Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-14

Ing as cool as the precentor reading out
the lines two by two on sacrament Sab
| bath morning.
Yet for all that I could see very well
| that he knew me. I had my reply ready.
Il am Philip stansield. son of Philip
and grandson of Sir James, your nephew,
and proprietor of the lands and heritages
| OF New Mlns and Moreham, as indeed
| very well you know
| Gently. gently" said he "the burden
| OF proof lies on you. There has been some
small breach of continuity. You will,
then. take it. to make good your claim by
| reputable witnesses. who have had knowl-
| edge of You during all the time of your ao-
| sence from Scotland?"
| Il cam" answered firmly.
| Meaning those gentlemen down there"
he said. shrewdly, indicating with his
! thumb the spot on the edge of the pfanta-
| ton where l had left VIII Bowman and
| Umphray Spurway.
| We'll. yes" 1 answered. lamely enough,
| being. to tell the truth, a little taken aback
and not knowing what to make of my
| uncle's attitude.
Il wish they would keep off the grass,
your grass, that is, IL the title be goodr'
That the Fifteen shall decide" said ],
grandly.
Doubtless doubtless" murmured my
uncle John, still looking out of the window.
and pray what can good Umphray, the
| cloth weaver. proven"
| That he found me a prisoner among the
| SPANISH I answered.
| "A good claim to Protestant estate any
where in these islands, he said. bowling
| ironically. And the timber young gentle
| man who is kicking sods out of the sward
| with his heels-your sods, what is-what
| may have been his connection with your"
| Uncle JOHN said /, a little nettled. you
| carry it off Very we'll but all the same you
knew that you meant to kidnap me. to
| murder me-
Nephew. presumptive" returned he
cd
| able. Take notice, Caleb Clinkaberry, you
with your ear at the keyhole out there, 1
may need you for witness
| You set on Saul Mark. in whose COM
| pany L last saw you. TO carry me off with
| thirty other poor lads to sell for slaves in
| the Carolina plantations
And pray, sir. If it be fair question,
| he W much did You bring?''
Tut, said l, impatiently; you quib-
Sir, you assert"
| DO you, or do you not own heir
| TO this estate? Deny me at your perii"'
| Il deny you not q wish to heaven these
| gentlemen would either come in or go
| away. But will ask you a question-sup-
| posing You are the person whose name ard
| style you assume. do you own me as your
tutor nominate. as we'll as your tutor legi-
| tum or tutor at law?''
| Il suppose you are both. though / I'm
| derstand not the law terms"
| 1t is not required. Well, sir I am
| lawyer-a successful, 1 trust a fairly COM
l ptleHI, one. Ii you wish, L Will give you
my advice, for which you will pay me at
| the usual rates. They shall be taxed by
| the court if you wish it,
1 smiled. l began to find my Uncle John
| vastly entertaining.
He paused to catch my assent. as a min
| lister does at baptism, and then he I'M
| locked little cupboard in the wall close
| by his hand
| Here he said, you will find duplicate
| copies of all accounts of my intromissions
since the death of Sir James Stansfeld.
| The originals of which these certified du-
| plicates are. of course, in my office in Edin-
| burgh. Now, sir, for my advice-supposing
| that these grass-kicking gentlemen (whose
| hamstrings God confoundD can establish
| Your title, actions will lie betwixt us-di-
| recta ct contraria tutelae, as We phrase it
| for count and reckoning of time of tutelage.
| Sir, am going to Edinburgh Immediately.
| Shall have the pleasure of moving at the
| next sederunt?"
Uncle John" said l. 81 am utterly as
| tonished. Little did l expect
| 4 daresay not" said he, smiling colby
| but pleasantly: neither to tell the truth
| did 1. So long as you remained in foreign
| parts / was your heir of destinations but
| there was always a possibility, now happily
| fructifed into some probability-T sneak
| without prejudice-that you have returned
| In that case l am your curator. and these
are my accounts, which. | trust, You will
| find correct with natural deductions for
| my expenses in your service. If you find
| as l think you will, that the estates are in
| good heart, and that under my manage
i y,
| l have good law business in Edinburgh as
| any lawyer will tell you, and several noble
| gentlemen do me the honor to trust me as
| their agent and doer. What say you?
Shall continue to act as yours?'
| why. Uncle john. 1 stammered, 81
| have not considered"
| Il mean, supposing that you are satisfied
| with my present intromissions?"
| 1 held out my hand. For the time being
| 1 forgot all about Saul Mark. / only re-
membered that my uncle used to make me
G. nj nr6 Nov h,a3
| a sail amidships and generally capsized a
| yard from shore.
He took my hand and shook it slightly
| more. however. as duty than privilege
! All, that is better" he said. 1T is al
ways best to keep these perquisites within
families if possible. And there may be a
| hands of a Stansfeld In those of any
Dalrymple that ever ate pig meat
He handed me bunch Of keys from
! nail at his elbow.
| You will find the servants civil though
Caleb behind the door there Che raised his
voice. is getting into his dotage-'
We heard feet gathering indignantly down
| the corridor.
The liquor and wines are in the large
| gardevin behind the curtain in the corner
This is the key of the cellar. The brandy
! Is fair, the claret excellent. Good day to
| you, sir
He took his hat from a peg and with
| only slight wave of the hand went to-
ward the door, leaving me astonished and
| turned with his fingers on the handle
| and. pardon me. if you wish to have
any turf left, ask these gentlemen to come
| on to the gravelr'
And with that he was gone I heard
| the pounding of a horses hoofs beneath,
and, going mechanically to the window,
| L saw my uncle riding down the avenue
| And he never so much as turned his
head to look at the great house of New
| Minis, which had been his for so long a
| time
| went down to the front door, hardly
| able to speak for sheer establishment
Then beckoned to Umphray and Will
| and told them what had happened from
| the very first word, while all was still
| fresh in my memory.
| did he not take it well?" said. "Could
! ever any one have expected him to take
it so?"
| Umphray Spurway smiled and slowly
| nodded his head with a satisfied air
| "Blood-blood-" he said, that is where