The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-19

By MazsiaIen Rock.


mo. NO. Ellis" Guy Duraut said.
IN hastily, you shall not enter
upon such a bargain blindfolded- Let
me see" the speaker consulted a
schedule for a moment. -Yes, there's
a train to Helmsford at 2:3O. II you
are not otherwise engaged, we can
Journey by it to Durant Hall. You
can view the park and the few acres
surrounding it, examine the house.
dine and sleep there Then, if your
are foolish enough. tempt me with
your offer"
Nonsense. Durant! am perfectly
satisfied to give you the money / say
for your property" Kirby Ellis an
swered. He was short, stoutIy built
man, with keen blacx eyes and a
square. determined jaw Possibly
there was Hebrew blood in his veins.
At any rate, few men on the stock ex-
change were bolder in their speculs-
tions, and fewer still were as success
fui.
"But am not satisfied TO take it.
his companion remarked. quietly. ITO
tell you the truth. you offer too much,
Durant Hall is diIapidated old struc-
ture. and won't sell il TO you except
you see it"
The SPEAKER leaned back in his
chair as he spoke. For two or three
generations the Duranfs had been GO
ing steadily to the bad. and Guy
Durant had been but little wiser than
his immediate predecessors. Not that
he was either gambler or a spend
thrift. but he possessed an easy going
generous disposition. some artistic
and expensive tastes. and no bushes:
instincts He had married a pretty
young English girl. who had died
leaving him with baby two months
old The child he had placed under
the care Of her maternal aunt. and fol-
many years he had led an aimIess
pleasurabIe existence, in continental
cities chiefly.
A few months previously he had
taken up his residence in London. fol
the purpose of being near physi
clan in whom he had much depend
ence. He had been aware for SONS
time that his nenrt WAS affected. ana
DR.. Chalmers had told him that hi
length of days could not be long. and
/ for the first time he had begun Il
/ consider his child. No provision has
been made for her. and Durant hal
and its few hundred acres were heav
/ iIy mortgaged He had been not lit
~ ETfTsx h-I -
fered him fancy price for the rem
nant of his property. He had me
I that gentleman once or twice abroad
and had wondered why ne was so anx
ious to cultivate him. once he settles
in London
well. what do you sny2~ Duran
demanded. after short silence
"Isuppose youmust have your way.
Ellis replied. rather shortly.
"AIl right then. I'll wire to the oil
housekeeper to expect MS. and NEE
you at Paddington in half an hour.
Durant said, rising.
Ellis nodded and the two men sep
arated. Three hours after they were a
Durant Hall. and it's owner insisted OF
its woul6-be purchaser seeing the en-
tire property he was SO eager 70 pos
sesS. Evening had closed into nigh
when a length they sat down TO Dime
in the large wainscoted library ltwa
1.-The most comfortable room in tn
lower part of the mansion. and vuriou
portraits Of dead and gone Durant
hung upon its dark oaken walls On
OF these seemed 10 have a special al
traction for Ellis. and Guy Duran
laughed as he noticed it,
Everyone remarks that portrait.
he said Shall tell you Lady Anna
story?"
Il shall he glad 10 listen the gues
promised. ~She rs very beautiful" wit
another glance toward the picture
"She was. il that represents her wit
any degree Of eorrectness- 1t wa
painted long after Lady Anna ha
shared the common fate of humanit
from an old miniature of her. Yes. sh
was beautiful
The speaker paused to look at til
delicately nodded features. at the sieI
fQCF uC&k cuCtACAcA ~ AAS SAOt AAO%
ruff that was the fashion of the time. 8
the fair hair swept high from the lew
brow.
"And the story" Ellis said.
well. il seems that Lady Anna va
g Catholic. though the Durants wei
then. as now Protestsnts."
Guy Durant laughed cynically as
paused for s. moment
They attended to worldly matter
: II the story is true. more than TO spi
itusl. and accepted Henry's Six Articl'
as readily as his sons Thirty-nine- Ri
Lady Anna was different. Her hu
band. Piers Durant. WAS one of Eliz
beth's courtiers, but this fact did u
save his wife from being denounced
q Catholic. nor did his entreaties sa
her life when she was convicted of q
sisting priest TO escape. She was e
ecuted in the courtyard Of the hall. al
died as bravely as her eoreligionis
usually did"