Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-10
DAILY SHORT STORY
His Lordship's Secretary.

an eastern capitalist.
Il say. Bramley," said one of the
hunters TO the other, these people be-
long to that class who are after titled
husbands for their daughters. Now,
wouldn't it be jolly joke for us to let
it out that we are titled men travelling
incog. ?"
Bramley looked at his companion,
surprised. You mean in order to Sc
cure rich wife under the pretense of
being a noblemanT
"Oh, / was only proposing to go in
for the fun of it," replied the other.
"Well, Chesborough, suppose you play
the lord, and I'll play your secretary.
1 shall not be claiming a rank above
what 1 really possess, and you will be
free to get what amusement out of ii
you can. 1 have an intimate friend
Lord Charleray-about whose affairs
l know q great deal. Personate him
If you like, and l will be able to keep
you from detection by preventing your
making any serious blunders.'
So it was made up that Chesborough
should play Lord Charleray, and it was
soon evident to Bramley that he was
striving to win the love of Florence
Mortimer, the second daughter of the
owner of the ranch. AS soon as it was
known that the sportsmen were a lord
and his secretary very naturally they
were objects of interest and were in
vited to prolong their stay. There was
a slight suspicion, however, on the part
of the Mortimers of Lord Charleray.
They had mingled with noble families
abroad, and his lordship, though GER
tainly having the manner of a gentle
man, if lord seemed to them to be a
very inferior one.
Florence Mortimer was not hunting
for titles, and his lordship did not
please her. His secretary seemed far
preferable. She was q fine horSewO-
man. and she and Mr.. Bramley rode
together and sang duets together and
read books together till Mr.. Mortimer
began to feel troubled. Miss Florence
was very independent character, and
he feared that if she fell in love with
Mr.. Bramley, who, being a lords sec
rotary, was, TO say the least, not an
important parsonage, she would marry
him despite all efforts to prevent 1t.
Meanwhile the spurious lord became
infatuated with the girl and, seeing
that she was not only irresponsible, but
leaning toward Bramley, confidentialIy
warned her against his secretary, in
forming her that he was the younger
son of q nobleman, had been caShiered
from the army, and that he (Charle-
ray, being related to him, had taken
him into his service and brought him
to America with the hope that he
might marry well and make the new
world his home.
Miss Mortimer expressed gratitude to
his lordship for his magnanimity in
not sacrificing her to his designs for
his protege. Then, leaving him, she
thought out the problem of the stran-
gers. Evidently there was something
wrong with them. 1t was difficult for
her to think ill of Bramley, and she
did not believe Charleray's story. But
Bramley was, to say the least, in bad
company, and she determined to drop
him. The next morning her father in
formed the two huntsmen that other
guests were expected and their rooms
would be required.
A hot flush passed over Bramley's
cheeks at the polite dismissal which
he knew was with Miss Mortimer's
consent. for she had scarcely noticed
him at breakfast. He had unwittingly
brought the slight upon himself. Ches-
borough was a stranger to him, whom
he had met in the west, and, being a
fellow countryman and a sportsman,
had taken him up for companionship. He
was puzzled what course to take. In
deed after reflection he concluded that
there was nothing for him to do but
so without attempting to explain.
When Miss Florence Mortimer re-
turned to New York she wrote to
friends in England making inquiries
about the Earl of Charleray and
learned that there was such title and
such a person and that during the past
autumn he had been hunting in Amer
lea. The next step in the affair was an
invitation to dine with him. Miss Nor
timer, thinking that she might have
been unjust to him in the matter of his
story about his secretary, decided to
accept.
miss Mortimer" said the hostess,
tapping the lady on the back with her
fan to secure her attention, "let me
present Lord Charleray." Florence
turned, and there stood Mr. Bramley,
his cheekS naming like pair Of carna-
tons
a pleasant surprise lighted up Miss
Mortimer's face, relieving to a great
extent the earls embarrassment Since
they were not alone she tactfully began
to chat without any reference to their
former meeting, but later when they
were seated apart from the others she
said:
Come, there is story am dying
to hear"
Charleray began by telling her that
to enjoy hunting season, avoiding no
toriety, he had come to the country I'M
der the name of Bramley and gone
west. where he had met Chesborough,
to whom he did not reveal his identity.
He then confessed that when Chesbor-
Ough proposed that they should play
the parts of noblemen the temptation