Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-01-10
Continued.
"a

iect.
Oscar" she said. when she found
herself alone with her son for few
minutes, you seem very absent this
morning; ana you were very strange
last evening win you tell me what
Is wrong?'
al was just on the point of con-
fding In you" he answered The
fact is. / have discovered a secret
He uttered the last words In such a
portontous aud important tone that
Mrs Carstonc turned pale
"a secret" she cried "Oh. my
dear, Oscar. what Is it?'
flush, mothcrl Remember walls
have ears" he said; land no one must
hear one syllable Of what have to
say"
MY dear boy. what can be the
matterl" Mrs. Caratone aekc !, in some
alarm.
Come out on the terrace with nc"
he said mo one viii oyerhear us
there"
Mother and son went out together
Mrs. Carstone laid her hand on her
sons arm as they walked slowly up
and down, for Oscar appeared in no
haste to impart his news.
u have discovered secret" he
said, at length, land one that seems
to me Of great importance was adj
vised not to mention the subject; but
| must tell you
"You are quite right Oscar" his
mother declared dgcisiycly you
may rely upon my prudence, | al
ways say to your dear father that wo
men are the safest conddents. after
all. What Is your secrct?'
- hardly know how to tell YOU" he
replied 81 have never been so sur
prised in all my life. You know that
we have none OF us liked Mr. Ran.
dolph, as he calls himself We
thought he gave himself great airs
and graces."
so he does" agreed Mrs. Car
stone
who in the world do you think he
turns out to be. mother?'
Himself, ! should say" she re-
Piled My dear Oscar who else
could he hep"
Mother, You viii be astonshed !
He is no artist-at least. he is not a
professional artist; he is Lord RIVERS
of Ryverswell. one Of the richest men
in England"
Lord Ryvers" she gasped. Lord |
RIVERS And we have been so unciyil |
TO him! Oh Oscar. what shall we DO, |
what shall we do?"
Il am not concerned with regard to |
ourselves mother" he replied. ut is
this which troubles me--if he is LORD
RIVERS, who is the beautiful girl he |
calls Mrs, RANDOLPH"
"Oh, my dear" cried Mrs. Carstonc
piteousy what can you mean?
Surely no harm to bright, beautiful
Violet-surely none to herr"
~ do not know hope not mother
But | want TO know what you think ,
about it. The whole matter has to me !
a very awkward look This man Is !
really Lord RIVERS of Ryverswel I,
He has several fine estates. is reputed |
TO be enormously rich, and holds n |
very high position. Now why should |
he be living here under an assumed |
name? When people take false !
name. Is because they want to de- |
ceiye some one. The question is. |
whom does he wish to deceive or mis-
lead?"
My dear Oscar. how clever you
are!" cried the perturbed lady. How
well you argue the point"
The only person / can zee he de
celyes is bright, beautiful Violet as
you call her. mother 1t is quite evi.
dent that she Is ignorant OF all these
things. She does not know his name,
his rarh, or anything about him She
believes him to be an artist working
hard for his living The question is,
why has he deceived here And fear
there can be but one answer"
what an awful thing" cried the
hnd-hearted woman. Il have always
heard that young noblemen are very
foolish and willul; but Oscar. he
sccrs such good man.
Seeming and being are different
things mother" replied oscar sen.
tcntionsly. What is your own
opiuiou? II everything be quite right
end straightforward, what need Of
disguisc?"
Very true Oh, Oscar. what a
lawyer YOU would have made'"
"Neyer mind me. mother" ! want
you to think of this girl, not OF me.