The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

I were chums. We both belonged to . com
pany of travelling actors, and We were a.
poor as church mice.
He married Violet Marin. a young gov
erness. and / was his best man. I'll give
him his due; l don't believe he concealed
his true name from her from any evil mo-
tive. No one in the company. not even i.
who was in his confidence. guessed that
.Harcourt Bell was an assumed name
His wife died. her sister took the child.
and things went So badly with Harcourt
Bell that more than once the workhouse
stared him in the face. 1 lost sight OF him
for a time: then he turned NJ. well dressed.
and with money i'm his pocket: but l sus-
pected nothing. II was not till he was on
the eve OF his second marriage I found my
old chum was a powerful baronet.
III wanted my silence. and I wanted
money. so we drove a bargain. I was to
have four hundred .year on condition I
held my tongue abou, his first marriage.
You'll say | wronged his child. True:
but there's another side. Mrs. Belairs. I
had seen the woman ne was to marry. I'm
not n bad judge of character. l felt the
little girl would have n better time of it in
poverty with her aunt than under her step
mothers care.
4ltl! slE john OltQ 4 IisiUe my sCAeHlcs
His true heiress was just twenty: my boy.
Bertram. was twenty-five. l would bring
them together. Then. when they were mar
ried. I would help Lettuce to claim her
rights.
You know what happened. Business post
poned the wedding. and my boy died on
his homeward voyage: but. Mrs. Bellairs.
Just because he loved the girl. I mean her
to have her rights. Lady Bellairs has Of
fered me ten thousand pounds TO hold my
tongue. but III not take it. Lettuce was
true to my boy. and she shall have her IN
heritance."
Mr.. Payne" said Mrs. Bellairs gravely.
II have told you the story Of the beginning
of Lettice's illness: over and over again in
her deliriuIn she has repeated the words
that terrible woman said to her on the
cliffs. l think the fiend who attempted to
take her life must have been her step
mother"
Likely enough" said Mr.. Payne. Any
ways. I'll not stir n step till Lettice's birth
day is past. When once she is of age. Lady
Bellairs can't chance to be her guardian:
and. mark you. since only the girls life
stands between her half sister and wealth.
I should never feel she Is safe in her STEP
mothers keeping"
she is conscious to-day for the FIRST
time. and. Mr.. Payne. she asked for your
son. 1 put her of with excuses; 1 simply
dared not tell her"
Tell her as soon as she can bear IT,"
said James Payne. Tell her. too. that she
Is your own kinswoman. Lettuce Bellairs.
and you have promised to take care of her
until she is nt to look after herself: but.
Mrs. Bellairs. for my boys sake. don't let
her know the part I played"
"She shall never know it from me-" said
Mrs. Bellairs; "and. Mr.. Payne. II in the
past your silence wronged Lettuce. I am
sure Of this-you made her very happy
when she came to the Wilderness"
And the next day Mrs. Bellairs broke to
Lettice that the tender. loyal heart which
had loved her so truly was still forever.
Bertram had a bad cold when he left New
York. pneumonia set in. and he died Just as
the ship dropped anchor in English waters.
Mr.. Payne. who had gone to Liverpool to
meet his son. never heard his boys voice
again.
Lettuce wept bitterly for Bertram's loss.
but through IT all she was hankful that
she had been true to her troth. He had
never doubted her. He would never know
now that her love had drifted from him.
As soon as she could travel. Mrs. Bel
lairs took her home to Kew. Sir Lionel
was not there to meet them. He had found
the American branch of the business needed
his personal supervision. and sailed for New
York the day his mother and Lettics left
westclin.
Not until her twenty-hrst birthday had
come and gone did Lettuce hear the story
of her birth. and that. when her identity
was proved. she would be a great heiress.
II had much rather stay with you she
nHNaraI rAa, NJ n~rl~t~- A.
speak of the glories of Kingswood.
And the only pleasure the thought OF
wealth gave her was that she would have
the power to do something for the aunt
who had given her a mothers love. and the
family who had accepted her as one OF
themselves when she was . lonely little
governess.
The day she was acknowledged mistress
Of Kingswood she conided two requests to
Mr.. Baxter. Might she give Mr.. Payne ten
thousand pounds. and buy an annuity for
Aunt Mary?
The first desire would cost Q whole years
income. but Mr.. Baxter decided the money
could be borrowed on security and paid Oh
In annual installments. It would probably
mean that for three years Min Bellairu
would only enjoy half her rsnt-roll; but.
since her heart was set on Il, he did not
oppose II.
The widowed Lady Bellairs ana her nvs
daughters left Kingswood before Lsttice
took possession of It, 1t was the girrs
wish to allow her stepmother . thousand .
year. but by Mr.. Baxter's advice she
changed this plan into the promise Of .
dowry for her half-sisters when they mar
ried.
Mr.. Linden graciously forgive Lettics.
ana even invited her to Crimsa Villa; but
Miss Bellairs much preferred welcomine
Aunt Mary to Kingswood Place. where che
had settled down in the early spring with
Mrs. Bellairs a. her companion and chap
eron.
Sir Lionel was abroad two years, his part
ner managing the English interests OF the
firm In his absence. when he came back
to England his mother Joined him at Kew.
since he refused to 20 to Kinsswood Placa.
1T is putting a cruel slight on Lettice.-
Mrs. Bellairs told him; everyone WIN
think you grudse her her inheritance"
"On the contrary. I Am delighted to hear
Of her prosperity. I suppose she will soon
put some lucky fellow IN Door Payue'u