Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-12-15

CONTINUED
"Tarleton. Tarleton.' he repeated.
Then he turned the little disk of gold
over and saw the enameled drawing on
| the back, crest clearly outlined.
He started. The crest was quite ia
miliar.
Where did you get this?" he de-
manded i'm English and with such blunt
suddenness that she Was startled.
"Where did it come frOm:'
Il have always had it,
always? It's the TarletOn crest.
Do you belong to that family
Indeed | do not know. Papa Rous-
sillon says he thinks do"
We'll. this is strange and interest
ing" said Beverley. rather to himself
than addressing her He looked from
the miniature to the crest and back
to the miniature again, then at Alice.
Il tell you this is strange" he repeat
ed. with emphasis. 1t is exceedingly
strange.
Her cheeks flushed quickly under
their soft brown. and her eyes flashed
with excitement.
Yes. know" Her voice tluttered:
her hands were clasped in her lap. She
leaned toward him eagerly. 1T is
strange. I've thought about it great
deal"
alice Tarleton: that is right. Alice
is a name of the family. Lady Alice
Tarleton was the mother of the first
Sir Garnett Tarleton who came over in
the time of Yardley. It's Il great fam
ily, one of the oldest and best in Nir-
yinia." He looked ut her low with Il
gaze of concentrated interest. under
which her eyes fell "Why. this is ro-
mantle" he exclaimed, absolutely ro-
mantle. And you don't know how you
came by this lockct? lou dent know
who was your father, your mother"
Il do not know anything"
"And what does NJ. RousSillOn know
"Just as little"
But how came he to be taking you
and caring for you? He must know
how he got you, where he got you, OF
whom he lot you. Surely lie knows
"Oh, | know all that. was twelve
years old when Papa RousSiiom took
ne. eight years ago. | had heei nav
in% hard life. and but for him mus:
have died. was captive among tn
l.,.. oil t,,
me and taught me. He has ben very.
very good to me. love him dearly
And don't you remember anything
at all about when. where. how. the In
dianS cot you:"
NO" She shook her head and seem.
cd TO be trying to recollcct something.
NO. just can't remember. And yet
there has always been som thing Ike a
dram in my mind which | cau.d nos
uiite get hold Of knew that ! am
not Catholic. vaguely remember Il
sweet woman who taught me 10 pray
like this: Our Father who art in heav-
en-. hullowed be thy name.
And Alec went on through the bear
tful and perfect prayer. which she r..
paatCd in English with infnit" sweet
ness and solemnty. hyr eyes upi!ited.
her hands clusped before her. Bevei'
ley could have sworn that She was Il
shining saint and that he saw IN au-
reOle.
Il know" she continued, that some
n u y
son. ! promised that never. never, ncve'
world pray any prayer but that. and |
remember almost nothing else about
that other life. which is far of back
yonder in the past, don't know where
sweet. peaceful, shalowy. n dream
that have all but lost from my mind. y
Reverlcy'S sympathy was deeply
moved He sat for some minutes lGok-
ing at her without speaking. She. too.
was peEsive and silent, while the fire
sputtered and sang. the great logs
slowly melting. the flames tossing
wisps of smoke into the chimney still
booming to the wind.
Il know. too. that | am not French.
she presently resumed, but ! don't
know just how | know it. My first
words must have been English, for |
have always dreamed of talking in that
language. and my dimmest half recol-
lections of the old days are Of Il large,
white house and q soft voiced black
woman. who sang to me in that Ian
grage the very sweetest songs in the
world"
Beverley listened as one who hears a
clever reader intoning strange and
captivating poem. To his mind it was
clear that she belonged to the Tarle-
ton family of Virginia. Youth always
concludes Il matter ut once. He knew
some of the Tarletons. But it was Il
widely scattered family, its members
living in almost every colony in Amer
lea. The crest he recognized at q
glance by the dragon on the helmet
with three stars. 1t was MT for wo-
| man to bear. But doubtless it had
been enameled on the locket merely as
family mark, as was often done In
America.
"The black woman was your nurse,
your malpmy." he said. Il know oy
that and by your prayer in English as
well as by Your locket that you are or
u good old family.
Like most southerners. lie had strong
faith in gencalogy. and he held at his
tongues tip the names of all the Old
| families. The Carriers, the Blairs, the
Fitzhughs. the HansOns. the Ran
dolphs, the Lees, the Ludwells, the
Joneses, the Beverleys, the Tarletons-
whole catalogue of them stretched
back in his memory. He knew the
coat of arms displayed by each house.
He could repeat their legends.
Il wish you could tell me more,' he
went OH. Cant you recollect any
thing further about your early child
hood your first imDressiOns-th house