ID. His mother
was a celebrated Polly, even the fat
Nancy Fletcher, and she appears TO
have called him Felix Stanton. just as
4 he were a right eldest son, out OF
spite. ] am almost single in not having
been To see him. Lord Mountford at the
head OF half Whites, went the first
lay. But the chief personages who have |
been to comfort and weep over the |
allen hero are Lady Caroline Peter |
sham and Miss Ashe. I concluded he |
would suffer. but old ID. nas used all |
his influence. and. i'm short, my friend 1
,oes to the plantations
There was a significance about this |
which. to use his own eX-
)ression threw Mr.. Corbet right on !
lIs beam ends" Comparing it with the !
tory told by Mr.. Stanton. it seemed TO
he'd lurid light on much that had
)een obscure.
Felix Stanton. the ancestor. has not
aid, Il am the Duke OF Doncaster."
'ut MY father was the Duke of Dom
aster. If | had my rights. | should be
luke, too This remark accorded bet
te 4. eN.a. -.
amed him as If he had been right ell
est son" out of spite than with law
ul holder of the title. Again, IL was
nconceivable that the true duke would
xpatriate himself forever and disin-
erit his children, while it was quite |
bvious that there would be difficulties
n the way of the return or the convict
-even If he served out his freedom |
'hirdly Felix, the ancestor. had come
rom South Carolina and was supposed
D be an English Colonist. Now. the
outhern States were the country of
he great cotton and tobacco planta-
ions, and Henry Corbet knew enough
bout their history to be aware that.
I the DAYS wnen they were English
olonies. convicts were sent there To
'ork as slaves on tho plantations Just
s later they were sent 10 the Anti
udes
|
ons came the renection--how would
lr stanton like To hear that. though
is descent from the Dukes OF Don
lster was undoubted. IL came through
n illegitimate convict hghwayman?
After much thought he decided on
old action. He started for America,
nd Instituted a searching investiga-
on among the records of South Caro-
ma I'm this work he received great
eal " valuable help from local anti
uaries without committing 90 any ono
le true object OF his researches. When |
q returned 60 England the case was
ear as glass.
Very soon he sought an interview |
18th Mr.. stanton. and explained TO him
! short inclsive language. backed by
)cumentary evidence. that this anccs-
al Felix stanton was Identical with |
"A - . - = 1