The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-07-12
MY NAMESAKE.


anticipated when l promised Bartlett
that I would go and visit his people
when / came back TO the old country.
had returned from 10 years hard
work in West Australia only fort
night before, and what ! knew of the
people | was visiting was what | had
heard from Bartlett himself. The
young lady that rose at my entrance
was charming. / couldn't deny it,
even if had wished TO do so.
"Mr. -" And she stopped short
with look Of establishment.
Mr.. Jeffreys."
But you are not the-the-NIr. JEFF
ferries we are expecting?'
As a rule | am not nervous, but |
will own 10 feeling uncomfortable on
hearing this.
SO / asked rather anXiously: But
this is Mr. Bartleets, is it not? Chill
verton hall?"
The way in which the lady's eye
brows elevated themselves was any
thing but reassuring.
This? No This is Chilverton
lodge. and our name is Ferrers."
1t was a decidedly cheerful situa-
ton. and the consideration of it
claimed my attention so fully that |
hardly noticed the old gentleman who
had just entered. and was focusing
me sternly through his eyeglass.
"Eh? What is this, GwenT'
ALLOW me to explain" | broke in
firmly, rather annoyed at the tone of
his voice. Half an hour ago | came
10 Chilverton on my way to visit MIR.
Bartlett at Chilverton hall. gave my
name to your coachman and he drove
me here. / must apologize for intrud-
ing on you. and express my regret for
a mistake that is as unfortunate to us
both as il is ineXplicable to me-"
But, papa. the gentleman says his
name is JefferieS."
| handed the Notwithstanding old
chap my card.
"Ah, yes! / see, Jeffreys-spelt with
a " The Jefferies whom we are eX-
pecting is spelt les Eth, yes! Very
strange. And you were to be "A guest
of Bartleet's! Very strange. Yes, yes!
Quite a coincidence"
l was planning IA dignfied and polite
exit when he politely and firmly re-
fused 10 entertain my suggestion of at
once proceeding TO the Bartleets' |
must stay 20 dinner, at any rate. so he
said. and when l noticed the thought
full expression in Miss Ferrers' face l
concluded that would not leave the
lodge for an hour or so.
The colonel. as ! nicknamed the old
tyrant for my own private use, his
daughter, and l formed the entire din.
ner party Ny namesake hadn't IN
rived. and TO tell the truth, / was GLAD
that he hadn't. The colonel was n
study in himself. ! soon began TO be.
lieve that every one-hiS daughter eX-
cepted-was victim TO his powers or
bullying. 1t was very strange, by the
by, that his name was the same as
that of my mothers half-brother, who
had IA countrywide reputation for fe-
rocity-Ferrers-an uncommon name.
too-and he had a daughter. though
they were both strangers 10 me. The
more | tried TO recollect details or
them the more curious and uncomfort-
able began TO feel. The wife Of my
mothers relation was dead, and there
was but one daughter though | had
never heard her name. In fact, all
that had heard about the family was
from my mother, and she had died IA
year before | left England.
All | was certain Of was that my
mother had married beneath her-in
Ferrers' opinion, at least-and that he
had refused to acknowledge that she
had henceforth any connection with
him.
The man at my side was just such "A
man TO say and keep to a thing like
that; domineering, too, in all things.
even down 10 gold shares. He actual
" laid down the law to me on the mer-
its of the different gold-bearing strata
east of COolgardie.
For the sake of the blue eyes that
twinkled on the farther side of the ia
Bile had already endured a good deal.
But this was a little bit too much, so
] firmly corrected his erroneous views,
and pointed out that my 10 years ex-
perience in prospecting and assaying
in that exact region entitled me TO
some knowledge about the metal.
quite expected him to blaze at my
crossing him, but, much to my sur
prise, he grew more affable, and al
most lost the bulldog look that seemed
an essential part Of his appearance.
Did know anything about Whit
sand West?
Yes. 1t happened that did know a
good deal about the company that was
Just being foated 70 carry on opera
tons in that region. I'm afraid that
spoke my mind on what was known
to myself and one or two of Us in