Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-27

had business-very serious business-in
London, he said; and so, after an ELUSIVE
farewell, he departed.
Mrs. de Burgh fingered in Italy, but, to
the satisfaction Of her heir, made a will
which incorporated her private savings
with the entailed property. Dick Ashton
worked and family hoped. Moreover, he
sold his work. He was all the more dill
gent because Macdermot was very busy
about some mysterious law business "of
great Importance, faith" as he said him
self. He was always running tn and fro
between Dublin, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Whatever his quest, he seemed highly
pleased with his success, and from time
to time pronounced this unconnected eulo-
gism on his own shrewdness and penetra-
tion.
In the midst OF this tranquility came a
bolt from the blue sky. Mrs. de Burgh had
died suddenly at Rome.
There was mourning and lamentation at
Thoresby Chase, and a huge funeral, when
the poor lady's remains were brought back
to lie among those of her forefathers.
Hugh de Burgh was solemn and imposing
as chief mourner, but e~xultant at heart at
having come into his kingdom, and. though
still bitter at Grace's steady rejection OF
his advances, and by no means recovered
from his passion for her, on the whole
thankful that he was not hampered by a
low-born wife.
The day after the funeral a strange rumor
began to be whispered among the domestics
and personal attendants in the great house
that some desperate adventurer had put in
a claim to the property-the child, II was
supposed, of the late lady's soldier brother
who had fallen in the Crimea. 1t was non
- -a-LA -
This strange report gave everyone a great
deal to talk about, and 1t was remarked
that, instead of remaining to transact bust
ness and go into matters with the agent
and the late lady's secretary, the new lord
of Thoresby went of back to London.
Two evenings after, while everyone was
oppressed with a sense OF coming trouble.
Grace and her grandmother were almost
frightened by the unexpected arrival Of DR..
Macdermot, in a state Of mixed gravity
and excitement.
my dear ladies'" he said, you'll excuse
this intrusion when ! tell you my errand.
First OF all. let me congratulate you, Miss
de Burgh-for that's what you are, no less
on coming into your property. Now. just
sit down and keep quiet" for both had ex-
claimed with amazement and incredulity.
THE day Ashton showed me your por-
trait, my dear young lady, l thought I
knew your face, so / went home and thought
and thought till l was able to place Il. The
face yours reminded me Of was OF a sweet,
elegant creature. the vile Of Harry de
Burgh, a great friend OF mine. Well, /
knew the pair Of them, an twas they were
the happy pair. BY and by came the in
evitable baby. / was at the christening
just before sailing for India. Next I heard
Of the death of the sweet mother, then my
poor de Burgh went on on someone's stan
to the Crlmea, and was among the first
shot by those numbering Russians. Well,
when / came down here and saw you"
waving his hand to Grace, 81 saw the like
ness stronger than ever. 'Begad,' said !
to myself, I'll look into this matter and
this is what / did"
mark me-" he continued, checking on
the heads Of his discourse with a fat fore
finger on each digit OF the left hand. First
l went hot-foot OF to Dublin to the bar
racks, and looked up the registers Of that
bad year when the typhus fever ragged.
There found that Sergeant and Mrs. No--
ton and their little girl all died, and we're
buried in a churchyard near by. / saw the
stone put up by poor de Burgh. Then l
went of TO Leeds and copied the register
OF the marriage, Then / came back to the
church at Bayswater, where the baby was
! christened, and found the entry Of the bap-
tism Of the child, and copied that. Next
and this was the stiffest Job of ALL called
on the family lawyers in Lincoln's Inn
Fields. and told my tale 10 a tremendous
Snuff h Of a chap, who spoke to
me as IL l was not Mt to dust his shoes.
Faith, l made him change that tune.
81 showed him my copies OF the registers.
and asked him to go aDd look for himself.
Then he remembered that in his fathers
time, Major Harry de Burgh made some
provision for the education and mainten-
ance Of a child called Grace Norton, but did
not give any explanation. 50 they all con-
cluded it was an illegitimate daughter. But
the cash was now all expended-that was
all he knew. Then al old gray headed
clerk came in with a telegram. and Mr..
Freshheld-the head OF the concentrated
him II he knew Of any communication from
the late Major de Burgh subsequent to his
sailing for the Crimea.
~ don't know OF any. sir. but every
paper concerning his affairs e in the deed
box bearing his initials, replied the clerk.
All. Just SOL says snui- the You
see. sir, ! can really give you no intormR-
ton
with that the old clerk says: If I
might suggest. Mr.. Nichols. who has since
set up for himself. was on rather friendly
terms with the late Major de Burgh. and
he might have had some private communi-
cation Snun-the-Moon said Il was highly
improbable. However. l got Nichols ad-
dress-and sure enough, Nichols had a
packet connded to his care and labelled,
Not to be given to anyone save myself or
one authorized by me- Nichols did not
know that de Burgh was married at the
time, so he kept he parcel.
! "AIyhow. We talked It over and the up