Sharp County record., 1903-02-13
81 unnld first OF all tell you, Harry

tie esteem anu IS9l'NN' Va
whom he has come in contact since re-
sidIng in Australia. lie only made one
slim in his life. but it has cost him
wcI. God only knows what! NEen he
left ne expressed Il hope to me that II
he married, ! would take care OF any
children with whom he was blessed
and bring them up in total ignorance
Of who their father was. This prom
ised to do. lie married out there and
You were born, but in giving birth to
YOU your mother died. When Nouwere
four years old he sent you TO Inc.
When you attained your majority he
instructed me to tell you the secret Of
his life, aud begged that You would
not Judge him too harshly. Through
hard work he has gained IA substantial
fortune, and from this day you will
receive from the lawyers sufficient
capital that will yield an income Of
800 a year. You will now hear"
"Stop!" said Harry, quietly, with
strange, hard look in his face. 81 can
not and will not touch enc penny Of
my fathers money. lie has deceived
me. lie had no right to bring me up
with the thought that his life had
been beyond reproach. 1t was cruel
cruel-cruel!"
He was pacing the room now; his
face was white and set.
"Jessie-the girl to whom 1 am en-
gaged-what viii she say? What am
l to tell her?-I, who have always
been taught to be truthful and open
ever since l learned to speak. have
been kept in ignorance Of that which
! ought to have known, and what she
ought to have known"
at was done with noble purpose,
and worthy of the noble mind that en-
tertained it," broke in his guardian
quickly. "Were your fancee to know
the whole story she would revere
and honor the name you bear"
81 shall hear nothing until we are
married." retorted Harry, with rapid
ly rising anger. as it not enough that
my-my father has killed my faith in
him? Now you wish to kill her faith
in NE. No! no! no! can't hear the
truth;" and he strobe from the room.
He staggered blindly into the din
ing-room. But he paused on the
threshold lie esawJessie standing near
the window, and by her, with his hand
roughly selling hers, stood James Ban
ton, his rival.
Jessie, | desire an explanation, he
said, quietly, but with voice that
shook with suppressed passion and
jealousy.
With a startled cry the girl turned
round.
My explanation is this" put in
Banton, with sneer, that the son Of a
common forger is not a suitable hus-
band for Miss Payne's niece"
Recall those words!" shouted Har-
ry, you lying scoundrel!"
They are true," sneered Banton.
"Twenty-three years ago your father
forged a check, was convicted, impris-
oned, and finally left for Australia,
where he has since lived If you don't
believe it, have ample proof. Go and
ask Rev. William Nayland."
1T is lie! a lie! liar!" thundered
Harry.
at isn't true, it isn't true" cried
Jessie, moving towards him.
The shout had brought Miss Payne
and Rev Nayland into the room.
"Iou are not the son Of Henry Dain-
ing, as you think, but Of James Tren-
ton, the torger, one and the same
mani"
Atthcsc statements, Miss Payne gave
a strange cry Jessie ran to her
"Aunde, auntie, say it's not true"
Then Rev. Maryland stepped forward
and told them a tale of how q man had
fallen among evil companions, had got
into debt and had forged a check; how
he had once been engaged to Miss pfis-
ella Payne, and how he had gone to
Australia to start life afresh, feeling
that he was unworthy Of her great
love. He told them of the honored
name he had won, Of his hard bitter
struggle, and of his fortune reapud by
long years Of toll, Of his marriage to a
woman who, in giving birth to Harry,
had died; how the father swore that
his child should never know what his
father had been, so he sent him to live
in America at Il sacrifice that none
would ever know.
"And you, James Banton," thun-
dered the clergyman, with righteous
wrath, you, the only one in the fam
lily who knows the secret, through
jealousy must use your knowledge in
a base and foul way, in order to crush
the love Of that true, pure girl there"
pointing to Jessie-"for Harry, the
son Of that splendid spirit, James
Trenton, threatening disclosures un-
less lie sent you more money. Check
after check you received"
at is scandalous lie!" gasped Ban
ton, with liyid face. mo one can
gainsay it,"
Nes, | will gainsay it," said low,
quiet voice: 81 arrived from Australia