The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-06-22

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once, so that the trustees can be on the
lookout for teacher to fill my place
"You know Ned wants to secure
that cunning little cottage where the
colonel's widow used to live. He can
hire it with the furniture, and we can
60 right to housekeeping"
"WelI, hope it won't be marrying
in haste to repent at leisure.
Now, mother don't break your
promise before it is cold on your lips"
said Nanny, reproachfully.
81 forgot, child. Don't mind me,
anyway for time. It's hard for me
to take such pains to bring you up
and give you a good education, and
then to lose You right away; and it is
natural that should feel sore about
it,"
"You won't lose mel You will gain
another child instead. am sure Ned
will love you dearly-that is, If you'll
give him chance" and with another
kiss, Nanny fastened away to hide the
tears her mothers suggestion had
brouy yht to her bright eyes. No, indeed!
I'll love my mother all the better for
loving Ned so faithful and truet' she
thought.
AS Mrs. Leydon had said, Edward
L'Estrange belonged to an entirely
different class Of society to the one in
which Nanny had been reared. He
was the younger son of a country gen
tleman who had only been able to save
from his income sufficient to insure a
comfortable support to his widow and
daughter in case of his death,
as the estate was cntailcd upon the
eldest son. So the younger ones had
to seek for fortunes gifts for themselves
or GO without them.
Frederick L'Estrange was employed
as bookeeper 10y the same firm in
which Edward acted rs cashier. He
was very different both in looks and
temperant, from his brother being
naughty, reserved and ihdolent; cX-
travagant in his habits, living up to
his income, if not beyond it. On the
contrary, Ned was frank, genial, and
energetic, caring little for luxury, and
ever ready to lend helping hand to a
needy fellow creature.
Frederick L'Estranye considered
Nanny Leydon so much beneath him
in the social scale that he had scarcely
vouchsafed her glance before her en-
gagcment to his brother, and ever af-
ter that his manner toward her was a
mixture Of superciliousness and cold
ness upon the rare occasions of their
meeting.
She had sweet, powerful soprano
voice, and had been invited for its sake
into the choir of the church which she
had attended as Sunday scholar, and
where her singing had attracted notice
| as a child, so that any of the eXhibi-
tions which were given occasionly to
show the pupils off in public, were
considerably bereft of the principal at
traction if anything occurred to keep
Nanny away.
Ned was passionate lover of music
and sang with correctness and feeling
himself When he first came to l.
to enter upon his new, selfsupporting
| mode of life, he attended the church
where, every Lords day, Nanny's
sweet voice scared up in its bird-like
clearness and purity as distinct in its
individuality from the notes of the
choirsingcrs, as Il lark's would be
anong chorus of less giftc | song
stcrs.
SO attracted at first by her voice,
he had learned to look for the shy,
lovely face of its owner until it had
grown into his heart, AMI his love for
/ Nanny had become part OF himself.
He sought al intro oluction, AMI, as we
have seen, had won her consent TO be
his wife.
| Their wedding WAS 4 qaict one, anil
the young couple settled down in 4
pleasant home, with every prospect of
happiness.
| All went Oh we'll for several years;
then a sudden and terrible shock came
to the young wift's tender heart. The
husband whom she loved dearly was
accused of forgery. Upon going to
his place of business one morning he
was told that his presence was desired
in the private Office Of M,ssrs Holman
4 Co., his employers.
He found the two senior members of
the firm awaiting him there. He was
lnmcdiltcly confrontc with some
drafts which ha been signed apparent
ly 10y Mr.. jams II ,lmln. The writ
ting was close imitation of that gen,
tleman's han |, bit there was pecu-
liarity about som of the letters which
had caused the bank officials to scrutn-
ize them closely before accepting them,
although deciding them to be genuine
at last.
There was minglin5 of expressions
upon the young mans face as he
glanced at the signature. He was
about to 1ak, bat, as controlled by a
sudden thought. he hesitated, slowly
Jscrutiniz I'd the writing again, and