Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-08-10


''widdrlnston Is al sharp as weansl;
no will unearth the mystery in no
time, never knew that follow to fail
In all my experience Of him. We shall
soon hear that he is on the scent"
Heaven forbld" / calculated, men
tally.
1T ia to be hoped that rascal Of
nephew won't turn up to compllcate
matters. wonder where the fellow
isY His last scrape was more serious
than all the rest, and his uncle sent
him abroad, But he would he likely
to hear OF the Colonies illness, l
should be afraid; and the death was
announced In the papers, unfortunate
ly. That was a false step-I thought
80 at the time"
Miss Elmslio is responsible for that
mistake, SIR"
"YesH ! thought as much. Trust q
woman for mischief" responded my
partner, irrltably. well, well, there's
no use In thinking about II, Wen 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 lived as a
man might live over a slumbering vol
cano, In hourly dead OF an explosion.
For that space all was silent as the
grave, Wlddrlngton made no sign.
Then two events OF almost equal Inn
portance to me broke up the monot-
ony OF legal work In which l 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.
@. b. taken possession"
Old Rowton was laid up again with
a return Of bronchitis, and for the
second time II 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
were standing on equal ground now.
As the owner OF landed estate I
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 helress.
Doubtless It was she who summoned
Charlie Branscombe, In pursuance OF
her scheme OF restitution; and-how
joyfuly my heart beat at the thought!
1T 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 loutlsh fellow whom re-
membered in the summer.
London bred" said to myself, AZ,
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"
Eyes" answered the Rector, absent
ly, then plunged at once into the sub
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 loud
tone-louder than was prudent,t SEEM
ed to me, with listener so near.
"oh, 1t doesn't matter" he said;
"you may speak out"
There was 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 1t was, and hesltated no longer.
ITO be continued,)