The Lamar register., 1899-11-01
CHAPTER xI.
gsgT

sT CHAPTER XI.
Colonel Rector.
The old man was considerably
shaken by his Illness and by the up-
fortunate loss OF his old clients will,
and certain halt-gullty consciousness
made me tender toward him as
looked at his bent figure and thin,
worn cheeks. In fact, we were mutual.
ly desIrous OF sparing each otheg's
feelings. for Rowtou vas good fei-
low, and he believed Was greatly cut
up by the uplucky failure Of my nrs;
grea, commission for the firm.
Never mind, man" he said, kindly
''widdriugtoa is as sharp as weasel.
he will uncArth the mystery IN no
time. l never knew that fellow TO far
in all my experience OF him We shall
soon hear that he Is on the scent ''
Heaven forbid." calculated, Essn-
tally.
1t IS to be hoped that rascal OF Q
nephew won't turn up to compiieats
matters. wonder wheTB the feIigw
is? His las; scrape was more ssriaus
than all the rest, and bis uncle se7s
him abroad. Bat he would be IIkciy
TO hear OF the Coloacl's illness, J
should De afraid; and the death wa.
announced In the papers. unfortunate
iy. That was false sssp-I though
SO at the time"
Nils Elmsi!c Is responsible for tAa'
mistake. sir"
"Ycs2 I thought a. much. Trust
woman for mischief" responded ny
partner. lrritabiy We'll, weu. therut
no use In thinking about Il Wen ioos
over those leases. Fort. and spcact
and Brown must be seen today
So, to my great relief. the subject
OF Forest Lea vas for the time dis
missed
For the next fortnight I lives As
man might live over slumberlnE vol
cano, in hourly dread OF an explosion
For that space all was silent as The
grave. wtddrington made no sgsa
Then two events Of almost equal i'm
portance to me broke up the iuonc;-
ony OF Legal work Ia which I haG
buried myself 4 distant relative dicL
and left me a fortune. and Mr. Heath.
cote telegraphsd to Messrs. RoEtor
and Fort; Come as soon as possible
C h. taken possession.
Old Row;on vas laid UP again With
a return Of bronchitis. ana for the
second time II fell TO my lot 20 obey
the summons Intended for him. what
Wild hopes and daring aspirations
thrilled my heart and hlled all my
thoughts during that journey over the
wsil-rcmembered roadi Nv love and
we're standing on equal ground noz
As the owner Of landed estate
might without presumption ask even
the helress OF Forest Lea to be ny
wife. And as events we're tending. With
the secret knowledge possessed. felt
sure that Mona would be no heirezs.
Doubtless Il was she who summoned
Charlie Branscomhe. In pursuance o.
her scheme Of restitution: ana-hoR
joytnlly my heart beat at the thought,
1t was in my power now to restore tc
her all she had given up.
The Rector was waiting for me Ia
his dog-cart. the smartest OF gro0ms
al the horses head. in place Of tht
somewhat loutlsh felloa whom re
membered In the summer
London bred" said to myself. aH
touching his hat to me. he spraug tr
his place behind us.
You have a new groom" ! re,
marked to Mr.. Heatheote. "A smart
fellow, he looks"
Yes" answered the Rector, absent.
II, then plunged at once into the sub.
iect of my journey. Here's a pretty
mess! Mr.. Charlie Branscombe ha,
installed himself at Forest Lea, and
1 want your help TO turn him out. Nc
news Of that unlucky viii, I supposs?'
I glanced around at the groom before
replying: the rector spoke in a loud
tone-louder than was prudent, 1T seem.
ed to me, with listener so near.
''Oh, 1t doesn't matter" he said
you may speak out"
There was a twinkle in the clergy
mans eyes which made me turn once
more 10 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 a thor.
oughbred servant. Was the fellow