Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-12-16

she was wardlng on some ardent APP
proach of her lovers Please wait, and
hear me out If l said would be your
wife, Duke, it would be only for one
reason. Not because / loved you, not
because | looked forward to the sort
of happiness girls do hope for when
they marry. II would be only because
you are very, very rich, and if you
would promise to devote some of your
money to helping my poor people"
She paused for an instant, as though
expectantly, but he was silent, and the
girl went on: Only think how / am
placed! Though I'm not of age yet,
and have-a guardian, and all that, am
practically my own mistress, and have
been since my dear father died.I be-
lieve the thought of all the poor Great
ures who looked to us and for whom
we could 10 nothing, because OF our
poverty, did more to kill him than any
real illness of the body. Sometimes
| feel as though it would kill me, too,
though l am young and strong.
The largest estate in Ireland, and
the poorest and most miserable!-
that's what they say of Kildaragh.
And it's true. Oh, the wretchedness
see before me every day when l am
there-the suffering l am powerless to
help! would give my life-yes. more
than my life for those poor people
among whom | have grown up to be
a woman-who love me with all their
warm Irish hearts, though l do moth
ing for them. Now, you understand,
Duke, l am mercenary, but not, hope,
quite as some other girls are mercen-
airy. Are you willing to take me on
those terms? Are you willing, when
I am your wife to go hand in hand
with me in what l wish to make my
life's work."
I'm willing to take you on any
terms said the young man, though
the rapture had died out of hi voice.
You would help, with money, and
time, and all that l could ask?''
with everything. All that l have,
and am-to have you for my wife"
Then" answered Annie O'Nenl,
slowly and sadly, 81 give myself to
you
Upon her words there followed a 81
lence, Blandon could guess how it was
being filed up, and blood heat heavily
in his pulses.
moment later, Leicester spoke
May l tell them all? 1t would make
me SO happy-so proud-and be such
glorious ending to my birthday
week"
"Yes-tell if you like" said Lady
Anne. And Blay~lon, crouching low
among the ferns felt a rush of malic-
.ious satisfaction at the sound of her
weary little sigh.
Lady Mary Blandon was delighted at
the news which the young man who
was known to the world as the Duke of
Leicehter and her nephew had to give
her the next morning.
He did not need to marry riches, and
Anne ONeill possessed every other
possible advantage. Besides the money
which went with the title, and came
from the estates, there was the private
fortune which the old Duke, a man of
thrift in his day, had managed to
amass, and also the enormous sum
which passed to Maurice from the wo-
man whom all save three people on
earth believed to have been his
mother
The baby from the haunted cot
tage'' had been given the family name
of Maurice, which from generation to
generation Of Blandons had been be-
slowed up on the eldest son. Lady
Mary had him brought up with care
as tender as though he had been her
own child, $50 much depended upon the
sometimes uncertain tenure of his
life)! Savernake, still a fixture at
Lurlworth Towers, had superintendent
the boys education until the time when
he was sent to Elton. And, if the two
conspirators had ever felt any pangs
of conscience for the fraud they had
perpetrated, they had ceased to be
so troubled long. long before the death
of the poor, senile cid man, which
had given the title of Duke of Leicester
to the unconscious young impostor.
Their interests and his had grown to
seem identical, although in some ways
he had proved a disappointment to
the pair who had successfully plotted
to give him his high place. Habit
had rendered them fond Of the boy
but they did not disguise from them
selves or each other that he was not,